SpeedTraps - the FREE Android Version of a Speedster's dream

[Speed Traps]

Hi everybody,

I want to share with you info about a very nice applications for all those who like speeding and would rather avoid hefty fines.

SpeedTraps - BRIEF DESCRIPTION

SpeedTraps is a two-way smartphone application for traffic participants equipped with Android smartphones. The solution can act both as a warning and as an event recording system. In the first mode, SpeedTraps warns drivers of impeding traffic events (e.g. fixed or mobile speedcams, traffic jams, police patrols, collisions, closed roads, etc). Through SpeedTraps, traffic participants get access to all the fixed speed cameras provided by poiplaza.com, as well as to events reported by other users of the warning system. A user reported event is only stored in the SpeedTraps database for 2 hours, unless confirmed by other users.

The solution has 2 versions, one FREE, the other sold for the symbolic amount of 1 USD. Since Arobs, the company that has developed SpeedTraps, has no rich sponsors to finance the application,
any updates and improvements depend on the number of paying customers.

The Lite (FREE) version works offline and only issues warnings when the user gets in the detection range of the fixed cameras made available by poiplaza.com. The accuracy of the warnings depend on this data. The Live (and paid) version requires the user to keep the smartphone online in order to get warnings for all the events reported by the SpeedTraps community, in addition to the ones issued in the Lite version.

The poiplaza database includes speedcam locations from over 50 countries, of which we mention Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

SpeedTraps is expected to tap into the Blackberry, RIM, and Windows Phone 7 markets in the near future.

SpeedTraps was launched globally in May 2010 and in Romania in August. So far, the application has been downloaded by 46,800 international users and over 6,600 Romanian users.


WHERE CAN I GET SpeedTraps?

You can get SpeedTraps Lite for free from Downloads. Speed Trap Live is also available for 18 countries, but this number will soon increase to 40.


MAIN FEATURES

Using SpeedTraps, drivers can share important traffic information in real time. Traffic events can be made available to the entire SpeedTraps community, which can then confirm or deny such alerts. The alerts can also be shared through Twitter and Facebook.

• Proximity warning. The nearest speedcams are visible in the Show cams screen, along with the distance and speed limit parameters;
• Configurable search and proximity warning settings. The user can configure the alert range and the speedcam types that should be displayed;
• SpeedTraps and Twitter account settings. Users can reach their Facebook/Twitter network directly from SpeedTraps;
• Event reporting, available only after logging in to the application;
• Control of the traffic events displayed. From the list provided by the application, users can select which traffic events they wish to get warnings for;
• Management of the reported traffic events. The user can see and manage the list of traffic events she has reported;
• Automatic updating of traffic POI list (speedca

ms, traffic lights etc).


MAIN BENEFITS

Similar in features to other Traffic Event Warning systems, SpeedTraps outdoes its competitors with its large, highly intuitive icons, and logical and easy to use menus. The solution is also flawlessly programmed and easily scalable, meaning igt can be easily adjusted to meet evolving market demands.

Unlike its main rivals, SpeedTraps targets not only the high end of the market but also drivers who cannot afford to keep their smartphones online while on the road. At the time, the offline (or Lite) version of SpeedTraps issues warnings only when the driver approaches the detection range of a fixed speed camera included in the data from poiplaza.com, but further developments are likely to add new offline functionality.

The Live version for Nokia S60 only shows events on screen, unlike similar solutions like Trapster, which also display the map, thus increasing the network traffic and making it expensive to use for the consumer.


FIRST PRIZE FROM NOKIA For The Symbian Version of SpeedTraps

Nokia acknowledged the great potential of the SpeedTraps application developed by Arobs Transilvania by granting it the first prize in the Nokia 2010 Calling All Innovators Romania Competition. Arobs went on to win the ThinkGreen category of the MakeMyApp contest held in London on September 14 and 15, with the BioSeen solution.

If Nokia liked this application, it means it has a great potential.