Is there such a thing? (GPS on MacBook)

There are several packages available that do this. DeLorme's Street Atlas and Microsofts Streets and Trips are 2 that pop into my head immediately. Both retail for about $70 with a GPS receiver.

But my concern is that even though I travel with a laptop and I have mapping software on the unit, I don't use it as it is big, bulky, and looking at the screen would require me to completely take my eyes - and concentration - from the road. When you add in the cost for an inverter to power the laptop, you are approaching the cost of a low-end GPS that will sit on the dash.

Delorme makes a GPS that connects to a laptop for navigation purposes. Unfortunately the software is only for PC. If you run Windows on your Mac, it might be an option. For only ~$70 you get the Earthmate GPS and the software. For more info, search for "DeLorme" on Google.

I'm not aware of anything made specifically for a Mac.

Take a look at the Delorme website and look at the street atlas. I used them years ago on my laptop with a wireless GPS reciever and loved the results. I quit using the laptop when my wife got tired of having it on her lap when we traveled.

I don't think there are any Mac based GPS progams that do street by street navigation.

You are probably correct on the name. I have Street Atlas on my PC along with Mappoint. The 2009 edition of DeLorme's Street Atlas is sadly lacking on correct and complete maps in several areas I have been to and attempted to use it to create a route.

The area I live in has a road, actually an entrance, that has been in place for almost 15 years and is not shown although another on a side street is. The complex where my son lives does not exist on Street Atlas although it has been built for at least 5 years. One of the few things I like about SA is the ability to add routable roads, but as a company they do not seem to be responsive in providing current maps or responses to map update notices.

(As an FYI Mappoint will take any number of GPS receivers and allow them to provide position data, but there are not that many people that want to spend those dollars for a mapping software package that integrates with the Microsoft Office Suite.)

To directly answer your question, Garmin offers the Mobile 10 receiver that does exactly what you want. It's a small stand-alone receiver that connects to your laptop via Bluetooth (no wires). Mapping software comes with it. I've used it on airplanes (the receiver tucks behind the windowshade) and watched as the aircraft made its way across the country. The downside, as already mentioned, your laptop makes for a very bulky GPS in a car.

Option: You didn't mention what brand/model GPS you have but the Nuvi 600,700,800 series (maybe others) have a fairly large screen. You can use the zoom feature to see as much of the "surrounding area" as you want then zoom in again on your location. Actually the GPS' themselves are pretty good about that. When you input a route you'll generally be shown the entire route unless a turn is coming up. Then the GPS zoom's in to show you the turn information. Once you've made the turn the unit will move back out again to show you detail to the next turn or more depending what you've asked for.

Cheers

I quit using MS Street & Trips for the same reason... and yes, the Inverter draining my car batteries

Thank you all for your detailed input.

I went to the Garmin site and scoped out what Garmin had to offer and found the Garmin Mobile PC.

While I do run Windows on my MacBook using what has so far been the superb Fusion, I still prefer to use OSX whenever I can do so, but it looks like if I use Windows, my choice of units is much wider.

When I researched the Garmin Mobile PC on Amazon, I found this review of the unit (edited by me):

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The Garmin Mobile PC software is not what I expected. Insallation wasn't too bad but not as easy as Microsoft Streets and Trips 2009.

The Garmin software operates much like the Garmin 360 in my auto and is primarily designed for providing driving information as you travel down the street. If you need to route out a trip, look at details and play "what if scenarios" it will not do it.

The GPS receiver that comes with the Garmin software does not work as well as their handheld units. On the other hand the Streets and Trips loaded on a PC makes it easy to route a trip and modify it as needed. It can be used to plan trips,even without a GPS reciever connected. I have removed the Garmin Mobile PC software from my computer and have purchased the Micorsoft product.
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There's something I don't get here. Microsoft Streets and Trips 2009 is just maps on your computer, right? There's no GPS unit with it. So, if you wanted to use Microsoft Streets and Trips 2009 with a GPS unit, how does that work? What GPS receiver would you use with these maps?

Thanks again for your patience and help to a newbie.

Speed3

Streets & Trips comes in 2 flavors -with and without a GPS receiver. The software will work with a great many receivers, so you can search for almost any unit in E-Bay or Craig's List and it will work. I believe the 'standard' is a relabeled Pharos unit.

Do you know how to determine which GPS units Streets and Trips will work with?

For example: wonder if it would work with my Garmin Nuvi 650?

Speed2

The GPS used with PC mapping software is more an antenna than a "GPS" as we usually think of it. It connects to S&T through a USB cable and is powered by the PC. Your 650 is a receiver and doesn't send location data down the cable, it receives power and data up the cable. The Box will state which units it works with also. If you go into the store and look, you will see the "GPS" is about an inch square.

Store? Store!!??

Do folks still go into stores to buy things? I cannot remember the last electronic device I purchased in a store. Discovered Amazon.com and have never looked back.

Example. My beard trimmer died. Since I was going right by a mall, I jumped in to a store to check out price of a new Panasonic model. $85.00. Found it on Amazon for $32, free shipping.

All joking aside, thank you for the explanation of how the maps on Streets and Trips would work/interface with a GPS unit.

Speed3

using a laptop in a car to guide you on your trip or as a map is very dangerous. I have microsoft streets and GPS but only did that one time.

While it would be rather expensive, some people buy small form factor computers and use a touchscreen monitor mounted on their dash or center console. These computers are design and built to mount in cars and are not powerful. They are wired into the cars electrical system.

I just checked, if you have the coin to spare, you can buy self contained computer that fits into a 2 din (or doubledin) radio slot. Basically, replace your car sterio with a computer (this thing is loaded, core duo, 120ghd, 800x480 screen, DVD drive, am/fm, wifi, bluetooth, GPS). It costs $2,999.99

I would not be using the laptop in my car to navigate.

It's complicated, but I am looking up different addresses, trying to look at half a dozen streets around these addresses in each compass direction, etc., and having a big laptop screen would be much easier for me...with aging eyes, alas.

Speed3

Not sure if it works with a Mac or not but a couple of times I connected my Garmin GPSMAP 76CSx to a laptop and used the free program Nroute from Garmin. It uses the gps to receive the signals and does the route and map on the laptop.

[Edit]
Just checked the Garmin page and it isn't Mac compliant. Needs Win2k or higher. Sorry about that.

That's one of the beauties of new Intel Macs: they can run Windows.

I use a program called Fusion and it allow me to run, absolutely seamlessly, Windows XP Home edition on my MacBook.

I went to the Garmin site and found the NRoute software, but I see this software identified as: nRouteEnglish For Legacy Operating Systems software version 2.6.1.

"Legacy" operating systems? Think it will work with a Nuvi 650?

Thanks,
Speed3

Google MacGPS Pro. One of the features is that it allows you to hook up a compatible GPS to your laptop and see your progress in realtime. Just an idea.

Thanks, I'll look into that.

Looks like it won't work on Nuvi's?

Looks like it won't work on Nuvi's?