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Google Maps shows your speed while you're driving
Google isn't just counting on speed limits in Maps to encourage safe driving -- it's now showing your actual speed. Android Police has learned that Google Maps is rolling out an optional speedometer that kicks in while you're using driving navigation. It displays next to the current speed limit and changes color if you flaunt the law. Much like a similar Waze feature, you won't have to wonder if you're going too fast.
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.
Review: Speedometer GPS Tracker and HUD
Speedometer is a nifty US$1.99 universal iOS app that provides a speedometer for cars and cycling, as well as start times, time elapsed, distance, average speed, maximum speed and your altitude. The app also features a map mode where you can see your starting point and current position, and a share button to email your current position information. In addition, Speedometer provides your latitude and longitude, and an indication of how accurate the GPS information is. A compass gives you your direction in degrees, and more generally, like NW or SE. I tried the app on a short test drive and found it worked as expected and it provided helpful information, more than most navigation programs provide. Living in the foothills of mountains, I especially liked the altitude readout. You can set the app for MPH or KM/H, and there is a HUD display so you can reverse the display and put your iPhone on the dash and watch the reflected heads-up display on your windshield. It wasn't very effective in bright sunlight, but would be nice at night or low-light conditions. This is a useful app for cyclists or drivers who want trip information coupled with GPS logging. It's rich in features, and low in cost. There are some similar, free apps at the app store, like Speedometer s54 free and Speedometer Free Speed Box, but those apps don't have the rich feature set and are more oriented toward keeping you under the local speed limits. Speedometer requires iOS 5, and is optimized for the iPhone 5 series.
Polar RCX5 training computer feels your multi-sport pain
The French didn't only invent the guillotine. They also bequeathed us something even more painful (though that's hard to prove): "Les trois sports", aka the Triathlon. A swimming-cycling-running succession of pure hurt, which Polar's latest RCX5 training computer seeks to measure using an array of sensors -- much like its rivals the Garmin Forerunner 610 and Timex Ironman Global Trainer. You can buy the RCX5 now for $350 in a basic pack, which includes the watch plus the WearLink+ Hybrid, an amphibious chest-strapped heart rate monitor. Alternatively, you can pick up a pricier bundle containing an extra sensor of your choice. The Bike bundle ($390) includes Polar's CS W.I.N.D. speed sensor that installs on a fork and spoke. The Run bundle ($420) comes with a s3+ stride sensor that clips to your laces. Finally, the top-of-the-range Multi bundle ($480) replaces both those options with a G5 GPS sensor, which ought to work equally well for both both runners and cyclists thanks to our shiny friends out in orbit. Hit the PR after the break for further details or the extra coverage link for triathlete DC Rainmaker's seriously in-depth review.
Touch Tracer Display gives 2010 Prius speedometer a new look
Not like you didn't already know everything there was to know about the 2010 Prius, but in all seriousness, here's a snippet we'll bet you weren't aware of. Autoblog has pointed out that Toyota's next-generation hybrid will sport an all new Touch Tracer Display that will enable steering wheel commands to appear atop the speedometer whenever a button is pushed. The upside? Rather than glancing down at your wheel (and thus, away from oncoming traffic), you'll be able to see the options while keeping your head up and eyes on the road. Naturally, we'd expect this little innovation to spread far and wide across Toyota's fleet in the not-too-distant future.
USB typing speedometer teaches Mavis Beacon a lesson in speed
It's not the first USB peripheral we've seen that'll keep watch on how fast you type, but this new USB Speedometer is certainly the most imposing, and apparently a bit more capable than most. Namely, unlike others which simply track keystrokes, this one keep track of both your words-per-minute and the total number of words you type in a day, although you'll need to install some software to take for that. If those are details you just have to have at all times, you'll be able to get your hands on one of these next month for about $40.[Via Technabob]
Car modder repurposes Wiimote as accelerometer
Looking to collect a little acceleration / braking data on the cheap? Even if you're just scouting alternative uses for that oh-so-handy Wiimote, a recent project from klee just may suit your fancy. A proud owner of a 2000 Volkswagen Jetta managed to rig up a Wiimote-based tracking system that gathered information on g-forces, acceleration, turning, and overall speed, and thanks to a little Excel computation, the results are neatly graphed once the outing concludes. Of course, you may need a little help in the script writing department, by judging by the looks of things, most everything you need is awaiting you in the read link -- you know, except your own Wiimote and a Vee-Dub.[Thanks, Matt]
USB mouse pedals away, gauges speed as you type
C'mon, even you know it's time to give the ole hamster a break from his wheel-spinning duties, and the latest typing-powered time waster to come our way is a very suitable replacement. The USB Speed Typing Mouse plugs directly into your USB port to get warmed up, and as you bang out dissertations, IMs, e-mail, and erroneous office rumors, the oh-so-toned mouse gets his stationary bike a-movin'. Interestingly, the front-mounted LCD is also good for keeping track of just how many keystrokes you can crank out, and of course, the faster you type, the faster the poor critter's legs will go. This must-have office mainstay checks in at a somewhat steep £19.99 ($39.40), but unfortunately for those anxious to get one shipped over, you'll have to wait about a fortnight while the little buggers complete basic training and return to stock.[Via EverythingUSB]
