Archive for December, 2008

Key2SafeDriving aims to stop teens from using the phone while at the wheel

Thursday, December 18th, 2008

Don’t you just cringe when you see someone sending a text message while driving? And if you’ve got children you can probably picture them doing the same and causing an accident… not something you’d like to happen.

Researchers at the University of Utah have designed a system to prevent that, called Key2SafeDriving.

The key is actually a device that connects to a cell phone via Bluetooth or RFID, blocking texting and calling the moment the engine is started. In addition to this, incoming messages are automatically answered with the text “I am driving now. I will call you later when I arrive at the destination safely.”

While the invention is still a prototype, it could be on the market within six months at a cost of less than $50 per key plus an unknown monthly service fee, according to the university.

If everything goes as planned and car manufacturers adopt the device, it could also serve to lower car insurance.

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Heat up those cold mornings with a battery powered ice scraper

Tuesday, December 16th, 2008

One of the perks of having is car is not freezing your ass off on the street/bus in the middle of winter. One of the downsides is having to clean your car in winter. Even if you don’t have to dig it out of a big mound of snow, if it’s cold outside it means the windows will be frosted… and you don’t want to spend too much time on them, do you?

The Cordless Heated Car Screen Ice Scraper is meant to make an unpleasant activity shorter, if it can’t make it go away. It needs 6-7 hours to charge from the mains and 3-4 hours to charge from the cigarette lighter socket, but it will work for 20 minutes on a full charge, more than enough to scrape all windows clean. It even comes with a LED to let you work in the dark, if you’re one of the unfortunates who have to go to work before there’s even light outside.

Retails for £24.99, which might or might not be too much for your comfort.

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Posted in Accesories, Auto, Car | 1 Comment »

RoadMice use your mousepad as their highway

Thursday, December 11th, 2008

If you’re looking for a Christmas present for a car lover and you’re stumped, here’s an idea.

The RoadMice are wireless computer mice modeled after awesome cars: Chevy, Chrysler, Ford, Dodge.. there’s even a Highway Patrol car! Each comes in several colors choices and they all have working headlights, just in case you lose something on the desk late at night.

As you might expect, they’re not exactly ergonomic, so they’re best suited for casual computer users who care more about the look than the functionality. But hey, at least they’re more useful than a toy car.

Get them for $44.95 a piece on RoadMice.com.

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Camouflage toilet seat, for posh campers

Monday, December 8th, 2008

The number 1 thing to have while you’re roughing it out in the woods: an Off-Road Commode. It’s basically a portable toilet seat which attaches to any 2in. receiver hitch and lets campers be about their business in comfort.

Offroad Oommode

And the manufacturers though about users’ safety: the seat is made from 1 5/16in. diameter steel tube, supports up to 500 lbs. and is even covered with soft, padded camo… to blend in better with the environment, see.

$40 brings all the comfort of home while outdoors… But if you’re too posh to *ahem* be natural even in the middle of nature, you could stay home for free.

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iLane reads your e-mail aloud so you can focus on driving and not kill anyone

Friday, December 5th, 2008

Texting and driving is a Very Bad Thing. People know this and ignore it. So the iLane is here to help… at least if you’ve got a BlackBerry 8000 series or newer smartphone running BlackBerry OS 4.1 and newer.

The iLane is a device that connects to your Blackberry and can read your e-mail aloud, let you compose e-mails and operate other applications such as phone and calendar.

It plugs into the vehicle’s 12V accessory port (or cigarette lighter), so it can be easily moved between cars.

But safety costs: the device is $599, the monthly fee is $7.99 and a $39.99 activation fee.

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Posted in Accesories, Auto, Car | 6 Comments »

Car furniture will help you win “tackiest home” prize

Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008

Sometimes car love can reach an unsettling level. It’s one thing to want to buy a good car, to take care of it, to drive it… and another thing entirely to use it as furniture.

These are only presented as a “how not to”, ok?

You can start off with a completely empty living room and fill it up with car furniture in a flash. All you need is a credit card with a lot of money on it and a total lack of taste.

Cadillac sofa (in 4 colors, no less), motorcycle chair, Chevrolet bar and van bar, what more could you want? Aside from something not horrifically ugly, that is.

And we’re not even at the best part yet: the prices. These beauties start around £1200 and go up to almost £1500.

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Posted in Auto, Car, Funny | 4 Comments »

$100 key fob monitors teen drivers’ behavior, doesn’t fill them with confidence

Monday, December 1st, 2008

Where do you draw the line between trusting a teen driver and making sure he or she doesn’t get killed in an accident?

The Lemur Autovision can answer the questions concerning a driver’s habits. This keychain driving monitor records maximum speed, distance traveled and number of sudden brakes, enabling parents to see whether their child was speeding, driving to places they shouldn’t have or not paying enough attention.

It only needs a couple of minutes to install and doesn’t require professional help, so it’s one of the simplest solutions for a concerned parent.

It doesn’t address the issue of the lack of trust, though; it’s up to the parents to decide on the right mix of caution and treating their children as adults in the making.

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