Monthly Archives: December 2006

Thanks to everyone who inquired today about pre-ordering the Whistler XTR-690. Unfortunately, there are still a few pricing issues that need to be worked through, so we've decided to wait until after CES (Jan. 8-11) to offer pre-ordering through the web site. MSRP will definitely be $229.95, but there is still some question as to what the actual retail price will be.

I have also updated the previous post with a correction, and some info that I left off yesterday.

In less than two weeks, at the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Whistler will announce the new XTR-690 radar detector. This new detector will sport a re-engineered antenna which, according to Whistler, will deliver range very similar to that of a high-end Bel or Escort model. The best news is that this new model will sell for around half the price of a Bel / Escort! This kind of performance has been simply unheard of in this price range, making this a potentially far-reaching announcement.

Obviously we have to remain somewhat skeptical until the performance can be independently verified, but the Whistler technician that I have spoken with seems very confident. They have tested prototypes of the new engine against Bel / Escort models, and found the performance to be similar.

Performance aside, the XTR-690 will also differ physically from previous XTR series models. Take a look at the following drawing:

No, those are not dual rear "laser eyes" near the back of the detector. The second "eye" is a "periscope" alert LED, an interesting new attempt to grab your attention when you get an alert. The buttons will be laser etched, which is a nice touch. The 690 will not support the colored "trim rings" that could be used with some other models. The display will be blue backlit with black text like is currently found on the XTR-425, XTR-560, and 1788:

Other new features include a battery voltage meter, and true VG-2 immunity (instead of cloaking).
The expected availability date for the XTR-690 will be April 2. We have an arrangement with Whistler, and will begin accepting pre-orders for this model very soon. More on that in the coming days.

UPDATE (12.28.06): Yesterday, I mentioned that the XTR-690 would have one "periscope" alert LED opposite the rear laser sensor. This is correct but, in addition, the rear laser sensor will also function as an alert LED, giving the 690 dual "periscope" alert LEDs.

We have also received several questions asking if false alerts would be reduced. A Whistler technician has confirmed that we will see fewer falses with the XTR-690.

The Beltronics STi Driver is a very impressive radar detector. In fact some consider it the best available. In this test the Beltronics STi goes up against the Valentine One. Besides the impressive performance, the STi is also 100% shielded and cannot be detected by police radar detector detectors!

The Beltronics STi Driver offers impressive performance and is complete undetectable. Give us a call or send an email if you want to learn more about this amazing radar detector!

Almost two years ago, a rumor started floating around that a radar gun manufacturer may be producing a radar gun that operates using the Ku radar band. There are already speed measurement devices that use the Ku band, but they are rare and are used predominately in a few European countries. Cobra and Whistler reacted to this rumor by adding Ku band detection to their 2006 detectors.

Ku is NOT coming to the US!

Well, the holiday shopping season is now over but don't let that stop you from taking advantage of this special! We have the Whistler SRT-30R and Whistler SRT-35R radar detectors available now at $34.99 and $39.99, respectively. These models were created exclusively for Radio Shack, and sold there for as much as $80. Radio Shack was not able to sell as many as they planned, so we took advantage of an opportunity to pick them up at a great price. Of course, we're passing the savings on to you.

The SRT-30R is a very basic model, similar in performance and features to the DE-1732. The SRT-35R is a slightly larger model that ads a bright icon display and 3 city modes, comparable to the DE-1734C. If you're in the market for a budget detector, this deal is for you.

We now have the Whistler XTR-185 and XTR-190 cordless, rechargeable radar detectors available. These new models are sure to be popular, as they offer the same performance as the Whistler 1788 cordless detector, but sell for less.

These two new models are identical with the exception of the XTR-185's solar panel. This solar panel, a first for radar detectors, allows the light from the sun to extend the detector's battery life. According to Whistler the XTR-185 typically provides around 17 hours of battery life, compared to 15 for the XTR-190.

The 1788 is still Whistler's top-end cordless detector, as it provides several nice features that are missing from these new models. The 1788 offers a nicer display (back-lit text display vs. icon), selectable bands, and includes a home charger. The biggest difference may be in battery life - the 1788 accepts 4 AA rechargeable batteries (the new models accept 3) and provides up to 20 hours of battery life.