Mobile computing and navagation: Options?

[Deleted member 12106]

Ok, off and on over the years, I have been looking at differant software suites to see what is availible and looking at option sets.

I have been doing some odd ball trips as of late, and, honestly, printing out mapquest or streets and trips directions has grown old to me.

I am strongly considering a software suite I can just load up on the laptop and go, in the past, I have done streets and trips, but, now, I want something that tells me when to turn, and keeps track of where I have been, so, now its time for something with GPS and voice navagation.

So far, all I have seen is MS Streets and trips 2k5 and 2k6, I gues 2k6 has voice navigation and larger, easy to read directions. There is also these Earthmate/DeLorme packages, which, have really nice features, and, really steap price tags.

While the DeLorme stuff has options for address/phone books and topographical maps, I don't think I need that. I see many differant packages availible from them.

Now, my questions are...

What do you use, and how do you like it?

Can any package from either company(MS or DeLorme), be upgraded, say, buy the software, and later on, add the GPS transpodner?

Which setup would be the best bang for the buck?

Right now, I am leaning towards the MS streets and trips 2k6. I have 2k3 and 2k5 somewhere around the house, and, I really like both of them for how they are, but, now, I want more, I want GPS navagation.

 

[Uncle Dirt]

I use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with a USGlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof WAAS enabled USB GPS Receiver.

I am a subcontractor and my business requires me to do work at upwards of 50 jobs per day. I am in my vehicle from morning until night. I like Streets & Trips 2006 because it works very well with this GPS Reciever. I can punch in the addresses of every work order I recieve and have Streets & Trips 06 optimize my stops for me. I can plan my entire day of traveling throughout the region damn near perfectly, which saves me loads of time, gas and energy. The BU-353 gives me location accuracy within 3 meters of my actual location and works damn near perfect 99% of the time. Every once in a while it will lose connection, but I blame this on other factors and not the hardware or OS.

Using a cheap laptop (sub $500) along with MS Streets & Trips 2006 ($30) and the BU-353 ($62), you have a very good GPS navigation system. If you already own a laptop, then you can have a very nice GPS solution for under $100.

Every other system I looked at was extremely expensive and did not give me the option of optimizing my routes like Streets & Trips does.

 

[maxiderm]

its funny, i just bought my Presario a week ago (15.4" Widescreen, Turion64, 512mb DDR, 80gb HD) and i was in the same situation until today. after using Streets & Trips and Delorme i have finally found the bone that blows em both out of the water. and that is iGuidance. the problem with Streets & Trips (tried 2005, so im not sure about 2006) is that its more like a GPS software instead of a navigation. it gives you a map, and tells you where you are... simple as that. but iGuidance 3.0 gives you turn by turn voice guidance, routing, and POIs (Points of Interest). i played with POIs for a long time, it has all the local resteraunts in my city and i seriously doubt MS Streets & Trips would have even half of that... that is if they even HAVE POIs, i dont remember, i hated that software so much i ended up selling it back on eBay lol. get it, you WONT regret it.

as far as the GPS reciever goes, Uncle Dirt is correct. The USGlobalSat BU-353 is the best unit on the market right now (and suprisingly, one of the cheapest). when you talk about bang for your buck, this hands down wins, becuase it is simply the best. it has better lock and transfer timings than recievers that run over $100. i got mine from Newegg and it was $70 with tax and shipping.

 

[Deleted member 12106]

I use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2006 with a USGlobalSat BU-353 WaterProof WAAS enabled USB GPS Receiver.

I am a subcontractor and my business requires me to do work at upwards of 50 jobs per day. I am in my vehicle from morning until night. I like Streets & Trips 2006 because it works very well with this GPS Reciever. I can punch in the addresses of every work order I recieve and have Streets & Trips 06 optimize my stops for me. I can plan my entire day of traveling throughout the region damn near perfectly, which saves me loads of time, gas and energy. The BU-353 gives me location accuracy within 3 meters of my actual location and works damn near perfect 99% of the time. Every once in a while it will lose connection, but I blame this on other factors and not the hardware or OS.

Using a cheap laptop (sub $500) along with MS Streets & Trips 2006 ($30) and the BU-353 ($62), you have a very good GPS navigation system. If you already own a laptop, then you can have a very nice GPS solution for under $100.

Every other system I looked at was extremely expensive and did not give me the option of optimizing my routes like Streets & Trips does.

This is exactly the kind of review I was looking for.

its funny, i just bought my Presario a week ago (15.4" Widescreen, Turion64, 512mb DDR, 80gb HD) and i was in the same situation until today. after using Streets & Trips and Delorme i have finally found the bone that blows em both out of the water. and that is iGuidance. the problem with Streets & Trips (tried 2005, so im not sure about 2006) is that its more like a GPS software instead of a navigation. it gives you a map, and tells you where you are... simple as that. but iGuidance 3.0 gives you turn by turn voice guidance, routing, and POIs (Points of Interest). i played with POIs for a long time, it has all the local resteraunts in my city and i seriously doubt MS Streets & Trips would have even half of that... that is if they even HAVE POIs, i dont remember, i hated that software so much i ended up selling it back on eBay lol. get it, you WONT regret it.

as far as the GPS reciever goes, Uncle Dirt is correct. The USGlobalSat BU-353 is the best unit on the market right now (and suprisingly, one of the cheapest). when you talk about bang for your buck, this hands down wins, becuase it is simply the best. it has better lock and transfer timings than recievers that run over $100. i got mine from Newegg and it was $70 with tax and shipping.

DeLorme has like 6 differant "teirs" of atlass/navagation software, and, streets and trips 2006 is suppose to have navigation/directions built in.

 

[Uncle Dirt]

This is exactly the kind of review I was looking for.

I'm glad I could help. Grab that USB GPS reciever and MS Streets & Trips 06 and you'll be good. For the price you can't beat it.

I have no idea what that other dude is talking about. I can easily set up trips and get directions with S&T 06 with no problems.

 

[maxiderm]

iGuidance is much better than S&Ts for a few reasons. in fact... pretty much every reason exept S&T (2006 anyway) is a little more updated with POIs. iGuidance has turn by turn voice guided directions and 3D views of maps. S&T... requires you to manually start the GPS tracking each time the program is launched! this was what made me sell my copy, becuase this drove me nuts at the time (i had used the cheap reciever that came with it and it took forever for cold starting), im telling you i have used both and iGuidance is definately better suited for turn by turn navigation. but again, in total agreement with that model of reciever, its the best on the market for a great price, and locks on in seconds...

 

[Uncle Dirt]

Can I type in 50 different addresses then have iGuidance optimize my stops in perfect numerical order? If that's the case I will give it a try.

 

[JBavousett]

I just sold the GPS for my laptop off on eBay. The laptop is too big a bulky for good navigation use. I decided to buy a dasboard GPS.

 

[maxiderm]

thanks a lot, have me and this guy arguing and you go get a in-dash GPS...

haha jk...