Microsoft Streets and Trips Reviewer's Comments
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Frustration-free Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 is remarkably easy to use—even for first–timers and wins our “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award.” Microsoft has tagged this product with a skinny price that is fat with features.
We loved that the navigations window has drop–down menus and a toggle feature, so you can fly through the program, quickly utilizing its directions and automatic route generators. Although, nobody can touch what Delorme's Street Atlas, our #1 pick offers, for the price, Microsoft offers a power-packed, easy–to–use alternative.
Microsoft Streets and Trips Screenshots. Click to Enlarge
Ease of Use:
Microsoft Streets & Trips has a GPS navigation window that's simpler to use than any other we tried because the toolbars and drop down menus are similar to what we were used to using for other Microsoft products.
If you don't like clutter, then take advantage of the Streets & Trips toggle feature. You can clear space by hiding the draw options toolbar, the legend or other toolbars.
Microsoft Streets & Trips is one of the easiest programs to use, but does not offer some of the features that the leading programs include, such as voice navigation, topography maps, or elevation profiles.
Feature Set:
Microsoft Streets & Trips doesn't follow industry standards in format and program navigation. For instance, to move around in the software you can select "undo" or go back by clicking the back arrow, and go forward again using the forward arrow; these tools are similar to those you are accustomed to using while surfing the net.
Street & Trips includes a configuration wizard that allows you to configure a third party GPS unit, which means potentially it is compatible with most popular GPS units and Microsoft offers an optional GPS locator with Streets & Trips.
Another unique feature of Microsoft Streets & Trips–when you pan or scan the map image, it appears like a rotating 3–D globe instead of a flat 2–D map. Also, Streets & Trips features turn–by–turn directions and automatic route generation are must–haves in mapping software.
Streets & Trips makes it easy for you to shift the order of your stops and add more waypoints to a previously generated route, but you can only do one route at a time. Also, we were disappointed to learn that Streets & Trips does not offer any tutorials that teach you how to use the software or voice navigation to assist you on your journey.
Points of Interest:
Microsoft Streets & Trips has a database of 1.8 million POI, not the most impressive number, but they do offer additional POI by download through Microsoft Excel or Outlook. Streets & Trips includes a few POI categories that we hadn't seen before, such as auto services, rental car agencies, nightclubs and taverns.
Streets & Trips allows you to search for POI from a selected point outward. You can also choose how far from the source the software starts the scan.
Map Customization:
Streets and Trips has a draw tool that can cut and select specific shapes, as printing software does. With this tool you can attach pictures, text and illustrations to your maps then print your creations.
Safety Features:
With Streets & Trips you can calculate gas consumption and expenses as well as download construction report updates. But it does not include a compass, voice prompts, or up-to-date weather information.
Ease of Setup:
We had no problems installing Microsoft Streets & Trips.
Help / Support:
Streets & Trips includes all the help and support options that we reviewed on our Mapping Software Homepage, but Microsoft didn't respond to our emails quickly. You'll have to rely on their FAQ section and the built–in user manual for instant help.
Summary:
Basically Microsoft Streets & Trips is a useful, easy-to-use program at a bargain price. It does not however include topography maps, elevation profiles, or advanced draw tools that a back country traveler would need. It may be more applicable to a business traveler that needs to keep track of expenses and mileage and is already accustomed to the Microsoft format.
©2008 TopTenREVIEWS, Inc.
