iRadar uses social networking to warn of speed traps

One of the coolest, most devious gadgets to come from this year’s International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), is the Cobra iRadar. While traffic officers will be fuming about this device, users will be elated. No more bulky over-sized device in your windscreen that is like a magnet for the law, but a tucked away over-the-air futuristic gadget that will make life easier. And avoid speeding fines.

This radar detector uses your smartphone as its primary display and control, pushing info to your device via Bluetooth and can be tucked away under the hood, out of sight. The app that controls and communicates with iRadar is free for download for iOS and Android, and uses crowd sourcing to gather info about speed traps, red light cameras, important traffic info and dangerous intersections.

The app collects information from both users and iRadar detectors. You can even use the apps information as a unpaid user, although info from the radar detectors won’t be available, only the user-generated reports. But it does more than just detect radar, it shows various other info relating to your travels. Worried about the legal issues around a gadget like this? Radar detectors are legal almost everywhere, but having one hidden away will just be a lot easier when it comes to avoiding disgruntled traffic officers. Why this has taken so long to be integrated with a smartphone is criminal…