Laptop GPS / Navigation Software

Hey guys. I am looking for a Christmas gift for my father who travels cross country for a living. I am looking for some navigation software for his laptop so he can use it on his trips. GPS would be preferred and I really am looking for some advice on what to buy. My truck has Sat Nav built-in and I have never looked for a standalone software program like this.

I am looking for whats best out there on the market. Any advice would be appreciated!

We have been using delorme software / GPS systems since 1995 and they have been great. I bought my most recent Earthmate LT-20 for $99 including street atlas. Recently handheald GPS units have been coming down in price. Laptop units work well but you may want to look into a handheald if you are willing to pay a bit more.

I have used Delorme Earthmates with my laptop for a number of years. We now have dedicated units for our cars but the laptop/Earthmate is still great on an airplane. The USB version I purchased three or so years ago is very small and easily fits in the window of an airplane (suction cup or under shade). I can then monitor ground speed, altitude, direction, and location. This is especially good on long cross country flights.

I just ordered CoPilot 9 with Philips GPS unit with my new Dell Laptop. I havent got it yet, but I will let you know how it works out.

MS Streets and Trips 2006 ? comes with the gps thing as well as all the software

IMO, Iguidance 3.0 is the best one

I use a holux usb (gm-210) gps and Microsoft Streets and Trips 2007 (just upgraded). I've used it from going to vague locations (Devil's Tower in NJ), to Chicago, to small creeks in Jersey that I'd never heard of. The software/gps is spot on and I've never gotten lost with it. A gps device def makes you feel comfortable and never lost. MS streets and trips is pretty damn good--you can update the latest construction info when your on the web, getting the hang of setting up locations on the fly is a cynch and if you get lost re-routing (like all gps software) is done with the flick of a button.

I don't know if other GPS software do this (they probably do) but it also moniters how fast you are going. So my car is a piece of crap, 89 Oldsmobile Cutlass Cierra and the speedometer only goes up to 85mph. So I was driving with some friends on this long stretch of highway and everyone was going 100 or so. I pushed my car and the needle went past the 85 and I was wondering how fast I was going, and I looked over to my laptop and I was going 95mph. I was pretty cool going faster than your speedometer. You can't do that these days...