Would appreciate suggestions for CD/DVD maps of the US. I am tired of calling AAA to get maps mailed for my US travels (if you want a detailed map of anyplace that is not large like NYC, they usually don't have anything detailed locally - even in SF). The online ones have their limits. The Delorme's got terrible reviews on Amazon and Microsoft's Streets and Trips looks good, but there is no Mac version. I could use the Windows version, but my laptop is a PowerBook and that is what I will have with me.

Any experience/ideas? (Apologies if this has been covered; a search did not turn up anything.)

Have you tried using the online Viamichelin? It's an UK product (this is the one I use the most) but it also covers the US.

Excellent oportunity for the Mac supporters to step up to the plate. Those who say or imply you can do everything on a Mac you can so on a windows machine.


P.S: I don't have an answer, but if you had a windows machine, here's an answer, though: MapSource or MetroGuide from Garmin, Map Tech from company of the same name, or MapSend from Magellan. The two products from the GPS manufacturers are used with their respective GPS units, but still provide great routing in stand alone mode. You are correct that MS Streets and Trips and DeLorme are not that good. There are several TomTom fans on here, not sure TT has a stand along mapping/routing software.

Nope, standalone units or mobile devices only.

Back in the old days when I used a Mac I knew the folks behind Route 66. Now it is many years later, and they still seem to be the only ones out there for the Mac:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...lance&n=229534

But as you will see; the reviews are not very postive. It doesn't seem like there is much of a market for Mac navigation software. But I'm sure one of the Mc'Regulars will pop in with some better advice.

Of course, there is always Google Earth but you'll need to be online to make the best use of that app:

http://earth.google.com/download-earth.html

I have both a Mac and a PC, but unfortunately not in the same machine. Yet .

Many thanks. Just what I was looking for. Even if only on the PC for now, much better than relying on paper, or poor e-versions.

Garmin's routing has a few subtle features that make it stand out from the others. It lets you select the vehicle type when you do the routing, and based on this, it calculates the route accordingly, car/motorcycle being the obvious, with other noteworthy choices of pedestrian, bicycle, and delivery. I don't think any other retail mapping/routing software does that.

They also have an 'avoids' feature that lets you select sections of roads, as small as individual intersections, that will be avoided in any routing. Very useful, to avoid congestion. In there newer automotive GPS products, they evidently integrate this feature with data obtained from traffic data channels on sat. radio. Haven't seen that work yet, but am really jonesing to.