2013 Version of Microsoft's Streets & Trips released

The 2013 version of Microsoft Streets and Trips is a helpful travel companion and easy-to-use laptop guide enabling you to get the most out of your road trip, making efficient customized travel plans whether on the road or at the Pump.

This is America's No. 1 travel and map software for 13 years straight, and current users of Streets and Trips will find the new 2013 version offers a sleek and clean look in high contrast designed for easier viewing, updated maps of the United States and Canada — including 150,000 new miles of roads since the 2011 version was released — and more than 2.5 million points of interest (yes, you read that right, 2.5 MILLION places of interest.

Longtime fans will also find they can now turn all pushpin names on or off with a single click, and they can create larger drive times for more flexibility in trip planning. “A new feature people are really going to love is the online ratings and reviews. Customer ratings and reviews on restaurants, hotels and more take the guesswork out of deciding where to go,” said Larry Petersen, software design engineer at Microsoft Corp. “Streets and Trips 2013 adds upgrades our customers have asked for, including 600,000 more points of interest than the previous version.”

 The 2013 version of Streets and Trips is designed to help travelers plan the perfect trip start to finish — generate maps and directions, customize with start and stop times, and add notes such as reservation numbers or operating hours — all without an Internet connection. For many truckers, RVers, family vacationers and other motorists, laptops have become an essential travel accessory. Microsoft Streets and Trips helps them efficiently plan and customize their travel before they hit the road.

Whether the day calls for visiting an amusement park, winery, casino, national park or museum, there is a stop along the way for everyone when using Streets and Trips. One-click route optimization provides the most efficient route, and a fuel consumption manager helps consumers budget gasoline costs. Then, while on the road, Streets & Trips on a laptop helps travelers find necessities such as ATMs, hotels, auto services, restaurants and more, with no Internet connection required, helping plan for — or discover — plenty of fun and useful stops along the way, taking the hassles and headaches out of the road trip while providing personalized options.

 Microsoft Streets and Trips is available for purchase online at the Microsoft Store for $39.99. Microsoft Streets and Trips with GPS Locator is available for $69.99. You can give Streets and Trips a test drive by downloading a free 14-day trial version at here. For more information on Microsoft Streets and Trips go to the Microsoft website.

Information obtained from press release and Microsoft's website.