Wireless Wednesday for 10/29/14: Gadgets and Tech for Safe Driving
Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at 8:01PM Rick is back home this week - October is Teen Driver Safety Month, so thought we would take a look at some gadgets and tech that allow you to drive in a more safely fashion. This is also a great topic, as Mitch was in a "fender bender" last week.
Have a listen:
1. Breeze Is a Bluetooth Breathalyzer That Will Get You Home in Style
Breeze is a new Bluetooth breathalyzer that connects to your phone and aims to make you more aware of your drinking habits and state of drunkenness in real time. The inventor, Breeze founder and CEO Charles Michael Yim, says that the gadget could ultimately help you skip that “one more” drink that pushes you past the line of legal sobriety — or, at the very least, get you home safe by recognizing when you’re over the limit and automatically calling an Uber or a cab to pick you up.
“It’s not necessarily for the party outlet only,” Yim told Yahoo Tech in an (alcohol-free) demo last week. “This is really a great product for the casual drinker. A lot of our customers are moms that have dinner parties, dads who have poker nights, early professionals who have happy hour — it kind of extends beyond safety.”
$99.99 at http://store.breathometer.com/products/breeze
2. Straight Talk Wireless' Safe Driver Car Connection
Rick attended the #SafeTeen event at Six Flags two weeks ago.
And he got to drive the test track with Indy Car Racer Scott Harrington and see a cool new product - Safe Driver Car Connection, a new device from Straight Talk Wireless that keeps track of every move the car makes. There is also an app that disables incoming calls and texts when the car is in motion, and even allows parents to monitor the safety of teen drivers right from their smartphone.
The device connects to your vehicle’s OBD-II port.
Also they say, "parents are the key" to teens driving safely.
3. Progressive Snapshot
Progressive recently came out with a new car insurance gadget called “Snapshot”. The purpose behind Snapshot is to monitor your driving habits and lower your insurance accordingly. The Snapshot device monitors the time of day or night you drive, how frequently you make a hard stop, and the number of miles you drive. It doesn’t monitor the speed or location of your vehicle, so there’s no need to worry about Snapshot being too invasive. Once you plug the Snapshot device into the port under your steering wheel.
Progressive assesses your driving skills. If you’re a great driver, the gadget helps the company determine how to lower your insurance costs. Depending on your habits and abilities, your insurance can be lowered by 0 to 30%.
4. Windshield Wonder
Makes Cleaning Windshields Fast and Easy!
Includes: 16 in. Windshield Wonder Handle; Two Microfiber Bonnets; Spray Bottle
A dirty windshield can be irritating and downright dangerous! Cleaning the inside of your windshield is a pain because you must strain and stretch. Not anymore!
Introducing Windshield Wonder! It Combines a microfiber cloth with a long reach handle and a pivoting head to make windshield cleaning faster and easier then ever. What's more, you don't even need window cleaning spray. The scientific microfiber cleans spotlessly with just plain tap water! It's amazing.
It's also a great way to defog your windshield when you don't have time to wait for your car defroster to take effect! You won't know how you lived without it
$9.99 at retailers
5. AAA 42-piece Road Emergency Kit
Available at Amazon for about $25
Canvas
Flashlight with batteries
Keep in your car
8 gauge heavy duty booster cable
Compact storage bag with handles
Most trusted name in travel
* Also , 1 safety vest, 1 roll of duct tape, 1 2-in-1 screw driver, 6 assorted sizes of fuses, and first aid kit
* App of the week:
The Voting App
Free
Become an educated voter.
The Voting AppTM is every voter’s new best friend! It is the first mobile app of its kind, aggregating all of the critical information needed for potential voters. Whether you’re looking for general information on candidates, trying to understand what issues are on the ballot, or even trying to figure out which polling location corresponds to your address, the Voting AppTM is there for you each step of the way.
The Voting AppTM allows users to compare candidates and create a “fantasy ballot” of their own which can be saved as well as shared across social media. Customized notifications and reminders prompt users to the election polls on election days and the users are then guided to the polls via the devices’ native navigation feature. Users are also prompted to share the app and encourage others to get out and vote! The Voting AppTM will help to make sure your voice is heard.
