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Author Topic:   Speedometer App for iPhone

Tom W Clark posted 09-18-2013 01:23 PM ET (US)
I have seen countless speedometer apps for the Apple iPhone but I cannot find one that does what I want it to do:
- Display speed in large plain digits
- Display speed in MPH, KPH or Knots (and I don't even care about KPH)
- Display heading
Here is what I do NOT want it to do:
- Display any other information
- Display digits as a simulated LDC display
- Display small and/or italicized digits
- Display speed as a simulated analog speedometer
- Display information in low contrast colors
- Display information with other distracting graphics or images
The goal is to have an easy to see and to video-record display of two pieces of information: speed and heading. Something that is viewable as you are bouncing across the waves at 40 MPH in a Boston Whaler.
How tough can that be?
K Albus posted 09-18-2013 02:46 PM ET (US)
JustSpeed appears to meet all of your requirements except that it does not appear to display knots.
Tom W Clark posted 09-18-2013 02:56 PM ET (US)
Well, except for the part about no italicized, simulated LCD display and additional information being displayed part of my requirements...and the lack of knots, it would be great.
K Albus posted 09-18-2013 03:07 PM ET (US)
Ah, LCD. I wasn't sure what LDC meant. Anyway, JustSpeed is simulated LED. And I'm not sure it's italicized - it doesn't look like it to me.
L H G posted 09-18-2013 04:13 PM ET (US)
Tom - Try Speed-O-Meter.
Tom W Clark posted 09-18-2013 05:49 PM ET (US)
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display, like an old pocket calculator or wrist watch. It's just an awful look for information display on a nice iPhone with Retina display, especially since it is italicized.
Thanks for the tip Larry, but Speed-O-Meter is not even close.
Here is an example of a simple app that is close: Current Speed, by Raween at only 102 KB.
Large plain block letters/numbers on a black screen. Speed in MPH, KPH or Knots.
If only it included the heading as well.
K Albus posted 09-18-2013 07:07 PM ET (US)
LED, like an old pocket calculator or wrist watch? http://www.123rf.com/ photo_468940_numeric-led-display-shot-from-a-calculator-large-file.html .
JustSpeed features slanted (or oblique) type, not italic type.
And you asked for MPH or knots, not MPH and alternately knots.
jimh posted 09-18-2013 07:57 PM ET (US)
I think what Tom is asking for in the display is to not try to emulate a seven-segment readout.
jharrell posted 09-18-2013 08:15 PM ET (US)
I have used MotionX GPS for a long time: http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/
Of course it does way more than what you request but it has a "compass" screen that displays speed and heading and will do knots and is high contrast.
Here is a link directly to the a screen shot of the compass screen: http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/overview/2b.jpg
Tom W Clark posted 09-18-2013 09:11 PM ET (US)
Kevin -- Italicized text *is* slanted text. That is the definition of what italics is.
LCD displays do not emit light (unless they are backlit). LED (Light emitting diodes displays do. My faithful old Hewlett-Oackard 12C calculator that has lived on my desktop for several decades used an LCD display. I can't read it going 40 MPH in my boat.
And yes, Jim is correct. LCD or LED, the displays that pretend to be something they are not, and are harder to read, is what I object to, like the compass dial on the MotionX GPS app.
I just want simple easy to read numbers. Again, I've looked at over a hundred speedometer apps now and do not see what I am describing. How tough can it be?
Anybody here at ContinuousWave want to write and app for the iPhone?
Marko888 posted 09-25-2013 12:48 PM ET (US)
I have Speed Box on my iPhone... large text, choice of KMH, MPH and Knots, but no heading. I'm confident it could be read at 40mph
David Pendleton posted 09-26-2013 02:17 AM ET (US)
I use an app called "GPS Tour" that does some of the stuff you want.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gps-tour/id492684276?mt=8
Tom W Clark posted 09-26-2013 01:02 PM ET (US)
Yes, there are hundreds of different apps that do "some of the stuff"
I've tried a few different apps now and the most useful, thus far, is BoatTracker by 30 South LLC
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/boat-tracker/id523038889
Each run is recorded; there is no way to just display speed without the run being recorded.
The map and/or satellite overlay is good. The speed at each point on the map is shown via color. The data only display is clear and simple.
The best numbers display I have yet found is still Current Speed
https://itunes.apple.com/sr/app/current-speed/id443913355

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Author	Topic: Speedometer App for iPhone
Tom W Clark	posted 09-18-2013 01:23 PM ET (US) I have seen countless speedometer apps for the Apple iPhone but I cannot find one that does what I want it to do: - Display speed in large plain digits - Display speed in MPH, KPH or Knots (and I don't even care about KPH) - Display heading Here is what I do NOT want it to do: - Display any other information - Display digits as a simulated LDC display - Display small and/or italicized digits - Display speed as a simulated analog speedometer - Display information in low contrast colors - Display information with other distracting graphics or images The goal is to have an easy to see and to video-record display of two pieces of information: speed and heading. Something that is viewable as you are bouncing across the waves at 40 MPH in a Boston Whaler. How tough can that be?
K Albus	posted 09-18-2013 02:46 PM ET (US) JustSpeed appears to meet all of your requirements except that it does not appear to display knots.
Tom W Clark	posted 09-18-2013 02:56 PM ET (US) Well, except for the part about no italicized, simulated LCD display and additional information being displayed part of my requirements...and the lack of knots, it would be great.
K Albus	posted 09-18-2013 03:07 PM ET (US) Ah, LCD. I wasn't sure what LDC meant. Anyway, JustSpeed is simulated LED. And I'm not sure it's italicized - it doesn't look like it to me.
L H G	posted 09-18-2013 04:13 PM ET (US) Tom - Try Speed-O-Meter.
Tom W Clark	posted 09-18-2013 05:49 PM ET (US) LCD: Liquid Crystal Display, like an old pocket calculator or wrist watch. It's just an awful look for information display on a nice iPhone with Retina display, especially since it is italicized. Thanks for the tip Larry, but Speed-O-Meter is not even close. Here is an example of a simple app that is close: Current Speed, by Raween at only 102 KB. Large plain block letters/numbers on a black screen. Speed in MPH, KPH or Knots. If only it included the heading as well.
K Albus	posted 09-18-2013 07:07 PM ET (US) LED, like an old pocket calculator or wrist watch? http://www.123rf.com/ photo_468940_numeric-led-display-shot-from-a-calculator-large-file.html . JustSpeed features slanted (or oblique) type, not italic type. And you asked for MPH or knots, not MPH and alternately knots.
jimh	posted 09-18-2013 07:57 PM ET (US) I think what Tom is asking for in the display is to not try to emulate a seven-segment readout.
jharrell	posted 09-18-2013 08:15 PM ET (US) I have used MotionX GPS for a long time: http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/ Of course it does way more than what you request but it has a "compass" screen that displays speed and heading and will do knots and is high contrast. Here is a link directly to the a screen shot of the compass screen: http://gps.motionx.com/iphone/overview/2b.jpg
Tom W Clark	posted 09-18-2013 09:11 PM ET (US) Kevin -- Italicized text is slanted text. That is the definition of what italics is. LCD displays do not emit light (unless they are backlit). LED (Light emitting diodes displays do. My faithful old Hewlett-Oackard 12C calculator that has lived on my desktop for several decades used an LCD display. I can't read it going 40 MPH in my boat. And yes, Jim is correct. LCD or LED, the displays that pretend to be something they are not, and are harder to read, is what I object to, like the compass dial on the MotionX GPS app. I just want simple easy to read numbers. Again, I've looked at over a hundred speedometer apps now and do not see what I am describing. How tough can it be? Anybody here at ContinuousWave want to write and app for the iPhone?
Marko888	posted 09-25-2013 12:48 PM ET (US) I have Speed Box on my iPhone... large text, choice of KMH, MPH and Knots, but no heading. I'm confident it could be read at 40mph
David Pendleton	posted 09-26-2013 02:17 AM ET (US) I use an app called "GPS Tour" that does some of the stuff you want. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gps-tour/id492684276?mt=8
Tom W Clark	posted 09-26-2013 01:02 PM ET (US) Yes, there are hundreds of different apps that do "some of the stuff" I've tried a few different apps now and the most useful, thus far, is BoatTracker by 30 South LLC https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/boat-tracker/id523038889 Each run is recorded; there is no way to just display speed without the run being recorded. The map and/or satellite overlay is good. The speed at each point on the map is shown via color. The data only display is clear and simple. The best numbers display I have yet found is still Current Speed https://itunes.apple.com/sr/app/current-speed/id443913355