Best GPS mapping software?

A

AndrewClarke

Guest
Hi. I just bought a "GPS mouse" this morning and am researching software to use with it. I'll be building an old computer into my truck, and would like to use it for navigating in the city and off-road. I stopped by Fry's to see the software they're selling. It includes:

Delorme Street Atlas 2004 USA $50
Rand McNally Street Finder $19.99
Rand McNally Street Finder & Trip Maker Deluxe Travel Navigation Software $40
Delorme Topo USA $100
National Geographic Backroads Explorer Topo Map $60

I've heard one person say they like the National Geopgraphic maps. The Delorme Topo thing looked interesting as they can create 3D maps using the topo information, but who knows that may end up being mostly a gimmick.

What about on-road use? Also, where's the best place to get a deal on this software? This stuff all ads up so the less I need to spend, the better. Thanks for any opinions/ideas,

- Andrew.
 

rmuller

Well-known member
Apr 28, 2004
4,452
1
Northern NJ
www.njlr.org
rand mcnally

I have the rand mcnally street finder on my Palm m505+magellean GPS .. I'm not all too thrilled with it. It does decent with street maps, but as soon as you go anywhere off of a street, it is just blank and says "out of area" .. I am going to be looking into the delorme topo pretty soon and see how that is.
 

mikem

Well-known member
Apr 19, 2004
172
0
Superior, CO
Delorme Topo

I've got delorme Topo 5.0 and I like it a lot. The interface is fairly easy to use and the maps have a lot of detail. The 3-d stuff is a fun toy, but I haven't found it to be really useful.

Check out http://forum.delorme.com/

MIke
 
A

AndrewClarke

Guest
I just couldn't wait to try out my new toy so last night I picked up the National Geographic Back Roads Explorer. It seems OK although I have nothing to compare it with. It's basically 1:100,000 USGS maps with a streets overlay. I haven't shelled out the extra for the 1:24,000 maps yet.

I also got Microsoft Maps & Streets 2004 for $20 after a $10 rebate from Best Buy. I figured what the heck, it's $20. What a waste. Total and utter crap. Thanks for the Delorme recommendation, Axel. Maybe once I see someone else using the Delorme Topo software I'll sell the National Geographic one if Delorme's is better.

Whatever you do, don't waste any money on Microsoft's package. It will show you where you are on the map using a GPS, but you can't tell it to route you to an address from your current GPS co-ordinates. You have to read them off the screen and manually type them into your "from" address. Then if you take a wrong turn, it doesn't recalculate your directions. It also doesn't have voice prompts, and it doesn't rotate the map according to your direction of travel. It's basically like Mapquest but you don't have to be online, which is pointless since I'm usually online in my vehicle anyway (although no I don't surf the web while I'm driving).

- Andrew.