Traffic Tweets Send Mixed Messages

Younger Americans slightly more tolerant, but 83% still in favor of ban

(NEWSER) - An overwhelming majority of Americans think texting while driving is such a bad idea it should be outlawed. A new poll finds that 90% of us support a ban; the most contrary demographic is, rather unsurprisingly, young'uns aged 18 to 29—though a robust 83% are in favor of a ban. And, CBS News points out, there’s no anti-cell phone bias: 90% of both mobile users and those who cling to landlines think your fingers should be glued to the wheel. More»

(NEWSER) - In 2003 a federal agency compiled hundreds of pages of research on the dangers of using cell phones while driving, but suppressed the findings because of pressure from Congress. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a part of the Transportation Department, also planned a long-term study of the risks of cell phone use but never undertook it. Two consumer advocacy groups obtained the findings, which are published today by the New York Times. More»

Technology that brings us together can pull us apart, she writes

(NEWSER) - Today’s world of cellphones, tweets, and texts makes it possible to stay constantly in touch—but where do we draw the line between contact and privacy, connection and independence? When it comes to family intimacy over distance, that question comes into sharp relief, Peggy Orenstein reflects in the New York Times. Her parents wanted Skype to be a window into the world of their granddaughter; but "if I wanted them to have unfettered access to my life, I wouldn’t have put the 'keep out' sign on my room at age 10." More»

German chose character length by writing random messages

(NEWSER) - The man who chose text-messaging’s magic number—160 characters—did so in a decidedly low-tech way, the Los Angeles Times reports. In 1985, German Friedhelm Hillebrand typed message after random message into his typewriter, and found that 160 was “perfectly sufficient,” he said. And now sufficiency is king: Americans sent more texts last year than they made cell phone calls. More»

(NEWSER) - A new software technology can automatically disable cell phones moving at car speeds, augmenting laws already in place forbidding their use while driving, RealTechNews reports. The developer, Canada's Aegis Mobility, is partnering with Nationwide insurance to offer discounts to adopters. Aegis still needs carrier support but expects the software to available next year. More»