Customer Reviews

Microsoft Streets and Trips 2006 [OLD VERSION]

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(22)
3 star:		(14)
2 star:		(7)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

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.

Last year I bought Street & Trips 2005 with the GPS package, and I wrote a review on that. If you refer to that review, there are some things that I am somewhat dissatisfied with the 2005 version. After spending many hours searching online and reading review and forum posts, it appears that the only software for laptop GPS navigation that provides all the function and capabilities that one would want or need at a reasonable price would be iGuidance 2.1.1, the one downside to it was that the software costs more than 4X the price of Microsoft's Streets & Trips, this prevented me from purchasing it. After a long wait, Microsoft (as expected) released the 2006 version of Streets & Trips, I read up on the new features and decided that combined with the price (after rebates), it would be a great deal.

On my previous review of the 2005 version, the one thing that I (and a lot of other people) felt that was missing was the voice navigation. It was extremely difficult to follow the small prints for the directions, combined with no voice guidance; it was dangerous to use it unless you have a passenger to help with the directions (which is kind of pointless).This new version solved that problem, combined with a modified interface; the voice guidance is finally on. It is so much easier to drive solo and use this software because combined with a large text field displaying the next action; the voice guidance is clear and easily repeated by pressing the spacebar. There is also a progress meter to show you how close you are to that next action (turn, exit, ect).

The first BIG gripe that I have with the voice nav is that it only says the action and not pronounce the road or exit you are turning into, thus for conformation, one would have to look at the large text plane to see the name of the road or exit number. This is what I don't get, the software uses Microsoft's own voice synthesizer to "speak", then why is it that it cannot at least try to pronounce the name of the road?
The second gripe that I have is that if you go off route, the software doesn't automatically reroute you, and there is no option to turn it on, so you would have to hit F3 for it to reroute.
Another gripe, not a major one, but still annoying is that fact that every single time you start the GPS tracking, the software pops up with a disclaimer about how unsafe it is to drive and operate the software at the same time. I guess this is necessary since software is still not very driver friendly.

All in all, Microsoft did try to alleviate a major problem of its previous version; however, I didn't feel that MS spent much time improving the software. I undoubtedly admit that the 2006 version is much improved, but I would have expected a greater improvement given that Microsoft has been producing Streets & Trips for numerous of years now.
For the price, I am glad with the improvements, however, if I could return it, I would spend the extra money for the iGuidance instead.

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.

I was really expecting some improvement in the 2006 version. I think the 2004 version had the most items that worked.
They FIXED the Post offices not appearing in "Show Places". Microsoft just ELIMINATED Post Offices as a search item.

When I try to update construction information, I am told "An internet connection is required to downlosad construction updates. Your computer is not configured properly to connect to the internet."?? I have a permanent wireless connection via a cable modem (or whatever connection is offered at hotels I stop at) to the internet on my laptop.
No solution has been offered. This was NOT an issue with 2005 and prior versions!!??

I hate buggy software!

They did fix some missing Interstate interchanges in Pennsylvania. (They used to have you travelling around on local streets until you came to an interchange they did show).

I purchased this product to use it with a USB GPS. There are several deficiencies.........
*The voice commands are very infrequent, so if you are going fast U can miss a turn.
*Once you make a wrong turn it only says off course but doesnot reroute you to your destination , unless you click a button to reroute you. This can be dangerous when driving alone.
*On many rural routs it doesnot correct it self to move the cursor on the road and show slightly off course running parallel to the road

I've used 2002, 2004, and now 2006. All things considered, 2006 is merely a slight improvement over 2004.

I miss the feature from 2004 and 2002 that alllowed you to estimate your travel speed on various types of highways. Now you have a slider that defaults to 'average' (whose average? I don't know) and you can tell the program you'll be going faster (how much faster? I don't know) or slower. In 2004, you could just tell it: I'll be going 80 on the interestate.

My disappointements are with the feature I was most looking forward to: the voice navigation.

1) Not LOUD ENOUGH. When I'm going 70, I can't hear the driving guidance over the sound of my tires on the road or the wind flying by my car. I know my laptop speakers are powerful enough to do the job. My music, which I can't turn on if I want to use voice navigation, is much louder than the voice in Streets & Trips.

2) When I drive under a bridge (and lose GPS signal for 0.25 seconds) I don't actually need the voice navigation to let me know out loud. After the 10th time on a long trip, I start to get annoyed. How about if I lose GPS signal for 5 seconds, then the software can tell me? Or better yet, let me set the time.

3) Use the voice feature to try to pronounce the road I'm turning onto. I know it won't always get it right, but it'll be close enough.

4) My voice navigation turns off, seemingly at random, while I'm driving.

5) The program locks up while I'm driving - often. Especially when I'm near a turn, which is exactly the wrong time.

6) When a new highway gets built parallel to an old abandoned highway that MS doesn't know is abandoned, and you find yourself driving along the new one, be prepared to be told repeatedly that you are 'off-route'. A smarter program would understand that if my car is travelling parallel to the old highway at 65 mph, I'm probably not actually off-roading. Put simply, 90% of the time, when Microsoft Streets and Trips is nagging me about being 'off-route', I am actually on the correct road, and the problem is that Microsoft's map doesn't know where the correct road is.

7) My laptop won't hibernate unless I remove my GPS first. This didn't seem to be a problem with older versions of Streets and Trips. I think it's because the voice navigation warning window that 'warns' me that the GPS antenna is gone interferes with my laptop's attempt to sleep.


It seems to me that Microsoft didn't road test this software at all. Or maybe they road tested it in a huge lab-on-wheels van with multiple technicians.

I am a longtime Streets and Trips user, having owned every version of the software since S&T 2002. In 2003 I moved from Atlanta to Charlotte, NC; while I can easily get from major point A to major point B without any kind of map, I still need some assistance with some of the more obscure addresses.

I don't use S&T as part of a GPS system, but I still require the maps to be as accurate as possible. To that end, S&T 2006 drops the ball... and badly. The mapping data for the Charlotte area appears to be mostly unchanged from last year, which is really bad, given the area's spectacular rate of growth and subsequent explosion of new subdivisions. My main beef is that S&T 2006 neglects a major perimeter interstate highway (I-485), which completed a new construction phase in late 2004. 485 went from a "quarter-circle" from 12-3 o'clock (as seen from downtown) to a "semi-circle" that now runs from 12-6 o'clock and circles half the city of Charlotte. Because the new extension terminates near my home, I often use 485 for trips to south Charlotte and Pineville areas. However, S&T is now useless to me until the 2007 edition, which will hopefully update the map data.

Another example: the city of Charlotte used to have *several* streets named "I-85 Service Road". The city gave each of these streets unique names last year in order to reduce confusion for emergency and delivery services. Yet all of these streets are still listed as "I-85 Service Road" on S&T 2006.

I suppose that this isn't entirely Microsoft's fault, as their map data is supplied by a third-party company. But still, if they're gonna put their name on it, it had better be top-notch, no?

Aside from my complete dissatisfaction with the timeliness of the mapping data, the program works fine on my system. Unless you can write this off as a a business expense, I'd say to save your money and stick with S&T 2005.

I have been a Streets & Trips user for at least four versions (probably more, but I remember back to 2003, so I will stick with that). It seems I get hooked into getting a new version every time I see one at Sam's. A few years ago, I got a GPS unit and have loved the integration with newer versions of Streets & Trips.

On the whole, I purchased this version of S&T primarily for the voice directions. As I am normally the navigator in the car (wife loves to drive), I will probably never use this feature that much, but it is nice to have.

What I find most useful:

* Drag and drop rerouting. So much fun to be able to reset my path without having to add mutliple "stops" in between. Still not perfect, but a much needed addition.

* Driving Guidance pane: Nice having something pop up that does not take over the map (like our Honda Odysee does - showing my geekness now?).

* Locate me. If you use WiFi on your laptop (who doesn't) and can find a network, you can get a good idea of where you are. I may be the only one who thinks this is cool (esp. when you can always plug in GPS, but I think it is cool).

* Night map style. Nothing really special, but having the ability to have a night map that is not glaring white is a nice addition when you are driving around with the map on in the evening.

I have read the other reviews and have a few words.

* Yes, it is possible that there is not as much detail. I would assume Microsoft, like everyone else, purchases this information, so you will find that most products mimic the same routes, as there are few providers out there. I have not experienced any problems in my area, but I can see how this might be of concern. The naming of roads has always been a bit nasty, IMO, but I have not found a product that is any better.

* The PocketPC limititation? I can understand this as well, although I have never had the need to load more than 5MB in a single map on my Pocket PC. In fact, when I travel, most maps fit well under 2MB. I do not see this single limitation, esp. in light of the competition, as a showstopper, however.

While I have been a big fan of Streets and Trips since the 2002 version, this latest release is a disappointment. This is due to accuracy problems and the competitive landscape. Since S&T 2005 was released, the big news in map software is Google's launch of Google Earth, which includes over twelve (12) terabytes of satellite data. Microsoft has responded with a less robust product, MSN Virtual Earth, which has some connectivity with Streets and Trips 2006.

The latest release of S&T 2006 has the same fast, robust interface as previous versions and some new features such as a night mode (which itself is of dubious value). However, my limited testing has uncovered glaring errors in the map data. Specifically, the NYC subway system depiction has several erroneous or omitted subway stops in Manhattan alone. While this may seem trivial, the NYC subway is the busiest in the United States. Moreover, some of the errors are grossly inaccurate, such as showing a B/Q Subway stop at Lexington and 63rd. Neither line passes within a half mile (quite a long distance in Manhattan) of this location. Other less egregious errors include an omission of a 28th street stop on the 1/9 train.

There has always been a poor representation of the public transportation system in Streets and Trips, severely limiting its utility for urban users of the software. The Chicago Transportation authority (CTA), for example, has online point-to-point directions that include walking, buses and subway. S&T has no such feature, nor does it even have walking directions that overlook one-way streets. At least there should be plug-ins for different metropolitan areas, if not including built-in overlays of train and subway infrastructure that appear with a simple toggle. Even worse, many of the subway stops that are correctly positioned in Streets and Trips do not show at magnification levels that clearly depict stops that are farther from the viewing center of the map. Such visual anomalies can cause much confusion for users. This problem appears to be worse than in previous versions.

My major complaint with earlier editions of Streets and Trips was that it didn't integrate with other location-specific data sources, such as Citysearch, Craigslist or metropolitan traffic web sites. Microsoft's integration with MSN Virtual Earth is a nice start. However, the map quality and features are below that of Google's offering. Moreover, it uses a less robust web interface, which [the lack of] is the main reason users like Street and Trips in the first place.

Streets and Trips 2006 is still the fastest map software with the smoothest interface. However, Microsoft needs better quality control and bug reporting. Longer-term, Microsoft needs to create an ecosystem around Streets and Trips with various entertainment, travel and transportation data sources included in a real-time format. Otherwise, Google is going to drive it off the market.

Pros
*Speed
*Some interactivity with MSN Virtual Earth
*No advertisements


Cons
*Lack of integration with third-party data
*No available data for other continents
*No map or point-of-interest updates
*Quality control and difficult bug reporting
*No plug-ins
*No bookmarks
*Lacking non-driving (cycling, walking) maps and public transit grids

Do NOT make the mistake that I did and buy this software expecting it to contain updated and reasonably recent (say, 2-years-old) maps and "attraction" (hotels, restaurants, etc.) data. In every instance I have checked so far, the maps are substantially more obsolete than they were in Streets & Trips 2004. Example: the street on which I live, which was built around 1997, was on the S&T 2004 maps, and an S&T search for my address correctly located it in that version. Not any more. And the listings of restaurants and hotels/motels, which change rapidly, are now so obsolete as to be totally uesless.

Shame on Microsoft for apparently working only on the bells and whistles of this software and not only neglecting what should be its prime functions (mapping and locating places) but actually degrading them compared to the 2004 version.