Showing posts with label laptop. Show all posts
Showing posts with label laptop. Show all posts

Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus Review

Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus
Average Reviews:

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Upon installation I view the map for my own city, Bend, Oregon. The major highway, completed 7 years ago, is not shown! Numerous other missing and mislabeled roads make the map so unreliable as to be almost useless. Other paper and electronic maps, even those 5 years old, have the major roads shown correctly.

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DeLorme's Street Atlas USA 2008 Plus is the best mapping tool for beginning or seasoned travellers. They've added over 4 million new U.S. and Canadian streets and roads, with accurate all-new waypoints, routes and tracks. Browse through 4 million Points of Interest (POI) -- restaurants, hotels gas stations and many others. When interfaced with a compatible GPS, Street Atlas 2008 Plus will provide verbal turn by turn directions. The Street Atlas 2008 will not only tell you when to turn it will also tell you the name of the street that you are turning on to. With Plus, you can import your own data from Outlook, Excel, text file, and other programs. Make your own map notes, points of interest and planned routes -- or just add notes to pre-existing maps to make them even more useful. Plus also includes a full list of 120 million residential and business searchable phone listings, all located along the maps.Address-to-address routing Pocket PC & Windows Mobile 5.0 handheld software included at no extra charge GPS navigation controlsFour million places of interestGPS Voice Commands (you speak, it responds)GPS driving directions announcing street names and exit numbersLoad maps onto photo-capable iPods and other portable media playersPalm OS support Software and GPS compatible with Intel-based Macintosh notebooks running Boot Camp or Parallels for Windows XP

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DeLorme Earthmate LT-40 GPS Review

DeLorme Earthmate LT-40 GPS
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This is a difficult item to review simply....in part because it is three different items (hardware, software, compatibility). I'll review them separately. I am an established Delorme customer, with a long history of their products (10-12 states of TopoQuads, a Xmap license, both 1.0 and 2.0 versions of 3D TopoQuad software).
The GPS unit itself is really a gem of a product in its own right and an update of the earlier Earthmate GPS units. I rate the LT-40 highly (5/5). It is small light and accurate/fast, from my experience. On a cross-country trip, it rarely was off the road centerline. My only gripe is very poor (well -- Non! ) support of this unit in earlier software products XMAP and 3DTopoQuads. This is not documented by Delorme, and in fact there is an Earthmate link and a USB option in the earlier software. Also, their web site suggests it should work, and there are instructions for installing a Serial-USB emulator that will allow it to work as an NMEA device (it didn't work!). I also obtained some support from Delorme trying to get it to operate. But their tech support had to eventually say "we don't guarantee backward compatibility..." for their own product to work with their own product. 5/5 (but see compatibility below...)
The software is good to work with in 2-D mode and follows the tried-true Delorme right panel/bottom panel navigation model. The 3-D mode does have a nice "big number" mode that is useful on the road, although the 3-D view reminds one of a bad video game and is only useful for people who absolutely cannot read maps. The routes one chooses do have to be checked and if necessary "fine tuned" by adding "via" points, but that is surely true of all navigation software. I like the customizable preferences for speed/road type. Yes the Microsoft Mary and Mike voices are dreary, but one can't blame that on Delorme (I am waiting for Microsoft Obama.....with proceeds going to the Hillary campaign fund!!). But the voice interface has great potential for vehicle work, and I plan to experiment with a microphone for software control. Voice speed can also be tinkered with, and we found that slowing Mike down made him more understandable. My main complaint is that the top-line interface is non-intuitive, with no "File/Edit" bar and just a bunch of fairly non-customizable icons. 4/5
Compatibibility: poor. No, completely lame. I think it is unconscionable how poor the support of the LT-40 is for earlier Delorme TopoQuad software, and, for that matter, why can't Street Atlas support earlier state 3-D topo quads. This is either bad design/engineering by Delorme, or extortion of users to have to re-purchase data products (I have $1500 or so invested now). This is complicated by the fact that the state TopoQuad series no longer exists and one now has to purchase the whole country in DVD (same maps...) to get new software that will work with this GPS. Come on guys -- patch your supported products to allow us to use the LT-40 with Topo Quads, or patch street atlas to work with topo quads. If the LT-40 is not supported by earlier Delorme products then you should at least have the courage (chutzpah?) to state this in black and white in marketing materials and on your web site.0/5
Average 3/5 for an excellent little GPS unit, from a very frustrated Delorme user.....

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Turn your laptop PC or UMPC into a powerful GPS navigator, with voice-guided navigation, automatic back-on-track, GPS Radar to locate travel services, and other top-end features. DeLormes newest USB-powered GPS receiver includes a new super-high-sensitivity chipset, support for ultra mobile personal computers, superior on-screen GPS displays, and updated Street Atlas USA 2009 DVD software included. New Sicroelectronics GPS chipset delivers faster satellite acquisition, and DeLorme ConstantLock technology means surefire signal retention even in challenging GPS environments. GPS tracking is easier than ever with NavMode, including optional 3-D perspective and larger, more accessible user controls. Locate over 4 million places of interest (hotels, restaurants, attractions, sports venues, and businesses of all types most with phone numbers included). Create routes automatically with user controls to ensure you take the roads you want. Calculate fuel usage and costs, and GPS-navigate with total confidence anywhere in the U.S. or Canada, and on major roads in Mexico.

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Street Atlas USA 9.0 Review

Street Atlas USA 9.0
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I've used Street Atlas for many years. The latest release isn't a significant upgrade from the previous version of Street Atlas. There are updates to changes made in roads and points of interest, but not much beyond that.
I think the routing engine could use some work. I'd like to see a routing choice of "least turns" added so that it makes an efficient route with the least number of turns/roads. I actually own the latest Delorme Map n Go product and it does a much better job at routing between two points. The combination of the two products works well since maps are interchangeable between the products.
The software works great with the Delorme Earthmate GPS and I imagine with most/all NMEA receivers. While driving I usually throw the Overview Map up in the corner and it would be nice to have a direction/speed window you could put up too (vs the very tiny text showing current speed and distance to next turn). The GPS Status window has the info (plus much more) but it's bigger and takes up more screen real estate then a direction/speed specific window would. Also, though you can set it for voice prompts as you approach turns, most laptops aren't loud enough to be heard over normal driving noises.
I haven't looked at competing products since I first purchased Street Atlas so I can't compare the functionality and accuracy against products such as the Microsoft Streets. Even with all the minor annoyances, it's probably my most used product outside of normal office productivity apps and I would recommend it for folks looking for street level map data with routing and GPS capabilities.

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DeLorme's Street Atlas USA 9.0 quickly and easily maps the entire U.S. down to the smallest urban neighborhood. Features include automatic routing with a travel-time planner, fuel consumption calculator, stopping options, and easy-to-read travel directions. Detailed street and highway maps (6.2 million miles) locate places by address, intersection, area code, local exchange, latitude/longitude, ZIP Code, or place name. Print turn-by-turn travel directions via fastest, shortest, preferred, or scenic routes.
Street Atlas USA 9.0 plans your trip with precision and speed. Updated data quickly and reliably locates more than 4 million points of interest. Create automatic and customized routes without the need of Internet access. Easily locate exit services and interest points within a given radius or along a certain route. Search for banks, recreation areas, accommodations, schools, restaurants, and more.
Ideal for personal or business travel, the program can be loaded onto your laptop for maps on the go or connected to a global positioning system (GPS) receiver for real-time travel tracking. When used in tandem with DeLorme's Earthmate GPS receiver or an NMEA-compatible GPS receiver (including popular Garmin and Magellan brands), the program displays a large arrow that tracks your travel route in real time, guides you back on course if detoured, and also signals upcoming exits.

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Microsoft Street & Trips 2008 GPS with Connected Services Review

Microsoft Street and Trips 2008 GPS with Connected Services
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I've owned several of the earlier versions of S&T including 2007 and have used them extensively on road trips throughout the Western US. While my previous reviews have had issues with S&T I still really like S&T. I just wish that the development team owned cars and tried their product.
Then along comes 2008 with Connected Services. I tried it out in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The traffic information is completely unreliable. I was stuck in stop and go traffic in green zones in S&T. A zone is a traffic direction on each side of a freeway on the map. The red and yellow zones rarely show at all. Instead you have to guess what may be happening when there is a gap in a green zone. Is it supposed to be red, yellow, or no data? So the strategy is to look out the window and figure it out as you drive along. That may sound similar to what you do now without S&T CS.
The incident markers are consistently outdated. Rarely is there any sign that an accident ever occurred there. Don't bother re-routing away from accidents because so far they don't exist and usually traffic is flowing as well as could be expected for the time of day.
The GPS unit is a pain and loses the connection somewhat frequently, like twice in a six hour drive or more. The 2007 model is much more reliable and I've switched back to that unit except when I want to test my humor. Hint: You have to reboot not just the computer to get the 2008 CS GPS unit to work again, but you have to pull the cable from the unit and switch it on and off with a pocket knife point. Try that on an LA freeway late in the afternoon.
I do recommend S&T but pass on Connected Services for at least this version unless you are an early adapter who loves self-abuse with innovations.
- jim

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MicrosoftStreets Trips Connected Svcs 2008 Win32 English US Only DVD Mini Box

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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008 Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2008
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Unless you really need the updated maps, I would not upgrade from Streets and Trips 2007.
* The 2008 version is the first one with a product key that needs to be registered. I assume this means I can no longer sell or give away the old version when I buy the new one. So I won't be upgrading every year anymore.
* After I did the install, it corrupted a dll that Money 2007 uses. I had to reinstall Money to get it working again.

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Travel with complete confidence!Product InformationPlan it customize it drive it. Every trip is a good one with Microsoft Streets& Trips 2008. This comprehensive trip planning software makes route planninga snap around town or anywhere across the U.S. and Canada. Microsoft Streets& Trips gets you where you're going quickly easily and without all theguesswork.Your trip...your way!Customizable trip-planning options allow you to planroutes scenic detours and fuel stops.Reroute any time you wish instantly without goingonline.Optimize your trip by calculating mileage time andexpenses in advance.Store or print your travel plans or share them online orthough e-mail.Find everything you'll need along the way from landmarksto airports to golf courses.Use full screen map view for easier map viewing on thego.Import contacts from Microsoft Office Outlook into yourmaps.Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 gives you accurate driving directions tojust about anywhere in the United States and Canada with more trip-planningfeatures than major online mapping Web sites. Instantly find more than 1.6million points of interest such as hotels restaurants ATMs museumscampgrounds and more without the need to be online. Use Live Search to findadditional local business listings when you're online then take selectedlocations with you on the road. Get detailed door-to-door directionsanywhere along millions of miles of routable roads streets and highways.Planning your trips just got easier and more fun!New FeaturesNew features in Streets & Trips 2008 make your planning more productive andyour trip more enjoyable.Updated maps for the United States and Canada.NEW: Use the new perspective map view to get a view more like you wouldsee through your windshield.NEW Automatic re-routing helps you get back on track even when you miss aturn.Customizable trip pla

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DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2010 Review

DeLorme Street Atlas USA 2010
Average Reviews:

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The reviewer who can't get the multi-stops chosen to be in geographic order is not entering them correctly. When deciding to put a "stop" into your route, how you do it determines how the software works. If you choose "ADD A STOP" the software will put that stop into the sequence that you entered it. For instance, if you want to stop at Aunt Jane's first, then go to Sam's house, you would add those stops in the order you want to do them.

If you want multiple stops to be made in the shortest geographic distance and the sequence of the stops is not important, use "INSERT A STOP." The software will then arrange the stops to be made in the most efficient manner.
To choose the ADD or INSERT for a STOP, go the Route tab, choose New/Edit, and use the drop-down box at the end of the Stop window to pick either Add or Insert.The new Street Atlas has excellent Point of Interest options, and allows flexible routing by using the ADD VIA and INSERT VIA options.

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Updated map software for PCs, Palm and Win CE touchscreen devices. U.S. and Canada street-level detail, automatic routing, 4 million places of interest. GPS-ready--on-the-go routing wizard, spoken directions, 3-D perspective.

Travel planning and GPS navigation for laptops, netbooks, phones, and PDAs Updated, exceptionally detailed map software you can use anywhere--on the go with your laptop PC, netbook, touchscreen phone or PDA. No Internet access or subscription required. Get street-level detail for the U.S. and Canada, plus highways and major roads for Mexico. Pre-plan your trips with automatic routing and over 4 million places of interest. User controls let you plan side trips, avoid congested areas, choose back roads, and more. Locate restaurants, lodgings, attractions, truck stops, sports venues, and businesses of all kinds. Calculate fuel usage and costs. Customize the maps to meet your needs. Import aerial imagery. Print a wide variety of map packages, or use MapShare to send maps, routes, and directions to others via a secure Web link. GPS-ready--connect a DeLorme Earthmate or other receiver to your laptop and receive spoken directions. New E-Z Nav wizard makes on-the-go searching and routing a breeze. Use NavMode for optional 3-D perspective.
Street Atlas USA 2010 Features
Street-level detail for the U.S. and Canada, highways and main roads in Mexico
Over 300,000 new or updated roads
Support for netbooks
Over 4 million places of interest in U.S. and Canada
Easy, automatic routing
GPS ready, with voice-guided navigation
Versatile, flexible editing and print capabilities
Support for Palm OS and WinCE devices
Available aerial imagery--$40 worth free
Share customized maps, routes, and directions
GPS-accurate placement for individual locations in 90+ chains in the U.S. and Canada
Truck stop data with extended information about service offerings
Airport and mall access roads
Major sports venues: college, professional, NASCAR
Support for UMPCs
Support for multiple monitors

Much More Powerful than Online Mapping Comprehensive tools for detailed desktop planning of your vacation or sales trip BEFORE you go, AND for on-the-go traveling using the latest electronic gear. Most other vehicle GPS systems are NOT planning tools and only track as you go. Support for Windows Vista, Pocket PCs, Windows Mobile 5.0 and later, UMPCs, and Palm OS included.
The GPS Leader Innovative GPS features: 2-D and 3-D NavMode voice commands, spoken directions, automatic back-on-track re-routing with off-route distance settings, high contrast mobile map colors, and much more. All in addition to the new E-Z Nav Search feature.
Up-to-Date Maps & Travel Information Comprehensive street and POI updates for the U.S and Canada, now with Mexico highways. Over 300,000 new or updated roads for 2010. Powerful travel planning tools, MapShare, and many data types.
Download Aerial Imagery Download $40 of aerial imagery FREE using included DeLorme Data Dollars and the software's NetLink tab. Imagery can be used with all of the Street Atlas USA routing, GPS, and draw tools.
Authentic DeLorme Maps Not licensed from 3rd party companies, the updated maps and 4 million places of interest are produced by experienced mapmakers at DeLorme.
See the Newest Street Atlas USA Features:
New--Support for Netbooks
New--NEW! Over 300,000 road and road name updates. Extensive map and places-of-interest updates for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico
New--NEW! Easy-Nav wizard makes on-the-go routing a breeze. Find a Point-of-Interest Navigate Right form Your Search Results


Core Functions
Map Controls The maps can be controlled using a variety of methods, including the traditional push-button zooming, which drills in/out while keeping the map exactly centered. Also, holding down the left mouse button enables you to drag and zoom, left-to-right, across the map, and moving the mouse in the same manner but in the opposite direction zooms out.
Find DeLorme employs several powerful search capabilities within the software. The first is a simple box called QuickSearch where you type common requests including towns, cities, lat/lons, ZIP codes, street addresses, colleges, and many more to receive the quickest possible matches. The places-of-interest search offers more advanced parameters and the advanced search is used when locating exact matches requires additional customer input.
Draw Add MapNotes; draw your own circles, polygons, and squares; measure the area of your draw objects--even draw in your own roads and route on them--these are amazingly powerful draw tools for the money.
Info Right-click on the map to learn more about what's underneath your cursor. Lat/Lon, names of streets and bodies of water--even local radio station information--can be viewed in this manner. Moreover, the bottom toolbar of the software displays a continuously updated readout of what's underneath your cursor.
Voice Use your voice for issuing routing and GPS commands while tracking. Ask common questions such as "How far to my next turn?" and the software answers. Microphone recommended for optimal usage. The software also reads upcoming turn information, including the time to turn, time to finish, and name of the street to turn onto. New voice settings allow you to select how far in advance of your turn you'd like to be prompted. Voice can also be turned off if you prefer.
Netlink and Aerial Imagery NetLink is your online link to DeLorme for $40 of free aerial imagery now included with the Street Atlas USA 2010 versions. Select your areas of interest and download only those grids to the software. Toggle the imagery on and off in a single-screen view. Add notes and draw objects to the imagery to customize lifelike views from space.

Mobile Device Mapping
Pocket PC, Windows Mobile 5.0 and later, and Palm OS Compatible Included at no extra charge is the DeLorme Handheld software, which now includes support for Windows Mobile 5.0 and later devices. Access the maps you want from the desktop software and hot-sync to your PDA. Add a DeLorme Bluetooth GPS for use with Bluetooth PDAs and navigate wire-free.
The DeLorme handheld functionality provides address-to-address routing, spoken directions, mobile map colors to reduce in-vehicle glare, and four million places of interest. Finding what you need is easy using the powerful search capabilities. Now you have powerful desktop mapping software and PDA software all conveniently provided in one Street Atlas USA 2010 package.
Maps on iPods Using a tool similar to how MapShare works, now you can select the maps you want from the desktop software and send them to your photo-capable iPod. These map images are static (e.g., cannot be manipulated once on the iPod) and come across in the order you select them, same as with photos. Once on your device, you can access the ones you need, when you need them. Due to the small screen size of iPods, we recommend these maps for urban walking situations where you can discretely reference the maps you need. (Not GPS compatible.)

Ease of Use
E-Z Nav Wizard New E-Z Nav wizard makes on-the-go searching and routing a breeze. Just search on any category (see below), choose your destination (retailer, hospital, gas station, friend's address, etc), and start real-time navigation with your GPS receiver on your dashboard. Great for daily and overall trip planning, too.
NavMode NavMode brings together all the primary GPS controls and readouts needed when using the GPS. Large-screen views make it easy to see the map and directions. You can switch between 2-D (standard) map view and 3-D perspective view for lifelike views.
Keyboard Shortcuts Set your own keyboard shortcut preferences for optimum control when using GPS. The key-bindings function is very powerful and advanced so you can design your ideal in-vehicle navigation solution to your personal specifications.
Right-Click Routing The easiest way for many to create and alter routes is to use the right-click feature. Select the route on your map and add new stops or vias, delete the route, all by simply right-clicking the object of interest. You can also add your own MapNotes or view the many pre-populated tags provided by the software.

Routing
Routing Create automatic routes using the quickest (time) or shortest (distance) routes. Use the E-Z Nav wizard if routing from a search result. Add VIAs to force the routing to take the roads you prefer. Turn on one-way indicators; select major areas to avoid; or select roads based on driving speed preferences. Add Stops and reorganize their order and the routing automatically recalculates. Create and manage routes either in the Route tab or by right-clicking on the maps. New translucent route highlight lets you see exit numbers and route shields beneath the route highlight.
Add Local Roads to Routing A DeLorme exclusive, this is the best way to update local roads when new developments are planned or added between DeLorme software releases. This tool is located within the Draw tab and lets you draw in the road segment, connecting it to another local road within the database. Assign a name, save it, and when you create automatic routes, the software is smart enough to include these new local roads in the routing calculations and also update the directions.
Personalized Routing with Address Book Create and save commonly-used names for places you visit often, such as "home," work," or "Dad's." Once these names are assigned, the routing Starts, Stops, and Finishes also display these names making retrieval easy for repeated usage. Customize routes using your own names and save them within MapShare for others to see -- they'll be amazed. You can also include up to 200 names from your address book to be recognized using this system.

Map & Travel Information
Map Data Because all DeLorme map data is created, updated annually, and owned by DeLorme, we are able to provide many features typically reserved for expensive in-vehicle navigation systems. Free from the license restrictions and third-party dependencies of other publishers, we can also evaluate customer-submitted revisions and implement these changes after triple-checking all submissions.
DeLorme currently has an enhanced commitment with staff in place to make as many customer revisions as possible.
Places of Interest (POI) Data The DeLorme database contains over 4 million annually updated places of interest across the U.S., with additional ones in Canada, including restaurants, lodgings, gas stations, travel services, RV stops, truck stops, malls, shopping--just about everything you could ever need on the road. The software settings let you choose the magnification level to display the various POIs to void cluttering your map views. The POIs can be accessed using the many Find capabilities or by right-clicking on the map and selecting places based on type and distance from map center.

GPS Features
GPS Radar Search Now you can travel with GPS and have the software find upcoming travel services based on their location from you. Find gas, hotels, shopping, and much more in your direction of travel and then easily make detours to these desired stops along the way.
It's like having your personal travel concierge with you at all times.
Automatic Back-on-Track GPS Using the Earthmate GPS LT-40, which turns a laptop PC into a powerful GPS navigator, it's possible to have the software offer new spoken and visual directions when you stray off course. Within the GPS tab of the Options section of the E-Z Nav toolbar, you can select or type the off-route distances you want to travel before the automatic recalculations kick in. Select short distances for city travel and longer ones for highway travel where you may exit frequently for roadside travel services.
GPS Spoken Directions The software can offer voice directions indicating upcoming turns and street names. It also can be set up to respond to your voice and answer common travel questions--a very powerful capability for mapping software within this price category. Several different voice types are included.

Printing & Sharing
Print Print crisp color or black & white maps that you control to best match what is seen on screen. Also print Travel Packages containing strip maps and directions to bring on your trip. Don't want to use a lot of ink and paper? Then print just the Turn Details which show thumbnail maps of each of the decision points along your route.
MapShare MapShare makes it easy to share your customized maps and directions with family, friends, and business associates. You create exactly the content you want and then post within our online MapShare library, which includes private administrative tools for you to manage. Similar to some of the better online photo resources, MapShare allows you to provide controlled access to your important maps without worrying about email and spam filters.

Demos & Tutorials
Getting Started Tutorial This tutorial provides a guided tour of the main capabilities of the software. It is also included within the software along with a comprehensive Help section with links to online discussion groups where DeLorme customers can help you.

Data
Included Street Atlas USA 2010 DVD contains the DeLorme produced and managed United States and Canadian street-level network. DeLorme highways and major roads for Mexico also included. The four million U.S. places of interest are updated annually based on phone book information and DeLorme's own research into exit services. Canadian POIs are also included, many with phone numbers.


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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 with GPS Locator Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 with GPS Locator
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This remains an outstanding trip planning and GPS program. But by far the greatest improvement is in the chipset hardware included. The new GPS locater is MUCH smaller than the previous versions and includes the SIRFstarIII chipset. Now your asking what the heck is that?! Well, it is the most sensitive and accurate chipset out there and it acquires the satellites nearly instantaneously and holds on for dear life under nearly all conditions. It is a VAST improvement over the old 360 locater MS used in the past versions. My only minor complaint: it might be TOO small. The old one was the ideal size. In so small a package the antenna is necessarily smaller with somewhat reduced sensitivity than otherwise might have been obtained. But not to worry! This little device works just fantastic.
The GPS functionality has not changed significantly and still does NOT include automatic rerouting once you get off route. For me this was a major disappointment. Nearly all of the "all in one" GPS devices (such as the Nuvi 360 & Nuvi 660) include this very useful feature. It would have been so easy for Microsoft to respond to the needs of their customers and add this feature that one wonders just why they heck they didn't do it! The voice and large visual prompts, which make using the program in an automobile MUCH MUCH easier, remain essentially unchanged from 2006. The little car cursor in the 2005 version has been replaced by a much more visible circle with a large arrow in it indicating direction.
Unfortunately, some of the map details are still not as good as were found in the 2004 version of this program. There are small dirt roads that were on the 2004 version that are not on the current version. I can't understand why MS would dumb down their product. Also, the street names seem to have been dumbed down as well. For example, Golden Eagle Ferry Road has been reduced to Ferry Road. There are innumerable examples of this dumbing down and simplifying which may reduce the size of the program but detracts from its overall usefullness.
Despite the dumbing down of the actual map data the program remains a superb mapping program with many updates since the 2004 and 2005 versions. New streets, restaurants and other points of interest are now incorporated. This program offers a truly affordable GPS guidance system for nearly all consumers without having to go to the expensive Garmin or Magellan systems. If you find yourself traveling to points unknown I cannot imagine a better more affordable solution for getting around than this product in conjunction with your notebook computer. Even if you have an "all in one" solution such as the Garmin Nuvi Streets and Trips can help you plan your trip and routs. I have both and they compliment one another very well.
A few comments about the Streets and Trips mapping software. I am familiar with the Delorme product and the Garmin product and Streets and Trips blows them both away - no contest. Instantaneous panning, zooming in and zooming out, outstanding routing software, and a plethora of other features makes Streets and Trips, by far, my favorite mapping software.
This years program does automatically load the drivers for the GPS locater device which the older versions tended to do sporadically. This is done, as should have been the case for the older versions, seamlessly and without any difficulty whatsoever.
I heartily recommend this product! The new SIRFstarIII chipset alone justifies the price of the upgrade. The updated mapping details and new points of interest are also useful. The ONLY quibble I have with this program, and it is not insignificant, is the failure to include automatic rerouting if you get off the indicated route. Also, remember you will need a DVD player to install this program which now comes on one DVD rather than two CDs as it did in the past.

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Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator combines Streets & Trips 2007, the customizable trip planning software, with a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. With advanced GPS features and voice-prompted directions, you'll always know exactly where your next turn is.

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Microsoft MapPoint 2010 Review

Microsoft MapPoint 2010
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
First, I recommend that you download the free full-featured 60-day trial and experiment before deciding whether to purchase. Except for the download time, installation is easy (trivial). The trial's reminders occur only when you start the app. If you decide to buy, activation is trivial--simply enter the key.
I got this package (for review) primarily for the "visualize business data" aspect advertised. What it turned out to be was an inconsequential update of what I remember of Microsoft Streets & Trips circa 2004. Then, the only reason I ever used S&T over online maps was to display address info from a simple spreadsheet. Recently, some of my colleagues would have benefited from importing spreadsheets with address info into a map application. When they tried to do this in Google Maps, their (understandable) reaction was best summed up by "Google doesn't want people like us to use this" and "Life is too short". Although MapPoint 2010 is "integrated" with MS Office, that integration fails far short of their needs: The data you can import into a map, and what you can do with it inside this app, is so severely constrained that I don't see any benefit to their types of tasks.
The maps themselves are of poor visual quality, especially the poor contrast. Some labels are medium gray against a light olive background. I routinely missed items I was looking for, not just labels, but push-pins and even bar charts. The characters in the labels are akin to what you got from a very low-resolution printer, one where the jagged edges from the pixels are readily apparent. Because of this, my sense is that as you scan the map the street labels--being at various angles--can slide from being perceived as text to being simply noise in the background.
I don't see myself using MapPoint 2010--for the things I do, it is no better, and often worse, than free Web-based resources. My key requirement was to be able to augment the places in the database, both annotating the ones they provide and adding places of my own, and then be able to execute searches against this augmented database. MapPoint supports none of the former and its searches ignore any tags, keywords and other annotations you might attach to an entry via the free-format field (searches are limited to name and city).
Note that Windows 7 is not on the list of supported operating systems. This could be an inadvertent omission in keeping with the lack of attention to detail in this product.
The remainder of this review gives details of the problems I found. Note: When I say that MapPoint cannot do something, it should be taken to include that I couldn't find how to do it. The "documentation" is limited to the usual Microsoft Help topics - snippets that help with potential terminological confusions and with finding items that are deeply buried in the menus, but mostly tell you what is blindingly obvious.
======================================
The user interface is badly inconsistent and is clearly a mash-up. For example, in Find Nearby Places, a single-click on the name of a restaurant in the LHS pane produces a small semi-transparent box on the map showing its location, and a double-click produces the display of the information in an opaque box, but for other categories, such as Pharmacies and Schools, a single-click produces nothing. Another example: Some of the sub-panes in the LHS navigation pane are dismissed by clicking the "x" in an upper corner, others on the side (different icon), while yet others use a pop-up menu. Another example: The Undo capability applies to some categories and not others, without any discernible logic.
There are lots of little UI annoyances. For example, when the cursor gets within 16 pixels of an edge of the map, it turns into a large arrow, signaling that clicking the mouse will scroll the map. However, MapPoint doesn't seem to take that margin into account when calculating where to position clickable content, and I found myself too often having to scroll the map to be able to click on such items and then scrolling the map back to the original position.
The maps themselves were troublesome. I could not find how to display municipal boundaries. Names of cities were hard to find among all the other labels. Minor adjustments to the map would cause "strobing", for example, clicking on a balloon could radically alter which street labels were displayed. This was disconcerting when working on a map of a city I was familiar with, but for a city I was unfamiliar with, this was frustrating ("Where is Center Street? I thought it was on this map just a second ago."). Aside: You see bad choices of what to label on the world map as well, for example in looking at the Pacific, you find that the "Palau" label (tiny island nation) extends over the (unlabeled) Philippines.
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Map items--balloons/push-pins--that you import from a spreadsheet onto the map are limited to 8 fields: 2 are for names, 5 are address components and 1 is for your use (free-form data). The caption displayed when you selected a balloon is a small fixed size, so there is truncation of the info that you enter in these fields. Although there is plenty of room in the LHS navigation pane, only the first 8 entries are listed, rather than having a scroll-able list. Names have no structure, for example, if your database/spreadsheet has separate fields for first and last names, you need to merge those fields before importing (there is a second Name field, but it is not included in what is displayed in the navigation pane). Similarly, if you have a contact person in a department in a company, you need to combine them into a single name field. Similarly if your database uses multiple fields for street addresses (common because it simplifies validating data entry and selecting sections of a street). MapPoint does NOT support importing email addresses (other than as plain text in the free-format field), but it does allow you to enter Web addresses into the free-form field and it does recognize those and make them click-able, but it is so kludgy that it comes across as a quick patch (in a location's Properties window there is a non-functional text-entry field for the URL). The balloons/push-pins are in such muted colors that it was easy to overlook some of them.
Note: If you want to import a subset of data from your address book/contact manager application, the XLS or CSV file that it creates is likely to have similar problems. Since Outlook is/was part of the MS Office suite, I had expected at least that its export format would be directly import-able into MapPoint.
When importing data from a spreadsheet, MapPoint does some corrections. For street suffixes--St, Ave, Rd, Lane, Way, Circle,...-it did a good job on the spreadsheets I used as tests (from real-world applications). However, my city is not a difficult case: Except for cul-de-sacs, there are no name conflicts between categories--for example, there isn't a First St and a (perpendicular) First Ave--and circumstances mean that the street numbers in those cul-de-sacs are rarely (never?) possible ones on the corresponding main street. However, the correction algorithm is very simplistic and makes lots of mistakes. For example, in importing 250 addresses within my city, two entries were missing the city field. One street name was very unusual and the city was guessed correctly, but the other had a street name of "Lincoln" and the guesses were all from the other side of the country--MapPoint did not use either the addresses already imported or the locale being displayed on the map to bias its guesses. Similarly on the misspelled street name "Bryon": MapPoint guessed "Bryson" from a nearby ZIP Code rather than "Byron" from the Zip Code given in the entry. Corrections are limited to selecting one of its guesses: If it guesses badly, you have to tell it to skip the whole entry rather than providing guidance or a manual correction. For a product that prominently advertises its integration with MS Office, I expected it to offer the option to have corrections also be made to the spreadsheet being imported. But MapPoint does not even log the corrections being made so that you can later update the spreadsheet yourself--you need to manually create that list as the error messages are displayed.
Because of the constraints on the data you can import into a map, I would likely do my filtering of my dataset within the spreadsheet, using MapPoint only to create the map to be printed or exported into an MS Office document. Because I can't import data directly from my spreadsheet and database formats (names and addresses need to be collapsed), it is pointless to do any updates to the data within MapPoint because the exported format would require difficult processing to get back to the underlying format.
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FIND: The Help topics state that the Find operation connects to the Internet. For me, it only searched the program's database. For added items, it searched the name field, but not the free-form text field.
The Find operation cannot be geographically limited, for example, to the area of the map currently being displayed or a ZIP Code. You _can_ include the city name as a search term, but it is subjected to the same fuzzy matching as other search terms. Adding a street name or ZIP Code to the search terms produces substantially _worse_ results, indicating that those fields are ignored by search. Example: "peet's coffee, palo alto" produces 6 matches (the 3 sought, 1 understandable, 2 inexplicable). Add the ZIP Code of one of them ("94306") and there are over 130 hits.
Note: The SEARCH icon on the toolbar seems to have no real purpose: It brings up a LHS pane for "Search results", but nothing seems to use it--the...Read more›

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Microsoft MapPoint 2010 gives you the power to visualize business data, communicate insights with instant impact, and integrate maps into the work you do in Microsoft Office. Get trip routing and turn-by-turn directions to easily plan better trips.


MapPoint 2010
Updated maps--New geographic and demographic data
Customize map settings--Choose whether cities, highways, local roads and parks show on your map
More pushpin images--Includes those from previous versions of MapPoint
GPS ready--Send your route to your GPS device*
Data mapping--Use maps to visualize the meaning of your data
Create territories--Define your own delivery or sales areas
Programming--Build custom solutions and Office add-ins


Product Features

MapPoint helps you visualize your business data:
Create maps using custom Map Settings to display your data with only the details you want to appear. Easily turn labels on or off, change font style or map style.
Dramatically improve decision-making by bringing clarity to tabular data.
Use information-rich maps to illuminate important data relationships, identify business trends, and illustrate opportunities.
Create sales territories and share performance maps to clearly visualize, analyze, and communicate business information.
Combine business data with included demographics to target potential customers and focus decisions.


MapPoint helps you streamline your travel:
Arrive on time. Detailed directions--voice** and text-prompted--make it easy to follow your route.
Optimize your trip. Quickly calculate mileage, drive time, and expenses in advance.
Navigate with ease.Plan your trip on your PC and then print, or send your route to your GPS device.*


MapPoint makes it easy to use maps in combination with your Microsoft Office documents:Seamlessly integrate maps into the work you do in Excel, Word, PowerPoint and Office.
Tell a story, visually.Insert maps into Word documents and PowerPoint presentations to illustrate everything from sales performance and customer locations to new business opportunities.
Tap into existing data sources Create maps from data stored in current versions of Office Excel, Office Access, Microsoft SQL Server, or other database sources.
Extend your business. Take advantage of the extensible MapPoint object model to build custom business solutions such as fleet tracking and business intelligence.

* Exporting to GPS must be done via MSN® Direct (subscription required) or via USB. Separate download of free plug-in may be required. Not all GPS devices are supported. Visit www.microsoft.com/mappoint/devices for more information. ** GPS device sold separately. GPS functionality requires a GPS device that supports NMEA 2.0 or later and an available USB port.


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Microsoft AutoRoute 2010 Review

Microsoft AutoRoute 2010
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
Just got back from a trip in Spain where we used Autoroute 2010 to find our way around (Madrid, Cordoba, Seville, Granada and Barcelona). Unlike another reviewer, we didn't encounter missing streets, but some critical pieces of information were missing that resulted in several hours of extra driving. For example, trying to get from the Madrid airport to our hotel in the downtown area, Autoroute tried to send us across a plaza that was blocked to auto traffic (permanently). In several cities (Granada in particular) it planned for us to drive on a road that was restricted to Buses and Taxis. In Cordoba it sent us the wrong way down a one way street! All of these errors combined to make it a nightmare to drive in an old downtown area with many one way streets. When there is no parking and no place to pull over to study the map, you get into trouble, fast. On top of that, add road construction and closed streets when Spain beats Germany in the world cup semi-final and you have a real headache. Then, since the recalculated routes often return you to the problem spots, you're left driving in circles or way out of your way to find a place to pull over and then have to route on your own, dragging the path to a usable street (at least you can do that). Glad I used the 60-day evaluation copy and didn't spend money on it. Unless they improve the quality of the map data, I will be looking for another solution the next time I'm in Europe.
Other gripes:
The Navigation view pane splits into three horizontal strips: list of directions, map, and next turn/trip info. On a widescreen laptop, this makes the map way too small (the benefit of a laptop over a standalone navigation unit should be the extra map real-estate). It would be much better to have the list of directions show in the vertical "pane" on the left and leave room for a larger map. It's possible that this can be configured some how, but I couldn't figure a way to do so.
It seems that pushpins (saved locations) can only be entered by clicking on the map at a particular location with the pushpin tool. I wanted to enter them by address (as I had the addresses of our 5 hotels and wanted to save them so I wouldn't have to search each time I started the software. Also, it would be nice if custom pushpins could be selected from a drop-down as an origin or destination for routing. Instead, I had to right-click, choose "Route" and then "Add as start" or "Add as end". That's tedious when you want to route to a pushpin that is outside of the current map's zoom level (zoom-out, pan to pushpin, possibly zoom in to differentiate, right-click, select).
Finally the pronunciation of the Spanish road names was atrocious ("Plaza de Espana" => "Plaza dee ess pot yawn". While this may be expected, I was particularly annoyed with the way it pronounced "onto ramp" (as in "merge onto ramp"). It sounded like "on tramp". For an English phrase that got used regularly, the pronunciation should be fixed.The integration with the USB GPS antenna was nice and the software ran fine in a Windows XP virtual machine on a Mac laptop.
In conclusion: the application itself shows promise, with a few annoyances that should be fixed, but the map data absolutely needs some sanity checking.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Microsoft AutoRoute 2010

Microsoft AutoRoute makes it easy to plan the perfect trip. When planning your holiday or business travels, Microsoft AutoRoute allows you to focus on your destination and enjoy the ride. AutoRoute is the customisable travel planning software that provides accurate directions, helps you to easily explore new areas and find the services you want and need along the way.

Plan your complete trip including multiple destinations, rest stops, scenic detours, petrol stops and more. On or offline, AutoRoute gives you detailed door-to-door directions and more than 5 million miles of navigable roads and motorways throughout Europe right at your fingertips. Personalize and save your maps, adding drawings, notes and drawing pins with important information or import your contacts directly from Microsoft Office Outlook and Excel.

AutoRoute 2010 Features
New--Updated maps for Eastern and Western Europe: 37 countries covered
New--New, intuitive user interface
New--Maps seamlessly update as you cross country borders
New--Identify one-way streets at a glance
New--Easily delete or hide groups of drawing pins
New--Save time by setting your map to always start at a particular location
Improved--Includes over a million points of interest including post offices, chemists, restaurants, petrol stations, cash machines and more
Improved--Now comes with more than 300 unique drawing pin images to choose from
Improved--Choose the roads to use on your trip or make fast changes to your route by simply dragging and dropping the route
Improved--Includes over 5 million miles of navigable roads and motorways throughout Europe
New--Use Bing Maps to find more places

Country Coverage AutoRoute makes it easy to plan your trip in 37 Western and Eastern European countries, with more than 5 million miles of navigable roads and motorways.
AutoRoute Makes Planning Trips Easy
Route Planner Use the route planner to help you to plan your trip. You can create multiple stops--and even add stops or change your route along the way. For trips with multiple stops, let AutoRoute optimize the route to get you there even faster. Use drawing pins to mark a single place or to represent data that you've imported to the map.
Customizable Driving Preferences and Maps AutoRoute provides you with the flexibility to choose how you would like to travel. Change your preferred road types, petrol costs, driving speeds and the frequency of stops. Then customise your maps with imported symbols, icons, pictures, graphics or logos.
Find Nearby Places See what there is to do along the way. With more than a million points of interest, including hotels, historical sites, post offices, chemists, restaurants, cash machines, nightclubs, golf courses, railway stations and much more. No matter what you or your family wants to do, you can make the most of your trip.
All of your travel notes in one place Personalized notes can be added to your maps. With addresses, phone numbers and other notes beside your planned stops, you'll have all the information you need in one handy place.
Which Version of AutoRoute is Right for You?
Turn your laptop into a navigation device For spoken directions and turn-by-turn navigation, consider AutoRoute with GPS Locator. It has all the same features, but adds a sleek GPS receiver making your laptop or netbook a navigation device.
Note: GPS functionality requires a GPS device that supports NMEA 2.0 or later. The GPS device is sold separately/not included with AutoRoute Standard.


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AAA Map N' Go 7.0 Review

AAA Map N' Go 7.0
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I just bought, installed, and used this product to lay out a long trip. This software quickly plotted the trip which would be over roads ranging from interstates to secondary roads. It has a very large points of interest database and produced an extensive report (maps of various scales and lists of points of interest) and features (personalization options, integration with GPS).
After about 5 hours of use, I found the product was not acceptable for my purposes and returned it. Some problems were:
1. When I tried to constrain portions of routes from interstate to secondary roads, the program would either show both routes or show the secondary route with a return to the secondary route start on the interstate. (Same behaviour if the road was a state vice interstate route.) Although an annoyance, this behaviour effectively added duplicate miles to the route total milage.
2. When points of interest are added, a bulk add to map feature is available. No delete from map is available. In one case I had added 208 points to the map, only to find that they all appeared in the final printout report. In order to remove the points, each had to be deleted individually - a large chore. In addition, some information apperared in the printout report of no value to me. I could find no way to delete this other data.
3. Documentation is marginal at best. Workarounds for the problems may have existed, but I could not find them in the documentation.
4. I am a AAA member so expected to see all AAA points of interest and accomodations. The information, when compared to AAA books, was incomplete.
5. The internet download features (road conditions) produced error messages but some data appeared.
The above shortfalls may not be important to all - but evaluate this mapping product carefully before committing to extensive planning.

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Street Atlas USA 2011 Review

Street Atlas USA 2011
Average Reviews:

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I have been using Street Atlas 2008 for a while and decided that I needed the newer version as I use it everyday in running appointments around a very large area. With all the development over the last several years there are many neighborhoods that were not appearing in the 2008 version. The use of it is the same and happy overall with that...but a lot of the streets have NOT been updated so really it was a waste of money. I expected that since I bought this in the Fall of 2010 and it was the 2011 version that it would be fully updated with all the new streets but that is not the case.

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Much More Powerful than Online MappingInnovative GPS features: 2-D and 3-D NavMode voice commands spoken directions automatic back-on-track re-routing with offroute distance settings high contrast mobile map colors and much more. All in addition to the new E-Z Nav Search feature.New E-Z Nav WizardTry out the new E-Z Nav wizard for on-the-go routing. Just search on any category (see below) choose your destination (retailer hospital gas station friend s address etc) and start real-time navigation with your GPS receiver. Great for daily and overall trip planning too.The GPS LeaderInnovative GPS features: 2-D and 3-D NavMode voice commands spoken directions automatic back-on-track re-routing with offroute distance settings high contrast mobile map colors and much more. All in addition to the new E-Z Nav Search feature.Up-to-Date Maps & Travel InformationComprehensive street and POI updates for the U.S and Canada now with Mexico highways. Over 180000 new or updated roads for 2011. Powerful travel planning tools MapShare and many data types.Download Aerial ImageryDownload $40 of aerial imagery FREE using included DeLorme Data Dollars and the software s NetLink tab. Imagery can be used with all of the Street Atlas USA routing GPS and draw tools.System Requirements:MinimumWindows: Windows7: 1 GB RAM.Windows Vista : 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended).Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 and later): 512 MB RAM (1 GB recommended).900 MHz or higher processor (1.6 GHz recommended).700 MB of available hard-disk space (1.8 GB if all map data is loaded to hard drive).Microsoft Internet Explorer7 or later.DVD-ROM Drive.3D-capable video card with 32 MB VRAM (64 MB VRAM recommended).Macintosh:Compatible with Intel -based Macintoshcomputers running Boot Camp . GPS Requirements: DeLorme Earthmateor any fully compatible NMEA receiver that communicates through a COM port. Forma

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DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows) Review

DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows)
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have this product, and Amazon is wrong in its description.
I have tried to contact Amazon but they will not listen.
THIS product does NOT come with Street Atlas USA 2008 PLUS; it comes with Street Atlas 2008. The PLUS software has a database of 150 million phone listings (imagine drive through Bethesda MD and your realize you have lost your contacts and need an eye doctor. PLUS software will help you find one with a phone number.)
The software that comes with this product does not have 150 million phone listings.
The software that comes with the more expensive Earthmate GPS BT-20 2008 IS Street Atlas USA 2008 PLUS with the 150 million phone listings.
(Isn't it sad we have to correct Amazon product desciptions by writing a review instead of by contacting someone by email?)

Click Here to see more reviews about: DeLorme Earthmate GPS LT-20 2008 U.S.A./Canada Map DVD-ROM (Windows)

Earthmate GPS LT-20 & Street Atlas USA 2008 Bundle Goes Wherever You Go Unlike expensive built-in devices, this GPS can go in any car your own, rentals on trips, new or old because it connects to your existing laptop PC The GPS Leader Loaded with innovative GPS features including voice commands, spoken directions, automatic back-on-track re-routing, & mobile map colors Produced by DeLorme Mapmakers Not licensed from 3rd party companies, the updated maps and 4 million places of interest are produced by experienced mapmakers here at DeLorme. Includes customer revisions Before you go from your laptop or desktop PC Route Planning Powerful Searching Printing and Sharing Suggested Uses: Vacation planning Business trip planning House-hunting trips College visits Motorcoach and truck travel On-the-go with the Earthmate GPS LT-20 Up-to-date Maps Voice Commands and Spoken Directions Useful Travel Information Suggested Uses: Explore Americas back roads Create address-to-address routes among your business appointments Plan for emergency evacuations and avoid frustrating traffic backups Find last-minute lodging and food in unfamiliar places Part number: 31329

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Corel Home Office Review

Corel Home Office
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I was a little taken aback by the packaging of this product. It comes in a box like any other software package, but inside the box was a small instruction brochure, and another package which contained the program on a USB flash memory stick. No discs. At first, I didn't get it, and then I realized they mention netbooks a lot all over the (too large) package, and realized this was a marketing decision to get their product "in" with the netbook crowd; No need for an optical drive with the USB stick.
And it works as advertised. Plug in the USB stick, and you get the typical Windows "what do you want me to do?" prompt. Use Autorun and it installs Corel Home Office in no time at all. While I'd prefer a disc, I can live with this media, too.
Unfortunately, the "for netbooks" philosophy didn't stop there. One installed, running the program within Windows 7 on a regular 15" notebook computer was a disappointing experience. The program works well enough, and seems to handle MS Office files with no real problems; However, it has the annoying habit of opening in it's own non-Windows styled window, and anchoring itself to the upper left corner of the screen. This small window remains the same size, and will not allow resize, reshape, or any dimensional changes. Selecting "Full Screen" just makes everything in the window fill that window. It's as if they decided to completely disable the ability to run this well on anything with a screen resolution higher than 1024x768. I couldn't drag the window using standard Windows interface functions. It even lacks a proper window frame, and has no buttons for minimize, maximize, and close window in the upper right corner, like EVERY WINDOWS PROGRAM EVER.
What were they thinking?
I can't see using this on anything other than a netbook, unless you like your office documents to be anchored to the top left corner and want to get used to a completely new interface. It's a shame, too, because I like the actual program; It looks good and works well with documents. It's just a pain in the neck to use because of the lack of comprehensive view/layout controls for the windows themselves. Any self-respecting office suite should at least allow me to put the window in the middle of my screen so I'm not looking up in the corner of my large monitor.
I get that they're aiming for netbooks more than standard desktops/laptops, but why can't they do both? Why does the interface have to be so... Limited?
If you have a netbook, I imagine this is awesome, and I'm hanging on to my copy to put on the netbook I will inevitably be getting somewhere down the line... But as an MS Office replacement, this falls woefully short on anything bigger than a netbook. Call me confused, but I don't see the logic in ONLY supporting 1024x768 screen resolution, and I'm a bit miffed that the box says "optimized for netbooks & compact PCs" but fails to say anything about how "optimized" really means "only meant for" and mentions nothing about how you're completely unable to resize or move windows, even if you DO have more screen real estate to use than on a netbook.
Get it for your netbook and you'll probably love it. Do not bother trying to replace MS Office with this on a full-sized computer, though. It's not meant for that, and pretty much fails to be user-friendly.
I do wonder if all this is just an issue with Windows 7, which I'm running. If so, consider the rating to be one star higher. However, considering that Windows 7 is due to be the de facto OS on PCs two months from now, I don't think it's a good sign that this sort of thing could happen with a new product.

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New Corel Home Office is specifically designed for your personal and home business word processing, spreadsheet and presentation needs. Enjoy your work thanks to the fresh-looking interface featuring a context-sensitive tabbed toolbar that puts the right tools just where you need them. Open, edit and save Microsoft Office files and publish to PDF from any application to easily share files and information. Switch between languages within the applications--Corel Home Office supports seven languages and will open in the same language as Windows. For a new idea in office suites that makes your at-home work simple, use Corel Home Office.

An Ideal Office Suite for Personal Use or for Your Home Business
Full office suite All the office tools you need to create documents, spreadsheets and presentations, at an affordable price. Includes:
Corel Write--Write letters, resumes, reports and term papers
Corel Calculate--Create spreadsheets, charts and graphs, and balance budgets
Corel Show--Make slide shows with photos and charts

Microsoft compatibility Open, edit, create and save Microsoft Office documents.
Open XML compatibility Open, edit and save Open XML formats, the latest file format from Microsoft Office 2007.
Built-in PDF creation Save your files in PDF format with any of the applications within Corel Home Office. No need to buy more software.
Customizable color scheme Have fun changing the background color of your workspace, pages and toolbars, so you can pick colors to suit your mood.
Familiar workspace Select your preferred workspace so you instantly feel comfortable. Choose Tabbed Toolbars, familiar to people experienced with Microsoft Office 2007 Ribbon Toolbars; or regular-sized toolbars, familiar to users of Microsoft Office 2003 or Corel WordPerfect Office.
Multilingual workspace Work in your language of choice. Multiple languages are available at the click of a button.
Designed for the Work You Do at Home
Corel Write Everything you need to prepare, edit and present great-looking letters, reports, quotations, memos, mailings and newsletters.
Opens and saves Microsoft Office Word files
Highlights spelling errors as they occur with AutoSpell and fixes them with AutoCorrect, available in multiple languages
Provides a Grammar Checker in English, French, Spanish and German

Corel Calculate The perfect tool for managing the numbers in your life, whether for business accounts, home finances, or homework problems.
Opens and saves Microsoft Office Excel files and charts
Creates macros and pivot tables (visual summary of data)
Converts your spreadsheets to PDFs

Corel Show Use a range of visual and text effects to make sure your message is delivered with maximum impact
Creates professional-looking slide shows with customizable transitions
Inserts graphs/charts and allows for page reordering
Automatically saves in Microsoft Office PowerPoint format for easy sharing


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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
This remains an outstanding trip planning and GPS program. Unfortunately, some of the map details are still not as good as were found in the 2004 version of this program. I can't understand why MS would dumb down their product. Also, the street names seem to have been dumbed down as well. For example, Golden Eagle Ferry Road has been reduced to Ferry Road. There are innumerable examples of this dumbing down and simplifying which only serves to confuse.
Despite the dumbing down of the actual map data the program remains a superb mapping program with many updates since the 2004 and 2005 versions. New streets, restaurants and other points of interest are now incorporated. This program offers a truly affordable GPS guidance system for nearly all consumers without having to go to the expensive Garmin or Magellan systems. If you find yourself traveling to points unknown I cannot imagine a better more affordable solution for getting around than this product in conjunction with your notebook computer. Even if you have an "all in one" solution such as the Garmin Nuvi Streets and Trips can help you plan your trip and routs. I have both and they compliment one another very well.
A few comments about the Streets and Trips mapping software. I am familiar with the Delorme product and the Garmin product and Streets and Trips blows them both away - no contest. Instantaneous panning, zooming in and zooming out, outstanding routing software, and a plethora of other features makes Streets and Trips, by far, my favorite mapping software.
I heartily recommend this product! The updated mapping details and new points of interest are also useful.

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Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 is the customizable trip planning software that lets you easily explore new areas and find the services you need along the road. You get more trip planning features than any online mapping site, so you can plan a trip based on your preferences.

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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I got Microsoft Streets and Trips 2005 w/GPS early in 2005 and there were quite a few usability issues with the program. The biggest gap was no voice commands. This new version includes new voice command prompts, which are pretty good and on the screen in VERY large size font it shows you what you will do next along with how much of a percentage you've traveled on the road at that moment. For example, if I am on Smith Rd. and will travel on that road for 5 miles before I turn left onto Jones St., on the screen it shows "Turn left in 5 miles onto Jones St.," plus it has a progress bar showing how many of the 5 miles you've traveled.
I was a simple upgrade (have your CD ready when you plug in the GPS device for the first time), and upon my first use it appears that they haven't fixed some of the bugs and annoyances in trying to find a restaurant or gas station. To illustrate this, if I wanted to find a gas station on my way home from work (15 mile ride), I could choose within so many miles of my current point or so many miles from the entire route. Let's say I'm half way home and decide to look for a gas station, I put 1 mile from my current point, and it looks at a one-mile radius of 5 miles ago?? (Bug, I suppose.) So instead, I put within 1/2 mile of my entire route. Then it lists all gas stations within 1/2 mile of my route (from beginning to end regardless of how far I am from the beginning) and organizes them by distance from my route (instead of how far I am from the station at the moment).
These observations are subject to change as I use the program some more and if I find that I'm doing something wrong. I will post more comments if I can in the future.
[UPDATE - 3/1/06] I continue to have usability problems trying to find places, such as restaurants. I got so frustrated trying to find an Applebee's on a trip lately that I used by cell phone as a modem for my laptop to use their website's locator. Microsoft, I hope you read this!
Overall, it is a big improvement if you want to keep using your Microsoft GPS module from 2005.

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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 is the customizable trip planning software that helps you get accurate directions, easily explore new areas and find the services you want and need along the way. With more personalized trip planning features than online mapping sites, and complete map coverage of both the USA and Canada, Streets and Maps 2006 will quickly prove to be an indispensable companion for all of your trips.Trip Planning with Door-to-Door Convenience Streets and Trips 2006 is an easy-to-use, hands-free trip planning and guidance solution. Whether you're running errands or planning a cross-country road trip, Streets and Trips 2006 offers customizable maps and information on more than 1.8 million points of interest (POIs), such as restaurants, ATMs, museums, campgrounds and more. Online or off, Streets and Trips 2006 provides updated maps that give you accurate, detailed door to door directions and puts 5.9 million miles of routable roads and highways throughout the US and Canada at your fingertips. While you're driving, verbal turn-by-turn directions let you concentrate on the road while the software guides you. Customizable trip planning features allow you to plan multiple stops, find nearby places to visit, calculate drive time, and more.Taking advantage of the enhanced trip planning software is easy. To create a route and generate directions, you simply type in the starting and ending locations and click on "Get Directions." It's that simple. Your trips can include multiple segments, and you can instruct the software to customize your route by telling it what types of roads you want to travel, how much gas your car has, and the general area where you want to stop to gas up. Streets and Trips 2006 will do the rest, giving you your optimal itinerary, down to the precise gas station. Overall you'll have access to over 1.8 million local POIs such as hotels, restaurants, gas stations and ATMs, and by planning ahead, Streets and Trips 2006 will help you avoid delays with construction updates and other recent changes to your route.Microsoft's "Locate Me" technology uses Wi-Fi hotspots to pinpoint your location, so you'll know precisely where you are as you're traveling. If you drive past your planned exit, a single click will get you back on track. The "Re-route from Here" feature quickly recalculates directions if you miss a turn. To find a certain POI, such as a restaurant or gas station, you simply select from 35 POI types to display on the map. You have the option of searching within a certain radius of an address that you choose, your current location, a specific direction within a planned route, or all of the POIs along the entire route. Your results are displayed in a directory-tree listing. When you click on a POI, a balloon box pops up on the map with detailed information, including an address and phone number, and if you right-click on the POI icon, you can add it to your route list.MSN Virtual Earth and Other Extras To enhance to your travel experience, Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 offers a link to MSN Virtual Earth, Microsoft's online repository of satellite maps. Let's say you're viewing a map of the theater district in Manhattan. If you want to see a bird's-eye view of it, just click the Virtual Earth icon and a satellite image of the area will load into your browser. Another convenient feature is the "Night Map Style" which makes reading your routes at night or in other low-light conditions a breeze. The map's background is black, and roads and street names are shown in shades of green for easy viewing. Also included with Streets and Trips 2006 is Pocket Streets for your Pocket PC or Smartphone, which you can load onto your compatible Windows-based Pocket PC or Windows-powered Smartphone for greater travel convenience.And best of all, once you register your software, you can access a full year of email and toll-free customer support, and you'll also have access to an online knowledge base dedicated to Streets and Trips 2006. So no matter where you're travels are taking you, you can drive with the confidence that you'll have Microsoft's extensive support and software behind you every click of your odometer.

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Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator 2011 Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips with GPS Locator 2011
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I am Donna's husband and I got Microsoft Streets & Trips 2011 with the USB GPS receiver a few days ago. I didn't really notice any changes between the 2009 version and the 2011 version of Streets & Trips. Just newer maps. I give the software 5 stars.
The GPS receiver that comes with Streets & Trips is the "u-blox 5 GPS and GALILEO Receiver" by ublox. [...] I downloaded the "u-center GPS evaluation software" [...] and installed in on my desktop computer and my Acer netbook computer. I then plugged the USB GPS receiver into each computer and, using the u-center software, monitored the GPS receiver's performance. Here is what I found:
The GPS receiver would not lock up when plugged directly into the netbook no matter how long I left it. It would find one or two satellites but that was all. When I connected it to the netbook using the included USB extension cable, it would lock up in 5 - 10 minutes. After it got a lock, it's performance seemed about as good as the other GPS receivers that I have. When I plugged the GPS receiver into my desktop computer it took 5 - 10 minutes to lock up and again, it's performance seemed about as good as the other GPS receivers that I have. The GPS receiver does not have any type of battery or super-capacitor backup so every time it is unplugged it forgets all of the satellite almanac data and has to do a cold start each time it is plugged in.
I also have a GlobalSat BU-353 GlobalSat BU-353 Waterproof USB GPS Receiver. It is a much better GPS receiver. Because it has a super-capacitor backup, it retains the satellite almanac data and is able to do a warm start when it's plugged in. It is able to acquire a lock in less than a minute. It also works fine with the Streets & Trips software. I recommend you buy Streets & Trips WITHOUT the USB GPS receiver and get the GlobalSat BU-353 GPS receiver instead.


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Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS Locator helps you plan and map your travels in advance, make your business travel more efficient or inspire your next RV adventure. Streets & Trips helps you to tailor your trip to your personal style, such as preferred road types, multiple stops, start and stop times, and more. Streets & Trips with GPS Locator requires no Internet connection and includes 1.9 million points of interest to help you find interesting stops along the way—no Internet required. Get lost in the adventure, not trying to find it.
Get accurate driving directions to just about anywhere in the United States, Mexico and Canada.Click here for a larger image

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Microsoft Streets & Trips 2011 Review

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2011
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I have been buying each version of this program for many years. This time, I really think that Microsoft simply did a text replace operation 2010 --> 2011 and shipped the thing out. The 2011 program seems to be bug-for-bug identical to the 2010 iteration.
Were any maps updated for 2011? Maybe. I don't have the resources to check this. Here is one data point. Over a year ago, a new freeway entrance was added near my home. A few months ago, the maps on my TomTom GPS were updated to include this. Finally. But Microsoft Streets & Trips 2011 does not include the new freeway entrance.
Microsoft has a web page dedicated to its Streets & Trips product line. There is no mention of new features there. For a marketing-driven company like Microsoft, this is remarkable.
At this point, I could copy and paste my review for Microsoft Streets 2010 right here. Nothing has changed! The maps are still very good, although perhaps becoming old. The user interface is great, except for Microsoft's treatment of "bookmarks." Searching, editing, and organizing saved locations is primitive and inconvenient.
As in previous versions, maps will not print out at 1200 DPI (dots per inch). I can print them at 600 DPI though. I have tested this on three different printers.
I use this program from Windows 7 and it installed cleanly. However, I cannot launch it in the normal fashion. Windows complains that the program was not installed properly. The solution to this problem is to always launch the program with administrative privilege. This is slightly inconvenient.
If anyone finds a difference between this program and the 2010 version, please post your findings.

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Microsoft Streets & Trips helps you plan and map your travels in advance, make your business travel more efficient or inspire your next RV adventure. Streets & Trips allows you to tailor your trip to your personal style, such as preferred road types, start and stop times and more. Streets & Trips makes your travels an adventure with 1.9 million points of interest to help you find interesting stops along the way--no Internet required. Get lost in the adventure not trying to find it.
Get accurate driving directions to just about anywhere in the United States and Canada. Click here for a larger image

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