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Also used DeLorme for SF work. I have the laptop secured so that is not a problem. It worked great to download the addresses from Xactimate in order to schedule tight plus you never drive an inch out of the way. The reason that I am considering Streets & Trips is that the USB antennae seems less cumbersome than using DeLorme's yellow receiver and cord.

My versions are a couple of years old, but my Streets and Trips GPS receiver is almost exactly like my DeLorme GPS receiver, except for color.  Both plug into a USB port and have a 2 inch by 2 inch receiver on the other end of a cable.

As satellite receivers must "see" the sky to locate the satellites, I do not think a flash drive type receiver (like a wireless mouse or wifi adapter)  plugged into a laptop would see the GPS satellites enough to lock in.  Thats why the receivers are set on the dash, or in the case of satellite radio, magnetically attached to the car roof.

And both receivers can survive many sliding-off-the-dashboards, I can attest.  And that whole potential braking damage and theft thing is the reason I use an old laptop for GPS.  It is not used for much else.  The main laptop never leaves the metal case hidden in back.  I usually use the MS version since all my claims software is in Access and the address export is seamless between the two.

Jeff

What I am really wanting to know is if anyone has tried the 2009 Microsoft Streets and Trips. It has a "new" GPS Locater that plugs into the USB port. This is a new feature and is supposed to get the same reception as the DeLorme "suction cup" type. The only reason that I am considering the Streets and Trips is to have this feature and not have to deal with the cord dangling from the windshield.

I've used both Delorme and MS S&T for route planning.  In my view, MS S&T offers a slight advantage, if only because it integrates with more software packages.  Also, MS has Europe maps available, if you like traveling over there.  It is true that the MS product plugs directly into the USB port with no need for a cord.  On aircraft, however, you WILL need a cord so you can place the sensor in a window, because the sensor cannot always "see" through the fuselage.   Don't get me wrong.  Delorme is also a fine product.  Their new LT-40 sensor is a great improvement.  And their customer service is first-rate.

Whichever you choose, you'll be much better off doing your route planning on your laptop GPS, but navigating with a dash-mounted unit. When I was doing 10-20 inspections a day for FEMA, I'd plan my route with MS S&T, then spend an extra minute or two entering the addresses into my Garmin.  I got more work done with a lot less stress.  The Laptop displays can be hard to see in bright sunlight, they're away from  a driver's line-of-sight, and they need keyboard entry.   Very cumbersome and unsafe while driving.  It is not surprising that the author of an earlier post had to suddenly slam on his brakes.

While we're on that topic, CARS MAKE LOUSY OFFICES.  I improved mine by making a small, level "desk" for the passenger seat.  I strapped on a 150 watt inverter, a plug strip, and securing devices to hold and plug in my laptop(s) digital camera, cellphone, bluetooth, laser ranger, extra batteries, and a note pad, thus keeping everything secure, organized and fully charged, even after a hot, exhausting 14 hour day on rough Louisiana roads.

Hope this helps.    

Why use All those GPS devices when you can utilize your Blackberry Navigator, It is as up to date as any GPS, and has a feedback feature so that when you have a new updated address that no GPS will recognize you can add it to the GPS feature and it will load the new address for all users.

Plus, you can access your account and Load addresses for the next day, and connect and it will load all your addresses in snyc.

I recently purchased DeLorme Street Atlas 2010 as it turns out that 2009 is not compatible with Windows 7. ( The old receiver LT-40 still works. ) the choices are $39 for the basic or $59 for the "Plus". The main difference is that the "Plus" has complete phone listings for the entire U.S. By right clicking on a street, you pull up all personal and business phone numbers for the entire street or particular block. The other feature of the "Plus" is that it enables you to import address lists from Excel. I believe that this is needed when importing claim information from Xactimate but Excel is not needed when moving the insureds addresses from PowerClaim. While MS Streets and Trips beats out DeLorme in compatibility, simpler to use and a cordless receiver, I still believe that DeLorme is better suited for adjusters due to the new "phone" feature and more importantly the fact that the text is larger and easier to read if used in the vehicle.

As I noted 6 months ago on this thread, DeLorme has a wireless GPS receiver that connects via Bluetooth.  No cables.