Review: Microsoft Streets and Trips

rsam · #**226** Dec 15, 2009, 09:18 PM

I happened to be visiting a family member and was new to the city-Cleveland, I tried using the Microsoft Streets & Trips 2010 instead of my regular GPS. Firstly, the route which it choose was not a straight route using the Freeways, instead it took through several roads. I was using full screen navigation mode, it would not tell whether to take East or West exits which happened to be little distance away from each other, It would realize few mins latter when we already took the wrong exit and recalculate. Later I realized after missing few exits and changed the view to see the directions as well and make a note of which exit to take before we approached or missed it. This I found to be very disappointing as we were re-reouted several times. If the driver was alone and placed the laptop in the passenger seat and driving hearing the voice directions alone, this could be frustrating experience. This was my first experience using MS streets 2010 in a new city, though I had a 2006 and 2009 versions, morever I tried to rely on the full screen navigation mode this time.

Thanks,
rsam.

nialag · #**227** Dec 15, 2009, 09:45 PM

Free translation below

J’ai parcouru depuis le 2 décembre plus de 2000 km au Mexique en utilisant simultanément S&T 2010 et un Garmin Nuvi 750 avec la carte North America NT 2010.2 (cette carte peut être utilisée également sur Garmin Mobile PC).
Il y a une grande amélioration depuis mon précédent voyage en 2008, à cette époque la couverture du Mexique était à peu près inexistante sauf pour quelques grandes villes…

Les cartes utilisées par Garmin et S&T sont sensiblement les mêmes, donc les commentaires sont valables pour les deux.

Les informations sur les autoroutes et les nationales sont en générale relativement exactes et correspondent assez bien à la position donnée par GPS. Mais les informations diffèrent parfois avec le l’Atlas Guia Roji sur le type ou la nature de la route : Ex. : autoroute à péage, `a 4 voies, (Cuota, Libre) etc., il vaut mieux se fier à l’Atlas.

Dans la majorité des villes la carte des GPS ne tient pas compte de sens uniques, donc il vous dirige régulièrement à contre sens… À Xalapa (Jalapa) où les rues du centre ville sont très étroite et toutes à sens unique, ce fut l’enfer pour y entrer et en ressortir.

À Paplanta, les rues de la carte ne correspondaient tout simplement pas à la position donnée par le GPS, donc inutilisable…

Il existe également plusieurs autres problèmes de moindre importance qu’il serait trop long d’énumérer ici…
En conclusion : à utiliser au Mexique avec prudence et méfiance… Utiliser les panneaux indicateurs… Lorsqu’ils existent !

Traduction :
I have travelled since December 2 more than 2000 km in Mexico by simultaneously using S & T 2010 and a Garmin Nuvi 750 with North America NT 2010.2 card (this card can be used also on Garmin Mobile PC).
There is a vast improvement from my previous trip in 2008, at the time coverage of Mexico was about non-existent except for a few large cities...
The cards used by Garmin and S & T are substantially the same, so the comments are valid for both.
The highways and the national road information are usually relatively accurate and fairly well match the position given by GPS. But information sometimes differs with the Atlas Guia Roji on the type or nature of the road: ex.: motorway toll. '-or 4 ways road (Cuota, Libre) etc., it is better to check on the Atlas.
In the majority of cities, both of GPS does not take into account the one-way streets, though in many instances, we end up wrong way... In a city center where the streets are very narrow: ex.: (Jalapa) Xalapa and all one way, it was hell to enter and to emerge.
At Paplanta, the streets on the map do not matched with the position given by the GPS… so unusable...
There are also several other issues of lesser importance that it would be too long to list here...
In conclusion: to be used in Mexico with prudence and distrust... Use signs... Where they exist!

tcassidy · #**228** Dec 15, 2009, 10:24 PM

Alain,
Whatever you do, don't upgrade to CNNANT 2010.3 if you plan on travelling in Mexico again with the 750. That version no longer has the Mexico street maps! Since they did not appear in CNNANT 2010.1 either and Garmin sells Mexico maps separately, we think they were included in the .2 version by mistake.

Terry

nialag · #**229** Dec 15, 2009, 10:34 PM

I will be in Mexico for 2 more months... I have the separate map also...It's the same...

I leave Veracruz for Merida to morrow

Hasta luego

tcassidy · #**230** Dec 15, 2009, 11:32 PM

Glad to hear that Alain. If you are in a different country, it is always wise to be a 'belt and suspenders' type when it comes to navigation.

Terry

Rob Brown · #**231** Dec 16, 2009, 01:20 AM

I have been a Streets and Trips user for many years. I am looking forward to upgrading.

nialag · #**232** Dec 16, 2009, 08:18 AM

P.S.: in the Engish translation, read "Map" instead of "Card"... The automatic translation is not always good !

HarryD · #**233** Dec 16, 2009, 08:43 AM

Use Streets & Trips for trip planning & Garmin Mobile PC for navigation. Like the feature of being able to transfer route info to Mobile PC. Makes setting up routes in Mobile PC a lot easier. Also like the auto link to Bing maps.

Thanks for all the help.

Ken in Regina · #**234** Dec 16, 2009, 06:26 PM

That sounds like a great setup, Harry. It's a lot simpler to set up complex multipoint routes in Streets but the navigation view and features is much nicer in Mobile PC. Both use Navteq map data so transferred routes should end up pretty close.

...ken...

HarryD · #**235** Dec 16, 2009, 07:14 PM

Thanks, I hope Garmin keeps supporting GMPC and issues a new version to keep up with S&T.

anki · #**236** Dec 17, 2009, 05:56 AM

Man, saw this site just today. Now ain't that lucky?

I just hope that I win this wonderful software. I love it.

vahokie · #**237** Dec 17, 2009, 11:51 AM

Got an email from Microsoft that offers both the software only and package with GPS receiver from their website for 39.95 and 69.95 respectively. I have S&T 2006 with the MS USB GPS. From what I can tell from briefly scanning the internet is that the MS dongle type GPS is not as sensitive as the wired ones like I have. Also it would seem to me that with the laptop sitting on a seat, it would not have the same chance of good reception as the windshield mounted GPS receiver. I'm going to order the software only version as my S&T 2006 maps are seriously out of date. Great review!

scoynes · #**238** Dec 17, 2009, 12:57 PM

I have used Streets & Trips for some time but only for point A to point B trips. I now need to use it for a Delivery route I have mapped this out while traveling the route as i don't have all of the addresses of the location, I now have 3 different saved files, is it possible to merge these to come up with a master file.

jharpur · #**239** Dec 17, 2009, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vahokie

From what I can tell from briefly scanning the internet is that the MS dongle type GPS is not as sensitive as the wired ones like I have. Also it would seem to me that with the laptop sitting on a seat, it would not have the same chance of good reception as the windshield mounted GPS receiver.

AFAIK, both the version you have and the current 'dongle type' are 'wired' via USB, and both perform better with the USB extension cable (there's a 6'-ish supplied, I think, with both - I'd gotten a longer one for my own convenience). I have used the Pharos 360, the Pharos 500 and the Nav-somethin' 168 (the thumbdrive-looking one), and found there's very little difference between the latter two, and a noticeable but not huge difference between the 360 and 500 Pharos units (Your mileage may vary). I just got my Pharos 500's Bluetooth sled working - and it seems to be seamless so far; I've not taken any hits on performance or reception.

Jonathan

tcassidy · #**240** Dec 17, 2009, 01:12 PM

I would hardly call it 'seamless' when you need another program (GPS Gate) just to make the BT sled work with S&T. There are many stand alone BT GPS devices on the market these days that have a more modern chipset than the Pharos 500 and work directly with S&T. Unless the sled is available for next to nothing, it is not a bargain.

Terry

Review: Microsoft Streets and Trips

Review: Microsoft Streets and Trips

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