Autoblog

The world has gone iPhone crazy since Apple released v2.0 of its sleek mobile device, and while GPS and 3G have been big draws, the multitude of available software apps in the new App Store has been the real wild card. One app that has us really psyched is a new automotive performance meter called Dynolicious from BunsenTech. It uses the accelerometer inside the iPhone to let you record 0-10 through 0-100 times, quarter mile and trap speed, Lateral Gs, horsepower and more. Results are also displayed in real-time on the phone itself with graphs and a speedometer. You can also configure the tool with updates to your car, weight, before and after performance measurements, and keep a complete history of all your runs. The kicker is that you don't even have to plug in your iPhone anywhere, just set it in the cup holder and drive. The folks at Dynolicious promise 0-60 accuracy to within .08 seconds and a quarter mile speed to within 1.5 mph. The performance meter software should also work with the iPod Touch.

The Dynolicious performance meter is now available on iTunes for $12.99 despite its own website saying that it's coming soon. The app has an average rating of four stars out of five so far with 11 user reviews and counting. We're going to purchase the software ASAP and take it for a spin, so we'll let you know soon if it delivers on its lofty promises. Check out more screen shots of Dynolicious in the gallery below. Thanks for the tip, Fooman!


[Source: Dynolicious, iTunes]

This is the JATY DR7200 GPS, and it does a lot more than just tell you where you are and how to get where you're going on that 7-inch screen. You see, it's got an integrated breathalyzer, too, so it'll also tell you whether you should even be trying to get where you're going. Blow "over" and you get a standard BAC readout, a red "OVER" warning, and if that's not enough, a yellow skull and crossbones to drive home the point that, well, you really shouldn't be driving at all. In addition to all that, it supports just about every techno-acronym you can imagine (USB, MP3, DiVX, JPEG, MPEG, etc.), so if you're in no shape to drive, you can at least watch a movie on the thing while you wait it out. Want one? Just run on down to the local electronics store...in Korea.

[Source: Engadget]

We've known for a while that the new iPhone 3G would have the magic of GPS, but we didn't fully realize how that power might benefit car owners. While we've seen a few semi-cool, car-centric applications available for the device -- from mpg calculators to maintenance reminders -- this program could prove the most useful for the forgetful among us.

After parking your car at a crowded shopping mall, users of G-Park tell their iPhone where their car is. When they wrap up their shopping, the application will provide directions back to the car.

PosiMotion says their application will even work on the first-generation iPhone, though without the accuracy of GPS.

There's no word on when the application will be available or what it will cost, but avoiding the shame of wandering parking lots for hours looking for a tan Camry is worth any price.

[Source: Gizmodo via Gizmag]

The Internets are abuzz with the announcement of an all-new iPhone, and with features like 3G data connections, new applications and GPS navigation, we're excited too. If you've been making plans to produce your own navigation app for iPhone 2.0, however, you may not be all that thrilled. A closer look at the iPhone SDK agreement shows that creating software for "real-time route guidance" is forbidden. This may mean that the creative kids at Cupertino aren't going to let anyone compete with the the Google maps solution it's already settled on. If true, companies like Garmin and TomTom, the latter of which has already confirmed that it's created a navigation app, would be unable to create salable navigation software for the popular touch-screen phone. Then again, you also can't do automatic or autonomous control of vehicles, aircraft, or other mechanical devices; dispatch or fleet management software; or use the iPhone for emergency or life-saving purposes.

Our friends over at Engadget may be on to something, however, when they note that Apple may just be covering its rear-quarters in the event people start suing for bad directions. Lets hope it's just a liability thing, because competition is always a good thing when it comes to new technology, and we want some TomTom on our new iPhone.

[Source: Engadget]

Turning up the portable GPS wars a notch or two, Clarion has introduced two new navigation devices that render buildings, landmarks, and elevation changes in three-dimensions. This is a boon to those who prefer a more graphical and realistic display of information as buildings appear in correct scale and perspective in relation to each other. To prevent tall buildings in 3D from blocking the driver's view of rendered roads, the device draws them transparently. It sounds a bit confusing, but judging by the screen shots, the format seems to work well. If the driver wants more overhead detail, or topographical information, the unit also has the capability to switch back to a more traditional 2D view.

The innovative 3D view is currently available on the MAP680 and MAP780, each with a 4.3" wide-screen touch-sensitive LCD, Bluetooth, and the ability to display SMS messages on screen when paired to a phone or PDA. Both models are for Europe only -- no word on when we'll see them on this side of the pond.

[Source: World Car Fans]

As of today, we're taking bets to see how long it will take before people realize that "GPS" does not stand for "Auto Pilot." The latest "But the GPS told me to..." story is brought to you by a charter bus driver in Seattle. Piloting a coach through the Washington Arboretum -- as the GPS instructed him -- the driver ignored, or didn't see, or didn't believe (take your pick) the flashing lights and sign warning him that his 11-foot-high bus was too tall for the looming 9-foot concrete overpass.

You can see how the story ends. The overpass ended up with some superficial damage, the coach got a removable top, and the girls softball team inside received some minor injuries. Luckily, the 60-inch sewage pipe inside the overpass wasn't ruptured. The driver was ticketed for $154. And in response to the charter company executive who remarked, "We just thought it would be a safe route because, why else would they have a selection for a bus?", a Garmin spokesman responded "Stoplights aren't in our databases, either, but you're still expected to stop for stoplights."

[Source: Seattle Pi]

The UK's Department for Transportation (DfT) is trying to put an end to situations like the one you see above. A woman headed to a christening party, paying attention to her satnav -- and little else, apparently -- drove down a road marked "Unsuitable for motor vehicles," and then drove into a swollen river because that's what her navi told her to do.

The DfT wants satnav makers to improve their directions, and also wants them to start providing alternate routes depending on the particular car. In addition to consumer complaints, the DfT is also reacting to increasing incidents of truck drivers getting stranded on narrow country lanes. The 2,000 times it happens each year are estimated to cost £10 million and create 5,000 hours in delays.

The DfT will essentially issue a seal of approval that it wants buyers to look for as a sign of directional quality. We still don't know what they plan to do about drivers who ignore signs that say, "Don't drive down this road," and people who think its OK to ford a river just because the little voice inside their cars says so.

[Source: WhatCar?]

Njection is a website for guys like us. In addition to their forums and picture resources, they have compiled a database of more than 50,000 speed traps worldwide -- areas with high radar use and speed cameras -- that works with Microsoft Live Maps. Njection is now offering owners of Garmin GPS units the ability to download speed trap and red light camera information to their portable navigation units.

A SpeedTrap-enhanced Garmin portable GPS unit will be a great companion on a road trip, long commute, or while traveling in unfamilar areas. However, as sophisticated as the technology is getting, GPS still won't find your lost keys.

[Source: PRNewswire via Winding Road]

A little more than a month after one bloke followed his GPS guidance into the path of a train, we find a lorry driver in Great Britain pulling a similar blunder. Instead of looking outside the cab of the truck and noticing the large sign indicating the road was "unsuitable for heavy goods vehicles," he ignorantly followed the GPS display as it led him down a narrow farm lane. Within minutes, his 45-foot tractor trailer became firmly wedged in the mud and thicket. Needless to say, his trip to carry timber from north Wales to Birmingham was abruptly cut short. The driver's job is likely in jeopardy, but he is thankfully uninjured. The owner of the land, who now has to drive an extra two miles around the detour, is understandably irate.

This isn't a rare occurrence. In November, a Czech truck driver in the U.K. was led off course by his GPS and ended up spending three nights stuck in the woods. And who can forget the Brit who followed his GPS guidance into a river? GPS is a wonderful technology, but it is no substitute for common sense! Thanks for the tip Bobby!

[Source: Engadget]

Click above to view high-res gallery of the Toyota Yaris SR

The Euro-spec Toyota Yaris is a well-equipped little car. But things like the nine airbags, chrome exhaust finisher, and remote central double locking are merely gravy for the real show on this new SR model: a fully-integrated portable TomTom navigation system that doubles as a touchscreen interface for the car stereo.

It's a neat little trick, and the unit also offers Bluetooth connectivity and a USB connection for MP3 players. We wonder, though, if this is about simply making life easier and aesthetically cleaner for GPS users, or if people are really clamoring for a portable GPS. This blogger has never seen anyone walking down the street taking direction from a TomTom -- but this blogger also lives in LA where nobody walks anywhere, so maybe I'm not the best judge. If nothing else, certain Euro Yaris takers can finally kiss the suction cups goodbye. Uh, Toyota, how 'bout some of that love over this way, please?


[Source: Toyota]