parents with kids who have android phones....

[SSHGuru]

$40 for a simple app like that is just greed. Someone will probably have a free one out soon.

Who's stupid enough to text while driving? Maybe kids but I have a hard enough time texting while sitting.

 

[r-dubya]

What if you are a passenger?

Same thing I thought at first, it would suck if you were a passenger and could not text while someone else was driving. I just turned 19, had my drivers license since the day I turned 16 but never though of talking or driving on the phone because it was stupid and should be common sense not to talk or take your eyes off the road period but I guess parents don't teach common sense anymore...

Being a parent of an 8 year old son, i would disagree with that comment. It's not that parents don't teach common sense, it's just that kids will be kids. The only difference is, today, kids have more "toys" and will do what they will with them until they learn their lessons.

Well, that's not actually the point i was trying to make. The point i was trying to make is that a lot of parents try to teach common sense, some succeed and some don't. I try my hardest to instill a good amount of "common sense" into my son, but kids will still mess up, it's life. I think the major problem in todays society is that fact that children are not children for as long.

What i mean by that is kids seem to "think" they are grown up LONG before they actually are. Throw in a lack of discipline (due to an ever-growning fear of being punished for punishing your kid) an endless supply of information (via the internet) and you have a recipe brewing for a teen who "knows" everything and thinks he is all grown up.

The difference is, while I thought I was all grown up, I still had a dad who would remind me (if circumstances warranted) that i was just a kid.

Another reasons is this medicated, lazy society we have become. Instead of parents owning up to their responsibilities, they medicate their children so they don't have to deal with them. "I don't know why little Timmy is running around, yelling, jumping, and acting like a kid, he must have ADHD, gotta take him to the shrink tomorrow and get him medicated". NO little Timmy is doing all those things for one reason, BECAUSE HE IS A KID! Kids shouldn't act like adults, they should act like children.

I believe some of this steams from the technology advances in recent time. Children spend more and more time inside (playing video games, surfing the web etc) and less time outside playing. Conclusion: parents are stuck around their kids all day long instead of only seeing them around meal times. When i was a kid, I was outside of the house every minute I could.

Who knows, if my mom had to put up with me every day, perhaps she would have medicated me as well

Sorry for the rant, this is just a touchy topic for me...

Dub

 

[texasPI]

Just saw on the news that vzw has a app that when installed on an android phone will not allow a text message to be sent or received while moving over 10mph. It is called textecution, 40 dollars, I call BS on that. I bet a dev could make one for for way less. Just thought I'd let everyone know it was out there. Texting and driving is a big issue.

Texting and driving is a big issue, but making an app and profiting off it is a horrid idea. The best thing to do, and what I plan to do (if I ever have kids), is to sit them down, tell them that it it terrible. Just enlighten them about how dangerous it is.

Plus, if they can root a droid on their own, they can get rid of an app...

No offense but my wife and I had friends that would always start the "when I have kids I will/won't let them do this or that." Years later their kids are the most rude obnoxious brats one could come across. Its not as easy as we think to be a parent.

Anyway, if it were so easy to write an app like this; then why isn't there one like this already? I don't blame the dev trying to capitalize on it. Afterall, isn't that what the local/state governments do when they enact feel good laws against these things? It's called revenue enhancement couched in "let's protect the kids."

 

[Jrtec13]

While I agree on some parts about electronics/phones not being good and having some disadvantages, there are also advantages children/young adults can gain, I've been around computers, cell phones, and many other electronics my while life and know how to build my own computers, laptops, etc...and I'm only 19 and will be soon getting my first LLC here soon for my photography company. I see countless places putting all kids in the same group as punks, brats, the list could go on of other words that describe people.

There are some responsible young adults/children out there, my whole life I have been mature and always worked for everything I've gotten unlike some people, I was taught at a very young age to respect, and earn everything I have gotten. I just wish more young adults and children acted this way and were more responsible.

 

[Jim 777]

$40 for a simple app like that is just greed. Someone will probably have a free one out soon.

Who's stupid enough to text while driving? Maybe kids but I have a hard enough time texting while sitting.

You're kidding right? I'm always looking at drivers as I go by, be it on a bike or in a car. I see people all the time texting, usually young women (no offense intended, just an observation). It happens a lot.

But then I also see people reading newspapers, books, putting on make up, shaving, and more.

 

[pyro6128]

people who complain about the price don't realize how economics and capitalism works. The person took the time to create that app. He has placed a value on his work and time. There is nothing wrong with him saying that he wants $40 for the app. If that price is too high, then no one will buy it and he will lower the price. The market will correct itself. If people are willing to pay $40 and he starts making a lot of money, then it is priced correctly. He didn't create the app out of the kindness of his heart. Air bags and seat belts arent free either

 

[dropseys]

I used to be a police officer, you would be shocked how many people text and drive. Some people can't even handle talking on the phone and driving. I once pursued a woman through town with lights and sirens, thinking she was drunk due to swerving. running a stop sign, and refusing to stop until she pulled into the drive thru for McD's. When she rolled the window down there was a total look of shock and disbelief as myself, a state trooper, and sheriff deputy were beginning a felony stop on here. Needless to say I doubt she will ever be on the cell phone again and drive becasue she had no idea I was behind her, never mind 3 police cars chasing her.

 

[Bob Dammit]

Dub, I hear you. Even more than the issue of kids will be kids, they have a feeling of indestructibility instilled in them now days. I broke my arm when I was 3 by doing my best "Evel Knievel" impression jumping my big wheel off the front porch. Know what happened? I learned not to ride my big wheel off the from porch!
Think what would happen if that happened today. My mom would have been charged with neglect for letting me on the front porch with out direct supervision. She would have been charged because I wasnt wearing a helmet. (Remember when we didnt have to wear those things?) Empire Industries would have been sued for not putting a warning label on my big wheel warning me I could break an arm if I misused their product, E.K. would have been sued for not running a disclaimer that I could have been hurt imitating the great one, even though I watched him break most of the bones in his body, multiple times. ABC would have been sued for allowing E.K. to be broadcast into my living room on Wild World of Sports, where I should be safe from those influences.
We (the general public) have raised a generation of dumb, lazy, unaccountable kids and have no one but ourselves to blame. Someone will sue because a kid injured someone in an accident while texting, and they will win because the parents of the defendant did NOT install this program on their kids phone.
No one is immune from this problem either, I just had a discussion with my 11yo about bad grades in one of his classes. Guess what his answer was? "That teacher doesnt like me." Truth be told he failed 3 spelling quizzes and had multiple late and missing homework assignments. Saddest part is I try my best to teach him responsibility, but sometimes you just need to let them "Evel Knievel off the front porch" to learn for themselves.
/rant

 

[Rayv]

I used to be a police officer, you would be shocked how many people text and drive.

Yep...even the police! My friend took this photo watching this cop text in traffic.

 

[CorvetteAustin24]

Allowing this kind of forced control is certainly a gateway to other forced controlled actions. If a parent wants it for their kid, that's their choice, however there are many more accidents caused by people messing around in their car besides just with a cell phone, so it's kind of annoying hearing everyone go crazy on this topic while ignoring those donut eaters, coffee drinkers, chronic smokers, moms yelling at kids, people changing radio stations, etc.

Regardless of all of that, as I understand it, the gps would have to be on constantly as it can't read mph without having a constant signal. This would DESTROY battery life having gps on.

 

[dropseys]

Hey isn't CA a hands free only cell phone while driving state?

 

[Rayv]

Hey isn't CA a hands free only cell phone while driving state?

I think so, not positive though...I don't live there anymore.

 

[Darkman6909]

If they are old enough to Drive would you still consider them Kids?!?!?

 

[irishdroid]

Okay, a couple of points I have clear up.

1. Being a passenger, there is an unlock code that can disable the app. So, if a person is not going to be driving, or on a bus.... the app can be turned off.

2. The only thing I found odd was that VZW was on the news and it seemed that it was an app dev'd by them.

3. If a person is 16 years old, YES, I still consider them a kid. I know people who are 21 who act like kids.

My whole point in the OP was to make people aware of the app and to also say I think if this is indeed a VZW sponsored app I disagree with them charging that much. If it is a dev who makes money at it, so be it, however (I have a hard time programming an alarm clock BTW) I would think this app is pretty easy to make and it will be released in the marked for a buck or two in the near future.

The app is free through this month. I will download it and try some things out and report back.

**I have emailed the dev and asked a couple of questions, I will let you know what I find**

 

[CorvetteAustin24]

If someone knows the unlock code what's the point of the app?