Magic Maps Alternatives

Magic Maps

Magic Maps 2 is a tool for creating beautiful, informative maps. It includes a rich feature set and is much easier to use than high-end GIS packages. Here are some things you might do with Magic Maps:

• Color states or countries using data from a CSV file
• Create a custom map of sales territories
• Export a movie file showing how data have changed over time
• Mash up Shapefiles, GeoTIFF files, and custom points into a single map document
• Convert ArcGIS Shapefiles to KML

Maps created with Magic Maps have a signature, high-quality look because the program is built from the ground up using Apple's Core Graphics technology. Map layers can be managed similar to layers in Photoshop: simply drag to rearrange, check a box to add a drop shadow, use the slider to change opacity. Choose custom colors, point shapes, and line widths to create the look you want.

Magic Maps lets you choose and customize the map projection. Show the whole world with a Winkel Tripel projection, or reduce distortion with an equal area or conformal projection. If you want to create crisp-looking maps without the fuss of traditional GIS, or if you have a lot of geographic data you'd like to explore visually, Magic Maps is the tool for you.

Core features
• Layer-based map presentation
• Multiple data fields per layer
• Timelines of data totals and averages
• Click an entity to see its associated data
• Select multiple entities with a selection box
• "Top 100" list for any data field
• Click "Play" to watch any map evolve over time

Flexible data import
• Import data from CSV, KML, or Shapefiles
• Copy-paste data directly from a spreadsheet

Add custom layers
• Import KML
• Import ESRI Shapefiles
• Import NASA GeoTIFF

Fully customizable appearance
• Use the Paint tool to color a simple map
• Choose colors to represent text categories or numeric ranges
• Move labels by clicking and dragging
• Leading lines connect labels to their source
• Customize any fonts, colors, and sizes