National Geographic TOPO!
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You do get a good idea of the terrain using the 3D view and the entire software package works great and shows not only the nice features and large parks and attractions but you get smaller details on the USGS maps as well. Things like mines, dams and camps to help you in your sightseeing but also terrain features like swamps or just really steep terrain can be helpful in navigating or adventuring.
The use of the TOPO! Software is easy and really does not take much reading of the included help but the help section is right there as part of the program for quick reference. You can download maps directly to a GPS unit or a handheld computer or palm OS so you can take the maps and useful notes, routes and waypoints with you. I have several handheld GPS units and found the loading and transferring of maps, routes and even notes worked very well and was easy to accomplish.
To transfer I did not have to complete any difficult setups, simply connect the GPS unit to your computer and put the GPS device in USB communication mode and have the program open. The program finds the GPS unit or when you ask to transfer stuff to or from it sometimes it will ask you if you want to use one that is connected. I found that you may have to change the GPS settings to ensure you’re using the correct ones for the brand of GPS unit you are currently trying to use.
The GPS Receiver Settings has many listed GPS companies and models but there are also some generic settings that may work if you have a brand that is not listed. You should ask the National Geographic support if your particular brand of GPS unit works with the software if it is not listed in their website as one being supported. You can also see a quick video of the software in use and see the same detail of maps used in the video that you will see on your computer.
Of course your computer needs to be able to handle the software so you also should be sure your computer meets the minimum system requirements of a Windows PC with Win 95, 98, NT, ME, 2000, or XP. The processor should be at least a 486 DX/66 MHz PC or higher with 64 MB RAM and 8 MB video memory. For a MacOperating System you should have version 10.2 or higher a 350 MHz G3 processor or better and 128 MB RAM plus 16 MB video memory.
The system requirements mainly mean just about any decent computer can run the software and of course the better computer you have the smoother the program will operate. The 3 dimensional features of the TOPO! Program are nice with a decent 3D graphics card as well. The National Geographic TOPO! Software is a great set of state by state topographic maps that allows you to draw routes and points directly on a map and transfer them to a handheld device like a Palm OS or GPD unit.
You have plenty of features that are easy to use and planning a trip, vacationing in the great outdoors or some simply hiking or fishing using the software helps you find where you want to go and the best way to get there. I highly recommend the National Geographic TOPO! Software for anyone who uses the outdoors as their own playground and wants the best and most up to date mapping system right on their own computer.