Sygic offers free Speedometer app to log trips, watch for speed cameras
Sygic makes some very popular navigation apps, and now the company is branching out a bit with a free app called Speedometer. It uses your iOS device's GPS receiver to provide your current speed and trip mileage, as well as warn you of fixed speed and red-light camera locations. The app also provides a way to warn other drivers of police radar, traffic incidents and other dangers.
I tried Speedometer on a short commute this morning and the app immediately listed the closest known speed cameras, although none were on my route. I also set a maximum speed so the app would warn me if I was going too fast.
Everything worked as expected. Some other navigation apps offer similar information -- sometimes requiring an in-app purchase -- but Speedometer is completely free. The trip log may be helpful for people who need to keep track of mileage for business or for tax purposes.
You can set units of measure to metric or US standards. My only wish is that the app worked in landscape as well as portrait mode. When I'm in my car, there is a convenient space on the dash to lay my phone down, and Speedometer won't work if the phone is in portrait mode.
Speedometer by Sygic is a handy little driving assistant. The screen is very uncluttered, and if you are plugged into power, it's a perfect driving companion.
Speedometer requires iOS 6 or greater. It's not a universal app, but it is optimized for the iPhone 5.
