Prepaid Reviews Blog » Mobile Safety

DriveAssist keeps your eyes on the road, hands off the cell

Joe — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 11:58:56 +0000

With an increasing number of states passing laws banning driving while on a cell phone, it has become increasingly riskier to do so. Many people have bought Bluetooth headsets, and that’s all fine and good. Some of us, though, either always forget our Bluetooths (that’s me), or simply don’t have one. Via Phone Scoop, we learn of Aegis Mobility’s DriveAssist. This software for your phone will ensure that no calls come through while you’re driving, so there’s no temptation to answer a buzzing phone.

The software actually detects when the vehicle is in motion, and that’s when it kicks in. All calls are “captured and mediated,” which in other words means you don’t know about it. You can set a few select callers to be patched through, and 911 calls are always sent through (does 911 ever call you?). Of course, text messages are held and hidden until the car stops moving. All outbound calls and texts are blocked as well, so don’t even try, mister.

This sounds like a decent phone application, but I do have my questions. For instance, will text messages be sent through the switch when you stop at a red light? That could be bad news. I also haven’t seen anything about availability.You can check out more info about DriveAssist at their website.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

DriveAssist keeps your eyes on the road, hands off the cell

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

DriveAssist keeps your eyes on the road, hands off the cell

Don’t fear the Bluetooth radiation

Joe — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 15:00:54 +0000

A few weeks ago, we talked about Bluetooth for your prepaid cell phone. Bluetooth, and really any hands-free device, is becoming a bigger issue, with more and more states implementing handset bans while driving. Further back, on our sister site, we talked about radiation emitted by cell phones. One might wonder, though, about the level of radiation we’re getting from Bluetooth headsets. Kent German of CNET’s Crave blog answers this question for us in his latest “On Call” post.

Bluetooth headsets do emit radiation, but they do it at a much lower power than a cell phone. In fact, it’s so low that it’s almost negligible. Keep in mind that while cell phones need to connect to a tower that could be a couple of miles away, a headset has an effective range of just 30 feet. However, if the prospect of Bluetooth radiation really worries you, I would suggest using a wired headset instead.

That makes enough sense. Since Bluetooth doesn’t have a whole lot of transmitting power, it isn’t as serious a radiation risk as the handset itself. Then again, professionals are divided as to the actual effects of the radiation from our cell phones. While some think there are no long term health risks, others think it cancerous.

German hits the safe bet at the end: wired handset. I can understand if you don’t want to walk around with one, but it can work while driving. Even so, it doesn’t sound like Bluetooth is a big deal when it comes to radiation. In fact, it seems like it poses a similar threat as, say, a remote control.

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

Don’t fear the Bluetooth radiation

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

Don’t fear the Bluetooth radiation

Clinic treats children for phone addiction

Joe — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 12:36:03 +0000

What would you do if your kid spent six hours a day on his cell phone? A couple in Spain faced this dilemma with their two children, 12 and 13, who simply could not relinquish their phones. It got so bad that their grades plummeted, and they started tricking relatives into giving them money to buy phone cards. They’re now in treatment, which could last up to a year.

“It is the first time we have used a specific treatment to cure a dependence on the mobile phone,” [Dr Maite UtgÃ¨s, director of the Child and Youth Mental Health Centre in Lleida, north-east Spain] said.

“They both showed disturbed behaviour and this exhibited itself in failure at school. They both had serious difficulties leading normal lives.”

Do you know anyone who is this addicted to their mobile? Would you consider treatment for them?

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

Clinic treats children for phone addiction

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

Clinic treats children for phone addiction

What to know about your kids and cell phones

Joe — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 12:30:30 +0000

Kids these days. They’re just getting their cell phones younger and younger. It is estimated that of the roughly 20 million American children between the ages of 8 and 12, a third currently carry a cell phone. It’s hard to imagine seven million rugrats roaming around with phones like big people. But it’s true, and that number is only going to increase. By 2010, it is estimated that half of kids in this demographic will have cell phones. Because cell phone ownership is a responsibility as well as a privilege, Comcare Emergency Response Alliance wants to share some safety tips with parents as we enter the summer months.

First, teach your children about 9-1-1. Show them how to dial it from a cell phone, and let them know that because of E911 standards, police officers and EMTs can be dispatched to the scene, because they can locate the phone. This means it’s equally as important to teach children when it is appropriate to call 911 — Comcare defines it as when you are “afraid you will be hurt.” Comcare also recommends you tell your child to make sure to stay on the line after calling 911, and teach them how to describe their current location.

Also, preprogram the child’s phone with all important numbers, including all phone numbers for the parent, plus a few more emergency contacts. Teach the children how to use these shortcuts so they can call when needed. You can even add a keyword prior to the numbers. Comcare recommends ICE (in case of emergency), so ICE Mom Work, or ICE Dad Cell.

Nicholas P. Sullivan has the word on this:

“In a world of split custody arrangements, households in which both parents work, and other factors, the low-cost prepaid phone has made it possible for parents to extend to their children the same kind of ’safety blanket’ that they rely on in emergency situations. We know from research that more and more adults are placing emergency calls from cell phones. Given that younger, tech-savvy Americans are even more inclined to rely on wireless phones, it is imperative that parents take the time to make sure children understand how to use the phone to be safe.”

Hey, if the child is going to have a cell phone, they might as well learn how to use it safely and responsibly. After that, they can go yap with their friends. Just make sure they’re not going over their minutes (easier said than done).

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

What to know about your kids and cell phones

This post originated at PrepaidReviews.com - The number one resource for NET 10 Prepaid information on the web!

What to know about your kids and cell phones