Thinkmap, Inc. today officially released Thinkmap 5, a new version of its flagship Thinkmap SDK, featuring a completely rewritten and superior front end visualization component. The new visualization component uses HTML5 to render the visualization, utilizing a combination of JavaScript, CSS, SVG, and HTML5 Canvas. The result is that the visualization is completely browser based (no plugins required) and works on all modern browsers, including those on tablets and smartphones. The new visualization component takes advantage of Thinkmap's robust datasource API, effortlessly connecting to and visualizing large data sets of information in databases and other data sources. Examples of the new HTML5 version can be seen at http://demo.thinkmap.com.

The new Thinkmap is lightweight, and can be integrated easily into a full featured web site. For example, Microsoft selected the Thinkmap SDK to visualize its Unified Communications Web API. "We chose Thinkmap because its visualizations could help developers easily see the myriad of capabilities in our powerful API," said Senior Product Manager Albert Kooiman. "Because it's cross-platform, it opens up a useful visualization of our API to any user, whether they come to our site from a desktop, an iPad or a Windows surface. We're very pleased with the results."

Because of its use of HTML5, Thinkmap 5 allows for write-once, display anywhere visualization development. The same Thinkmap front-end works on desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. In addition to supporting a wider range of devices and platforms, the new Thinkmap loads faster, offers more flexible configuration options, and integrates seamlessly with other Web content.

Thinkmap 5 is Faster

• Loads Faster - Because no plugins are required, Thinkmaps start instantly, rewarding end-users with an interactive exploration as soon as they open a page/app. Because the core Thinkmap code is under 50k, and is cached by the browser, Thinkmap is ideal for mobile applications where bandwidth is often constrained.
• Moves Faster - Thinkmap 5's visualization engine is highly optimized, animations move smoothly and quickly.
• Shows More At Once - Because the Visualization Engine is so efficient, Thinkmaps can now display thousands of nodes at once.

The Thinkmap 5 Visualization Component is built to offer more flexibility in its display of Thinkmaps.

• Better Icons - Developers can now use SVG images as icons within Thinkmap, and can control elements of the icons based on properties of the data.
• Enhanced Queries - With Thinkmap 5, Thinkmap introduces the Thinkmap Graph Query Language, a language optimized for filtering and traversing graphs.
• Enhanced Control of Tree (Hierarchical) Data - Thinkmap 5 enables developers to visualize multiple hierarchies of information. Since trees overlay the Thinkmap graph, developers have full control over how hierarchical data behaves in a Thinkmap display.
• Smoother and More Integrated Animation - Thinkmap 5 enables smooth transitions within a visualization, between different visualizations, and from one icon shape to another.

Thinkmap 5 adds a number of new visualizations to the SDK. These include

• Radial Layout - A radial layout places each node a certain fixed distance from the primary node which is positioned in the center of a circle of information. It is ideal for situations where there is a lot of screen real estate for the Thinkmap display, and in which you have either purely hierarchical data or data that contains a natural hierarchy. In a radial layout, the text rotates based on its position to the center, so very broad hierarchies can be laid out in a small space.
• Grid Layout - Thinkmap Grid is used for comparing two or more numeric properties of data. With a grid, each node moves to a specific point based on properties that control the x and y axis of the grid. As these properties change or the values change, the items move smoothly from one area to another. With a Thinkmap grid, a developer can use color, size, or shape of a node to provide additional information, thereby communicating multiple dimensions of information at once.
• Grid Layout with Chronology - Thinkmap Grid also supports a time scale, which enables robust visualizations of time-series data. Using the Grid Layout with Chronology, a developer can create visualizations that show events over time, compare properties of these events. The Grid Layout also supports swimlanes, so multidimensional data can be displayed and analyzed.

Thinkmap has also improved the Thinkmap Server, enabling tighter Integration between the Visualization Component and the Datasource API. Complex queries are passed through to the server resulting in faster, more efficient displays of complex information.

• More Efficient Database Queries - The new Thinkmap server passes through conditions of the query to the server, thereby enabling more efficient and more complex queries without the need for sql coding.
• Enhanced Flat-file Format - The new Thinkmap server supports a very-fast, flat-file format that in certain cases can be used in place of a database. Able to quickly query hundreds of thousands of records, the flatfile format can be used for large data sets of relatively static information, simplifying deployment strategy.

The Thinkmap SDK (software development kit) is the most fully-featured SDK for visualization of relational data available in the marketplace. The product offers software developers the ability to quickly build sophisticated applications with precise control of filtering, display parameters, and animation of data. Through its well designed API, the Thinkmap SDK provides a balance between ease-of-use and the demands required for enterprise-level visualization applications. The Thinkmap SDK comes with complete documentation of the API, including several pre-configured visualizations connecting to a sample data set. Most customers get started quickly by adapting a Thinkmap example to their needs. The typical Thinkmap customer has a full-featured Thinkmap that connects to an external data source within a matter of days.

The Thinkmap SDK is sold in three editions: Standard, Professional, and Flex. More information is available at www.thinkmap.com or by contacting Thinkmap's sales department at 212-285-8600.