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Microsoft Street & Trips 2008 GPS with Connected Servicesx$69.98
  (14 reviews)
Best Price: $69.98
The ability to move - travel - from one place to another (and another) has been key to the survival of many civilizations. In 2008, it's vital for conducting business and for expanding leisure. Be it for life, work or play, Microsoft's Streets and Trips 2008 with Connected Services adds the power of GPS to the bestselling software. Using MSN, you'll get around with extraordinary ease. With a subscription to Traffic Update services and expanded, up-to-date points-of-interest, every trip will prove beneficial. Knowing where you are and where you're going are essential. This helps getting there and beyond so much easier and more fun. Full Screen Navigation Mode makes it easier than ever to know where you are Keyword search helps you quickly find local business listings near your location Includes an MSN Direct receiver that enables traffic and gas price updates over the FM band, without an Internet connection, and then works with Streets & Trips 2008 to help you navigate to where you want to go. Includes 1-year trial subscription to MSN Direct for gas prices and traffic updates. Gas prices are available in 100 of the largest cities across the U.S.; traffic information is available in a subset of these cities--so whether you travel across town or across the country, if you're in an MSN Direct coverage area, the service stays with you. Avoid congestion, accidents, and disabled vehicles. Receive traffic updates through the MSN Direct receiver, and then use Streets & Trips with Connected Services to navigate around trouble spots. Internet connection not needed for MSN Direct traffic updates and gas prices. Save at the pump by obtaining and comparing recent gas prices. MSN Direct sends updated local gas prices to the receiver, which then works with Streets & Trips 2008 to route you to the savings! Navigation Mode makes it easier than ever to know where you are with estimated drive time Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 with Connected Services combines the #1 best-selling travel and map software with a sleek GPS locator--plus an MSN Direct receiver and a 1-year trial subscription to the MSN Direct service for traffic updates and gas prices. This unique synergy provides traffic conditions and gas station locations and fuel prices from the road without an Internet connection!  Navigation Mode makes it easier than ever to know where you are. |  Avoid congestion, accidents, and disabled vehicles. |  Customizable trip planning options allow you to plan stops, scenic detours, and fuel stops; add multiple destinations; and quickly alter your route. | Turn your laptop PC into the ultimate GPS navigation system
New Product, Robust Features
- Includes an MSN Direct receiver that enables traffic and gas price updates over the FM band, without an Internet connection, and then works with Streets & Trips 2008 to help you navigate to where you want to go.
- Includes 1-year trial subscription to MSN Direct for gas prices and traffic updates. Gas prices are available in 100 of the largest cities across the U.S.; traffic information is available in a subset of these cities--so whether you travel across town or across the country, if you're in an MSN Direct coverage area, the service stays with you.
- Avoid congestion, accidents, and disabled vehicles. Receive traffic updates through the MSN Direct receiver, and then use Streets & Trips with Connected Services to navigate around trouble spots. Internet connection not needed for MSN Direct traffic updates and gas prices.
- Save at the pump by obtaining and comparing recent gas prices. MSN Direct sends updated local gas prices to the receiver, which then works with Streets & Trips 2008 to route you to the savings!
- For service areas, please visit streets.msndirect.com/coverage.
- Also, includes everything in Streets & Trips 2008 with GPS Locator.
- Use the perspective map view to get a road view more like you would see through your windshield.
- Hear spoken driving directions as you go.
- Full Screen Navigation Mode makes it easier than ever to know where you are.
- Keyword search helps you quickly find local business listings near your location. Search results automatically refresh as you move around the map.
Microsoft Streets & Tips: The #1 best-selling travel and map software
Microsoft Streets & Trips gives you accurate driving directions to just about anywhere in the United States and Canada. It also shows you more than 1.6 million points of interest to choose from--plus additional listings that you can download from the Web. With updated maps and extensive trip planning features, Streets & Trips will help you plan your trip, your way. New & Enhanced Features
- Includes updated maps of routable roads and highways throughout the United States and Canada.
- Identify one-way streets at a glance.
- Optimize your trip by calculating mileage, time, and expenses in advance.
- Includes 1.6 million points of interest such as ATMs, hotels, landmarks, and more that you can easily add to your route without the need to be online.
- Find current business listings when you're online, then take them with you!
- Keyword search helps you quickly find listings near your location by entering words such as "coffee." Search results automatically refresh as you move around the map, so you have the most relevant information.
- Navigation Mode makes it easier than ever to know where you are. Estimated drive time helps ensure you know how far you are from your destination.
- Customizable trip planning options allow you to plan stops, scenic detours, and fuel stops; add multiple destinations; and quickly alter your route.
- Avoid potential delays with free construction updates from the Web.
- Enhanced support for your GPS receiver:
- Use the new perspective map view to get a road view like the one you would see through your windshield.
- Automatic re-routing gets you back on track, even when you miss a turn!
MPN: 9RJ-00007 - UPC: 882224462891
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Customer Reviews
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An annoying curiosity
By A2GKVTL9PGDVV0 on 2007-10-21
I've owned several of the earlier versions of S&T including 2007 and have used them extensively on road trips throughout the Western US. While my previous reviews have had issues with S&T I still really like S&T. I just wish that the development team owned cars and tried their product.
Then along comes 2008 with Connected Services. I tried it out in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles. The traffic information is completely unreliable. I was stuck in stop and go traffic in green zones in S&T. A zone is a traffic direction on each side of a freeway on the map. The red and yellow zones rarely show at all. Instead you have to guess what may be happening when there is a gap in a green zone. Is it supposed to be red, yellow, or no data? So the strategy is to look out the window and figure it out as you drive along. That may sound similar to what you do now without S&T CS.
The incident markers are consistently outdated. Rarely is there any sign that an accident ever occurred there. Don't bother re-routing away from accidents because so far they don't exist and usually traffic is flowing as well as could be expected for the time of day.
The GPS unit is a pain and loses the connection somewhat frequently, like twice in a six hour drive or more. The 2007 model is much more reliable and I've switched back to that unit except when I want to test my humor. Hint: You have to reboot not just the computer to get the 2008 CS GPS unit to work again, but you have to pull the cable from the unit and switch it on and off with a pocket knife point. Try that on an LA freeway late in the afternoon.
I do recommend S&T but pass on Connected Services for at least this version unless you are an early adapter who loves self-abuse with innovations.
- jim
Think twice before purchasing this version
By A29FCEU7SKDZQ5 on 2007-10-30
I drive an airport shuttle van in San Diego. I've used earlier editions for three years, I've purchased the new programs as they are released as new features are added and I've been delighted with the upgrades. I was (past tense) looking forward to the addition of real-time traffic input. Sadly, I was unable to use the "Connectwed Services" aspect. I followed the instructions in the installation guide to no avail. It seems as if you have to "activate" the receiver on at least three different sites, none of which tell you that you are actually activated and none of which seemed to activate the receiver. I could not find ANY technical support anywhere. I gave it 4 stars as the basic program is still a delight to use and extremely useful for my application.
Not Reliable
By AP1HS2NEOYHCM on 2007-10-12
I had purchased and used Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 for a few months; my experience was excellent. Then I saw that the 2008 edition was being released and that it offered MSN connected services; I expected the same experience.
I was wrong. The first unit worked for a week and then stopped. I ordered a second unit and it never worked at all. I took my laptop to the computer repair shop and had it checked; it was working fine. I could not get a GPS signal on 2008 in the same areas where I received signals using 2007. I spent two days trying to get this to work, and am now returning both 2008 units to Amazon; it is not worth the money or the trouble.
I do not recommend this product. My experience may have been an anomaly, or it may not. But two units failed to work, so I find that troubling. This does not appear to be a reliable product at this time. Purchase Streets and Trips 2007 and let Micrsoft work the bugs out of 2008. In addition, MSN connected services are not available everywhere; you have to check online to see if they are available in your area.
Microsoft Streets with Connected Services
By A235KOZV8MVOPS on 2007-11-06
The product is great, but don't buy it if you plane to us it while you driving in a car for navigation, I have a Garmin and it works better for on the fly navigation, but the Microsoft Streets with Connected Services is great for planning trips, calculating the cost of a trip, and planing stops along the way, it has the ability to print, save or e-mail the maps, and with the GPS you can find local attraction to any address of your choosing, the connected services works well in the Las Vegas area where I live, but I am not sure how useful it will be on the open road, if your a person who likes to do a lot of planning, this product is right for you, or if you just need a great mapping software this product would be right for you also. I am overall happy with it, but if you need to just navigate you way through major cities on a day to day basis I would buy a Garmin or on of the other navigation devises.
Streets and Trips 2008
By A3M9OVM0H7PA31 on 2007-11-04
Microsoft Street & Trips 2008 GPS with Connected Services
This product is very good at drawing maps to where you are going or finding where you are with the GPS. The connected services which are
for 100 large cities did not appear to be live. There was traffic delay on our trip which did not show up. As I mainly got it for a trip to Canada I am giving it to then to get better. The software did not have a loud enough voice to overcome the highway noise. I purchased small speakers hoping that will help on my next trip. Would really like an update for that. It does not have a choose of voices. It only has one women's voice. It could be that a man's voice would have been a little better. I like it over the smaller GPS's as I like to see details that my laptop can provide. I wish it had software to answer my telephone on my laptop as the GPS stand alone systems have. I'm not sure if I rated it
correctly based on the above. You can decide for yourself. I like drawing out the maps, printing them for planning ahead, knowing where I am at a given momement and the big screen. Of coarse I'm not the driver. If there is only one person in the automobile or mobile home a GPS would be better.
- Getting better
By A320FRZTD0SATW on 2008-01-07
This is the second version of MS Streets and Trips, the COnnected Services is a great addition, but is tempramental in my area. When I get a connection it's really fantastic to see all the nearby items and traffic. The changes to the software are great including full screen, night/day quick-key, the automatic re-routing after a wrong turn, and lots of others. I use this several time a week for work and occasionally for personal and have had no problems.
- Mixed bag
By A2MTHN34KQC261 on 2008-04-19
I've had S&T connected for about a week now and will probably keep it. Til now I've been using DeLorme software, which I like a lot but it doesn't have the connected features I wanted to try.
The downsides to S&T:
1. I bought it for use on a car computer installed in my vehicle. It's probably not up to the task but is easier to use than DeLorme. One major drawback for S&T is that DeLorme has voice input which makes for a nice hands off experience. So far S&T is easier to use, has a better display but is distracting if I have to use the mouse.
2. So far it's on a par with DeLorme for accuracy of maps. However, DeLorme provides regular updates (for a year) but Microsoft does not. Doesn't seem fair for Microsoft to aske for error reports when the only benefit to the customer is to get fixes when they buy the next version. Shame on you Microsoft! See if you get any error reports from me!
3. Connected services seems to work fine. Two major drawbacks though. Services are very limited. Here in Oregon only the Portland area is covered. If I go south to California I have over 600 miles of uncovered area! At least DeLorme has good coverage on services across the country, albeit not real time. Second is price. First year is free, but after that you pay; I'm not sure it's worth it.
4. I'm concerned about more than just the map updates. What about 2009? Will I have to buy the connected version to retain those services? Does that mean I have to pay for another GPS and connected device? You've really got to do better Microsoft on cleaning up your upgrade path for this product Microsoft or I won't be buying it again.
5. The GPS device and connected services weren't easy to install. Connected took more work than was necessary for this device. GPS was a royal pain. I'm an old hand system administrator and did all my tricks to get it working. You would think with S&T being Microsofts product, the hardware being Microsoft, and the operating system Microsoft's as well it would be a snap. DeLorme took a little work to get a 3rd party Bluetooth GPS to work (which is potentially a riskier proposition). Ironically the 3rd party GPS worked fine on S&T and it took hours playing with drivers to find the problem. Not very positive Microsoft!
6. S&T has crashed twice now. DeLorme never gave me a problem in over a year.
7. The install offered to create a link to Outlook, which would be a really nice feature. Unfortunately this part of the install failed. It gave instructions on where to find more information but I've been unable yet to find them.
The positives? Easier to use than others. Connected services has huge potential. Support responded fairly quickly. (However, by the time they responded I had already gone through most of the steps and fixed the problem. Their suggestions were not for the faint hearted and were the right steps to take. Unfortunately, the problem was one that would have taken them another step to find. I know what the problem is, but I'm not telling them! When they give me updates during the life of the product I will!)
Bottom line - better than before, still not a threat to Garmin.
- Streets & Trips GPS 2008
By A2CRLXXNV6LAIF on 2008-01-07
This is a God sent when traveling when you can not afford to
spent the thousand dollars for a in vehicle system. I love
mine and have purchased this program for the past 8 years
to help me find businesses in my outside sales position.
This product is well worth the money for the time it has
saved me.
- Connected?
By A1DUYZSBY33YGB on 2008-03-28
A nice upgrade to the older versions. The Connected service needs work. You lose signals traveling between (San Antonio to Dallas for example)coverage areas and the system doesn't automatically reconnect. The renewal fee after the first year is not worth the money if vast improvements are not made soon.
- No Updates.
By A2GCI3EFBT26RJ on 2008-03-31
This product is amazing for the price ($150): the features that it has and the fact that it turns your laptop into a GPS map with a very large screen. The GPS locater is extremely accurate. I did not find the software features intuitive but they worked well once I figured them out. However, the mapping software(ie names of streets) was not up to date and I discovered to my distress that it is not updatable until the next version (2009) is released. Microsoft has this in common with several other GPS mapping hardware and software systems. I returned it to Microsoft.
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Microsoft Street & Trips 2008 GPS with Connected Services Accessories
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| Product Features |
- Turn your laptop PC into the ultimate GPS navigation system
- The #1 best-selling travel and map software
- Includes a GPS locator plus an MSN Direct receiver
- Free 1-year subscription to MSN Direct service
- Get back on track with automatic re-routing
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