DETROIT - Of course we're all pretty much sick of the self-absorbed dweebs more concerned with their phone conversation than their driving technique. But there may be one reason not to rush to judgment of someone peering at his or her trendy little iPhone while at the wheel - there's a magnificent new application for the iPhone that turns the device into a vehicle-performance measuring tool.

Precisely measuring the classic 0-60-mph and quarter-mile runs is just the beginning for the iPhone application called Dynolicious, created by BunsenTech. It piggybacks on the iPhone's built-in accelerometer to generate all kinds of intriguing performance info, including cornering and braking G-forces and even horsepower measurements. All with absolutely no setup required (the company recommends a solid place to hold the forward-facing iPhone, though it boasts that even a secure berth in a cupholder might work).

And the Dynolicious graphics are awesome: results can be displayed on some of the most impressive charts and graphs we've seen from any kind of performance-testing devices. There are all kinds of archiving options, too.

Of the roughly 5,000 downloadable iPhone applications from Apple's iTunes store, Dynolicious has to be one of the best for automotive enthusiasts. But the deal-sealer is the price: just $12.99 - a fraction of the hundreds of dollars a dedicated in-vehicle performance recorder will set you back.

It's a little too early to know what kind of accuracy to expect from the iPhone-Dynolicious combo - tuned-in bloggers probably are posting their research as you read this - but the company's Web site says, 'A detailed accuracy analysis using professional timing equipment at a regulation dragstrip will be posted soon.'