IPhone and iPad speedometer - User manual

Starting the app, location services and GPS indicator.

Upon the first application start you have to decide if speedometer will be able to use your location:

Free version of the app requires “When in Use” access to a location, while full version suggests “Always” as a default option as it needs to access location in background as well (when speedometer records the track, for example). You can later change access to “When in use” for full version in the settings, if you wish.

For the correct application functioning you should select Allow. We guarantee that your location is only used for the speed and distance calculations and NEVER leaves Your iPhone or iPad (unless when you explicitly decide to share your coordinates via the “Share my location” option)

If you tapped on Allow, we can continue exploring the speedometer. If, by chance, you tapped on “Don’t allow”, this can be fixed by going into the Settings->Privacy->Location services (before iOS6: Settings->Location Services):

Given location services are enabled, speedometer app will wait until the location accuracy reaches values corresponding to GPS reception. Until that time, no speed digits will be shown:

We can observe current accuracy by means of a GPS indicator:

In case when no location coordinates can be established, indicator is white and says OFF. If indicator stays like that for more than few seconds, please check if access to location services is enabled. Indicator will also stay white/OFF in case when there is none of the GSM, wifi or GPS signal available. At least one of those networks would give iPad/iPhone ability to find its location, though question will be about the accuracy.

When at least of the networks (GSM, wifi, GPS) is present, dependent on the location accuracy GPS indicator will turn either red, yellow or green.

Red color with value of OFF means that location accuracy is not enough to calculate and display the speed. Image on the left serves as an example for wifi based location resolution. Its characteristic accuracy is about 65 meters (200 ft). As we can see altitude value is also provided is such case.

Lets skip over yellow with value of WEAK, it will appear when accuracy is getting from a cellular cell based (200-2000 meters) or wifi (~65 meters) to a GPS based accuracy.

When accuracy reaches 20 meters (25 meters for iPhone 3GS), GPS indicator will turn green with value of STRONG:

Now it makes sense to measure the speed!

If in Your case indicator stayed Red, just make sure you have location services enabled and you are trying actually under the open sky. GPS accuracy of location can’t be reached inside buildings as iPhone/iPad can’t “see” the satellites.

Setting the speed units.

Tap on the top “km/h” button to set it to MPH or KTS (Knots are available from version 1.4.8).

From version 1.4.8 you can also set the speed units by tapping on the settings button in the top left corner and invoking the settings window.

Configure speed limit presets.

We have 4 preset buttons and can easily change name and value for any of them. Just hold the preset button for 1 second, then release and you’ll see the options to change the name and value:

What are preset values that author is using? Okay, I set 55km/h for the city for example, as where I live the limit is 50km/h, but they start ticketing you from around 60km/h. This can be specific for any country/city though.

To set the preset value as a current speed limit, just tap on the specific preset button.

Configuring sound alert.

Digits will become red when the applied limit is exceeded, but we will more probably look at where we drive, not at the speedo? That’s where the sound alarm will come handy. Alarm level is the same as level of a music player set (so the alert is audible through the music played). Lets check in the music app, the best level for a start would be at least half or 2/3 of max, to compensate the other noises in the car. For iPhone5, or starting with paid version of 1.4.8 for all devices, level can be set via the integrated iPod player. You can read a dedicated article on the audio alert troubleshooting.

Don’t forget you have 10 different sounds to pick from in full version as well as options for mute and vibrate.

Counters.

There is a trip counter or odometer (possible with few counters) in every car. Speedometer app has counters as well. You can control the counters via the MENU button:

Here is the whole menu:

[](../usermanual/menu - counters.PNG)

By “Pause counters”, you pause the odometer counter and distance will not be calculated as you drive. In such case you’ll see the pause sign/image on all dashboards. The “Pause counters” option will turn into “Resume counters”, until the trip is “un-paused”.

“Reset counters” option will reset all of the counters - odometer and avg/max speeds. In case when you are using multiple trip counters, this will also reset the maximum and minimum altitudes. ###

Trips.

You can use multiple trip counters. That is useful when you want to track separately driving to work and shopping for example. Tap on MENU button again and pick TRIPS from the menu.

Jumping a bit ahead, the sign of ¤ means “a currency unit” and in the paid version we show here the total cost of your trip based on your car fuel consumption and amortization metrics. This piece of data is missing in a free version.

In order to select the trip to use, just tap on it. Green dot in the list identifies the currently active trip. To rename the trip or reset its individual counters tap on Edit and then on the trip you want to change. Tap on a + button to add a new trip.

We are done with the basics now! Here is more links on what you can do with the speedometer:

-- FREE AND FULL VERSION –

‣ Show trip timer in the main GPS panel

‣ I can change preset limit values, right?

‣ Where is that GPS black box?

‣ What’s that Heads-up (hud) screen?

‣ Can speedo run on my iPad side by side on a screen with other apps (iPad multitasking)? Yes it can!

-- FULL VERSION –

‣ I want speedo to work in background, so it alerts me even when screen is locked or I’m using other apps!

‣ I need more speed limits !

‣ I need different speed digit colors!

‣ Hey speedo! Show me the cost of my driving!