Are iOS and a radar detector a good pair? A look at Cobra iRadar
I think so. I've been testing Cobra iRadar, a hardware radar detector that connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone for up to date warnings of police radar, and speed/red light camera detection.
The system consist of a small radar receiver that attaches to your windshield, and a free app that pairs to the receiver and provides mapping, on screen warnings, and the ability to upload either false hits from burglar alarms or door openers, or real locations of cameras that may have just appeared and are not in the Cobra database.
I'm a conservative driver, and don't tend to speed, but I do like the added feeling of security I get with the system running. In my test drives, the iRadar system found some sped cameras I wasn't aware of. At one point, I was surprised it appeared to miss one that I knew about, but when I looked around the cameras had been taken down and likely moved somewhere else. +1 for iRadar.
The app doesn't require the radar receiver, and the radar receiver doesn't require the app. Used alone, the receiver will give you voice warnings of upcoming police radar, but unless it is paired with the app you won't get warnings of traffic speed or red light cameras. You also won't get warnings of new locations submitted by other users.
On the other hand, you can download the app and get updates of police cameras, but you won't get radar warnings. The app is also used to set specific behavior of the radar detector, as there re only power/volume and mute controls on the receiver.
I'm told earlier versions of the iRadar app were a bit flaky, but the latest version available, released this month seemed to be stable. I saw one problem where I clicked a button and the system became unresponsive, but closing the app and re-opening fixed it and I haven't seen the bug reappear.
The app has 2 modes. A map mode, derived from Google, that shows you any known speed or red light cameras, and user reported incidents. ON another screen it shows your actual speed, which is often more accurate than your car speedometer. It also shows you cars voltage, and gives a visual warning of any upcoming activity. The app can run in the background and you will be alerted. You can also use the iPhone at any time without losing any info from the app.
The Cobra iRadar unit is US $129.00 at retailers like Radio Shack and Best Buy. The price at Amazon is quite variable. I've seen it as high as $91.96 but I've seen it down to $84.00 as well.
Remember that radar detectors are illegal in Virginia, Washington D.C. and on military bases. Radar detectors are also illegal in all commercial vehicles over 10,000 pounds.
I think the Cobra iRadar works well, and actually is less expensive than comparably priced units that put all the electronics in the receiver. It's probably not as good as some of the highest priced units, but it worked well and the marriage of the iPhone and the receiver worked very well.
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I think so. I've been testing Cobra iRadar, a hardware radar detector that connects via Bluetooth to your iPhone for up to date...
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It is amazing what phones can do. I am sure with all the apps out there that there has to be the option to control our burglar alarms (http://www.secureburglaralarms.com/?page_id=11) from our phones. Where we technology head next.
January 12 2012 at 6:36 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyPersonally, I look at the speedometer, which is on the dashboard of my car! Or ride on ( http://apple-i.ru/ivelosiped_ne_fantastika-436.html ) the i-bike! :) Thanks Apple!
September 04 2011 at 6:59 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI've got one and I think it works very well. There has been many times were it goes off before I even see the cop car and there have been times where I see cop cars (drive by, drive-up to, following) with no alert, but it's important to note that this is a radar detector and not a cop car detector. You're not going to get notified if the cop doesn't have the radar on and I see a lot of online reviews by consumers that don't seem to factor this important point in.
The iRadar has actually helped me with my vehicle when I didn't even expect it to. Over 6 months ago, I started getting periodic "Low Battery Warning" verbally from the iRadar and I ignored them. Shortly after that my car wouldn't start and after that happened a couple times I decided to replaced the car battery since it has never been changed since I brought the vehicle new (September 2002). The verbal iRadar warnings went away for about a month and I thought the issue was solved till they started coming back again. At first I thought maybe my new battery was a bad one, but a mechanic friend of mine and later at a trustworthy mechanic's garage I went to said it was the alternator. I learned the hard way that it was my alternator when my car died at a Fast Food joint's drive-thru window and if I only listened to that verbal iRadar warning that embarrassing incident wouldn't have happened.
I wonder when someone will start selling a portable radar emitting thingy that will trigger this sensor so that people will slow down to the required limit, set according to the road conditions to prevent crashes and save lives, when ever they are near me. I'll buy one of those but I won't buy one of these.
August 29 2011 at 3:15 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIf you can find proof that speed limits and traps save lives, I'll submit to this idea.
Speed cameras in the UK have not reduced traffic incidents where they were set up.
And highways without speed limits have actually had less accidents than those that do.
Most accidents are actually caused by slow drivers or roadside debris.
So, speed up, and watch the road!
Craig here believes everything he is told and tries as hard as possible not to think for himself. It never occurs to Craig that speed traps are largely for nothing more then local financial gain and that freeways often have stretches with lowered speeds out of no where for no better reason then to try to generate revenue. Driving fast doesn't kill people or cause accidents. Driving at all and being distracted or in some way incapacitated however does.
August 30 2011 at 10:05 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyBeen waiting for a review on this, I saw the product on the shelves of my Apple Store and seemed quite nice. I have been using Cobra for a few years and some of them really suck (won't detect until you're 2 feet away) while others are quite good (detect well in advance). Maybe I'll give this one a try now. Thanks!
August 29 2011 at 12:07 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyLet us know how it turns out! I've been Cobra as well for many years and the right ones don't seem to disappoint.
August 30 2011 at 12:00 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIf a cop was really trying to get you for speeding nothing you do, except for driving the speed limit, will keep you from getting a ticket. Go ahead and waste your money on this unit that won't keep you from getting pulled over and will probably keep you from getting any breaks once you are stopped.
Good Luck.
Considering it can alert you to the presence of radar before you are even in site of the cop I would have to disagree.
August 30 2011 at 10:05 AM Report abuse Permalink -1 rate up rate down ReplyHow accurate is the radar detector itself? I've seen some really expensive ones and some really cheap ones...to me, at under a hundo, this looks like a cheap one....I think the really expensive ones also try to jam the police signal...maybe that's why they're so expensive? Not sure. Anyways, when you were testing it, did it accurately alert you to police traps before you could see the actual cop car?
August 29 2011 at 9:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyPlease stop messing around with your phone while driving every chance you get and just drive your car. Thanks.
August 29 2011 at 9:44 AM Report abuse Permalink +1 rate up rate down ReplyHard for me to justify it over a standalone unit at it's price, if it was a unit that did not require an iOS device I may feel better about it.
August 29 2011 at 9:28 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyFrom the article:
The app doesn't require the radar receiver, and the radar receiver doesn't require the app.
That being said, it doesn't make any sense for me either, for a different reason. With something like navigation, it makes sense to put it on an iPhone, because no further hardware is needed. I can take it to any car and still have a viable nav device. With this unit, I have to take a dongle with me everywhere I go, which defeats the purpose. There are much better standalone units. Taking away the portability of a go-anywhere device, I'd just as soon shell out for a better, more specialized unit. This is a gimmick, pure and simple.
What dongle? It works over bluetooth.
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