Cobra is adding a new radar detector to its lineup with the RAD 490i, and it is not the only update on the way. The company is also preparing a substantial firmware update for the existing Cobra RAD 700i, with both updates centered on the same promise: faster alerts, longer range, and fewer of the false alarms that can make some radar detectors feel like nervous backseat drivers.
The Escort MAX 360 MKII is a high-performance radar detector that is packed with advanced features and cutting-edge technology. I know what some of you are thinking, radar detector? Do people still use those? To be completely honest, I myself have not used one in more than twenty years. Are they worth using? In a nutshell, it depends.
The Escort MAX 360c radar and laser detector were released five years ago. Made to integrate perfectly into vehicles with their own WiFi hotspots for real-time alerts and ticket threats, the Max 360c gave drivers 360º protection with intuitive onscreen arrows that displayed the direction of threats relative to the driver’s vehicle. It was a hit! The Escort MAX 360c MKII builds upon the original’s success with an all-new internal platform and more powerful components, including a new Blackfin DSP chip that provides faster response times and a 50% improvement on the original model’s detection range.
If you’ve been holding off on buying a radar detector, waiting for the absolute latest and greatest, you’ll be interested to know that the ESCORT MAX 360c MKII is out today. If even faster response times, even further detection range, and fewer false alerts sound good to you, you will want to check it out.
My first Escort radar detector was a boxy black contraption that had a volume dial, analog radar signal strength meter, highway/city toggle switch, and an alert light on its front … and that’s it. Thirty-six years later, I’ve got the Escort MAXcam 360c in for review. This current generation Escort may still be a bit of a boxy black contraption, but it offers useful features above and beyond simply detecting police radar that can help improve a driver’s situational awareness and safety, both on the road and in some cases, even when their vehicle is parked.
Some people habitually drive too fast. For them, a good Radar Detector is a great way to keep tickets at bay. For me, however, a good radar detector is an effective reminder to pay attention and watch my speed. The K40 RLS2 Radar/Laser Detector is just such a tool, and it is an impressive one for speed demons and for me!
I’ve been using radar detectors since the 80s — any brand you can think of, I’ve tried it. Every one of them, except for the K40 CALIBRE system that I reviewed in 2005, was a windshield or mirror-mounted unit. Eleven years later, K40 is still the company I look to when something custom installed is desired.
Dan and I both absolutely love our Escort Passport Max radar detectors; he originally reviewed it, and then I wrote a follow-up post about the way I use mine in conjunction with the Smart Cord Live. Now Escort has released the upgraded Passport Max2.
Dan reviewed the Escort Passport MAX not too long ago, and he concluded that it gave “far fewer false alerts than any other radar detector [he had] used.” That’s one of several reasons I had almost stopped using radar detectors years ago, but recently I’ve revisited this old-school solution because of several new features.
Escort’s Passport Max is the best radar detector I have ever used. It looks great, sounds good, and works extremely well — signaling only if there’s a real issue. (Read my review, and keep an eye out for Judie’s “second look” post!) I was, however, missing the active real-time connection with traffic information. The Escort SmartCord Live! fixes that.
I recently reviewed (and was blown away by) the Escort Passport Max. This next-gen radar detector cuts down on false alerts and helps keep me safe while driving. Now Escort has introduced limited edition versions in awesome new colors and designs; Judie has the wood-burl design coming for use with her Denali. For now, click through for a quick look.
Unlike my wife and father-in-law, I’m not a particularly fast driver, but I still appreciate knowing when there is a speed trap looking to snare unsuspecting drivers. For the last two years, I’ve used an iOS-enabled unit. When I started reviewing the PASSPORT Max, a next-gen detector, last week I suddenly realized just how many false positives I was getting.
I had a chance to see the new Passport MAX from Escort last night. It is a huge leap forward in radar detector technologies. It is so advanced that it just one “Best New Product” at SEMA. With scanning technologies that separates real threats from RF interference, the MAX “sees what others can’t”. We will have much more soon.
Last October I reviewed the Cobra iRadar iOS 200 radar detector. This system is a combination of an iRadar application and accompanying hardware. It is an interesting solution in that the radar detector itself works quite well on its own but becomes far more powerful when paired with and connected to a mobile device. It obviously impressed me since I continue to use it on a daily basis. (You can read the full review here.) Now the company has come out with the next generation of the hardware/app combination. The iRadar ATOM radar detector is smaller and more powerful. Let’s…
The iPhone is the great disruptor of personal electronics. It has crushed the stand-alone camcorder, taken a huge bite out of the point-and-shoot camera market and made buying an after-market automotive video entertainment system a ridiculous waste of money. And, issues with Apple maps aside, thanks to the iPhone there is less reason to buy a stand alone GPS unit. The list goes on and on. Yes, the iPhone (and other smartphones) turned many once must-have products into “why have” items of yesteryear. There are, however, some rare occasions when the iPhone not only doesn’t disrupt the need for a…