How to ‘read’ email while driving
Forgive the sensational headline — naturally, we are not condoning reading emails while behind the wheel of your vehicle — but a new Canadian technology can in fact help commuters stay connected with email and text messages. How?
Forgive the sensational headline — naturally, we are not condoning reading emails while behind the wheel of your vehicle — but a new Canadian technology can in fact help commuters stay connected with email and text messages. How?
According to Waterloo, Ont.-based Intelligent Mechatronic Systems Inc. (IMS), a technology company that specializes in the research and production of telematics and automotive products, many drivers are checking email and text messages on the way to work — despite possible risks to their personal safety and others.
Released on Monday, a North American study entitled The Commuting and Staying Connected omnibus, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies, found 32 percent of Americans and 23 percent of Canadians surveyed believe it’s important to their work-life balance to have access to email, text messages and phone calls while commuting."
Many claim its pressure from their employers; U.S.-based bosses were more likely than their Canadian counterparts to react in a negative way to an employee missing a call while commuting (29 percent of Americans versus 17 percent of Canadians, respectively).
"Whatever their reasons might be, this study shows that commuters are beginning to consider in-car connectivity a basic need," said Tony Cassetta, Chief Operating Officer for IMS, in a company release. "These attitudes combined with increasing pressures to stay connected are not likely to disappear, so it’s important for commuters to know that there is an alternative to accessing their device while on the road."
Therefore it’s no surprise IMS on Monday announced the availability of iLane, the first dedicated hands-free in-car device that interacts directly with your BlackBerry and lets you manage your inbox using voice commands.
The product reads BlackBerry emails to the driver out loud, on demand, plus users can control other phone applications using their voice, such as text messages, calendar appointments and more. iLane can also provide daily news, sports and weather updates, on-demand, from services such as The Associated Press and The Weather Network.
iLane costs $599, plus $7.99 per month, and is compatible with BlackBerry 8000 series and smartphones running BlackBerry OS 4.1 and newer. Support for additional operating systems will be announced in 2009.
it may be required during the day but before you start work ???? i don't think jeperdizing other people's lives is a good idea hands free or not ………….
Judging by the quality of MP3 ring tones available, this could be an emergent variant of the voice that never changes as idiot lights and check engine lights in vehicles may migrate to error codes being converted to explanatory text e-mailed with an urgency code. When combined with the additional feature of connecting people to people, these machine interfaces could be programmed to announce incoming messages when drivers are in a proper, unstressed and relaxed state of adequate alertness and do not pose a statistically reckless risk to others. Insurance companies will love this!
Nonsense technology. It's time we go back to basics, and when away, simply not available, like it used to be 30 years ago, and business was also conducted back then. I certainly won't go along with it.
Why do people always have to be in touch with one another? I love driving on my own. Gets me away from everyone. Plus I am a safer driver. Everyone would be somewhat safer without all these stupid distractions. I don't care how good a driver a person says they are, mobile devices cause distractions. I say listen to the radio while driving. Clear your head. Be stress free. I agreee with Henry, go back to the way before cell phones and junk.
It doesn't distract any more than having a passenger, actually having a passenger is 10x worse.
Like it was 30 years ago? Please, if it was 30 years ago you wouldn't be on your computer, on the internet reading this blog. You would be typing on your typwriter, mailing the letter and waiting 3 weeks for a reply. Don't be stuck in the past, embrace the future.
Hmm… GPS, MP3, DVD player, bluetooth headset, SMS, now this…. how much more distractions can we handle?? Oh yeah.. I forgot about nagging Wife…
What an irresponsible article.
Firstly, no one should be reading or listening to Emails while driving.
I know a better way to take your e-mails.
PARK THE FREAKIN' CAR!!!
Great one, Diane! LOL,
Marc
I'm guilty of e-mails and texts while driving and man, has it diminished my driving skills. Phones should have an auto-mated "I'm frickin' driving" feature. At least with a passenger you can keep your eyes on the road.
Wake UP, Canada! When you're driving you have a responsibility to every other motorist on the road. It's time Canadians learned responsibility and outlawed anything that could distract a driver's attention.
It is Obvious that none of you people who have Slaged this device actually Work in the Business world.
This is one of if not the greatest work tool to be invented since e-mail.
With the up comming changes to the Lawas related to Cellphone use in Cars, this device is a nesessity.
And for all of you complaing about Recless divers, this will put an end to the "Blackbarry Surve" that is common to drivers reading E-mail while driving.
You're kidding me! To even write this article is completely stupid! How dare you even suggest such a gadget that could cost people their lives while driving. Come on, get with the program, get your emails at work, at home, at the office, anywhere but on the road!!! This gadget should be totally outlawed, why bring some more distractions to some of the pathetic drivers who already cause accidents by being on their phone etc. This is ridiculous, don't even think of bringing this technology to the drivers out there, it will be fatal.
Hmm…my LG Voyager does that…for free.
All necessary tasks can be controlled by voice function.
Better than $599 and $8/month.
For such a "sophisticated" product, seems like the Blackberry lacks in important features.
This technology has been around for over a year. It is available on most Ford cars and trucks and it's called Sync by Microsoft. The iLane sounds like just another cheap ripoff. Microsoft and Ford should sue for copywrite infingement.
"Many claim its pressure from their employers" -> should be "it's"
How would this device facilitate accidents considering it's all done through voice and audio feedback? The point of it is so to allow your eyes to stay on the road instead of on your cellphone screen with a text message or email – if anything, this would probably decrease accident rates. I don't see any difference between listening to a favorite song or listening to an email message.
And G, in the comment "Many claim its pressure from their employers", the word is spelt as is – its, not it's. :)
their mind is still not on the cars around them and the operation of the car they are driving?????
This is absolutely absurd! I can picture the day when 'obsessive' people who would use this produce will have their Blackberry and iLane buried with them in their coffin – after burning out at an early age.
What about sales reps, couriers, truck drivers and so on who basically drive hundreds of kms everyday for their living who don't have an office or don't have time to pull over all the time? This is a great alternative and shouldn't be discounted so fast by such narrow minds. It's no different than kids screaming in the back, you drinking your Tims while you drive etc.