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If you're ever stuck by the side of the road, the Tappet brothers might make the experience less painful. With Car Talk's Breakdown Lane app, you can use your iOS device to find the nearest repair shop from Car Talk's database of 30,000 garages. But the app doesn't stop there.
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App-based navigation systems are an excellent alternative to portable GPS devices and pricey in-car setups. With dozens of different navigation applications on the iOS and Android markets, which one works the best? A newer version of MapQuest's free app (see our review of the 2.0 version here) has been released, now with voice navigation. How does it measure up?
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Yes, you can have a collision warning system for your car in the palm of your hand instead of an expensive option package. The iOnRoad application uses your smartphone's camera and some fancy algorithms to detect cars in front of you and beep if you approach too closely. Is it a workable substitute for the real thing? Read on to find out.
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With the national average price of gas hovering around $4 a gallon, it helps to know where you can find the lowest price. Gas Buddy allows users to report prices at stations across the country. But how reliable is the info when you're ready to fill up?
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I’ve always wished that my 2008 Toyota sedan had some kind of multimedia functionality, so I was excited to try Vlingo, which integrates phone, text, navigation and other functions into a single voice-controlled application. As you might guess, Vlingo draws many comparisons to Apple’s Siri. Is it a worthy alternative? Read on to find out.
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Road Ninja is designed to show what points of interest lay ahead at upcoming freeway exits. Think of it as a virtual “At This Exit” sign with food, lodging and other highway stops illustrated on a crisp smartphone screen instead of a dingy sign on the side of the road – which you can easily miss if among semitrailers.
What distinguishes it from other location-based applications is it is designed only to display what destinations are ahead of you as you travel, as opposed to what’s surrounding (or even behind) you. Once you select a place, you can dial its number, fetch directions, write a review or even read its Twitter feed. Road Ninja also lets you search for destinations and browse what’s nearby, and you can keep a list of your favorite spots.
Ford has upgraded its MyFord and MyLincoln Touch systems to be faster and simpler to use, according to the automaker.
Prominent differences are simpler graphics and larger, bolder fonts used throughout the interface. We have images of the old and new screens below. It might be hard to judge if the newer versions are indeed an upgrade until people actually use them. What you can’t see is a noticeable jump in performance. The new software is at least two times faster than the current system, Ford says.
The upgraded system will launch early next year on the 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus. Existing owners of MyFord and MyLincoln Touch are eligible for upgrade at no charge.
I tried the app for the past few days and was left beyond impressed with how well it worked.
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