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Being bombarded with audible/visual alerts for that extra 2,500 feet is an unnecessary nuisance.Īs with other Cobra GPS-enabled radar detectors, we also found that when cruising on urban freeways it's prone to squawking warnings of distant cameras on surface streets that pose no threat.
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And it alerts much too far in advance at slower speeds-up to 2,900 feet on many occasions when, for instance, the rival Beltronics (BEL) Pro 500, a cloned Escort Passport 9500ix GPS-enabled model, starts alerting at 400 feet. On other occasions it warned of cameras that had been removed years previously. we found its alerts to be reasonably accurate but noted lapses when it alerted to a camera only after we'd already passed it. The iRAD 100 uses Cobra's Aura location database to warn of red light and speed cameras. No bracket is supplied for this purpose you'll need to consult with aftermarket suppliers to find a method of mounting the phone. This reliance on the iPhone's screen means the phone must be mounted close to the driver, where it can easily be seen and operated. The Map screen must be used to display GPS location-based alerts. The Dashboard screen displays a digital speedometer, compass and the vehicle's electrical system voltage. Unfortunately, the Cobra iRadar Web site is scarcely more informative. Most of the iRadar 100's other functions were discovered solely through experimentation the wispy sheet of instructions accompanying the unit mentions little more than installation and basic operation descriptions of most other functions remain MIA.
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But this didn't always occur without losing Bluetooth pairing, necessitating the execution of another setup routine before using the app. we found that phone calls could easily be made or received and it was possible to navigate to other apps and then return to iRadar.
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(When the app crashed, my iRadar 100 was locked into city mode for the weeks-long duration of the software snafu, for instance.) And without a smartphone's GPS, the Cobra iRAD 100, like the competing Escort systems, can't convey location-based alerts such as red light camera locations.ĭownloading the iRadar app was a simple task and pairing with the iPhone was quickly accomplished. It will continue to deliver audible alerts, but there's no way to change operating modes or gain access to its user preferences. It can be used as a stand-alone radar detector but without an iPhone, it's nearly helpless. The detector is a simple box, with no display and no controls save for an on/off/audio volume thumbwheel switch, a mute button and a red, power-on LED. We'll get back to that issue in a moment, but first a brief look at the Cobra iRAD 100's features and functions. Using a smartphone as a radar detector and red light camera-avoidance system might seem appealing, but sometimes a concept is better than its execution. That's a lofty claim, particularly in light of the iRAD 100's attractively low $129.95 pricetag, so we bought an iRAD 100 and began logging miles with it along with an iPhone 4S. Less than a year after its arrival, a competing system, Escort Live, was introduced and handily outpaced the Cobra iRadar in our first test of the two.Īccording to Cobra, the iRAD 100 "combines industry-leading radar, laser and speed & red light camera detection technology with the power of the iPhone." All of the detector's functions save for power and audio volume are likewise controlled remotely by the phone. The detector uses that device's display for warnings, status information and its GPS for location data, speed and maps.


#Cobra iradar irad 200 review android#
The detector is linked via Bluetooth to a compatible Apple iPhone, iPod touch or Android phone. The Cobra iRAD 100 combines a windshield-mounted radar detector with Cobra iRadar, a smartphone application and the Internet.
