Mapping API for Flex/Actionscript application?

Question

I'm working on an application in Flex will utilize mapping features. I have experience with the Google Maps API in Flex, but it seems sort of limited to me (as compared to other APIs and the Javascript API). In particular, I'm interested in developing some clustering (grouping places together to prevent too many points from being on the map at once, slowing rendering). I'm wondering if anyone has any recommendations on which API to use/look into, and perhaps which APIs have features unique to them. I think visually some of the other providers have "nicer looking" maps as well. What I'm checking now:

Google Maps API

Have a lot of familiarity, but might be missing some key features.

Yahoo Maps API

Don't know a lot about it. Seems to handle a lot of markers very well. Looks really nice visually. 50K requests per day for free is less than google.

ArcGIS SAMPLES

I've had my eye on this for awhile. Seems really robust. Great samples index. Also seems to autoscale markers based on the zoom depth. They also seems to have a lot of data-based maps you can access.

MapQuest API

Looks to have great docs and features. Noteable are the "decluttering" and I think it has clustering.

Going through this awesome list right now, but I'd love to know if any of you Flex (or other lang!) devs have any experience with mapping and would like to give some advice.

Answer 1

We are using Flex Maps by Igor Costa. It lets you use Nokia Here Maps or Bing Maps.

It is based on ModestMaps AS3 and you can personalize your markers or polygon overlays.

It also works on mobile devices using Adobe AIR SDK.

I hope this component will be added to the Apache Flex SDK as a map component.

Answer 2

There is also good Flash API UMapper. Look at their site http://www.umapper.com/pages/products/#umap

They allows you to use many map providers, like MS, Yahoo, Google, Cloudmade, OpenStreetMap, ESRI, Digital Globe.