118 replies to this topic

[PaulOBrien]

[teaser]

CamerAware is now available!

What is CamerAware?

CamerAware is an application for your Windows Mobile Smartphone / Pocket PC that works in tandem with an internal, wired or Bluetooth GPS to monitor your position as you drive, and alert you when you come in range of a 'Safety Camera'.

By checking your position every second against a database of known cameras, CamerAware can help you be a safer driver, and of course help protect you against fines and penalty points for inadvertently speeding past a Camera.

A CamerAware licence, sold at a one-off fee of �19.99 (�9.99 for MoDaCo Plus members), includes lifetime application updates, as well as a FREE licence to the MoDaCo Camera database - a database that is officially licenced from one of the best known suppliers of Safety Camera locations, together with CamerAware customisations. The database provides excellent UK coverage and partial European coverage, with over 10,000 cameras! USA support is also planned for future updates.

What do I need to run CamerAware?

The follow platforms are suitable for use with MoDaCo CamerAware:

- Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC 320x240 (Portrait or Landscape)
- Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC 640x480 (Portrait or Landscape)
- Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC 240x240 (Square Screen)

- Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone 320x240 (Portrait or Landscape)
- Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone 176x220 (Portrait)

- Windows Mobile 2003 / SE Pocket PC 320x240 (Portrait or Landscape)

In addition to a supported device, you will require GPS hardware, either integrated, wired or Bluetooth.

Visit the 'CamerAware Requirements' topic if you would like to know more about the requirements!

How do I know if my particular device / Bluetooth configuration is supported?

The best way to be sure that your configuration is supported before purchasing the application is to try it! CamerAware can be downloaded and installed free of charge, allowing you to check that it connects to your GPS and runs correctly. When you are happy that this is the case, you can then purchase a serial number and activation code to enable alerting functionality.

With the base CamerAware download, you can connect to your GPS, see your speed and heading, and be sure that it is working correctly.

Will CamerAware work with my navigation software?

CamerAware is designed to run as a standalone application, rather than to integrate or run alongside any navigation software. However, CamerAware is designed in such a way that should you choose to run it at the same time as your navigation software, it may well work, although this is an unsupported configuration.[/teaser]

Are you going to be updating CamerAware in the future?

Yes! We are constantly improving and updating CamerAware, and there is already a list of features that are planned for future releases! As a CamerAware customer, you will also be able to input into it's development!

CamerAware includes an online update feature in the application itself, enabling you to instantly check for - and install - new releases.

How often is the Camera database updated?

The Camera database is generally updated at least once a month, sometimes even more often! The Camera database too can also be downloaded directly within the application itself, over-the-air!

What does CamerAware look like?

Look at the picture above CamerAware is fully skinnable, so if you so desire, you can make it look however you want! You can also fully customise the CamerAware alert sounds. More screenshots area available in the 'CamerAware Screenshots' topic.

Anything else?

CamerAware also offers the facility to upload your position to our servers once every minute, in great detail! If you are on a flat rate data plan, this allows you to publish your location, and is very cool! The interface is currently very simple, although significant enhancements are planned in the future.

One last thing... how do I get support?

Support is available via the MoDaCo CamerAware forum at MoDaCo, where you will receive excellent support from the development team, and your peers. This is also the place to suggest new features for version 2

OK, i'm ready to go... where do I get it?

Check out the 'Complete getting started with CamerAware guide'.

When you are ready to purchase, please visit the 'Buying Cameraware' page.

[agent.m]

Nice One!! Pity I dont drive...yet  

[everton2004]

Looking good.....shame us WM2003SE users aren't invited to the party!  

[encece]

For those in the US who didn't know what speed cameras were....though you could guess by the name. Thought I'd save you some time looking it up. Taken from this site:
http://www.iihs.org/..._lawenf.html#14

What are speed cameras?
These are electronic devices operated by police to enforce speed limits. Speed cameras, also known as photo radar, monitor the speeds of passing vehicles and are programmed to photograph vehicles traveling a set amount above the speed limit. Unlike other methods of traffic law enforcement, speed cameras do not require offending motorists to be pulled over. There are two methods for deploying speed cameras. Mobile speed cameras are manned by police and moved around among various locations; fixed cameras are unmanned and photograph vehicles speeding at specific roadway locations. Speed cameras have been used for more than 30 years in countries including Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, and Taiwan.

Are speed cameras widely used in the United States?
Speed cameras have been used on a limited basis by US police. Cameras currently are in use in Arizona, California, Colorado, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, and the District of Columbia. Speed cameras in action

Do speed cameras reduce travel speeds?
A 2002 Institute study reported that within 6 months of the implementation of speed cameras in the District of Columbia in 2001, average speeds declined 14 percent and the proportion of vehicles exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 mph declined 82 percent.8 In Garland, Utah, a speed camera system plus extensive media coverage and strong support by city officials successfully reduced average speeds in a 20 mph school zone from 36 to 22 mph.9 Crashes and injuries had been high in the school zone, but 8 months after camera installation there were fewer crashes and not a single injury collision.

Are speed cameras used to ticket motorists going 1 or 2 mph faster than the speed limit?
No. Speed cameras usually are programmed so they will not be activated unless a vehicle is traveling significantly faster than the posted limit — often 10 mph faster. A visible police presence typically accompanies photo radar in the United States to maximize the deterrent effect. Portable units are placed at the roadside in or near a marked police car, and signs usually announce that photo radar is in use.

Does the public support the use of speed cameras?
Public opinion regarding speed cameras is an important factor in the formulation of related traffic laws and enforcement policies. A telephone survey was conducted 9 months after speed cameras were introduced in Washington, DC.10 Almost two-thirds of drivers said speeding was a problem. Considerable awareness of speed cameras was found; 51 percent of drivers favored cameras and 36 percent opposed them. Support for camera enforcement was higher among middle-age and older drivers, among drivers who had not received a speeding ticket in the mail and did not know anyone who had, and among drivers who said speeding was a problem.

How effective are speed cameras in reducing speeds and crashes?
In Victoria, Australia, speed cameras were introduced in late 1989, and police reported that within 3 months the number of offenders triggering photo radar decreased 50 percent.11 The percentage of vehicles significantly exceeding the speed limit decreased from about 20 percent in 1990 to fewer than 4 percent in 1994. A Norwegian study found that injury crashes were reduced by 20 percent on sections of rural roads with cameras.12 Research from British Columbia, Canada, showed a 7 percent decline in crashes and 20 percent fewer deaths the first year cameras were used. The proportion of speeding vehicles declined from 66 percent to fewer than 40 percent, and researchers attributed a 10 percent decline in daytime injuries to photo radar.13 A detailed analysis of speed camera enforcement in Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom, reported that injury crashes in the immediate vicinity of camera sites were reduced 46 percent.14 One of the most ambitious efforts to control traffic speeds on a heavily traveled urban highway is on the M25, which circles London.15 Speed cameras are used in conjunction with a system of variable speed limits that are adjusted based on weather and traffic conditions. There were 28 percent fewer injury crashes during the first year of the program; preliminary data for the second year indicate that such improvements are being maintained.

And here are states/cities currently using speed cameras, as of July 2006:
Communities with speed cameras

Arizona: Mesa, Paradise Valley, Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe

California: San Jose

Colorado: Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins

District of Columbia

Iowa: Davenport

New Mexico: Albuquerque

North Carolina: Charlotte-Mecklenburg

Ohio: Northwood, Toledo,  Oregon, Beaverton, Medford, Portland

Tennessee: Jackson, Red Bank

[PaulOBrien]

Support for WM2003SE is now included

P

[paholman]

I don't intend to sound negative here, and I'm sure this is a great product, but there appears to be an alternative that's been around for some time.

If it requires a GPS receiver, then you've most likely already got navigation software such as TomTom.  There is already a plugin database for Navigation software than contains over 10,000 Speed Cameras (more than quoted above) and is not a seperate standalone application.  It alerts you of speed cameras whilst following your planned routes inside the Navigation software itself.

Check this websitefor more details

They have since started a subscription service to download the database. I downloaded this when it was free a couple of years ago, and haven't passed a speed camera yet, that wasn't in this database.  There is also the option to change the alert sounds to match the speed cameras - See Here.

It's only my personal opinion, but I would prefer this approach especially as I use the Navigation software most of the time.  Running CamerAware seperately to the Navigation Software seems overkill in my opinion.

Unfortunately for CamerAware, TomTom 6 also appears to include the latest Speed Camera database. See here

Sorry   but as I have the database feature inside my TomTom 5 software, I don't have a requirement for this CamerAware software.

Edited by paholman, 20 September 2006 - 08:12 AM.

[PaulOBrien]

Quote

If it requires a GPS receiver, then you've most likely already got navigation software such as TomTom. There is already a plugin database for Navigation software than contains over 10,000 Speed Cameras (more than quoted above) and is not a seperate standalone application. It alerts you of speed cameras whilst following your planned routes inside the Navigation software itself.

We are licencing the PGPS database, so you're not getting more cameras from them than you are with us We're then supplementing this data with our own too.

Many people (myself included) have either integrated navigation in the car, or a PND such as TomTom Go.

This application caters for those people, has more functionality than running a database directly in TomTom (such as support for Camera direction), and will co-exist with navigation applications in the future.

Quote

They have since started a subscription service to download the database. I downloaded this when it was free a couple of years ago, and haven't passed a speed camera yet, that wasn't in this database. There is also the option to change the alert sounds to match the speed cameras - See Here.

There are plenty of cameras not in the old free database, some in the database where the data is wrong, and if you're not paying, it's just going to get worse. With CamerAware, you can always get the latest database, and over the air too.

You can change the alert sounds on CamerAware too.

Quote

Sorry unsure.gif but as I have the database feature inside my TomTom 5 software, I don't have a requirement for this CamerAware software.

You're not the target market for this initial release then are you

Finally, don't forget the added features we'll be bolting on to CamerAware such as position upload (already available in a simple form), friend locating, instant upload / download of mobile camera sites on the current day, FREE travel / weather within a certain radius of your position etc. etc.

P

[Ged_UK]

Sorry to be cynical, but if you want to not get caught by speed cameras, don't speed.

Great product though!

[PaulOBrien]

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone

I don't think there's any drivers out there who can say they never ever speed inadvertently.

Remember, Safety Cameras are there to make the places they are sited safer... and by alerting you to them, CamerAware makes you safer too.

We have a policy of NOT including Red Light cameras in the database for that exact reason (unlike many databases).

P

[tsutton]

 Paul (MVP), on Sep 19 2006, 10:03, said:

You need to ensure you have an outgoing COM port set up on your device linked to the GPS, and ensure Bluetooth is on if appropriate.

And make sure that the 'Secure Connection' is unchecked.

It didn't work for me when it was enabled.

Just a head up.

[travisb]

 tsutton, on Sep 20 2006, 09:38, said:

And make sure that the 'Secure Connection' is unchecked.

It didn't work for me when it was enabled.

Just a head up.

To quote Alan Partridge - "A-ha". I think I've just discovered where my problems lie (well, with CamerAware anyway)  

The test builds have been driving me round the bend, if you'll pardon the pun, but I have Secure Connection selected on my outgoing port. Will try with the official release and see what happens.

Cheers

[tsutton]

 travisb, on Sep 20 2006, 09:50, said:

The test builds have been driving me round the bend, if you'll pardon the pun, but I have Secure Connection selected on my outgoing port. Will try with the official release and see what happens.

You're not alone, I did have the same problem when I was testing it and at the end of the day, I cracked it - by unticking it. And it works.

I told Paul about it but he must have forgotten to add that bit in his announcement.

[Miniman99]

Cameraware is different to TomTom POI alerts.

TomTom is a navigator with a feature that tells you about interesting points of interest - in this case safety camera's.  Personally I find that in my region where I'll travel a route I know, but roads that I don't use often, I don't need to be told which junction to turn off at (TomTom), but do need to know about the latest safety camera installed or mobile position.  So TomTom only tells you there is a camera about.

Cameraware has more features than TomTom POI's.  Features I find useful
An alert as to the type of camera.  Truvelo's and mobiles need to be watched out for before you get to them - mobiles more so as you need to watch for a van or police car.
Speed of the road the camera is set at.  It's no good being told about a camera and not knowing the speed limit that it's set to.
Visual indicator (red,yellow, green) to make you aware that camera's are in the area.
Current speed.  Useful for instant checking when you are passing a camera - car speedo's are typically a % out from real road speed.  GPS based speed indicators are more accurate.

TomTom is all well and good for letting you know about a camera - but if you want more, and better, information without being told to turn let into your street everyday, choose something like Cameraware.

[paholman]

 Paul (MVP), on Sep 20 2006, 09:00, said:

We are licencing the PGPS database, so you're not getting more cameras from them than you are with us We're then supplementing this data with our own too.

Many people (myself included) have either integrated navigation in the car, or a PND such as TomTom Go.

This application caters for those people, has more functionality than running a database directly in TomTom (such as support for Camera direction), and will co-exist with navigation applications in the future.
There are plenty of cameras not in the old free database, some in the database where the data is wrong, and if you're not paying, it's just going to get worse. With CamerAware, you can always get the latest database, and over the air too.

You can change the alert sounds on CamerAware too.
You're not the target market for this initial release then are you

Finally, don't forget the added features we'll be bolting on to CamerAware such as position upload (already available in a simple form), friend locating, instant upload / download of mobile camera sites on the current day, FREE travel / weather within a certain radius of your position etc. etc.

P

Apologies. I did seem to have posted in words my initial reaction to this, without actually thinking about the possibilities.

I do like the product, and the way it looks, and am trying to convince myself why I would need it.  

So for £20, I can have access to the latest GPS database (that can be also used for my TomTom 5) and this CamerAware software too?    

P.S Paul: Was this the secret project that diverted you way from the long awaited Programming For Beginners Tutorial?  

[paholman]

 Miniman99, on Sep 20 2006, 11:02, said:

Cameraware is different to TomTom POI alerts.

TomTom is a navigator with a feature that tells you about interesting points of interest - in this case safety camera's.  Personally I find that in my region where I'll travel a route I know, but roads that I don't use often, I don't need to be told which junction to turn off at (TomTom), but do need to know about the latest safety camera installed or mobile position.  So TomTom only tells you there is a camera about.

Cameraware has more features than TomTom POI's.  Features I find useful
An alert as to the type of camera.  Truvelo's and mobiles need to be watched out for before you get to them - mobiles more so as you need to watch for a van or police car.
Speed of the road the camera is set at.  It's no good being told about a camera and not knowing the speed limit that it's set to.
Visual indicator (red,yellow, green) to make you aware that camera's are in the area.
Current speed.  Useful for instant checking when you are passing a camera - car speedo's are typically a % out from real road speed.  GPS based speed indicators are more accurate.

TomTom is all well and good for letting you know about a camera - but if you want more, and better, information without being told to turn let into your street everyday, choose something like Cameraware.

TomTom 5 does tell you your current speed, and you don't have to set a route to use the POI camera alerts, so you can use the TomTom POI's without being told to turn left etc...

I do agree that CamerAware looks better for a Speed Camera only App and will be great when it does interact with the Navigator software.

I'm already toying with the idea, and am willing giving it a whirl.  

I am ready to eat my words (provided I can put ketchup on them)  

[PaulOBrien]

 paholman, on Sep 20 2006, 11:05, said:

So for £20, I can have access to the latest GPS database (that can be also used for my TomTom 5) and this CamerAware software too?     <_<

No, the camera database with CamerAware is proprietary and only usable with CamerAware.

 paholman, on Sep 20 2006, 11:05, said:

Admittedly, this software would be quicker to use if I didn't need the navigator to know where was going.

You mean if you had a seperate nav device or a car with integrated navigation?

 paholman, on Sep 20 2006, 11:05, said:

P.S Paul: Was this the secret project that diverted you way from the long awaited Programming For Beginners Tutorial?  

No

P

[Thumper Net]

Paul does cameraware also cover the netherlands ? or is that coming soon , as i have a camera app built into tomtom which covers the nl and is a free update , but i dont always want tomtom on to see them , if you do not have the nl covered then let me know and i will give you the site address where maybe the data might be able to be used in your fab app  

[paholman]

 Paul (MVP), on Sep 20 2006, 11:28, said:

You mean if you had a seperate nav device or a car with integrated navigation?

P

Not exactly, If I was using my GPS device to connect with TomTom 5 (Smartphone) for unknown routes, then I would use the POI's for speed cameras as it is within the same application.

If I just wanted to be alerted for speed cameras for routes I am familiar with, then I would say I think I would prefer CamerAware, rather than load TomTom (not plan a a route) and use POI Camera feature.

 Paul (MVP), on Sep 20 2006, 11:28, said:

So for £20, I can have access to the latest GPS database (that can be also used for my TomTom 5) and this CamerAware software too? dry.gif

No, the camera database with CamerAware is proprietary and only usable with CamerAware.

Ok, eagerly awaiting the TomTom integrated version of CamerAware already then

[PaulOBrien]

Peekie, here's the NL coverage...

P

[PaulOBrien]

Theoretically, if both TomTom and CamerAware connected to the Windows Mobile 5 shared GPS port, they could co-exist...

CamerAware could run in the background, and it already brings itself automagically to the front when a red-alert scenario happens.

Any guinea pigs?

P