Schmap

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Schmap is a website offering free digital travel guides for download, along with a small computer program that interacts with a Web browser to display the guides called the Schmap Player.^[1]

There are currently more than 180 city or island guides available for download from Schmap, purportedly more than the number offered by traditional paper guidebook publishers Frommers, Lonely Planet, and Fodors as individual city or island guides.^[2]

Schmap is entirely free to consumers, relying on sales from its travel store, advertising, and licensing revenue from its commercial customers for financial support. ^[3]

The Schmap Player is currently available in Microsoft Windows format only. An FAQ on the Schmap website states that the company is currently developing a Mac version of the application for release in January 2007.

1 Features
2 Schmap Packs
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Features

Schmap combines its own Vector Map technology with map data licensed from Tele Atlas, city information and reviews from WCities, and tourist photos from Flickr to create the Schmap guides. ^[4]

The hallmark feature of the Schmap guides is their interactivity: users can create their own dynamic, printable maps with links, tours, and photos of their favorite sights. ^[5]

The Schmap Player also includes custom map tools for measuring distance, bookmarking points of interest, zooming, panning, and playing a tour sequence.

According to an FAQ on the Schmap website, the company is planning a release of Schmap 2.0 later this year which will allow users to share their own customized travel guides.

[edit] Schmap Packs

Schmap allows users to conveniently download an entire group of travel guides in a “Schmap Pack” with one mouse click. Two different types of Schmap Packs are currently available, those grouped by geography such as European Capitals, California, or Canada, and theme packs such as “Vineyards and Vintages”, “World of Golf”, and “Cruise Destinations”. ^[6]