SmartNav

4.0Mb

Free (plus £3.99 a month or £34.99 lifetime)

iPod control: No

Speed alerts: Pending

Trafficmaster’s SmartNav works differently to other systems. Instead of the mapping data being stored on the phone, it is pulled from a central database (hence the small file size), so it’s always up to date. It also takes into account live traffic conditions so that you receive the best possible route.

It’s easy to use; enter an address or postcode, or you can call a Personal Assistant who will find the destination for you if you don’t have a full address.

SmartNav doesn’t display a map, instead relying on spoken commands (which are surprisingly clear from the iPhone speakers) and simple onscreen directions.

You can’t review the route planned, although the system does speak it out at the start of the programme, which can be hard to take onboard, so you’re effectively working blind, which may put some drivers off.

If you choose the lifetime subscription, SmartNav is great value for money if you can manage without maps but do want live traffic rerouting.

Mobile Navigator

384.6Mb

£52.99

iPod control: Yes

Speed alerts: Yes

A fully featured sat-nav from Navigon which is let down by the fact that you have to pay extra (albeit only £1.19) for full UK postcode entry, which should be standard.

That apart, the system works well and has an attractive interface, although it is slow to respond at times when programming a destination.

The 3D mapping and audible instructions are very clear, and the screen automatically adjusts to night colours when light levels fall.

The system allows you to look up addresses from the iPhone’s address book (so long as they are correctly configured), and has a useful ‘Take me Home’ button plus the option of entering coordinates as a destination.

An expensive choice and not perfect, but it is well featured.

Co-Pilot Live 

268Mb

£26.99

iPod Control: Yes

Speed alerts: Yes

At about half the price of its competitors, Co-Pilot Live is great value for money and, generally, works well.

The controls aren’t as polished as that of the others, though, and look rather clunky. Get onto the mapping, however, and it looks fine, with attractive maps and clear instructions.

Occasionally, the routing isn’t as clever as we’d expect, with the sat-nav not choosing the obvious route to a destination. The app is also slow to start up.

There are lots of nice features, including a quick-to-access iPod controller and a link to your Address Book.

Co-Pilot Live may not be the slickest sat-nav app but it’s certainly worth considering if you want a budget set-up.

Total 911’s choice

TomTom 

316Mb

£59.99

iPod control: Yes

Speed alerts: Yes

If you’ve used a standalone TomTom, you’ll be familiar with the appearance of the iPhone app. It’s clear and simple to use, with a choice of voices and plenty of options.

The various screens are clearly displayed and simple to navigate through although, unlike the Navigon, the ‘Home’ button isn’t as quick to get to.

TomTom offers Advanced Route Planning, which lets you set departure and destination points in advance (as opposed to departing from your current location) and also choose whether you want the fastest or shortest route, and your maximum speed.

You can also select whether you are in a car, on a bicycle or walking, and the route and times will change accordingly.

For ease of use and efficiency of operation, TomTom has the edge on the other systems.

What about Maps?

The iPhone comes with Apple’s Maps app which hooks into Google Maps but is not ideal for use in the car as it doesn’t provide turn-by-turn directions. Maps is better suited to finding your way around a city by foot if you’re looking for, say, a local coffee shop.

Power source

All sat-nav apps suck battery power so, for all but the shortest trip, you’ll need some form of charger for your iPhone. Ideally, a cradle-type that also holds the phone within sight. You’ll also benefit from one that pips the sound through your car hifi – the volume from the iPhone’s speakers is limited.

GPS reception

For optimal GPS reception, your iPhone should be positioned under the windscreen, which means using a cradle, such as that sold by TomTom. You may manage with the phone sitting on the passenger seat, but the car’s steel roof can affect reception.

Porsche Picture It

Free

www.porsche.com

An official Porsche app, this allows you to take a photograph of your driveway and then superimpose your dream Porsche on it. You can change the size and angle of the car to create a realistic image. OK, not something you’d want to do every day perhaps, but it’s a bit of fun and surprisingly effective.

There’s also a very brief overview of the basic model range (911, Boxster, Cayman, Cayenne, Panamera) but no breakdown of the ranges – so no information on the GT3, for instance.

There’s also the option to schedule a test drive but only if you’re in the USA.

Porsche Archive

£1.79

www.porschearchive.com

Here’s a very own Porsche specialist in your pocket! A comprehensive database of every production Porsche from the first 356 of 1950 to today’s 997 Sport Classic. There are well over 120 models listed.

Each model is given a description, specification, a ‘how to spot’ note and a photograph.

There’s also a handy VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) decoder, that allows you to retrieve essential data on a particular Porsche.

There are no fancy effects or graphics, just a lot of great information, which is stored on the iPhone so it doesn’t require an Internet connection.

Dynolicious

www.bunsentech.com

£7.49

A dyno in your pocket is what this is. Wedge your iPhone into, say, a cupholder and the app will give you 0-60mph times, quarter-mile times, lateral acceleration, speed, braking force, horsepower at the wheel or crank (the latter being an estimate) and much more.

It achieves this by making clever use of the iPhone’s built-in accelerometers to sense the motion of the car. It doesn’t use GPS.

The app’s interface will display a range of graphs and data can be stored, analysed and exported.

TomTom

www.tomtom.com

£59.99

A number of turn-by-turn sat nav systems are now available for the iPhone and our favourite so far is from TomTom.

The app effectively turns your iPhone into a fully featured sat-nav system for less than the price of a standalone unit – and you’ll always have it with you.

It offers full postcode input and 3D mapping. At times, it’s a bit sluggish to respond when entering an address but, on the whole, it works as well as a dedicated TomTom sat-nav.

It does eat batteries, though, so an in-car charger is essential, as is a link to play the iPhone through your car stereo, so you can hear the instructions clearly. TomTom’s dedicated cradle is arriving very soon, which will do all this and also improve GPS reception.

Porsche Buying Guide

£1.79

www.porschearchive.com

This is essentially a self-help eBook that explains how you can own the Porsche of your dreams, simply by changing the way you think about car ownership. Choose carefully and a 911 can cost you less than a typical modern family saloon. Inspiring!

There are also brief guides to all the different models of Porsche ever made, and a pain-free overview of the complex numbering and naming methodology given to Porsches over the years. Ideal for newcomers to the marque.

In addition, the app includes brief buying guides to used and new Porsches.

Need for Speed

£2.99

www.eamobile.co.uk

OK, you may argue there’s no point playing driving games when you’ve got the real McCoy sitting in your garage, but for those moments when you have some time to waste and driving isn’t an option, then Need for Speed takes some beating.

We’ve picked it, not only because it’s one of the best driving games on the iPhone, it also gives a mouthwatering selection of cars to choose from, including a Porsche 997 GT2 and Carrera GT.

The graphics are impressive and the controls are easy to master, relying as they do on the iPhone’s built-in accelerometers. It’ll never match the thrill of driving a real Porsche at high speed, but it does come close.

Best of the rest

A few other iPhone apps that we rate:

Things: Time management app that helps ensure we get Total 911 out on time.

Netnewswire: RSS reader – keep up to date with news sites and blogs, including Total 911’s.

eBay: A great way of tracking those auctions for 911 bits.

Tweetdeck: Twitter client that enables us to keep readers up to speed on our antics.

Converter: So just how fast is 300km/h?

Shazam: Identifies that obscure song on the car radio.

XpenseTracker: Keeps track of all the fuel we put into 911s.

What are your favourite iPhone apps? Do let us know!

It’s a tough, clear coating that is easily applied to clean wheels with a cloth. Once hardened, dust and grime is said to be easier to wash off, using nothing more than soapy water, and the metal is safe from corrosive salt and brake dust.

A 60ml bottle of Wheel Guard costs £19.99, but Total 911 has three bottles to give away free to lucky readers. To be in with the chance of winning one, simply send your name and address to editorial@total911.co.uk, marking your email ‘Wheel Guard giveaway’. The senders of the first three emails picked at random after the closing date of 14th January 2010 will each receive a bottle of Wheel Guard.

www.spautopia.co.uk

We were caught out recently with a 996 that had a flat battery – because the luggage compartment (where the battery is kept) is opened via an electrically operated release, this meant applying a 12-volt supply to an emergency contact within the fusebox (in the driver’s footwell) to get into the boot.

Suitably caught out, we’re now using a CTEK Multi XS 3600 charger to keep the 996’s battery topped up. It’s an intelligent charger in that it monitors the battery and ensures that just enough charge is delivered as required, unlike basic chargers that constantly supply current to the battery. This means that the XS 3600 is safe to leave connected to the car and unattended for long periods. Find out more at www.cteck.com 

The CTEK Multi XS 3600 costs £54.99 but we have five to give away. To be in with the chance of winning one, simply send your name and address to editorial@total911.co.uk, marking your email ‘Charger giveaway’. The senders of the first five emails picked at random after the closing date of 14th January 2010 will each receive a prize charger.

However, we’ve now found one that does. The clumsily named CarDock FM Follow Me plugs into the cigarette socket (tricky but doable with a 997, fine with a 996) and is a charging cradle for an iPhone or iPod.

In addition, it links to the stereo via a small FM transmitter – simply tune your car radio the correct frequency.

Information about the iPod track being played is shown on a small screen on the dock and also on your car stereo’s RDS display.

CarDock is claimed to transmit speech from ’some’ sat-nav apps. Sadly, though, it doesn’t work with our TomTom app.

What’s more, there’s noticeable interference from the phone over the FM radio, which is annoying.

CarDock is good but is no substitute for a real wired-in iPod link. It costs £49.99.

Are you getting the best from your iPod? If you’re using the standard earbuds, then you’re not.

We realised this after trying a pair of Atomic Floyd TwistJax headphones – the improvement in sound quality is astonishing, with a marked improvement in response across the dynamic range, and in clarity, too.

The TwistJax also looks amazing. Instead of the usual plastic, the units are made from knurled steel, which gives them a technical look and feel, and there’s a 24-carat gold jack plug.

The earbuds themselves will twist 180 degrees to ensure a comfortable fit.

And if all this wasn’t cool enough, the headphones come complete with a leather storage pouch.

www.atomicfloyd.com
£129.00