Streets & Trips power users often use custom point of interest (POI) BMP icons to customize their maps.  I thought I would share with you a 2010 .est file with thousands of custom icons.  You’ll not only get all the new icons that came with 2010 but also the entire 2006 set and a few hundred other custom icons as well.  It should give you a good start :-)

Many people hit the roads over the US Thanksgiving holiday.  This file will help you as you plan your trip.

Download the EST file from here.

[UPDATED: Nov 20, 2009]

These are a few questions that our new Streets & Trips users ask when they start using the product.

• How can I customize my trip Start/End times?
• How can I save automatic rest stops?
• How do I save custom driving Speed adjustments?
• How can I save fuel consumption and tank capacity?
• How to save Custom fuel cost values?

To get them start using Streets like a Pro and to make use of the powerful template feature we decided to create this post.

If you go to the ‘More route options’ window by clicking the <More options> button, then you will see a series of tabs. Each of these tabs (except segments) lets you customize your route information based on your trip needs

Say for example,  you wanted to set your custom values for Fuel costs and also include refuel warnings on your trips then you change the values under the Fuel tab according to your needs and click <OK>, likewise for other tabs.

Now, select ‘Save’ from the File menu. And change the ‘Save as type’ field to be ‘Map template (*.stt)

Create a copy of the original New North American Map (right-click on New North American Map, choose copy, Ctrl_V to paste it with a new name)

Now single-click on the New North American Map (this will populate the 'File name' text box with the correct name of the default template).

click <Save>.

You have now successfully created your very first custom Streets & Trips template file. Every time you launch Streets, it will open with this new default template.   Now you won’t need to edit the mileage or other route preferences each time you plan a trip.

In celebration of the recent release of Microsoft AutoRoute 2010 we have put together a saved map file (.axe) full of pushpin sets for the UK.

This is similar to the S&T 2010 Discovery Owners Mega File which has been very popular.

This file contains 76 pushpin collections with a huge number of points of interest above and beyond what is already included in the software.

Pushpin sets include:

• A&E Hospitals
• ASDA locations
• Caravan Club sites
• Focus Stores
• GEORGE High Street
• Morrison Supermarkets
• Notcutts UK
• Premier Travel Inn
• Tesco locations
• Travel lodge locations
• UK Safety Camera
• Visit Britain Accommodations
• Visit Britain – various POI categories
• Visit Scotland – various POI categories
• Visit Britain – various POI categories
• Wickes stores

The POI data is provided by Microsoft (back in 2007) so current accuracy has not been verified.  Pay no attention to the “CTRL & CLICK on icon for more details”  I don’t know why that is in all the balloons.

DOWNLOAD THE FILE HERE - AR2010_POI_Files_From_MSDownloads.zip (7.4MB)

If you are interested in adding even more 3rd Party POI (points of interest) to your AutoRoute map start with these websites:

• Motor home Parking - PoI Download Page
• GPS Data Team
• Archie’s Camping