Never Lose Your Way: Streets & Trips 2009 is much more than just a mapping program
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Denise Santoyo
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MotorHome, August 2009
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Whether driving across country, or heading out for a weekend jaunt close to home, it’s easy to get turned around, and before you know it, you’re wondering, “Where am I? Did I miss that turn?” Microsoft Streets & Trips 2009 with GPS Locator — a travel and mapping program that can plan trips, track mileage and locate more than 1.5 million points of interest — can help you with this familiar traveler’s dilemma.
Streets & Trips has long been a favorite with RVers for its easy-to-use functionality and reasonable price point, but its new, detachable GPS allows you to add real-time GPS to any laptop, Windows Mobile-based Pocket PC or smart phone.
I loaded the program on my laptop, which operates on Windows Vista and has an Intel Pentium processor. Installing the software is easy: Simply insert the DVD and follow the steps as they pop up on the computer screen. One important thing to remember is not to insert the GPS locator until after the software has been installed. I overlooked this instruction, and had to reinstall the program for it to recognize and connect to the GPS.
Once the program is installed, the GPS can be plugged into any one of your computer’s USB ports. The GPS comes with a 32-inch cable that’s designed to improve reception in fringe areas. I tested the unit with and without the cable, on flat highway and low mountain terrain, and never had a problem with the satellite signal.
The program’s GPS pane allows you to input your starting and ending points, and any destination along the way, then maps your route as you drive. The spoken, turn-by-turn directions are a feature I found invaluable, especially on narrow roads and areas of heavy congestion. It can easily be turned off if you find the audio directions distracting. While the system is not without its quirks — I was amused to hear U.S. Highway 101 pronounced “us highway one hundred and one” — they are minor and do not affect the accuracy of the directions. Even when I intentionally drove off course, the GPS told me I was “off route” before recalculating a new one and directing me back.
Streets & Trips 2009 with GPS Locator has many other features that are sure to please: it calculates fuel economy, fuel cost per trip and average driving speed; searches for a location by description; includes a free trial membership to Entertainment Online, which includes a valuable coupon finder function for special savings at restaurants and special events; and sends information to a handheld device, like your cell phone (standard text messaging rates may apply).
Microsoft Streets & Trips 2009 with GPS Locator retails for $69.95. You can try out the software (without GPS) yourself by downloading a free 60-day trial version of the program from Microsoft.
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