OT: MS Streets and Trips

[JMckie]

MS Streets and Trips Photo (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/050203/480/fx10302032140&e=19)

I thought this was interesting because of the form factor of the PDA in the picture. Is Microsoft pushing the CF type GPS?

[bhspdx]

I don't think it's as deliberate as all that. I read the review linked on that page, and I think they want to sell a more expensive version of Streets and Trips, so they included a GPS receiver with USB interface. That way people can use it in a car (or, more importantly, THINK they will), so they will buy the expensive version of the product. Of course, the laptop idea is impractical for everyday use and hard to mount correctly, so they have a relatively cheap (45USD) CF interface. That way it works with their handheld platform and is cheaper than bluetooth (which I don't think is built into all PPCs).

By the way, some serious silliness in that review: holding the PPC w/GPS in left hand while driving? And, finding a fix along the Embarcadero in San Francisco is not a fair test - put that puppy on a narrow street in the financial district and see if it gets a fix! Finally, the reviewer crows about Street and Trips's POI database with 1.8 million entries. Doesn't Garmin's include more than 5 million (http://www.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/cityselect.jsp)?

[gray1]

I have limited knowledge and experience in these matters but I have a iQue3600 and have Streets and Trips on my laptop. I use both finding destinations as a truck driver.
I wish I could download Streets and Trips to my Q because it has all the addresses I need. Sometimes less is more. Just let me find the address. I'll find my own restaurants, hotels and museums. I'll take the 1.8 mil over 5 mil any day.

[gray1]

I didn't mean to sound abrasive (above) I'm just wondering if I'm alone in wanting to have access to most street addresses in 48 states on about 1gig of data. Before driving truck I did art shows all over the country. My needs then would have been the same as now. Bare bones, one big fat card does it all. Why not?

[nparker13]

Thank you for brightening my day...i laughed at that picture. I have an iQue (in for RMA), and a Dell x50v with pocket streets and trips. I used it once...and dont plan on using it again. The garmin interface FAR surpasses their streets and trips program. First of all, its not even in VGA, which is interesting becuase it was bundled with my vga handheld. I look at the pocket streets app like a little add on for people to get who dont know what real gps capabilities do (not to insult anyone), but in my experience, the garmin is 100000x better in userinterface, interaction with the map, POI, moving the map, and display...not even to mention integration....im going to probably pick up a gps 10 and then we can really do a comparo.

-nate

[nparker13]

Originally posted by gray1
I didn't mean to sound abrasive (above) I'm just wondering if I'm alone in wanting to have access to most street addresses in 48 states on about 1gig of data. Before driving truck I did art shows all over the country. My needs then would have been the same as now. Bare bones, one big fat card does it all. Why not?

Why doesn the iQue have your address...theoretically POI shouldnt really matter in your case, as long as the map data is consistent. Have you tried updating the map software like CS7 or such.

-nate

[NewQ]

Originally posted by gray1
I didn't mean to sound abrasive (above) I'm just wondering if I'm alone in wanting to have access to most street addresses in 48 states on about 1gig of data. Before driving truck I did art shows all over the country. My needs then would have been the same as now. Bare bones, one big fat card does it all. Why not?
Sounds like you need to get a 2GB card when they arrive. Everything will fit on about 1.5G and leave you room for whatever else you need. I haven't heard anyone saying they got theirs yet OR if a 2G even works in the Q though.
Otherwise, get 2 1GB cards, break the US in half (west boundary of MN, south and east, should fit on one 1GB and the rest of the US will fit on another), build the detailed maps and be done with it. Never have to worry about not having what you need (until the next release of CS comes out, which I've read is about every year). Just make sure you have the BIG basemap on each card. Sounds like you may have been using the "Lite" version (5M vs 12M) on your earlier post.

[reinbeau]

I'd go with two one gig cards unless it's proven that the two gig cards will work in the iQue. It isn't that much trouble to switch cards half-way across the country.

[nparker13]

Originally posted by reinbeau
I'd go with two one gig cards unless it's proven that the two gig cards will work in the iQue. It isn't that much trouble to switch cards half-way across the country.

They make some nice cases that have builtin 2 card holders

-nate

[gray1]

Ok I'll get two 1 gigs and a nice case and try not to lose it . I'm still in awe of how they can get so much data on a postage stamp. Thanks. I'm learning a lot from reading this board.

[NewQ]

Originally posted by reinbeau
I'd go with two one gig cards unless it's proven that the two gig cards will work in the iQue. It isn't that much trouble to switch cards half-way across the country.
Even if you don't switch until you get closer to your destination, having the big basemap on each card will carry you through. Of course, if you are traveling secondary roads instead of primary. Then you would need to switch as you start leaving the detailed map areas built into the file on the card.

[apersson850]

The new CS 7 Europe is close to 1.8 GB, so it seems that hardware developers in this case (as so often) have problems keeping pace with the soft guys, or in this case the map guys.