Customer Reviews

Streets and Trips 2010 [Old Version]

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(69)
3 star:		(28)
2 star:		(21)
1 star:		(21)

 

 

I've used MS S&T since it was initially offered (pre-affordable GPS) and gradually watched it decline in usefulness as the net and technologies evolve. With this current version, even with the few improvements over the 2009 version, I wouldn't recommend it at all to a new user and only would recommend it as an upgrade if your version is more than 2 years old (unless you can find it for less than twenty bucks).

While netbooks (and to some extent the new generation of energy efficient processors just coming out this Xmas) have extended the life of this product, it is just not as functional while traveling as a good GPS unit. I still use it for planning, but more and more I find other online mapping tools more useful as wifi becomes more ubiquitous and 4G broadband adds coverage. The maps are not updated (I find major local errors still uncorrected after 4 years here in Ohio and on a trip to California, numerous serious flaws in Sacramento, the Napa Valley, and the Sonoma Valley - not to mention an abrupt loss of functionality along the way).

I like (and have) the GPS version while on the road at night (using the night map) and also use it while traveling to find side trips of interest (one thing not a strong point of auto GPS devices). But our Garmin GPS is much stronger for routing and seems to have a much better POI dataset. In fact, the online mapping services also have better POI info and MS S&T is unlikely to improve unless it is integrated with Bing or something.

Overall, licensing restrictions (1 machine - should be at least 2 including a laptop/netbook), lack of adequate data revision/updating, and the availability of cheaper GPS units and wifi, I'd say - give this one a pass unless you have a very compelling reason to use it.

Edit 7/12/2010 - Somehow I got the licensing wrong, actually S&T DOES allow 2 installs. My bad.

While the updated data base was the desire and achieved purpose of getting the latest version, it sufers from classic Microsoft update. Ease of use is severely impacted. My favorite means of navigation was to selct a region and tehn zoom in, you can't do that any more. Now you have to center and zoom, then re-center and zoom, not nearly as easy or effecient.

Also, as a program that needs to be "activated" it is no longer convienent to have on multiple computers. This substantially degrades the value of the product.

The new "Streets and Trips" can only be used and registered on one computer.
Would not buy it again for this reason.
Shuts off the second computer automaticly after a 60 days trial. Since I need to use Streets and Trips at home and on my web book while driving its useless for me.
All the older versions could be used on multiple computers. Microsoft should have put a warning sign at the outside of the package about their policy change.
Alfred Voll

I had an older version of this and liked it. The "2010" version is not up to date. A local freeway that is at least 3 years old is not even on the map! In addition, the software can only be installed on one computer, so I can't have it on my laptop and desktop unless I buy it twice. If I had known these two facts, I wouldn't have bought it.

I have no idea how well the 2010 version of Streets and Trips operates but, I have the 2005 edition and it works great. I ordered the 2010 edition for a more updated version and found that it doesn't work on my Windows XP system. Unfortunately for me I found this out the hard way by ordering through Amazon and trying to install on my system and receiving a message stating this. Amazon's description of system requirements stated that it did run on XP. Well since it had been opened and I (absent of mind) trusted Amazon's description, it has cost me 15% of my money on the return. I called them and told them of their error online and they were not going to change the information stated for the product. Needless to say I thought it would be good to let people know not to buy if they had a Windows XP operating system. I still need a undated mapping program and Amazon will not be getting my order. Hope they like the 15% because they will not be getting any more from me.

MS Streets and Trips 2010...lousy upgrade from '08. Lots of area data not current, up to 2 yrs out of date!. Many routes improperly computed. Does not "talk" or see other gps units as advertised. VERY POOR PRODUCT...SAVE YOUR MONEY...GARMIN STILL BEST!

To hopefully help you make a decision on this, I'll start by summarizing: This program is, in almost every way, inferior to online offerings such as Google maps, but may be of great use to you if you find yourself needing access to mapping and routing away from an Internet connection.

REASONS TO AVOID

Relative to online maps, the S&T maps are less informative, less visually appealing, not as current, and the business and waypoint info is not as up-to-date or complete. This software is getting old; despite a few tweaks and a few bells and whistles added each year, the mapping engine is largely the same one Microsoft has used for about a decade. The maps are non-antialiased, with blocky patterns and awkward label placement.

The map data is provided on a far courser scale than what you'll get on Google maps, which means that roads often look like they take sudden angles. Looking at a curved road in Google maps shows, well, a curved road. Looking at the same in S&T often shows a road that appears to take several sharp turns. While all of these detractions are probably necessary to allow the program to fit on a DVD (with the possible exception of the dated and ugly map engine) the bottom line is that Google maps or MapQuest provide far better maps and faster routing. Amazingly enough, Google maps is able to redraw maps over the internet quicker than S&T can on your desktop, and adding stops to existing routes on Google is far more intuitive, and the resulting reroute is done in realtime.

I don't mean to be too harshly critical of this program, as most of the limitations are a direct result of the need to fit the program on a DVD (with the possible exception of the dated map engine). However, it's quite clear that while Google and others have made great strides with online mapping, Microsoft has been content to let this program languish. If they wanted to, they could leverage the power of desktop graphics to make a truly compelling map experience to justify a desktop mapping program. However, they've let this program atrophy to the point that Google is able to make a faster, more responsive map on a browser!

REASONS TO BUY

There are two situations where I can see this software being a good fit, despite the above criticism. The first is if you expect to often have a need for routing and mapping away from a good internet connection. It is rather nice, on occasion, to have a map of the entire country available to you when on the road. Second, if you have a laptop mount in your car and a USB GPS you can use this as an in-car GPS system with turn-by-turn directions. I haven't been able to try this, as I don't have a car-mounted laptop, from what I can tell from playing with S&T, it would make a very powerful and flexible in-car GPS.

I remember back when they started making this software, and it was legitimately the most amazing thing ever. While they add a few new features every year, the basic formula is the same as when I started using it 12 years ago. As you may have guessed, the big feature of this software is the ability to get driving directions. Unfortunately, you can also get the same directions (and better maps I should add) from Google's map website. The Microsoft software has the ability to calculate things that online sites don't do (such as fuel usage, and the most fuel efficient route), but chances are for most people that shouldn't be worth a purchase. I give the product 4 stars because it is nice software, but despite the 4 star rating, I still wouldn't recommend buying it. Maybe as twenty dollar software I could recommend it, but for 40 bucks there isn't enough that isn't available for free elsewhere. I'm guessing this software will only be out a few more years before Microsoft wises up and discontinues it.

My wife has a GPS system in her car (it is not compatible with this software) and I have a Garmin 255W which I rarely use but that is compatible with this software (supposedly). I have a good sense of direction and I like to look up my own route and memorize it or print maps. I typically use Google maps or Yahoo maps for that. This has worked most of the time for me. I am not in great need for this software but I found one feature quite valuable (Find Nearby Places).

The good

One of the primary features of Microsoft Streets and Trips is getting directions and creating routes. At this Microsoft Streets and Trips 2010 is better than Google maps and Yahoo maps. For example, Google maps and Yahoo maps will often include toll roads in the route despite the fact that the trip would be shorter and quicker and cheaper without the inclusion of the toll road. Microsoft Streets and Trips 2010 do not have that quirk. I have also found that Yahoo maps are often wrong. "Microsoft Streets and Trips" is configurable to your driving habits and calculates fuel cost and other things. You can also save and reload your routes (open it as a file). On the other hand Microsoft Streets and Trips maps are fuzzier than Google maps and not as good.

My favorite feature is "Find nearby places". By selecting stops along a route or by simply typing in an address and then click "Find nearby places" you can get extensive lists of restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfast places, ATM machines, attractions, parks, public transportation and more. I have found that this feature is fairly complete and helpful. You also get coupons.

Not good

As mentioned I am not GPS kind of guy, however, I decided to at least try using Microsoft Streets and Trips with my new Garmin 255W. Unfortunately the GPS device could not be detected by Microsoft Streets and Trips via the USB port because of a missing device driver. I downloaded the device driver and installed it successfully according to the wizard and I restarted the computer. However, the device driver still did not show up as it should in the device manager work and Microsoft Streets and Trips could still not detect the GPS device. So I tried to figure out why and that is when I got disgusted.

There was no information about this anywhere in the help but I found information about it on-line. I tried the remedies suggested on-line but it did not help. So I tried contacting support. Contact support was strangely enough listed in "About" but not in "Help". It turns out they really don't want you to contact support. They wanted me to pay $35 for customer support which is as much as the product itself. Almost everyone else offers customer support for free.

I should also add that I think it was "stingy" that this software only came with only one license for one PC. It should have been at least one user three PC's. Seriously do you really want to pay $36 for one license?

Summary

People who have GPS systems probably do not need or want this software. People who just want directions probably do not need this software either. However, this software is somewhat useful to people (like me) who plan their own routes but want more then just directions (finding nearby points of interest). But is it worth the money for one PC license? No.

This is the worst yet. The maps have not been updated for a decade. I hate the new look. I am going to use anything but this.