Ibike dash

[NCH1]

I think this must be the new ibike development John has been working on:

http://www.floridaracingmagazine.com/

Nik

[Velocomp]

Much more info to come on Thursday...

[rcmaps]

Looks awesome!

Although a bit pricey compared to iBike but if you have the iphone - you get GPS and a tracklog with the appropriate software I guess.

Weight weenies may prefer a lighter iBike than an iphone or ipod touch though for similar features.

[ldmitruk]

Looks interesting. But I wonder what they have in store for those of us poor schmucks that haven't got or aren't planning on getting an iPhone or iPad.

[nigeld]

iBike 5 software
New design for the wind port
No tilt cal, wind cal or cal ride required

Let's have some trickle down to the Gen IV!

http://www.ibikesports.com//ibikedash/i ... power.html

[ScottChapman]

Dang. I wonder when the Android version will come out...

[rcmaps]

There's even a trade in option for iBike owners.
Presumably GPS and maps functionality is only limited to iPhones as iPod Touch doesn't have GPS?

Or is it like the Tom Tom car mount with a built in GPS chip enabling iPod Touch use?

[Steve_Davidson]

There's even a trade in option for iBike owners.
Presumably GPS and maps functionality is only limited to iPhones as iPod Touch doesn't have GPS?

Or is it like the Tom Tom car mount with a built in GPS chip enabling iPod Touch use?

It looks cool I would imagine the ipod touch battery life would be better than the iphone version since it doesn't have GPS or phone systems working at the same time.

I reckon this is just the thing for turbo training. Love the look of the dashboard graphics.

Steve

[Morocco Mole]

Dang. I wonder when the Android version will come out...

+1, problem will be which device to support for the mount\pod, as there a so many new Android phones coming onto the market.

[ldmitruk]

Dang. I wonder when the Android version will come out...

+1, problem will be which device to support for the mount\pod, as there a so many new Android phones coming onto the market.

Agreed. Now if they come out with something similar that allows you to combine a Garmin Edge 705 and iBike together on a single mount that would be nice.

[rcmaps]

Dang. I wonder when the Android version will come out...

+1, problem will be which device to support for the mount\pod, as there a so many new Android phones coming onto the market.

Agreed. Now if they come out with something similar that allows you to combine a Garmin Edge 705 and iBike together on a single mount that would be nice.

That's probably not too hard to do - all it needs is a GPS chip in the current hardware and the appropriate software. Alternatively, they could try and place the GPS chip within the bike mount. I'd always thought that this would be the next logical step forward for Velocomp - but they'd leapfrogged that idea by using iphone and ipod touch! Nice!

[jazclrint]

I have the Garmin solution. Make it compatible with the Garmin phone. Real GPS + iBike power meter + smart phone. I've asked fellow riders and read some reviews and the GPSs on the iPhones are not all that hot. I think the Garmin phone would be an awesome solution, once they get the thing working a little better.

[coachboyd]

The problem with using any other product is that there are multiple hardware devices that will run the software.
Android is on tons of phones, so you would need mounts/connectors for each.

You can't (legally) run the iPhone OS on any other phone besides an iPhone so there is only one mount needed.

Believe me, I want an Android system as well. The only option for that would be for us to develop the entire handheld device and then run the Android OS on it (like you can do with tablet computers or GPS systems). But development costs for that would be very prohibitive.

With the popularity and single hardware system Apple has established, it's the logical choice for launching a groundbreaking power meter.
Plus, even if you don't have AT&T, the iPod touch can be bought pretty inexpensive

[Russ]

CoachBoyd said:
Plus, even if you don't have AT&T, the iPod touch can be bought pretty inexpensive

Well that sounds maybe ok. I have verizon etc.... What can I do with an iPod touch on the new iBike dash without AT&T? I mean the only way data transfer has been stated to work is by email and from the Apple itunes store, I assume via AT&T.
So if I were to buy and iPod touch (is that the cheapest solution?) and a dash, just how usable is it and what can I not do?

Thanks,
Russ

[racerfern]

Russ,

I've done some beta testing with the iDash software on my iTouch. I was able to save the ride data and email it to myself using WiFi. I happened to be at home but as long as you have a WiFi connection there's no reason it can't happen anywhere.

The GPS function wouldn't be enabled in an iTouch but everything else should work. FWIW, even on my iTouch I can use Google Maps. I don't have the accuracy of GPS but I do get a good idea of where I am based on the multitude of WiFi locations that the iTouch finds.

[rcmaps]

Russ,

I've done some beta testing with the iDash software on my iTouch....
The GPS function wouldn't be enabled in an iTouch but everything else should work. FWIW, even on my iTouch I can use Google Maps. I don't have the accuracy of GPS but I do get a good idea of where I am based on the multitude of WiFi locations that the iTouch finds.

Hey racerfern,

That's interesting, I don't have an iphone but have the ipod Touch instead. Good to know that using wifi locations, the ipod Touch can track where you're at.

So, even if it's secured (ie not open) wifi signals, Google maps work??!

Problem is that when you're out riding in the countryside, there won't be much or any wifi locations.

Anyway, in this country, internet is rather costly and there aren't any free open wifi locations.

[Russ]

If you (like me) are on Verizon and want to use an iPhone there it will probably happen at the end of this year, according to news.

But! If you purchase a used iPhone now, it won't work with Verizon, you have to wait:

Qualcomm is the only company that can provide the signal processor that the iPhone would need to connect with Verizon’s network, said Will Strauss, an analyst for Tempe, Arizona-based Forward Concepts. Infineon Technologies AG, the provider of that chip for the AT&T Inc. version of Apple’s phone, would suffer by losing out on the Verizon shipments, he said.

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-0 ... ineon.html

Russ

[wimpy]

Let me start by saying Eve gave Adam an apple and we (males) have paid for it ever since.

I am an android guy and hate AT&T more than anybody on this planet. I do work at IBike and have had great success with my IAero. I see no reason to change.

Fast Forward to my test ride: (John cringes when he gives me something to test)
I just had the chance to test the IBike Dash this weekend. It was far better than I expected. I have watched the development for over a year and have seen how much thought and effort has gone into this product.

The screen was bright, clear and very easy to read. Color coded watts made it simple to glance down and have a very good Idea about where I was in my zones. I aimed for every bump I could find, no problems. I know my way home so I did not venture into the GPS.
Today I took it out at noon with polarized sunglasses, I could still read the screen but would not suggest using them. When I used the glasses (non polarized) I normally wear I had no problems what so ever.
The only problem I found is: I WANT ONE

I am not looking forward to Opening Day, I am going to be very busy !!!

[wimpy]

I spoke with T-Mobile today, they say an unlocked Iphone will run without issue on their network,you will need a smart phone account. The google account is not the same, they access the internet differently. You can't swap your sim card from a google phone to an Iphone without changes to your account. The cost is the same.
Now that the law suit is settled on altering Iphone software to run on other networks. The door is wide open.

[jazclrint]

I'm going to plug this again. I just got the new Android powered Garminfone from T-mobile a few weeks ago and I really like it. I have used it on every ride I've been on and so far it out performs my quest without breaking a sweat. I am just praying they make a Edge 605 type app for it, because all the free bike speedo apps just don't cut it for me (then again I have an iSport). It does operate as a stand alone GPS with no problems, which I got to test out in northern Maine last weekend. The biggest issue I see is getting any app to work with the Garmin maps (I'd imagine that would be a touchy issue). I would love to see iBike and Garmin work together on a Edge 705 app with a dash +power available for the Garminfone (A50). But that is a dream world.

Rich

[ScottChapman]

Too bad bluetooth wasn't used to communicate to the phone, then it could have been independent.

Another thing that would be nice to see is a headless iBike unit that just communicates ANT+. Then perhaps it could be more conspiculously mounted (fork?) leaving room for a Garmin on the handlebars.