Fresh Logic’s Sophisticated & Useful Atlas

The Fresh Logic Atlas is an Ajax-like and Google-like mapping site. There are three tabs at the top right of the screen:

• Start: Directions, Email (send an email to Fresh Logic), Search, Toolbox (zoom and map type), Defaults, and Help
• Features: Locate with pins Blogs, Events (from Eventful.com), Gas Prices, Movie Theaters, Traffic Notices, and Wifi Hotspots
• Services: GPS to locate yourself and get direction (beta; requires registration and a GPS receiver coupled with a Windows Mobile 5 pda or phone)

Click here for a larger view:

This map of Phoenix, Arizona shows the Features bar open in the right corner, with Traffic and Event showing on the map. The Traffic notice list is open, while the Event list is closed. Information on one of the Traffic points and on one of the Event points are shown in more detail. The navigation Toolbox is also open.

The Fresh Logic Atlas is graphically the slickest and sophisticated mapping tool that I have seen. It also provides useful information for both residents and visitors to a place. Unfortunately it is currently limited to the US and Canada. And it can be somewhat sluggish, even on my DSL connection — it appears to be doing a lot of processing! Using it over a dialup would probably be excruciating. Registration gives you additional features (though I coud not see just how this was different from not registering). The Fresh Logic Atlas does not work with Safari for Mac OS X.