Engadget

Scosche cellControl locks your device while driving, tattles on your text habit

Sean Buckley — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:11:00 EST

Trying to keep the points off your record, but just can't resist the urge to tweet, text and talk behind the wheel? Maybe it's time you gave up on that whole "self-restraint" schtick and leaned on technology to keep your cellular inhibitions in check. Scosche's cellControl might do the trick, it pairs bit of bluetooth-enabled automotive hardware with a feature-blocking smartphone app to keep your handset under lockdown when you're on the go. It even rats you out if you deactivate or uninstall the system -- automatically sending a text message or email to a "designated administrator," just in case you fall off the wagon. The system boasts compatibility with over 1200 devices across Android, Blackberry, Symbian and Windows Mobile 5 and 6. Artificial restraint will set you back $130, you know, in case self-control and other distracted driving apps aren't doing the trick. Hit the break for the system's official press release.

Continue reading Scosche cellControl locks your device while driving, tattles on your text habit

Scosche cellControl locks your device while driving, tattles on your text habit originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 04:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tobii looks to keep you alert by detecting when you're tweet-driving (video)

Billy Steele — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:26:00 EST

Don't think you'll get caught checking the Duke score while cruisin' down the highway? Soon, you may have to think twice before hitting the scoreboard. Tobii has unveiled its new technology that detects drowsiness and distraction in on-board driver safety systems. The platform is based on the company's advanced eye tracking tech to bolster automobile safety on the highways and byways. The system detects eyes of all shapes, sizes, and colors -- without calibration -- even if the driver is wearing glasses or a pair of Ray Ban shades. A constant stream of data communicates to the watchman the driver's condition, regardless of changes in environment or if the person behind the wheel takes a quick peek out the window. Tobii isn't looking to stop here either, as it says eye control of in-cabin infotainment systems is within reach. Perhaps this time next year, we'll be able to browse that Spotify collection with a series of blinks -- one can only hope.

Continue reading Tobii looks to keep you alert by detecting when you're tweet-driving (video)

Tobii looks to keep you alert by detecting when you're tweet-driving (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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T-Mobile intros DriveSmart Plus service to block texting while driving, FamilyWhere to track down your kids

Chris Ziegler — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST

The texting-while-driving epidemic is starting to get a lot of carrier attention, and T-Mobile's taking it to the next level today by throwing its weight behind a new subscription-based upgrade to the DriveSmart app that's been available on the LG Optimus T since launch. DriveSmart Plus runs $4.99 a month for all lines on your account (provided the lines are attached to compatible devices) and upgrades the basic DriveSmart app by automatically detecting when your car's in motion -- no need to enable it by hand -- at which point incoming calls are automatically sent to voicemail and incoming text messages are met with an automatic response that the recipient is currently driving. Naturally, there's an emergency override built-in -- but to make sure young drivers aren't abusing it, DriveSmart offers parents the option of being contacted by text or email when it's overridden and can let them monitor overall phone usage through a web interface. The service is only available on the Optimus T initially, but more hardware support is "coming soon."

On a related note, T-Mobile is also introducing FamilyWhere, matching similar services already offered by Verizon, AT&T, and Sprint by letting parents see where their young'uns are and set up customized alerts by location and time; it's apparently compatible with "nearly any type" of phone on the T-Mobile network, so you shouldn't need to equip the tykes with superphones just to get this action set up. It runs $9.99 a month and covers all the lines on your account; follow the break for both press releases.

Continue reading T-Mobile intros DriveSmart Plus service to block texting while driving, FamilyWhere to track down your kids

T-Mobile intros DriveSmart Plus service to block texting while driving, FamilyWhere to track down your kids originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 19 Jan 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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AT&T releases dramatic anti-texting while driving documentary

Joshua Topolsky — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:33:00 EST

We're not sure how many more times it must be said, but seriously people -- stop texting on your cellphone while operating a gigantic vehicle at high speeds. If you're not already convinced that driving a car and trying to tap out a message on a tiny keyboard (or heaven forbid, no keyboard at all) is a poor match, perhaps the short documentary AT&T has just released will convince you otherwise. The carrier is launching a campaign geared towards teens over the holidays leading up to New Year's Eve in the hopes that the youth of the world will be slightly less sure of their invincibility -- at least where car driving and text messaging is concerned. Sure, the video (located after the break) borders on sentimentality at times, but we'll take a little heavy-handedness over the injury or death of human beings simply because someone couldn't wait to tell someone else that they'd be there soon. Trust us, your friends aren't that worried about punctuality.

Continue reading AT&T releases dramatic anti-texting while driving documentary

AT&T releases dramatic anti-texting while driving documentary originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 12:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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'Road SMS' encourages you to text while walking

Sean Hollister — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:01:00 EST

We haven't actually seen it for ourselves, but we're hearing the Samsung Galaxy S can download an interesting little app. Called Road SMS, the basic idea is that the phone's camera constantly runs to let you see through the screen, while a virtual keyboard allows your fingers to safely text whomever you want. Needless to say, it's a very bad idea for number of reasons -- not least of which the fact that thumbs will always obscure the screen -- but we'll leave discussion of the pros and cons for the comments below. To be frank, we don't think folks will use this app seriously. We're just hoping someone will develop an augmented reality joke version that, ever so often, generates ghostly images of high speed oncoming traffic. And remember kids, don't text and drive.

'Road SMS' encourages you to text while walking originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In a world of automotive cellphone hate, Ford promotes SYNC as the solution

Tim Stevens — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:31:00 EST

Texting while driving may not be banned where you are yet, but it probably it will be soon, and Ford is pretty okay with that. As we saw at CES this year, the company is promoting SYNC and MyFord as solutions to distracted driving, enabling the car to read text messages to you so that you can keep your eyes on the road. The blue oval is working to get RIM digging Bluetooth MAP, enabling streaming of text messages to cars, functionality said to be coming in "all new BlackBerry smartphones." Beyond that Ford is touting its new "Do Not Disturb" button to block all incoming calls and text messages while still allowing outgoing calls and use of the phone for providing data to the car. This is in addition to already disabling much of the phone's functionality whilst in motion, keeping you focused on what you should be doing: shaving, reading the newspaper, and eating breakfast.

Continue reading In a world of automotive cellphone hate, Ford promotes SYNC as the solution

In a world of automotive cellphone hate, Ford promotes SYNC as the solution originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Jul 2010 09:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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TxTStopper announces cellphone jammer for your car, Microsoft too busy texting and driving to notice

Thomas Ricker — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:58:00 EST

Texting while driving is some pretty dangerous bloodsport. Knowing that still isn't going to change the behavior of an insolent teen. So why not take matters into your own hands, parents, and install a mini cellphone jammer in the family car? TxtStopper, a professionally installed 12 volt device, will apparently shut down all communications on any US cellphones operating in the car -- yes, including the non-driving passengers -- when the car is on and in gear. Unfortunately, TxtStopper's site chooses to prey on consumer fears rather than offer up any real technical details so we'll just trust them that it works as advertised, ok? For $200, maybe not.

As an aside, the image above was grabbed from Microsoft's promotional video for its new Windows Live Messenger beta. A touch irresponsible to be promoting its mobile Messaging app for smartphones in this way don't you think? Skip ahead to the 1 minute 55 second mark of the embedded video if you need an outlet for your Monday morning angst.

[Thanks, Max]

Continue reading TxTStopper announces cellphone jammer for your car, Microsoft too busy texting and driving to notice

TxTStopper announces cellphone jammer for your car, Microsoft too busy texting and driving to notice originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wales produces exceptionally graphic, educational film about the dangers of texting while driving

Laura June — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:59:00 EST

Alright, texting while driving? Obviously stupid -- but that doesn't stop tons and tons of people from doing it. The Gwent Police department in Wales hopes that its newest PSA film will help deter this bad behavior. In much the same spirit as the drunk driving on prom night films we ourselves had to sit thorough in high school, this film is pretty graphic. Okay, it's actually shockingly graphic -- but we're pretty sure that's the idea. Video is after the break.

[Via Gizmodo]

Continue reading Wales produces exceptionally graphic, educational film about the dangers of texting while driving

Filed under: Culture

Wales produces exceptionally graphic, educational film about the dangers of texting while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wales produces exceptionally graphic, educational film about the dangers of texting while driving

Laura June — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 19:59:00 EST

Continue reading Wales produces exceptionally graphic, educational film about the dangers of texting while driving

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

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Senators to introduce legislation banning texting while driving

Donald Melanson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:51:00 EST

It's already been banned by a number of states and the District of Columbia, but a group of Democratic senators led by New York's Charles Schumer are now set to introduce legislation that would ban texting while driving throughout the United States. That, as you may be aware if you've been watching the news this past week, follows a study from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which found that truck drivers that texted while driving were 23 times more likely to get into an accident than non-texters -- to say nothing of several calls for a ban from major safety groups over the years. While complete details on the proposed bill are still a bit light, it would apparently withhold 25% of the annual federal highway funding from states that did not comply with the ban, and would reportedly be modeled on the way the national drunken driving ban was introduced.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Filed under: Culture, Handsets, Messaging, Studies, Misc

Senators to introduce legislation banning texting while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Senators to introduce legislation banning texting while driving

Donald Melanson — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:51:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

Senators to introduce legislation banning texting while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Jul 2009 11:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist cripples your phone when you drive

Tim Stevens — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:27:00 EST

Headset or no, talking on the phone while driving can be dangerous -- either to you or to your license. Various states have various bits of legislation indicating what is and is not allowed while in motion, but what if you want to have somewhat more specific controls over your kids or workers? That's the idea behind Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist (not to be confused with BMW's Drive Assist), described as a sort of nannified assistant for people on the go. Using GPS it determines the user's "driving context," disabling incoming and outgoing calls and texts and holding messages to deliver later. It's an interesting idea, and given the risks of texting while driving in particular it's a good one, but we wonder what happens if you're on a bus or sitting in the passenger seat.

[Via textually.org]

Filed under: Cellphones

Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist cripples your phone when you drive originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 20:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist cripples your phone when you drive

Tim Stevens — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:50:00 EST

Filed under: Messaging, Software

Aegis Mobility's DriveAssist cripples your phone when you drive originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Oct 2008 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey finds 37% of Gen Y-ers text while driving

Darren Murph — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:00 EST

Oh sure, Americans are adamantly against texting while driving (in theory), but that's not stopping those mischievous Gen Y-ers from getting their SMS on while behind the wheel. According to a new survey of 1,200 people conducted by Nationwide Mutual Insurance (we know, we know), a third of the Gen Y-ers admitted to "always multitasking while driving," and while the "always" bit does indeed frighten us a tad, the real juice was in the next statistic: 37-percent said they sent text messages while driving. Before you start belaboring the imprudent youth, think long and hard about your own in-car cellphone usage -- remember that time you just had to reply "y w pep plz" in order to salvage your friend's pizza order? Tsk tsk.

[Via About]

Filed under: Messaging, Studies

Survey finds 37% of Gen Y-ers text while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey finds 37% of Gen Y-ers text while driving

Darren Murph — Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:00 EST

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

Survey finds 37% of Gen Y-ers text while driving originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 02 May 2008 15:26:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Boy killed by texting driver

Joshua Topolsky — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:28:00 EST

According to a report from the Boston Globe, a man claims that he was typing a text message into his cellphone when he lost control of his SUV and fatally struck a 13-year-old boy on a bicycle. In a stark and sad reminder of the cause for recent laws put into effect governing texting / phoning while driving, it appears the man was so distracted that he didn't even realize what had happened until later that night. Ironically, the friend of the boy who had been walking with him attempted to call 911 on his phone, but was unable to get through. The driver is being charged with motor vehicle homicide, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and driving without a license. A tragic story -- and unfortunately not the first we've seen -- but hopefully a cautionary tale for anyone who regularly juggles driving and texting. Don't.

Filed under: Cellphones, Transportation

Boy killed by texting driver originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: Americans overwhelmingly against texting while driving, in theory

Chris Ziegler — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:48:00 EST

Be honest, when's the last time you responded to a text message from behind the wheel? If you're in with the majority of cellphone-toting Americans, you've done it -- though you probably also think it should be outlawed. A recent poll of about 2,000 US adults found that some 57 percent had participated in a little SMS action while driving at some point in their lives, but they were at least cognizant of its danger, with 91 percent guessing it was as dangerous as driving on a couple drinks. We'd guess as much, too -- if not more so, considering that texting takes brain function and your eyes away from the road. 89 percent of the polled folks want the practice outlawed, which really makes us wonder about those two percent that know it's dangerous and want to keep on doing it. Let us know to stay away with a bumper sticker on your jalopy, k?

Filed under: Messaging, Studies

Poll: Americans overwhelmingly against texting while driving, in theory originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 13 Aug 2007 10:48:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Texting while driving irks NY senator

Brian White — Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:32:00 EST

First came a ban in New York against cellphone handset use while driving, but now texting behind the wheel may face the same fate. Yeah, we agree on this one -- after all, texting takes your eyes of the road unless you have some speech-to-text thing going on in that handset. Anyhoo, New York senator Carl Marcellino wants SMSing while driving banned due to the recent deaths of five young girls in auto accidents attributed to texting while driving. Washington state already has banned SMS use while driving, and with a recent Zogby Poll concluding that one-third of all people between 18 and 24 years old have sent texts while driving, we'll most likely see this kind of ban coming to more states.

Filed under: Messaging

Texting while driving irks NY senator originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 19 Jul 2007 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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States mulling bans on driving while texting

Brian White — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:41:00 EST

We kind of get a kick out of possible laws that have to spell out common sense to people lacking it, so we chuckled a bit when we saw that legislators in Oregon and Washington want to pass laws against DWT, or "Driving While Texting." To those that just can't enjoy the peaceful gridlock of that daily commute, better not whip out that handset or even the beloved BlackBerry and start sending SMSs, emails, or whatever your own text-based poison may be. Considering how many distractions already plague drivers in modern vehicles, we suggest just a fave DAP with a preset playlist and leave it at that, eh?

Filed under: Messaging

States mulling bans on driving while texting originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Mar 2007 17:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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