Directed

Viper has announced the new SmartStart GPS accessory that interfaces with their SmartStart app to provide advanced car location and security features to your smartphone. Directed Electronics, manufacturers of Viper vehicle security products and developers of the Viper SmartStart app, have released a new accessory called the Viper SmartStart GPS. This vehicle accessory, available for $299.99, can be used either as a standalone device, or interfaced with Directed Electronics security and remote start systems to provide expanded access to users’ vehicles through the Viper SmartStart app. Some of the new features included through the Viper SmartStart app include a vehicle locator, which shows you where your car is located, as well as its speed and directed. You can also share your car’s location via text, email, or even through social networks. Now, this may seem like a tremendously dangerous use of geolocation in social media, but you can get notifications if your vehicle is moved without your approval. As well, you can check to find out if your vehicle exceeds a certain speed, so if little Johnny has a distaste for speed limits, you can get notified when he’s going too quickly for your tastes, and have your belt ready when he comes home to deliver some corporal punishment. These features are available as part of the Secure Service Plan for $5/month. For just under $6/month, you can add a variety of additional features to the Viper SmartStart app. You can create a virtual ‘smart fence’ so that if you vehicle leaves the specified zone, you’ll be alerted. As well, you can create zones that will alert you if your car enters there. You can also set up schedules for when you’ll be notified of all these features. As well, if your Viper SmartStart GPS is integrated with a Viper system, you can access all the standard Viper features, like starting your engine remotely, locking and unlocking doors, popping the trunk, and honking the horn. The 2.2 update that supports these features is available right now for free from the App Store. FREE! iPhone App - Designed for the iPhone, compatible with the iPad Released: 2009-10-13 :: Category: Lifestyle Read More

Have you ever been jealous of folks with expensive cars who can lock, unlock and even start their rides remotely using their keys? We can’t all afford to buy the latest BMWs and while remotely activating your vehicle is far from a necessity (unless maybe you’re a getaway driver), it’s certainly an impressive application of modern technology and a bit of a status symbol. So whilst hugely expensive modern cars may be out of a lot of people’s price range, smartphones are a much more affordable piece of technology and are increasingly prevalent in many parts of the world. If you own an iPhone, you can now enjoy showing off to your friends by starting your car anywhere with the application (note: SmartStart must also be installed in your vehicle for this to work). Although the system is currently only available to users in the US and Canada, the Viper team are currently working on rolling out the application for international users, meaning we’ll soon have the app in the UK. The Smart Start app allows you to lock and unlock your car remotely, unlock the trunk (and open it depending on your make and model of car) and start the engine. There’s also a ‘panic’ feature which allows you to set of the cars’ alarm remotely, which is a useful feature if you live in a high-rise block of apartments where you can see your car but can’t reach it quickly. The range of the application is phenomenally impressive; whereas unlocking with your keys requires you to be within a certain proximity of the vehicle, the Smart Start app allows you to unlock and start your car from practically anywhere via 3G or WiFi. Although I’m not sure why you’d want to necessarily, it’s an impressive demonstration of the Smart Start technology. Check out this video which demonstrates the app being used to start a car from 3,000 miles away: In order to use the software, you’ll need to download the app from iTunes, install the system in your car and setup a Smart Start account on their website. I can’t wait to use this app once it becomes available in the UK, and I think it’s a really good example of just how sophisticated smartphone applications are becoming. Directed Electronics, Inc.,  – Free . This article was brought to you by guest contributor J.D. He spends his life around Read More

The iPhone client for Viper’s remote car starting, controlling, and security system is getting an update that will include push notifications whenever an alarm is triggered. This ensure that you learn about a break-in right away, not next time you happen to check your e-mail. The notifications are logged and include in-app alerts on the off  chance that you miss the push notification. Other, less alarming events are also pushed out, like if your hood is open, or the remote start doesn’t work. SmartStart was one of the first apps that enabled car starting via smartphone, and since then, manufacturers themselves, like Chevrolet, have begun building the system right into their vehicles. Viper requires a kit that costs $499.99 to work, on top of an annual subscription fee, but does some pretty cool stuff, like enable locking and unlocking doors, popping the trunk, and, of course, starting the car from just about any location. Hit up Viper for a closer look – a BlackBerry app is available for customers too, if you’re not packing an iPhone. Download Viper SmartStart for iPhone ($29.99/year) [iTunes Link] Simon Sage’s education largely surrounded writing, technology and online community, leading him to begin his blogging career at www.BlackBerryCool.com and to quickly discover a vibrant and active community surrounding BlackBerry and mobile technology. In exploring RIM’s platform, he has learned what enterprises are looking for in mobility as well as what makes the innocuous BlackBerry so appealing to them. Recently Simon’s been covering RIM’s gradual move into an already-crowded consumer market, and the impact of burgeoning challengers, such as the iPhone, as well as long-time leaders, like Nokia, on BlackBerry’s advancement. With plenty of content under his belt, Simon will be branching off a bit to see what other smartphone manufacturers are working on while still using BlackBerry as a barometer. At IntoMobile, you can count on his posts being even-handed, well-informed and thought-out. Read More

By Rene Ritchie, Thursday, Apr 22, 2010 | Apple is keeping up the transition from “app for that” to showing how the iPhone makes its users lives better with three new TV commercials — Family Man, Dog Lover, and Backpacker Family man showcases the built-in Photo app with a video of a child’s birthday, the App Store and purchasing Jamie Oliver’s 20 minute meals [$7.99 - iTunes link] for cooking, and Elmo’s Monster Maker [$3.99 - iTunes link] for the kids on a car trip, and Viper SmartStart [free - iTunes link] for opening the car trunk. Dog lover highlight PetFinder.com [free- iTunes link] to help find that perfect dog, Facebook [free - iTunes link] to share the picture with friends, Hey Walkies [free - iTunes link] to find a place to run, and iCam [$4.99 - iTunes link] to stream the whole thing. Backpacker kicks off a trip to spain by finding a place to stay HostelWorld.com [free - iTunes link], sending back pictures with the built-in Photo and Email apps, and using the App Store to download Jibbigo speech translator English to Spanish [$24.99 - iTunes link] for automagic communication. (Unfortunately, we don’t think there’s an app for the bill that would come from all that roaming data…) Read More

Apr 22nd 2010 at 9:00AM I agree with Joey. Both my wife and I immediately thought this ad seemed an old-fashioned anachronism. Wifey wants recipes, and doesn't have her own iPhone? She's probably vacuuming in pearls too. Seems like Apple is on the roll here making sure they push the iphone 3gs sales as much as possible 'cause in a few month nobody will want it anymore... Wow is it like the 1950's again? Thanks for letting us know there is a new ad. And describing it from beginning to end. I'll be sure to head on to the apple website and view it right away. I love the in depth reporting on this one. TUAW (or The Unofficial Apple Weblog) is a website devoted to tips, reviews, news, analysis and opinion on everything Apple. © 2011 AOL Inc. All Rights Reserved. We value our readership, especially when we receive tips which help us write compelling content. Use this form to send us a tip. Note: Some fields are required. Read More

26 Oct 2009 alle 21:45 Produttore: Directed | Download Via: AppStore | Prezzo: Gratis è un’applicazione gratuita disponibile da oggi in AppStore che permette di utilizzare il proprio iPhone per acccendere e spegnere la propria auto dotata del sistema Viper SmartStart. Oltre all’accensione, l’applicazione riesce a bloccare e sbloccare le portiere, aprire il portabagagli, far scattare l’allarme e altro ancora. Ovviamente per fare tutto ciò bisogna installare un Kit che al momento viene venduto soltanto in USA al costo di 499$. L’utilizzo del servizio inoltre, prevede un costo annuale di 29$. Read More

TUAW reader Ethan pointed us in the direction of something new, cool, and available only for iPhone and iPod touch (take that, Palm Pre and Android phones!) BestBuy has an exclusive on the new Viper SmartStart System, which can do a number of things for your wheels: There are two versions available: a module (SmartStart VSM100 Module, US$299.99) for cars that are already equipped with compatible Viper starting systems, and a fully loaded package (SmartStart VSM4000 System, US$499.99) for the rest of us. Some of the app reviewers have noted that you're not only paying for the system and your iPhone bill, but there's also a US$29 annual GSM service bill that you'll have to pay (the first year of service is complimentary with your purchase). However, if the money isn't an object and you're already clueless about what to get a loved one for Christmas, this might be an idea to consider. Read More

By – Car-accessory company Viper is looking to get that remote car starter clicker off your keyring, and onto your iPhone.  The SmartStart app gives you control of your new or existing SmartStart system: start the engine, lock or unlock the doors, pop the trunk, even fire off the panic alarm. The app itself is free, but you need either a full VSS4000 SmartStart system installed (which'll run about US$499), or add the VSM100 SmartStart Module to an existing system (US$299). Watch these videos for more info: Related Posts Read More

This is probably one of the coolest iPhone accessories that I’ve seen recently. Viper, one of the leading automobile security companies in the United States, has released an app called Viper SmartStart which actually allows you to control your vehicle from your iPhone or iPod Touch (via Wi-Fi). I’m not talking James Bond remote driving. The SmartStart app will let you Lock/Arm, Unlock/Unarm, Trunk Release, Panic, and best of all Remote Start; all from your phone. Since it doesn’t work off of a radio frequency, you can control your vehicle from anywhere in U.S., as long as your vehicle is in range of a GSM cellular signal and your phone has a 3G or Wi-Fi signal. The SmartStart app is FREE, but the module required to control your vehicle is $299, and it only works with specific compatible systems. If you want to buy the whole kit including the alarm and module, it’ll cost you $599. Oh yeah and there’s a yearly service charge required as well, but that’ll only cost you a meager $29.99 a year; it’s a good thing the app is FREE. Check out the demo video below to see it in action. Hopefully Viper will be kind enough to allow us to test and review the SmartStart system for an upcoming review. Read More

In case you were wanting to experience the keyless remote entry system that came packaged with the new Zipcar app, but you already have a car of your own, you’re now in luck. According to Mashable, as of today, you can drop in at your local Best Buy and pick up a Viper keyless entry and remote starter system from Directed Electronics for any automobile that features iPhone integration. Not only that, but the range for the SmartStart app (iTunes link) that controls remote entry and car starting is said to be “virtually unlimited,” likely owing to the fact that it communicates via a data network connection rather than over infrared, which requires line of sight, or Bluetooth, which needs proximity. You can even turn on the heat using the app, and do other things like pop the trunk, honk the horn, or turn on the alarm to scare off ne’er-do-wells while you sip your latté at the Starbucks patio across the street. The app won’t allow to you drive your car remotely, but at this rate, there’s probably an app for that just around the corner, too. Or at least one for locking the car down entirely in cases of theft. As mentioned above, the app apparently doesn’t need to be near the car to communicate with the receiver, so in theory you could be setting off your alarm and starting your car in Iowa while on vacation in Prague, though aside from the slim possibility that someone watching believes it’s a ghost car, I can’t really see the point. It could be handy, as Mashable points out, in a situation where a spouse or loved one is locked out of their vehicle or has lost their own set of keys. Of course, as with all incredibly cool things, the new Viper system will cost you a not insignificant sum of money. If you’re entirely new to the Viper system, a fresh start will set you back about $500, while existing users can add iPhone accessibility via the SmartStart module to their system for the low price of $299. The automation industry, including home lighting and temperature control, home audio and theater, and car stereo, security, and remote control has always seemed to me to occupy the realm of unnecessary eccentric luxuries reserved for the very rich. With the iPhone operating as a central device that’s finally capable of unifying Read More