I have Microsoft Streets and Trips with a GPS Locator. I have a Dell Mini 9 netbook which I'm planning to use the GPS with.

Instead of using MS Streets & Trips I was wondering what other program I should use that has more features. Two main things I want are: satellite map view (like Google Earth) and, don't know what this is called, but the ability to track the netbook with GPS remotely from another computer.

Any advice is appreciated, Thanks

If you want the satellite/aerial views from Google Earth then Google Earth is about the only way you can get it. The latest version of GE (5.x) supports the connection of a GPS receiver. It does not work very well by itself. But you can get a couple of free programs that are designed to make it easy to use a GPS receiver with GE. They are GooPS and Earthbridge. I prefer Earthbridge but both make it much easier to get a GPS receiver working with Google Earth.

If you can always have a connection to the internet with your netbook, this will work well.

You will also need a connection to the internet to be able to track the netbook with GPS receiver from another computer. Check out GPSGate. They provide this service with the installation of a program on your netbook and an internet connection.

...ken...

Hi Elijah, and welcome to the forums. DeLorme Street Atlas is a mapping software program similar to Streets and Trips, but it even lets you download satellite imagery.

Just like Ken suggested above, GpsGate is a solution that would take care of your tracking needs quite well most likely.

Thanks both of you for the replies.

I'm going to try the DeLorme software you suggested, and Google Earth 5.
When I first bought the GPS, I tried to use it with Google Earth, but ofc it didin't work.

My netbook only has wifi so an internet connection isn't possible on the road. Remote tracking isn't too important, just cool

I'm looking for a similar solution. I haven't quite figured it out yet but apparently the Pharos GPS receiver that comes with Streets & Trips is a USB device and most of the free programs use information from serial/COM input, so you need some program to make the USB a "virtual" COM port. That's GPSgate.

However, it seems like some of the programs can use the information from the USB port directly. I haven't played with any of the yet so I don't know yet.

I'm looking for something free since I'm happy with Streets & Trips and just want to play with the GPS receiver in Google Earth.

I'd be interested in hearing more about your search and experiences.

The Pharos receiver with Streets&Trips comes with a driver that converts the USB signal to a virtual COM port. If you have Streets&Trips working, the virtual COM driver is already installed and working because Streets&Trips only works with a COM port. It knows nothing about USB.

You can download Earthbridge or GooPS (use your search engine) for free to get your Pharos receiver working with Google Earth. I've found Earthbridge to be the easiest to work with and it has some other useful features.

If you don't care about using Streets&Trips and Google Earth simultaneously (e.g. happy to just run one at a time), you don't need GPSGate.

...ken...

Thanks for the info!!!! You just saved me a lot of frustration.

I use Google Earth and GooPS off line with GE's cached map all the time on my Asus netbook with Microsoft GPS on com3. I have been posting here with pictures and all kind of information. I haven't used Earthbridge yet, but might. For off roading my setup is the cat's meow and it works really great. Off line leaves the image a little blurry zoomed in, but very accurate. What's really fun is watching your line move across the screen following a path.