Tuesday 1st June 2004

New Road Angel Launched

Fancy new unit launched by Blackspot

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Road Angel have launched their latest device which incorporates both GPS tracking of speed traps and a laser detection device to alert of mobile traps.

The new, prettier unit is still dashtop mounted and has extra features like reporting your GPS calculated speed and speech alerts.

Price is £399.99 and it's available from www.blackspot.com/

[DustyC]

They are selling it for £369 at the show.
Anyone know of anywhere on the net that it can be bought cheap?

[Plotloss]

Oh they changed that then.

I asked on Thursday and got told £399.

Then asked if there was any show discount and got told no.

Then muttered something about how they were missing out on loads of sales because it will be less than retail on the web etc.

Now they lower it!

Marvellous

[Plotloss]

Oh they changed that then.

I asked on Thursday and got told £399.

Then asked if there was any show discount and got told no.

Then muttered something about how they were missing out on loads of sales because it will be less than retail on the web etc.

Now they lower it!

Marvellous

[DustyC]

They definitly told me £369 but I decided not to buy it at the show despite them teasing me with leather mini skirted lasses, a 360, Murchy-a-lego, and a GT3RS.

At least I guess they were free gifts.

I decided not to because I thought Id come home and look on the web and find it for a lot less.
But I havent.

Please someone point me in the right direction.

Thanks.

[dai capp]

Dusty,

What do you estimate the dimensions of it are - I'm trying to work out how/where to mount it in the Cerbie without it looking cack...

I also need to suss out cabling so there aren't leads hanging all over the place - I take it that it it only needs a power lead given that the laser alert is built in...

Cheers

DC

[DustyC]

front and rear laser alert built in.

Size, urm, it fits in the palm of my hand.
Size may be on one of the websites but Id guess at 5x5x10 cm

mounting; it comes with a windscreen sucker mount and I decided that Id use this and have it stuck just behind/below the rear view mirror on the Griff in order to get both front and rear lasers and not ruin the dashboard curves.
I reckon mounting on the Cerbie would be the same.

[dai capp]

DustyC said:

front and rear laser alert built in. Size, urm, it fits in the palm of my hand. Size may be on one of the websites but Id guess at 5x5x10 cm mounting; it comes with a windscreen sucker mount and I decided that Id use this and have it stuck just behind/below the rear view mirror on the Griff in order to get both front and rear lasers and not ruin the dashboard curves. I reckon mounting on the Cerbie would be the same.

Thanks for that...

DC

[shnozz]

whilst the new unit definately looks neater, I dont particularly like the idea of the inbuilt laser detector as it dictates where you can put the display screen. I know that unless my RA is in the line of my vision I barely notice when it turns to red. Relying on the noises isn't recommended with a V8...

add to that the fact the pricing of the updates is now £99 for 3 years rather than a lifetime membership and I would be inclined to look for a bargain RA version 1.

but then its not as shiney is it

[DustyC]

Good points shnozz. (BTW: you have voice mail)

The new unit does also have a speed limiter warning, dgital compass, fancy display icons, bling blang blong, and some other stuff which I have already forgotten.

I think its the one I'll go for since its easy to transfer between cars.

[shnozz]

DustyC said:

Good points shnozz. (BTW: you have voice mail) The new unit does also have a speed limiter warning, dgital compass, fancy display icons, bling blang blong, and some other stuff which I have already forgotten. I think its the one I'll go for since its easy to transfer between cars.

probs with my mobile mate but will try and get it

nice use of the word bling in your description of the new RA

I bought the RA to warn me of scameras so not that fussed by things such as a compass to be honest. Although I do see the point about transferring it from car to car, but then I have 2 golf ball laser detectors and 2 power cables, so just unplug the RA and move it car to car with no probs.

I think the bit that really gets me about the new unit is the fact that I couldnt mount it where i want to mount it (and indeed where I have it mounted in both the Rover and the chim already). In the rover for example it sits in the area by the speedo which isnt above dash level so if it was the RA 2 it wouldnt have a hope of picking up laser, even if you have already been caught

I agree the new unit looks better mind you, although dare i say it even more attractive to scrotes if you do leave it anywhere. Its rare that i leave the car with it in but at least its less bling and doesnt stand out to scumbags

[Julian64]

When is someone going to launch a unit that combines the obvious navigation and speed camera warning?

[DustyC]

Julian64 said:

When is someone going to launch a unit that combines the obvious navigation and speed camera warning?

yeah. Here, here.

[Don]

Julian64 said:

When is someone going to launch a unit that combines the obvious navigation and speed camera warning?

Absolutely. If you want to do this at the moment you need a PDA based system so you can run multiple applications.

What I want is a device like my NAVMAN iCN 630 which has a few new settings:

a) Avoid cameras on the route altogether
b) Don't avoid cameras but warn me when I am near them
c) Don't avoid cameras. Don't warn me.

[ledfoot]

shnozz said:

whilst the new unit definately looks neater, I dont particularly like the idea of the inbuilt laser detector as it dictates where you can put the display screen.

You can purchase external laser sensors.

It uses the same golf ball one as the Mk1 RA.

[CarZee]

Don said:

What I want is a device like my NAVMAN iCN 630 which has a few new settings: a) Avoid cameras on the route altogether b) Don't avoid cameras but warn me when I am near them c) Don't avoid cameras. Don't warn me.

You're underestimating your NavMan - it already has option (c)

[dubaiguy]

This new Angel unit has caught up with the SNOOPER NEO S4 ........ the NEO certainly isn't as 'pretty' but it has all the same features and is smaller and much less costly.
As for the laser detector ........ what's the point apart from warning you that you have just been nicked and will duly receive a summons for speeding (if you were). If you have laser diffusers fitted as well, then again ........ what's the point, as the diffusers will alert you anyway AND stop the Police laser getting a reading.

>> Edited by dubaiguy on Wednesday 2nd June 06:28

[RichyJ]

I got myself one of the new Road Angel units at the motorshow today, it's a very nice unit. Only thing I'm uncertain about is the GPS speedo, which seems a bit pessimistic compared to the proper one in my car (Underreads by about 6mph)

[shnozz]

RichyJ said:

I got myself one of the new Road Angel units at the motorshow today, it's a very nice unit. Only thing I'm uncertain about is the GPS speedo, which seems a bit pessimistic compared to the proper one in my car (Underreads by about 6mph)

i know which one i would take as the correct reading....

Car speedos cannot underread...

[RichyJ]

It's the RA which underreads, or the car overreads... I'm thinking the car speedo is the one to believe.

[shnozz]

RichyJ said:

It's the RA which underreads, or the car overreads... I'm thinking the car speedo is the one to believe.

Sorry, thats the point I was making. Car speedos cannot underread so they are either accurate or overread. The RA runs off GPS. The debate has come up before about how accurate the GPS is but I would be inclined to believe the GPS over the speedo.