Laptop GPS World

I have bought Microsoft Streets & Trips for all of the years it has been available. In my opinion the 2008 version was the worst and I have the feeling Microsoft doesn't care about or update this software like
they used to. I would appreciate hearing your opinions on the pluses or minuses between the two programs, especially "PLANNING A DRIVING TRIP". I will NOT be using with a GPS. I will only use on my computer to plan the trip (as I do with Streets & Trips) and then sync with MapSource so I can download to my 2610 GPS.
Thanks,
Mike Flannigan

It would be tough for me to be completely objective, because I use S&T all day, every day. I do use DeLorme occasionally, specifically for the Plus feature (telephone directory integration).

The user interface on DeLorme has never become familiar to me. It feels like an old DOS program that has been ported to a GUI environment. I just picked up the 2009 version, and while it has some improvements, it is still feels like an old rusty Swiss army knife: the right tool is in there somewhere, but damned it I can find it.

On the plus side, I think DeLorme is significantly better than S&T in displaying POIs, and that might be important for your trip planning. Having the phone directory integrated with mapping is a wonderful thing if you live on the road.

I agree that Microsoft let us down with S&T 2008. I'm still using 2007 with the 2008 maps. The auto-reroute that can't be turned off was a deal killer for me.

kcflyer:

Thanks, I do appreciate your opinion.

Regards,

Mike Flannigan

Mike, instead of buying just another new version of the same product, it may perhaps be an interesting experience to try a different product for change. Give it a try , let us know how it goes.

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

Marvin:

I'm pretty sure that's what I am going to do. I appreciate your comment and I'll let you know what I finally do.

Regards,

Mike Flannigan

I just bought Delorme LT-40 with Street Atlas 2009 and have been playing with it, after years of S&T. I find it difficult to figure out, doesn't seem at all intuitave to me. So far I am disapointed with the GPS operation, not the LT-40 but Street Atlas, switching to GPS the map goes to about a third of the screen and the rest is filled with stuff I don't want. Maybe there is a way to get rid of it but I haven't found it yet. All I really want is a good map with an indicator showing where I am on the map.
So far the LT-40 GPS seems to be a winner, I just have to figure out how to use it with S&T 2006. Due to medical problems I haven't had much time.

tenbear:

I was glad to see your post. I'm still trying to figure out if I'll go with 2009 S&Trips or Street Atlas. Since I also use MapSource I don't think I want to fool with both of them.

It's not so much the cost as it is the learning curve with me and then find out you don't like the new software. I guess I'm just too old to throw something away.

I'm pretty disgusted with S&Trips 2008. Just had to go through a reactivation, on the phone "because of a change in software with my computer" !!! This is the worst year I have had with Streets.

Someone said earlier that M.S. is treating a $40 program like it was a $400 piece of software. I agree.

Hope you get more time to use it and get your money's worth out of it.

Regards,

Mike Flannigan

Anyone know when Streets and Trips 2009 will be out? I see it popping up on a lot of sites as a pre-order.

The following link may give you an approximate idea when Microsoft Streets and Trips 2009 comes out.

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

Thanks Marvin, but I already saw that. I was just wondering if anyone had heard anything new since then.

tenbear, for me DeLorme Street Atlas has been difficult to learn, too. But it is understandable - after years of using other programs, any new software of this complexity will take a while to get used to. But people who have been using it for a while say it is easy...

When you installed DeLorme Street Atlas, did you install the UMPC option? That gives a one-click access to user interface which maximizes map area.

There should be a way to use the GPS receiver with other programs, too. I don't have the new GPS, but older versions of the unit required the installation of a driver for third party software. The installation process likely asked you if you were going to use the GPS only with SA or also with non-DeLorme programs.

Others may give you better details on this.

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Marvin Hlavac

Laptop GPS software reviews | Stores offering discounts to our members: Semsons & Co. Inc. and Deluo Electronics

Well, I played some more with Street Atlas and discovered that it defaults to Nav view whenever GPS is started. I changed it to Tab view and it shows the GPS locator on the normal map. Much better for me.

I did not install the UMPC option.

I found a driver for the LT-40 on the Delorme web site but haven't played with it yet. It's on my list of things to do. It claims to be able to feed the satellite data to three COM ports simultaneously so I guess I could use the LT-40 for three different programs, in addition to Street Atlas. I bet that would make by laptop barf.

It does allow you to disable the automatic rerouting, or to set a threshold so it won't reroute when you stop for gas.

A quick comment on the Delorme driver to use the LT-40 GPS with NMEA compatible software. I installed the "Delorme Serial Emulator". I don't know a lot about GPSs but it seems that the LT-40 has a USB interface, that is it shows up in device manager as a USB device. NMEA devices use a serial interface even though they are plugged into a USB port. The Emulator receives the USB input from the LT-40 and allows you to create up to three serial inputs, known as "com" ports. I set the Emulator to provide a signal to com4, the one that my S&T was set to, and I could see the location indicator in both S&T and SA at the same time. Tried the same with com5. Pretty neat.

I use Franson GPS Gate software to feed all my nav programs via single GPS receiver/single USB port. I have 5 navigation programs in my laptop plus Franson's program which transmits position of my truck for everyone to see. ( You can see it for instance at www.wolfess.com ) I don't run them all at the same time, but I could.

Franson's program is not a freeware, but I recommend it for every one who uses more then one navigation system.

I'm slowly getting to learn SA and liking it more. A couple of things I like are first, Delorme, unlike Microsoft with S&T has put out an update, SP2, available on their web site. SP1 was not distributed but was on the disk I bought. SP2 includes SP1. I guess microsoft hasn't put out an update is because they do it right the first time. If you believe that I have a bridge to sell you.
I like the way SA handles imported POIs. Using the advanced file management option you can have the POIs permanently included in a map file and turn them on and off at will. In S&T if you save the POIs in the map file they are always there.