Microsoft Streets & Trips with GPS

I have never been much for navigation. I can print out MapQuest directions, but as soon as I miss a single turn, it's all over. As I'm planning to do a fair amount of driving in places which I don't know my way around in the relatively near future, I decided it might be a good idea to invest in GPS. A quick web search, however, revealed that GPS units ran from about $200 to $500, well out of my price range. I did, however, come across something interesting.

While it is expensive to buy a whole GPS console, you can get a GPS receiver for your computer for less than $50. Plug it into your laptop, install some software, and off you go! Of course, that means you do need to bring your laptop with you, but it's a nice thing to have for $50.

Microsoft Streets & Trips (the GPS variety, of course) was the first such product I came across, and the one I ultimately ended up getting. Essentially it consists of a little USB GPS receiver and a program that contains an extensive road map of the United States and Canada. It looked like just what I needed, but it cost $130. However, after a bit of eBay looking, I found last year's version for around $40. I bought it.

So far, it seems to work quite well, at least for what it is. The software, while not being the most convenient (it doesn't automatically reroute when you go off course, and it seems to be able to dedicate only a very small proportion of the screen to the map), does get you where you are going. Once programmed, it gives you directions out loud, and clearly displays your next turn.

The great disadvantage of Microsoft Streets & Trips is the fact that it runs on a laptop. While this means that you can type in locations, coming up with your directions faster than if you had to turn the little knob, it also means that you have to deal with a number of inconveniences. First, you have to bring the laptop to the car every time you want to use it, making it impractical to use for brief trips. If the place you're going is far away, you'll need a laptop power adapter, too. You then need a way to set it up such that you can see the thing while driving, or at least hear its voice, and not be a liability on the road. This can take some doing. It works better when you have someone else to hold the computer and read off its directions to you. One other thing to keep in mind is that laptop screens are difficult to read in the sun.

If you really want GPS, shell out the money and get a real one. However, for occasional users, this system is a great idea, and I would recommend it.