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Are smartwatches dangerous? Lawyer wants $1 billion campaign to warn drivers
LA Times ^ | April 21, 2015 | By PARESH DAVE

Posted on 04/21/2015 2:37:22 PM PDT by Swordmaker

An attorney is seeking a court order that four tech giants fund a $1-billion smartwatch warning campaign After the Apple Watch ships to initial customers Friday, thousands of motorists might be sneaking a glance at the smartwatch to read text messages and other alerts.

That has at least one person concerned. On Monday, an attorney filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Google that seeks a court order for the technology companies to fund a $1-billion public education campaign about the dangers of using a smartwatch while driving. In his lawsuit, Stephen Joseph says smartwatches represent a bigger distraction for drivers than smartphones because the vibrations and the sounds from the wrist-worn device will be tougher to ignore.

"The temptation to check the tiny screen immediately after receiving a notification is virtually irresistible," the suit says, adding that looking at the watch means "the road becomes invisible to the driver."

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Computers/Internet; Society
KEYWORDS: apple; applewatch; california
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1 posted on 04/21/2015 2:37:22 PM PDT by Swordmaker
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To: ~Kim4VRWC's~; 1234; Abundy; Action-America; acoulterfan; AFreeBird; Airwinger; Aliska; altair; ...
Attorney files $1 Billion lawsuit to force Apple, Samsung, Microsoft and Google to fund public campaign to warn drivers against using smartwatches while driving, claiming they'll be a distraction. — PING!


Apple Watch and other Smartwatches driving distractions? Ping!

If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.

2 posted on 04/21/2015 2:40:26 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Swordmaker

Stupid


3 posted on 04/21/2015 2:41:01 PM PDT by Jonty30 (What Islam and secularism have in common is that they are both death cults)
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To: Swordmaker
"The temptation to check the tiny screen immediately after receiving a notification is virtually irresistible," the suit says

Well, the solution is then obvious. Sell those watches only to people who can prove, in a series of psychological tests, that they can resist the irresistible.

Unfortunately therein lies another problem. People who want these watches are very likely to want to be in contact with everyone, all the time.

4 posted on 04/21/2015 2:42:45 PM PDT by Greysard
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To: Swordmaker

Lawyers should come with warning labels.


5 posted on 04/21/2015 2:43:40 PM PDT by DaveyB (Live free or die!)
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To: Swordmaker

I don’t have one, but don’t these things by now have text-to-speech and vice-versa as standard applications?


6 posted on 04/21/2015 2:47:07 PM PDT by Larry Lucido
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To: Swordmaker

I’d consider a SmartWatch arguably worse than a phone when you’re driving. You can’t operate it with one hand.


7 posted on 04/21/2015 2:53:20 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Swordmaker

This is different from glancing at an ordinary watch or looking down at the dashboard, or over at the GPS map, or a mirror, or back over a shoulder?

Are there people so deluded that they think drivers should never blink or ever look away from the road directly ahead?


8 posted on 04/21/2015 2:55:25 PM PDT by Ramius (Personally, I give us one chance in three. More tea anyone?)
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To: Swordmaker

And how much of that $1 billion will go to the lawyer?


9 posted on 04/21/2015 2:56:11 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (True followers of Christ emulate Christ. True followers of Mohammed emulate Mohammed.)
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To: Jonty30

There are serious proposals to make cell phones not able to operate in a moving vehicle for just this reason.


10 posted on 04/21/2015 2:57:54 PM PDT by redgolum ("God is dead" -- Nietzsche. "Nietzsche is dead" -- God.)
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To: Swordmaker

I’m sure your smartphone is going to be all abuzz with twitter updates as you’ve put who knows how much distance and 30+ feet of water from the nearest cell tower. Heck, if you’re floating at the surface and your wrist is underwater, I’m guessing that there’s 15 feet of water, direct line of sight to the nearest tower.

There’s a reason why any travel to Mars will have a water jacket around crew areas. It stops radiation...all types of it.


11 posted on 04/21/2015 3:01:34 PM PDT by Malsua
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To: Larry Lucido
I don’t have one, but don’t these things by now have text-to-speech and vice-versa as standard applications?

Siri will read any text to you . . . and you can dictate a response.

12 posted on 04/21/2015 3:03:48 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Swordmaker

this just in

people too stupid to drive shouldn’t be allowed to buy smart watches

there oughta be a law


13 posted on 04/21/2015 3:04:09 PM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: Swordmaker

Yet another LEECH who produces nothing of value and simply wants to feed (in a VERY AMPLE fashion) off of the productive elements in private industry.


14 posted on 04/21/2015 3:07:02 PM PDT by House Atreides (CRUZ or lose!)
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To: tacticalogic
I’d consider a SmartWatch arguably worse than a phone when you’re driving. You can’t operate it with one hand.

You are claiming facts not in evidence. . . and false to fact. Siri can launch any app. Control the watch with voice commands. You want to make ex cathedra statements about something you know nothing about. Sorry tacticalogic, it just doesn't work that way. You erect straw man arguments that you can shoot down but they are just not true.

15 posted on 04/21/2015 3:07:38 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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To: Jonty30

“Stupid”

VERY SMART, and quite enriching.
For that one particular lawyer, anyway.

Wonder how much Apple gives him to buy him off?


16 posted on 04/21/2015 3:08:55 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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To: Swordmaker
Control the watch with voice commands.

Then why not just voice control the damned phone and be done with it?

17 posted on 04/21/2015 3:09:32 PM PDT by tacticalogic ("Oh, bother!" said Pooh, as he chambered his last round.)
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To: Larry Lucido

“I don’t have one, but don’t these things by now have text-to-speech and vice-versa as standard applications?”

No...
The Lawyer 2.0 hasn’t been developed, yet.


18 posted on 04/21/2015 3:09:46 PM PDT by tcrlaf (They told me it could never happen in America. And then it did....)
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To: Swordmaker

Sticking with my Rolex. Way cooler.


19 posted on 04/21/2015 3:10:04 PM PDT by Ted Grant
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To: Blood of Tyrants
And how much of that $1 billion will go to the lawyer?

Typically in a case like this? Probably 2/3rds. . . and then he gives himself a sinecure position as head of the organization running the campaign at a hefty yearly salary.

20 posted on 04/21/2015 3:10:19 PM PDT by Swordmaker (This tag line is a Microsoft insult free zone... but if the insults to Mac users contnue...)
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