Media: The Economist reviews Car-based Call Screening

"The car that screens your calls" takes us through the new technologies that car manufacturers are introducing in response to clamping down on mobile phone use.

'In-car systems that monitor driver activity, and then screen out unwelcome technological distractions such as phone calls, could improve road safety,' argues the article.

For instance, one system works to 'monitor the driver's activity via the steering wheel, pedals and indicators (turn signals), and assess the complexity of the current manoeuvre using a set of predefined rules. If this complexity exceeds a certain threshold, the system filters out unnecessary distractions, diverting phone calls to voice-mail, or silencing traffic updates.'

What the article never mentions is that driving involves reacting to external situations in the first place. It seems to me dangerous to base these systems on monitoring driver activity in the car. What if it isn't exhibiting the complicated manoeuvres it should: for instance, when a child runs into the road after a ball. Is this a case of everyone falling in love with the technology again?

Associated Link: The Economist: The car that screens your calls

Rest your Wrists when you're Writing on the go
Source: UN, 25 July 2008
 
Computer Intelligence, Inc. has launched Intelligels(R), a line of wrist rests for laptop computers.

Brits more hooked on mobile tech than Yanks are
Source: RegisterHardware, 24 July 2008
 
According to the latest edition of Carphone Warehouse’s Mobile Life Report, 94 per cent of British youngsters own mobile phones, compared to just 80 per cent of those in the US.

Five ways to Improve online cross- and up-selling
Source: Webcredible, 23 July 2008
 
Increasing cross-selling and up-selling on your website will help sell more items and keep customers coming back.

Say goodbye to the Computer Mouse
Source: BBC, 22 July 2008
 
It's nearly 40 years old but one leading research company says the days of the computer mouse are numbered.

LowBrowse: a web browser for the Visually Impaired
Source: UN, 21 July 2008
 
An innovative new add-on software tool will enable millions of people worldwide with low vision to access previously inaccessible web pages.

Now you can See your Voicemail
Source: UN, 19 July 2008
 
Speech Design's new Visual Voice Mail 'pushes' voice messages directly to mobile handsets, eliminating push-button retrieval.

User-centred research into mobile law enforcement recognised
Source: UN, 18 July 2008
 
C-innovate, a user-centred consultancy based at the Sussex Innovation Centre at the University of Sussex, has won an award for its research into mobile technology and innovation in the public sector.

The Web speaks up
Source: UN, 17 July 2008
 
Textic Limited has just announced the commercial launch of Talklets, a Web 2.0 service that ‘voice enables’ text-based Web content.

All-in-One Devices ride again
Source: Wall St Journal: Market Watch, 16 July 2008
 
Evolutions of all-in-one devices and internet-TV functionality will fuel the nascent home theatre PC market, according to ABI Research.

How to Succeed as a First-Time UX Manager
Source: UXMatters, 15 July 2008
 
Being a manager of UX is no better — and no worse — than being a great designer or user researcher, but the roles are very different.