11-year old comes up with an anti-texting while driving app concept, AT&T gives her $20,000
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The idea was born during a hackathon held in August, which had the purpose of promoting AT&T's "It Can Wait" campaign. The duo envisions the app, called Rode Dog, to work in the following way: Users are separated into packs. Every member of a pack can see if the others from the pack are having some kind of texting while driving action, and if they are, they can send them a barking sound, urging them to stop typing and leave the handset aside.
Victoria and David intend to produce the app for iOS, Android and even Windows Phone. They expect it to be ready sometime by the end of the year. According to them, the $20,000 will go for the development of the app and some additional features for it (as well as a lot of clothes and dolls, we can imagine). One of their newer ideas is to have the option for in-app purchases, allowing users to download additional warning sounds, besides barking. We wish them luck with the development of the app and hope that it will be a success!
via: TheVerge
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37 Comments
20. aaronkatrini posted on 21 Sep 2012, 13:01 1 2
Yeah, so people would pay money for an app that annoyes them during texting.... What an idea!! LOL
34. TechPsycho (banned) posted on 22 Sep 2012, 05:54 2 0
ill give my idea of for preventing textin and even callin, the key is up to car makers to put a built in chip (NFC maybe) at the driver's seat that can wirelessly shut down the texting capabilities of the phone.
35. reignwolve101 posted on 23 Sep 2012, 05:15 0 0
There has to be more annoying sounds than barking. Dog owners can tune that out if they have a barker at home.
4. andro. posted on 21 Sep 2012, 09:38 1 5
How can this app get supported like this when it promotes the use of a action which kills so many on the roads each year,driving and texting should never be put together
25. ayephoner posted on 21 Sep 2012, 13:58 2 0
its designed to discourage texting while driving. howd you miss that?
5. Lifengineer posted on 21 Sep 2012, 09:57 6 0
DAH! I don't see what's the clever about it!!!
I have an idea:
An app runs in the background and check the GPS in background and it verifies if you are moving at a speed say > 5km/h then it shuts the messaging app down and doesn't allow you to open it until you are at rest!
What about that guys?!
6. aokde posted on 21 Sep 2012, 10:05 2 0
i'd give you 20,000$ for that idea if i had. but still, i guess there are more than 1000,000 people thought of that already (yeah, including me)
13. cfprelude posted on 21 Sep 2012, 11:10 9 0
problematic for passengers, train/bus riders, etc etc... :(
30. TMobileRep_52_SwaaaG posted on 21 Sep 2012, 18:17 0 0
I was about to say the exact same thing cfprelude! there is no way to toggle it because no one is going to admittingly say they are the actual driver so that the messaging app will shut down (at least, not the majority of the population)
15. Nathan_ingx posted on 21 Sep 2012, 11:18 2 0
Then comes the bus mode, bicycle mode and the human mode, haha...kidding dude.
Nice concept, but practically...lots of hurdles to pass first.
7. Joshing4fun posted on 21 Sep 2012, 10:15 5 0
I don't get it. How does it actually know that you are driving and just riding in some vehicle?
27. Yummy posted on 21 Sep 2012, 16:56 0 0
Maybe The app can track via GPS if you on a train route or something...
8. Jobes posted on 21 Sep 2012, 10:15 6 0
Wouldn't work lol unless there is a way to differentiate if you were the driver or passenger. That would be annoying as hell if you were just a passenger and your phone was either preventing you from using your phone or making annoying sounds telling you not to text.
29. Jobes posted on 21 Sep 2012, 17:15 0 0
But whats to keep the driver from just putting it on the "passenger setting" and just texting anyways *rubs chin* such a predicament.
9. tacotacobell posted on 21 Sep 2012, 10:19 0 0
Great thought - but stupid idea!! Just as it was stated before, why would you want to encourage the use of texting while driving... A better idea of an app would have something were when you enter your car, you set the app so it only gives the user an option for car mode, (i.e navigation)
11. aahmed215 posted on 21 Sep 2012, 10:33 2 0
I don't see what's so great about this idea.
The best idea I can think of is having your phone read out texts and have you reply with voice command. It's not that perfect, if you REALLY must read and reply to that text, then stop somewhere safe or wait until you reach your destination.
18. g2a5b0e posted on 21 Sep 2012, 11:56 0 1
This idea was worth $20,000?! Really?! Good grief.
19. Grishm posted on 21 Sep 2012, 12:07 0 0
It just takes common sense to not text or talk on phone while driving. Duh!
22. InspectorGadget80 posted on 21 Sep 2012, 13:14 0 0
11yr old doesn't even drive yet they still give her 20,000$ is their something wrong with that?
24. troutsy posted on 21 Sep 2012, 13:44 0 0
What does that have to do with the price of tea in China?
26. ayephoner posted on 21 Sep 2012, 14:02 1 0
how do you guys not get this?
this is a parent/child app. if you're child drives themselves to/from school everyday (or wherever else), you would know exactly what time of day and that they are in fact the ones behind the wheel. you can 'bark' at your child. that simple.
it adds a parent interaction to the text while driving app. if i were a parent i would gladly spend money to have this app on my phone and my teen driver's phone.
31. TMobileRep_52_SwaaaG posted on 21 Sep 2012, 18:23 0 0
This is a classic case of Freedom Vs. Safety. Would you risk giving up some freedoms so that a 3rd party can keep you "safe" or should you have the right to decide your own safety and keep your Freedoms to do the things you want and determine your own risks?
32. downphoenix posted on 21 Sep 2012, 18:35 0 1
Wow, this is a stupid idea. Chalk it up to AT&T for thinking its a great idea and handing this kid a $20k grant.
33. pikapowerize (banned) posted on 22 Sep 2012, 00:53 0 0
wow... a great idea by a kid!!! i wonder how will i develop an app that will be the next big thing? the next plants vs zombies and angry birds
37. VooDooMOD posted on 25 Nov 2012, 09:38 0 0
Anti texting device
a prox sensor that works with the phone to
disable txt behind the wheel like a cloud around the driver
Here Make This Call For ME
