Delorme or Microsoft??

[Bloomy]

I was fully prepared to buy the Delorme Earthmate GPS when I walked into Best Buy tonight, but there was also a Microsoft Streets and Trips 2005 with GPS locator. I have read everything here on the Delorme, but was wondering if anybody has used the Microsoft. I am interested in updated opinions on the Delorme also?



Thanks

Thomas

 

[jrikli]

An unbiased opinion

I have them both and use them hooked to the usb port on my laptop. The DeLorme seems to be more sophisticated in the information it gives while you are on the road. It is difficult to learn, but worth the time because it can also operate from verbal commands if you have a microphone. I purchased a head set and it works great. It can take an hour so it learns your voice so it will react best when you give the commands or ask questions. "How long to the next turn?" or "How far to the end?" or about 20 other queries. You can set exact speeds unlike microsoft which this year you set a slider indicating whether you drive normally, slower or faster. microsoft is much easier to set up. Both of them come with a GPS receiver and sell for $129. That is a Best Buy and a Sams price. We were in Billings a week ago and I noticed a Streets and Trips with a GPS for $89. I suggest the microsoft for the novice and DeLorme for those who are patient and willing to spend the time to get trained to use it. I also like the fact that with Streets/Trips I can print out an itinerary plugging in all the stops along the way including fuel, food, rest areas and overnights and it gives the anticipated time (on the clock) for each of those events. Hope this helps

 

[Bodybomber]

I have Delorme street atlas 7. 0 wich is quite old but I like it better than the new Microsoft Map Point. I cant make MapPoint keep track of where I am In the route it gives. But it appears to be more accurate as far as position is concerned though.

 

[Bloomy]

jrikli

Thanks, thats the info I was looking for. I am pretty much a computer geek as it is so I don't think the delorme will be a problem. Have you had any problems with accuracy of roads with either. I have read of the delorme being a little slow on updates?



thomas

 

[Bodybomber]

The map refresh is about the same with both on my 266 laptop but Im using a Garmin 295 to feed it data. Not sure if that matters though. The position on my Delorme 7. 0 are less acurate than MapPoint 2004. In other words Delorme shows you next to the road not on it. MapPoint is right on it.

 

[Heetseeker_1]

mounting?

How did you guys mount your lap top?



Steve.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Just the fact that the brand name is "Microsoft" is enough to make me select anything else.



I have Streets 7. 0 and love it. Quick keyboard shortcuts make it easy to use on the road. I also have 8. x and never did like the mess they made of the menu system. But, DeLorme is the defacto standard for moving map software.



I am going to get their topo maps next. The voice commands once learned are a real asset for hands free operation.



You can't take it with you, but has anyone checked out the new "Keyhole" 3D mapping from Google? That thing is totally awesome. You better have a highspeed connection though, it is a bandwidth hog if you want it to run in real time. I can see the trees and my truck setting in the driveway of my home.



I just acquired a 5 mips highspeed here thru Cox cable. Don't like the brand name on the connection, but the 4-5 megabyte speeds are light years faster than my old Qwest DSL line.

 

[Heetseeker_1]

mexico?

Are you the John from Arizona who used to sell the tool trays?



Steve.

 

[Bodybomber]

I made a laptop mount from 3/4 pipe and a piece of plywood. Its bolted to the drivers side seat and rests on the floor. Its just the right height to put my arm on the armrest and run the touch pad but it needs to be a bit higher so I can get to the cup holder better.

 

[Bodybomber]

John K5AWO

Do you have a link for Keyhole?

 

[John - K5AWO]

Are you the John from Arizona who used to sell the tool trays?



Steve.

Hi Steve,



Nope..... I work for Phoenix Fire Department mending broken computers.

 

[John - K5AWO]

Keyhole Link

John K5AWO

Do you have a link for Keyhole?

The Keyhole link is:



http://www.keyhole.com/?promo=app-en-us



I am impressed enough with it to want the subscription.

I gotta go talk to Mrs. Claus and put my order in...



COMMENT:



The reason for the subscription arrangement is three fold.



1) Google likes money



2) The data is too massive to keep on our computers,



3) and the maps are being updated on a weekly basis.



The continual improvement of the product is what I like. After you play with it enough (about an hour) and jump all over the world, you soon get a feeling for the difference in resolution technology between the original 1994 maps and what is being done today.



I have a map of my home that was taken in the late '90s. The house was barely discernable, much less make out anything else.



Today's map shows my trees, the roof-line of the house, and features I have built out in the back yard. Amazing that it was taken from satellite orbit and almost can read a newspaper in my home.



You just have to wonder how good the stuff is that is being done for the military when they "have the need to know".

 

[Heetseeker_1]

gotcha

Ok,



Thought you were someone I emptied a few cold ones with...

 

[DLBurns]

I have the Delorme Streets & Trips and would like to use my laptop as the screen for this in my truck. Is there a way to hook my Garmin GPS receiver to my laptop and run Streets with it??

Sorry if this sounds stupid... just not quite that savy on the old 'puter thing.

 

[Bodybomber]

There should be a data/power cable available for your Garmin. Hook it to a serial port on the laptop,set the Garmin to send the proper data format and your all set. I rigged a power connection into my data cable for my 295 so I can run it off the truck and have it hooked to the computer too. Try here http://www.gpscity.com/gps/brados/6866.7.752726422773411570/index.html

for a cable.

 

[IMunro]

I have the Delorme Streets and Trips 2004 and just recently upgraded to 2005. Both run in conjunction with the Earthmate GPS. I HAVE had a little trouble with the routes the programs choose. One time in Montana, I was going from Coer d'lane(sp) to Kalispell and the route took into the middle of nowhere up what ended in a one lane track and a deadend. I doble-checked on a regular map and there was no road past where I was. Fortunately I was able to turn around

Another time I was in Southern Oregon and each time I put in a particular address the whole system crashed and I had to reboot the computer. I have often found that I will be travellin "Off the road', sometimes by a significant distance.



Perhaps it is the maps fault. Out West, we may be low on the horizon as to updates.



I plan to address these issues with DeLorme one of these days. I have nothing else to compare it to, other than Marine navigation and if it had these errors it could be very upsetting!



Still better than nothing. I find that fiddling with the program passes the time on a long drive.



Ianonhercules

 

[John - K5AWO]

DeLorme asks for users to download their track info and send it in when an error is found in the mapping. The constantly update their data. Now that satellite mapping is available a lot of older maps are being corrected.



IMunro:

Your little side trip that dead ended can be averted if you have the road filters set up right. Of course, the map is still subject to garbage input from programmers.



I have followed my Streets 7. 0 a lot of miles and most of the time it was very good. Getting a little shaggy around the ears now though as it was put together back in 1997.

 

[PRyker]

Here is my feedback on Delorme software:



I first purchased the package to travel from Ft Lauderdale Flroida to just north of Baltimore Maryland near the PA line. I am a computer nerd so of course I read NO instructions, stick in the CD, install the applicatiopn, hook up the GPS and start using it.



Immediately I was NOT impressed with the navigational controls of the software. It left a lot to be desired. I would think that they should have nice big easy to read data as I do not want to fiddle with it when driving. A few times the system actually locked up and would not provide me voice prompts or leave a trail to where I had been. I also did not like that it would not automatically zzom in closer when you were approaching a turn. It should zoom in to a closer setting so you can actually see how far you are from the turn and the turn itself!!! Again, I just do not believe the software was designed with a driver in mind.



I was using a IBM T30 laptop and I can tell you that during the daytime it was difficult to read. They have a day and night mode in the software but it made little difference. The laptop's LCD are just not bright enough and were really not designed to be used in that environment.



As far as mounting the laptop I bit the bullet and bought a real in-cab laptop mount. That thing is great!! It holds the laptop rock solid, allows you to position it in different locations and is easy to install. I believe it was called a Jottodesk.



If I were to do it all over again I would but a laptop with a brighter screen (although they are all fairly similar), Purchased software OTHER than Delorme and would still definately use the Jottodesk. The voice prompts portion of any nav software is ok but I think that the visual data is much more useful and would rather have that then voice prompts anyday.



Just my 2 cents.



Phil

 

[PRyker]

IMunroe,



Yes, I was also comparing my experience to marine navigation with a super bright LCD designed to be read in the bright sun and a real nav program. A couple other things about Delorme:



1. Not very intuitive when it comes to planning a trip

2. I do not like the fact that they markers will paint themselves over each other when you backtrack. Gets confusing.

3. At times voice prompts would stop working all together for no apparent reason

4. When voice prompts did work is was slow and did not provide data quick enough.



OK, so I guess I am not a Delorme fan. On my boat I used a program called Offshore Navigator and it is superior to Delorme in every way imaginable. The company that makes it is called MapTech and maybe they have a onshore system as well:



http://www.maptech.com/



Thanks



Phil

 

[PRyker]

OOHH,



Look at this... This would be a better alternative to a laptop if you own a PDA:



http://www.maptech.com/products/outdoornavigator/index.cfm



Pricey though!!



Phil