MapInfo Professional 9.0, first shipped in June 2007, is the 22nd revision of this mature GIS, mapping & spatial analysis  product for Windows workstations.

With an MSRP price of $1645, MapInfo Pro 9.0 continues to offer a rich and highly-competitive set of GIS features.  Compared to other GIS software, MapInfo Pro is distinguished by its friendly Windows "look-and-feel"; its tightly-integrated set of viewing, editing, mapping & analytic tools; and its excellent inter-connectivity with Oracle, Excel, Access, SQL Server and other industry standard software.

As of Version 9.0, the oldest versions are no longer eligible for discounted upgrade prices  (Version 7.5 and older).  On the positive side, MapBasic software, long sold for $795, is now a free download. 

At Version 9.0, PB Software (formerly "MapInfo Corporation") also joins Microsoft, Intuit and others in requiring license "activation" within 30-days of installation.

New in Revision 9.0

Curved text labels

In v9.0 curved text smoothly follows curved street lines and continues to be dynamically generated as you pan-and-zoom.   Curved text looks better than "straight" and, importantly, allows more text labels to fit on the map.  Finally, with v9.0, the text rendering is changed, making text labels significantly easier to read.
 

	In MapInfo Pro 9.0		In MapInfo Pro 8.5
	Click for larger image...		Click for larger image...

SGSI's view:  For many users, curved text is the defining feature of v9.0 and the main reason to upgrade.  The implementation is smooth and fast.  Note that, unlike old-style "straight" labels, you cannot drag the label to re-position it.  Also, v9.0 does not yet move labels automatically to avoid collisions with adjacent text.

 

Windows Vista support

MapInfo Pro 9 is the first PB MapInfo product, and possibly the first mainstream GIS worldwide, certified for use with Vista.

SGSI's view:  Competitive products do not seem to work reliably with Vista.  MapInfo Pro has always been Windows-friendly and early certification on Vista Ultimate solidifies this reputation.  Note that support for Win98 has been dropped.
 

Layout templates

New Layout window templates ship with v9.0, including a  better layout-based (not map window-based) scale bar object. 

SGSI's view:  You've always been able to create Layout templates via simple reuseable workspaces (*.wor's).  The new v9.0 features will draw attention to the organizational value of using standardized templates.  Future revisions will hopefully add even more cartographic features.

Directly map GeoDatabase, SDE & DWG layers

Using this new feature, organizations maintaining GIS data in ESRI SDE and GeoDatabase formats may now use MapInfo Pro as a client in place of, or alongside of, ArcGIS.  Geodatabase map layers are display-only, but can be layered with MapInfo's native format maps, without translation.

SGSI's view:  This features leverages data format components from SAFE Software, the Canadian company responsible for MapInfo's Universal Translator and its own FME translation toolbox.  To display SDE maps in MapInfo 9.0, users must obtain an ESRI dll or two (free download; search for "ArcReader").   To display a personal geodatabase MDB file, you must have an installed copy of ArcGIS or similar (not freely downloadable).  Note that this feature does not translate the SDE or GeoDatabase data to native *.tab format, but simply displays it.  Otherwise the feature looks valuable for organizations guilty of "GIS polygamy". 
 

Misc

Little things that could make all the difference:  new Rev 9.0 features SGSI particularly likes:

• Save Window As GeoTIFF:  Before v9.0, users captured window contents in JPEG, GIF and other common formats, but not in GeoTIFF.
  SGSI's view:  Good to have, since GeoTIFF unlike all the other formats, embeds georeferencing (map projection) info.
  
   

• Date/Time and Time data types:  Crimes, traffic accidents, and complaints are examples of events where the time-of-day may be critical.  MapInfo Pro 9.0 adds specific data types to support this.
  SGSI's view:  Not a huge feature, but good to enable faster, simpler, more understandable thematic maps by time-of-day and/or date.  Also results in better integration with RDBMS which have similar specific "Time" and/or "Time/Date" data types.
   

• Auto-indexing:
  Previously the "Query > Find" and "Table > Geocode" commands only worked with pre-indexed columns. In Rev 9.0, use any column, pre-indexed or not.
  SGSI's view:  Will save time and reduce confusion.  Previously it was confusing when non-indexed columns were suppressed from the Query > Find list.  This new feature works with ODBC tables, too.

Optional modules:

• Online Geocoding & Drivetime:  New in Revision 8.5, these services can be purchased in blocks of transactions.  Add-on cost:  $1000 or $1800 blocks, typically.  $1000 buys 25,000 street-level US/Canada geocodes or 250 US/Canada drivetime buffers (mix & match is OK).

• MapBasic:  The MapInfo Pro automation software.  New MapBasic commands in Rev 9.0 support curved text, date/time columns and other 9.0 features.   Free download!  Pls call SGSI at 206-224-0800 or email us for url.
  Note:  MapBasic 9.0 MBX's may not run with earlier versions of MapInfo Pro.

• Vertical Mapper:  Contouring, 3D and Grid Analysis module. 
  Add-on cost:  $1195/user (ask about bundled prices, too).  More ...

Before ordering, consider your options:

• Do you need a new full desktop license, or an upgrade?  If upgrading, do you have your serial number?

• Do you only want to buy MapInfo Pro, or do you want to add Maintenance.  Effective in late 2006, Maintenance includes phone Technical Support, all software upgrades, and discounts on MapWorld Conference attendance.

All prices listed here are in US$, for a single named-user desktop license, for shipment to USA destinations and are subject to change without notice.  We must have your serial number to process an upgrade order.  Volume discounts may apply if you have 15+ individual licenses.  Please call SGSI at 206-224-0800 for volume license and concurrent license options as well as for detailed quotations.

Note:  Prices below reflect a 10% Price increase, effective October 1, 2007, as announced by Pitney Bowes Software (aka PB MapInfo).

1.  Free online training
 
Previous sold for $40 per lesson, the online training web site is now open to all at no charge.   Link to PB MapInfo Corp's online training...
Note:  You will be asked to "register".  (Pls. select "SCHLOSSER GEOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS" as your contact on the registration form.  Please see example here ...)

2.  Paid training

Please see our SGSI Training page ...

You can order MapInfo Pro, Upgrades, Annual maintenance, and/or Technical support by simply calling SGSI at 1-206-224-0800 or email us. 

For upgrades and support orders, please have your serial #'s handy, as it is required by PB MapInfo. 
- The serial number for Revision 7.8 and later typically begins with "MIUWEU" followed by 10-digits:  e.g., "MIUWEU0780012345" and is usually listed in the MapInfo > Help > About dialog box.
- The serial number for Revision 7.0 and earlier typically begins with "W" followed by 9-digits:  e.g., "W700812345" and is usually listed in the "MapInfo > Help > About" dialog box.  Note that these old versions are not eligible for upgrade pricing after September 30, 2007.

30-day full-function downloadable version (trial period increased from 20 to 30 days as of August 2007).  Please call 206-224-0800 or email for details.

MapInfo Pro 8.5
Grid/raster reprojection on the fly; integrate web services, such as MapMarker & Envinsa; enhanced higher-resolution print engine; multiple ease-of-use enhancements.   More ...

MapInfo Pro 8.0
Support for complex 100 million-node regions; Distance Calculator; Support for ESRI grid & 3D Shapefile formats; ...    More ...

MapInfo Pro 7.8
New "spider graph" and "Synch Windows" utilities; Square and colored dot density maps; large 2048-character text objects; support for Oracle 10g & AccessXP formats; real-time use of both raster "WMS" and vector "WFS" map layers.  More ...

MapInfo Pro 7.5
New snap, cross-hairs, & "print to scale" features; support for 64,000 row XLSs & Oracle 9.03; Workspace "packager"; higher-res. fill patterns and symbols; real-time use of maps from remote "web map servers" (WMS).  More ...

MapInfo Pro 7.0
XP-logo certified, direct display of ShapeFile format maps, proximal area (voronoi), object rotation, "nudge" nodes, and Crystal Reports  More ...

MapInfo Pro 6.5
Extruded "prism" thematic maps, raster translucency, map "thinning", "cleaning", and other editing enhancements, "invert" selection tool, and  More ...

MapInfo Pro 6.0
3D perspective map views; auto-hotlinks to XLS, DOC and other documents; HTML page-builder tool; improved 24-bit color printing control; & support for Access 2000 binary format.  More ...

MapInfo Pro 5.5
New charting styles, improved cartographic legends, shaded relief grid maps, MrSID image format support (from SGSI!), & completely re-written map feature processing (split's, combine's, etc) .  More ...

MapInfo Pro 5.0
Continuous-color grid thematics, cartographic legends, dynamic ODBC, Crystal Reports.  More ...

MapInfo Pro 4.5
Info Tips, thematic templates, saved queries, interleaved line styles, up to 1,000,000 nodes, & bundled Universal GIS translators.    More ...

MapInfo Pro 4.1
Native MS-Access support without ODBC, export JPEG or Photoshop formats.  More ...