Being directionally impaired, I am well practiced at refolding that big old paper map. However, getting it back to its neat original size was a talent I never seemed able to develop. How well I remember the painful process of looking for a little town in Ohio by unfolding the entire map, finding the index printed in miniscule type, then trying to locate C9.
Thank goodness for the entry of computers and technology. Many of you have already been converted to the convenience and accuracy of computer mapping software, but now there is a fresh new program that will entice both upgrades and new users. Microsoft's Streets & Trips 2002 is the answer for both the directionally impaired as well as those planning family vacations, business trips, or jaunts across town. Say goodbye to the days of getting lost. Better yet, say hello to the days of taking advantage of all that an unfamiliar area has to offer. Besides pinpointing street addresses, Streets & Trips 2002 can locate ATM machines, find service stations, and even unearth the closest pizza parlor.
Product Overview
More than 6.3 million miles of streets and highways in both the US and Canada are only a click away. Due to its many features and very current map information, planning a trip - short or long - using Streets & Trips is a breeze. Now you can easily obtain door-to-door driving directions anywhere in the country. You can also locate street addresses, intersections, and over 800,000 points of interest with pinpoint accuracy. A feature called "Snap-Routing" lets you customize travel routes and itineraries. Drag and drop a route anywhere to have it snap into place while the map and driving directions recalculate automatically. You can bypass particular intersections or include a stop at a special restaurant or new attraction for the kids. The ability to print conveniently sized, customized maps is an outstanding feature of this program and will spare me from that tedious map-refolding chore.
Key Features
Streets & Trips' many software features support the program's three key benefits: a comprehensive map and routing product, updated maps and accurate information, and customizable maps. The Find Address Feature lets you pinpoint an exact address or location on the map anywhere in the US or Canada. Once you have spotted your destination, use the Address-to-Address Routing feature to get turn-by-turn driving directions.
When you purchase Streets & Trips 2002, you also get a copy of Pocket Streets 2002 for use on a PocketPC, so you can easily create and download maps to your Windows CE 2.0 or later palm-sized or hand-held PC. If you don't own a PocketPC but do have a laptop computer, you will find Streets & Trips 2002 an excellent traveling companion. Add a Global Positioning System (GPS) card or device to your laptop or your PocketPC, and you'll always know where you are, as well as where you are going.
Another feature that I really liked was the ability to save your maps and directions as Web pages. Once you have completed an itinerary including maps, you can post your plans online to share with others. This a great directional feature to guide people to meetings, gatherings, events, etc. Here's another helpful feature. For summer vacation travelers trying to get the family to the coast, roadwork in June, July, and August can be a nightmare. You don't have to miss a turn or get slowed down by construction thanks to advance notice from Streets & Trips. Free construction location information, which is updated monthly, can be downloaded from the Internet into the program. Streets & Trips 2002 will also give you tips on one-way streets, dead-ends, detours, etc.
When dealing with names of cities and towns, who doesn't need some spelling help? Guess what? Streets & Trips' Find feature lets you enter your best stab at spelling street addresses, places, or points of interest. Smart Find will even recognize phonetically spelled names (i.e. Fenix) and will provide a list of places that "sound" similar (i.e. Phoenix). To help annotate and personalize your maps, features like the drawing toolbar, add callouts, shapes, colors, and notes will be very helpful. The Highlighter and Distance Tool will soon become favorites.
Comprehensive Map Information
Much of today's mapping software depends solely on one provider, but the multi-partner aspect of Streets & Trips gives users a broader base of information. Streets & Trips has formed partnerships with Geographic Data Technologies, Inc., Compusearch, and Navigation Technologies to assure that the information in Microsoft's software is the very latest available. For Canadian users, it has some of the most comprehensive data available.
One Useful Program
The software, which comes on two CDs, was easy to load, but called for a registration with Microsoft's Passport program. Streets & Trips uses the familiar Microsoft Office-type program structure and navigation. If you are familiar with Word, Works, or any Microsoft application, you will be comfortable with this software. You can literally be mapping points and planning trips within minutes of installation. Streets & Trips, however, is a very comprehensive program with many features. Expect to take some time and to invest some effort to learn its intricacies.
Trip planning begins by typing in a starting point that gives the program a frame of reference to direct your travels. Use the Route Planner button found on the toolbar or under the Route menu in the menu bar. After clicking the Get Direction button at the left of the screen, the program builds the quickest route between the places listed. Should you want to customize your trip, just type in any additional places you want to visit. You can add specific addresses or even place names like state parks or hotels. The software will supply information and highlights of the exact places on your map or a list of options that are similar to the places you described. The Show or Hide Places feature and the Find Nearby Places button on the toolbar will be used often. Other ways to optimize your trip can be handled by calculating driving speeds, fuel, costs, and segments. You can always consult the great help menu to answer questions about additional ways to optimize your travel experience.
Just what other features make Streets & Trips 2002 better than Streets & Trips 2001? The map content and street level detail is much improved. I enjoyed the globe view and the ability to use the mouse to spin the globe. New flat map views give a different perspective on the world. When printing maps, select one of five map styles: Strip maps (for easy in-car use), Turn-by-Turn maps (plot your course), Route Overviews (for the big picture), Highlighted Places (add your own highlights and notes to any location or pushpin) and Directions Only (written directions without a printed map).
There are some nos that ride along with Streets & Trips 2002. No Windows 95 users need apply. You must be running Windows 98 or better to use the program. Also, no Palm products can handle Pocket Streets. If you are a previous user of Streets & Trips, your early versions cannot open files from Streets and Trips 2002, but you can run all programs concurrently. The file format for Streets & Trips 2002 is different from the previous versions due to the updates in the product code and functionality. However, Streets & Trips 2002 will open files and templates from Streets & Trips 2000 and 2001. For the European travelers, there is an international version of Streets & Trips called Auto Route 2002.
The estimated retail price of Streets & Trips 2002 is $44.95 US and $54.95 CDN. A $10 mail-in rebate coupon is widely available, and some retailers are offering prices lower than the estimated retail. Anyone purchasing the Microsoft Works Suite or a new computer that comes with Works 2002 will find Streets & Trips 2002 included. Streets & Trips 2002 is a comprehensive resource for any traveler. I'd definitely pay $35.00 for a program that would get me from A to Z and provide customized information about the surroundings on the way. Streets & Trips 2002 offers a lot of enjoyable travel and a lot of technology for the money.
