InfoTech Article - Mobile pioneer to invest $3m in NZ By RICHARD BRADDELL Privately-owned Californian technology developer GeoVector expects to spend $3 million in the coming year on two New Zealand research facilities. The centres, in Auckland and Christchurch, could employ up to 30 people working on technology to revolutionise mobile communications. They will develop software and systems that will let people get information about buildings, vehicles and other objects by pointing a mobile phone or handheld computer at them. New Zealand managing director Arron Judson believes the technology could do for mobile data what the mouse did for the graphical user interface on computers. An Auckland pilot, planned to coincide with the America's Cup, will let users get information on local landmarks by pointing a pocket PC at them. The prototype will also allow users to identify distant boats racing in the cup. The system relies on satellite-based global positioning systems that interrogate central databases. But it could operate on wireless positioning systems, or simply by users telling devices where they are, so they can take their orientation from that. Mr Judson says the Christchurch facility will develop the technology, while Auckland will come up with applications. Industry New Zealand chief executive Neil Mackay says handpiece manufacturers, applications developers and GeoVector's business partners could be wooed to New Zealand to undertake development. At present, GeoVector has three full-time staff in Auckland, with an equal number of full-time contractors. Its decision to come to New Zealand was helped by a $50,000 grant for a feasibility study from Industry New Zealand's Major Investment Service. Mr Judson says the company probably spent three times that in the feasibility study and has invested close to $1 million in the past year getting established in New Zealand. He says GeoVector's founder, Silicon Valley luminary John Ellenby, chose New Zealand because of the well-developed mobile data market which has hi-tech GPRS and CDMA 1XRTT services similar to those in the world's leading mobile Internet markets of Korea and Japan. New Zealanders are technology-savvy and the country has sufficient stability and socio-economic variation to make it a test-bed, he says. The clincher was New Zealand's island geography. Mr Ellenby founded Grid Computers, the company credited with inventing the laptop. Please read the Terms & Conditions for Use. These include guidelines governing appropriate use, and viewing or download of material in this section is considered acceptance of those Terms & Conditions.