GeoVector Launches Innovative Directional Search Application for Smartphones in the US

GeoVector World SurferTM is now available for download from the Apple iTunes App Store for AT&T customers with the iPhone 3GS, and Android Market for the T-Mobile G1 with GoogleTM and the T-Mobile myTouch 3GTM with Google™. World Surfer is available for Sprint customers using the recently-announced HTC Hero and will be available on future Android-powered devices.
 
Developed for compass-enabled GPS smartphones, World Surfer allows users to point their phones in a particular direction to search for retailers, restaurants and other points of interest.
 
Through GeoVector’s pointing technology, World Surfer users can "Click on the Real World®” with their phones to access information, similar to the way computer users navigate their desktop with a mouse.
 
GeoVector, in partnership with NEC and Mapion, has provided services based on this technology throughout Japan since 2006.  Building upon experience gained by delivering this service in Japan, GeoVector has designed a directionally-filtered location browser which helps users simply and efficiently zero in on places in the real world which interest them.
 
After rapidly locating a point of interest, World Surfer users can visit the location's website, get reviews, place a phone call, check for pictures or YouTube™ videos, search Google, see the location on a map and be guided there using an interactive arrow.  They can also bookmark their favorite spots, hotel or parking garage to return easily after a day’s exploring.  Users can even search for nearby restrooms.
 
“Other local search applications present the user with a fog of information.  World Surfer totally avoids that fog, providing just the information users seek – quickly, reliably 24/7,” explains John Ellenby, GeoVector’s CEO.
 
Initial US content channels for World Surfer include Google, Microsoft Bing, Yahoo! Local, Wikipedia, Papa John's International, Inc. pizza restaurants and a convenient Starbucks coffee tracker.  GeoVector’s open platform supports third-party plug-in content channels and API documentation is available for developers.
 
Users can learn more about World Surfer at http://www.gvworldsurfer.com.
 
World Surfer provides new opportunities for location-based promotions to mobile consumers.  “Our pointing interface and multi-channel content is perfect for delivering user-requested marketing offers at the time and place where people are most likely to buy,” Ellenby explained.  “Several national and international retail and restaurant chains are currently in discussion with GeoVector to reach out to their customers using World Surfer.”
 
GeoVector World Surfer’s design and fully–redundant delivery infrastructure provides pedestrians with an indispensable service for use in their neighborhoods and when exploring new territories.
 
 
About GeoVector
 
GeoVector, headquartered in San Francisco, has been inventing, developing and fielding innovative pointing and augmented reality capabilities for mobile devices since 1991.  GeoVector services have been offered commercially country-wide in Japan since 2006.  GeoVector's patented geospatial search engine technology enables augmented reality applications and allows mobile web services to be attached to any object or location and launched simply by pointing with a mobile device.  Please visit http://www.geovector.com.