Reducing its size 35%, this is the smallest iRadar unit yet from Cobra. Pairing the radar sensing capabilities of Cobra Electronics and the visual display of the iPhone, you get a great blend of both with Cobra’s iRadar ATOM . Get signals far enough in advance to prevent issues with a visual explanation of what’s going on with your iPhone’s screen.
The small radar sensing unit (smaller than a pack of unfiltered cigarettes) mounts to your windshield with a suction cup mount. (See accompanying video for caution about this mount.) The unit then connects to your iPhone via Bluetooth.
Result of this connection is a visual map as you drive, with overlays to point out known speed traps, radar locations, moving police cars and traffic cameras. Your iPhone does need a cellular or wireless signal for the map to update as you drive. When radar is detected, you are given the opportunity to confirm a sighting if you see it, and then fellow iRadar users will get notification as well, should they be driving in your area. You also have the benefit of getting reports generated by others, all sent to the cloud and then relayed back to all drivers traveling in that area.
Even without your cellphone, the windshield-mounted radar unit will still beep if it detects a radar in use (along with the occasional retail store burglar alarm system.) You can adjust the sensitivity for city vs highway use to prevent the false alerts in congested areas.
What I liked:
1. Alerts you to speed camera locations in time to slow down
2. Small unit – easily mounted behind my iPhone
3. Works with or without any iPhone attached
4. Provides 360 degree protection
5. Shows crowd sourced radar, laser or moving police car locations
6. Reasonably priced for such a sophisticated system
What I didn’t like:
1. Supplied bracket needs to be improved
2. Map feature needs cellular signal while driving to display – uses lots of battery
3. Lots of potential “sightings” from false K-band alerts in retail areas.
So, did it save me from any potential tickets? Absolutely found one traffic camera location that I wasn’t expecting, so right there it would have paid for itself. As far as police with moving radar, not sure but probably once again it alerted me in enough time to slow down. No tickets in the month I tested the unit.
To mount your iPhone and to strap your detector in place, (as shown on the video) you might want to purchase the very affordable Cradle-It Bracketron mount I use .
Review the specs on the Cobra website and look at both the iPhone and regular units available. There’s bound to be one that works just like you’d like.
Doug Bardwell , based in Cleveland, OH, writes about interesting new travel technology topics, across the country and around the world at DougBardwell.com . Feel free to drop him a line at travel.dougbardwell@gmail.com with suggestions for future products to be reviewed. If you've ever used one of the products he's reviewed, please leave your thoughts in the comment box below. To get his stories delivered to your inbox, click the RSS feed or the "Subscribe" button above or follow him on Facebook , Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+ . To read Doug’s disclosure notice, click here .
via Examiner National Edition Gadgets & Tech Channel Articles http://www.examiner.com/article/cobra-iradar-atom-protecting-you-from-traffic-cams?cid=roadrunner