For the first time, the program included text-to-speech technology that could pronounce actual street names during voice prompts, rather than just basic directional cues.

It featured a database of over 1.5 million POIs, including national parks, ATMs, and restaurants, plus integration with Live Search for online updates. Hardware and Bundles Microsoft offered the software in two primary versions:

Included a sleek, cable-free USB "puck" receiver. This transformed a laptop into a real-time navigation system, though some reviewers noted it was sluggish during route recalculations if a turn was missed. What is Microsoft Streets and Trips? - Caliper Corporation

Focused on offline planning and map data for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.