Microsoft Corp. today announced the availability of Microsoft# Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator, the latest version of the best-selling1 mapping and travel planning software for the United States and Canada. Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator introduces Voice-Prompted Directions, a hands-free option that reassures travelers with turn-by-turn directional information so everyone in the car can enjoy the ride without the stress of getting lost. For running errands around town, taking a family road trip, finding the way around a new city or planning a day of business meetings, Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator offers easy-to-use tools to plan personalized trips and travel with confidence. #With fuel costs on the rise, it#s never been more expensive to make a wrong turn,# said Helen Chiang, product manager for Microsoft Streets & Trips. #New features such as voice-prompted directions and advanced GPS options make Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator the travel companion that always knows the way, saving valuable time and money.#
In addition to the product#s new and advanced GPS options and verbal driving guidance, Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator continues its legacy as the leading trip planning software. With its personalized route planner, highly detailed and customizable maps, timely road construction updates, and more than 5.9 million miles of routable maps and 1.8 million points of interest across the United States and Canada, consumers can plan the perfect road trip during the holidays, spring break, summer vacation and any time in between.
Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with GPS Locator includes the following new features:
# New! Voice-Prompted Directions work with the GPS Locator to provide an easy-to-use, hands-free option that delivers turn-by-turn directional information to the desired destination.
# New! Driving Guidance Pane prominently displays text-prompted turn-by-turn directions, enlarged arrows indicating where to turn, and distance measurement by miles and yards as drivers get closer to the destination.
# New! Dynamic Turn View automatically zooms in to travelers# current position, allowing them to see where they are and upcoming directional changes.
# New! Night Map Style enhances views of maps and directions for easy reading when consumers are traveling at night or on dark roadways.
# New! Locate Me technology helps lost travelers who don#t have their GPS Locator on hand determine where they are by utilizing Wi-Fi hot spots to estimate their location to help them get back on track or find nearby points of interest. Consumers can also go online to cross-reference MSN# Virtual Earth# for greater trip-planning accuracy through additional maps and aerial imagery.
Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 with GPS locator review: 4 stars (Good news and bad news.) - The bad news first: 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 simpifying which only serves to confuse.
The good news: The GPS functionality has been vastly improved with voice and large visual prompts which make using the program in an automobile MUCH MUCH easier. 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.
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 solution for getting around than this product in conjunction with your notebook.
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.
One problem I had, and hopefully this will help others who might encounter the same problem: Downloading the software into your computer does NOT automatically load the drivers for the GPS locator device! This must be done separately with the Setup disk when you first attach the locator device. Should you fail to put the Setup disk in and let your computer find the driver automatically ON THAT DISK, then your program will not recognize the locator! I wasted quite a bit of time trying to figure out what was wrong. If you don't add the drivers manually your device manager will automatically load drivers that will not be recognized by the program! I had to go into my Device Manager and uninstall the drivers that were added and then manually install the MS drivers for the GPS locator. Not an insurmountable problem, but it does require a bit of experience with computers.
The included driver software turns your USB port into a pseudo-serial communication port enabling the software to recognize the locator (only serial ports are recognized by the software). The software will not recognize the locator UNLESS it is attached to a serial (or in this case pseudo-serial) communications port. So be careful and follow the installation instructions closely. The locator is made by Pharos GPS and if you have any installation problems go to their web site for further instructions.
I heartily recommend this product however be aware of the minor software and driver glitches I've described above. All in all, I think you will be VERY pleased. 3 stars (New wine in old bottles.) - Glad to see there're several improvements since my last review of the 2005 version of Streets and Trips with GPS Locator last year.
It is great that Microsoft adds voice prompt and night map view to this version, although the voice is far from true human voice.
The bundled GPS receiver is the same as last year (only tracks 12 channels), instead of the latest SiRF Star III chipset (available in the market nearly a year so far) which can track 20 channels all-in-view with better performance and less power consumption. The sad point is this version does not support auto reroute functionality, either. You have to click on the 'Go' button or press 'F3' to instruct the computer to reclaculate the route for you if you are off the claculated route. What a dumb application!
The pocket streets included in the 2006 version CD-ROM is the same as last year, 2005 version, no route calculating for PDA yet.
Guess the Microsoft programmers never use this software by themselves when they are travelling.
3 stars (Title updated, but not streets) - I use this program daily for locating addresses and printing maps. I also use printed street maps and on-line maps to locate newer construction. Microsoft is behind as much as several years on some subdivisions. I will look for alternatives before buying the next update. a
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Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 with GPS locator 
