Navigation or Laptop?

syre · 02-22-2009, 01:32 PM

My family and I will be moving to Alaska in a few months and will be traveling by truck. I plan on having most of the trip planned out before hand but am concerned about needing info along the way.

Is there some good software for a laptop (not needing a live connection to the internet durring travel) that can show gas stations, resturants, hotels, etc. or would getting a navigation system work better?

**asidman** · 02-22-2009, 01:45 PM

Trying to get your laptop to work accurately and as well as a GPS unit will be a major headache.
Even a cheap Garmin unit will be able to do this with minimal fuss. Just make sure you download or purchase the latest maps and update you POI's when you have the unit, so that it shows up to date fuel, hotels etc

syre · 02-22-2009, 04:49 PM

I wasn't planning on using the laptop as a GPS system, I am just curious if there is any good map software out there (like a mapquest for downlaod) that you can just look up areas. A GPS would be nice but I don't need all the extra bells and whistles for directions, I just need an easy way to look up gas or food depending where I am in the US or Canada.

So if there is some good cheap/free map software out there it would be nice, but if not, a navigation system would be easy, just more money than I want to spend.

DonaldG · 02-22-2009, 05:50 PM

How is this for an additional suggestion:

If you have a digital camera, take lots of photos of the trip.
Also invest in a low cost GPS tracker/logger. That will log your travels. with the software that comes with the tracker/logger, you can download the track on Google Earth and see the exact place where the photos were taken. It is a fantastic way of creating a photographic log of any trip/journey

Have a look at this website for a flavour of what can be done:
Qsartz Q1000X

This is a review and detailed video of how it works.

**wrench97** · 02-22-2009, 06:02 PM

MS streets and trips is decent just update it before you leave, But I would rather have a Garmin GPS unit.

syre · 02-22-2009, 07:38 PM

Awsome. Thanks you! I just don't want to have to worry about running out of gas in the middle of the mountains.

**asidman** · 02-22-2009, 11:30 PM

Another bonus of the GPS, if you do go that way is that it doubles up as a hands free kit and MP3 player. So if you dont have the above in your car, it is an extra bonus.

02-22-2009, 01:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
syre Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 27 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2	Navigation or Laptop? My family and I will be moving to Alaska in a few months and will be traveling by truck. I plan on having most of the trip planned out before hand but am concerned about needing info along the way. Is there some good software for a laptop (not needing a live connection to the internet durring travel) that can show gas stations, resturants, hotels, etc. or would getting a navigation system work better?

02-22-2009, 01:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
asidman Will rule the World Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Port Elizabeth Posts: 4,537 OS: XP SP3, Vista SP1, Windows 7 RC My System	Re: Navigation or Laptop? Trying to get your laptop to work accurately and as well as a GPS unit will be a major headache. Even a cheap Garmin unit will be able to do this with minimal fuss. Just make sure you download or purchase the latest maps and update you POI's when you have the unit, so that it shows up to date fuel, hotels etc __________________ Submit New Articles Here Try before posting \| Read before posting \| Advice to New Visitors How to post a Screenshot \| Posting system specs \| Posting images (VERY NB)

02-22-2009, 04:49 PM	#3 (permalink)
syre Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 27 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2	Re: Navigation or Laptop? I wasn't planning on using the laptop as a GPS system, I am just curious if there is any good map software out there (like a mapquest for downlaod) that you can just look up areas. A GPS would be nice but I don't need all the extra bells and whistles for directions, I just need an easy way to look up gas or food depending where I am in the US or Canada. So if there is some good cheap/free map software out there it would be nice, but if not, a navigation system would be easy, just more money than I want to spend.

02-22-2009, 05:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
DonaldG Manager Home Support, Assistant Manager Articles Team Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Somerset, UK Posts: 10,164 OS: XPsp2 Laptop & Vista Ultimate Desktop My System Blog Entries: 1	Re: Navigation or Laptop? How is this for an additional suggestion: If you have a digital camera, take lots of photos of the trip. Also invest in a low cost GPS tracker/logger. That will log your travels. with the software that comes with the tracker/logger, you can download the track on Google Earth and see the exact place where the photos were taken. It is a fantastic way of creating a photographic log of any trip/journey Have a look at this website for a flavour of what can be done: Qsartz Q1000X This is a review and detailed video of how it works. __________________ . Lest we forget... "They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them." Submit New Articles Here TSF's Photographer's Corner .

02-22-2009, 06:02 PM	#5 (permalink)
wrench97 Moderator, Hardware Team Join Date: May 2008 Location: S.E. Pennsylvania Posts: 18,622 OS: Win7	Re: Navigation or Laptop? MS streets and trips is decent just update it before you leave, But I would rather have a Garmin GPS unit. __________________ Power Supply and Selection

02-22-2009, 07:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
syre Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 27 OS: Windows XP Pro SP2	Re: Navigation or Laptop? Awsome. Thanks you! I just don't want to have to worry about running out of gas in the middle of the mountains.

02-22-2009, 11:30 PM	#7 (permalink)
asidman Will rule the World Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Port Elizabeth Posts: 4,537 OS: XP SP3, Vista SP1, Windows 7 RC My System	Re: Navigation or Laptop? Another bonus of the GPS, if you do go that way is that it doubles up as a hands free kit and MP3 player. So if you dont have the above in your car, it is an extra bonus. __________________ Submit New Articles Here Try before posting \| Read before posting \| Advice to New Visitors How to post a Screenshot \| Posting system specs \| Posting images (VERY NB)