To view our overall Prezi presentation on cellCONTROL, please follow this link: http://prezi.com/w84jljyvlk03/copy-of-cell.
Scosche's cellCONTROL is expensive ($130), likely to be ineffective, and only increases our reliance on technology. If we turn to this technology to solve our problem of using technology while driving, what message are we sending to our posterity? As Nicholas Carr discusses in his book, The Shallows, children and teenagers are already growing up with a nagging compulsion to check email, texts, and other cell phone notifications. When we turn to new technology to curb our technology use, it shows our lack of self-control. Do we not have the capacity to put down our cell phones for a fifteen minute drive to the office or school? And if we can't trust ourselves, then how can we expect to trust children or teenagers not to do the same thing? We should think of a better solution than to put our trust in yet another technology. We should put down the cell phone. Yes, it may take some work and retraining our brains, but it is worth it to drive safely. Let's put down the cell phone without this expensive, unnecessary technology.
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ReplyDeleteTechnology is wiring our brains especially kids and teenagers to multitask, so getting people to stop texting and driving is sure to be difficult maybe even impossible. Evidence is showing that "they want to multitask and may need to multitask" (Rosen 77) While some have the self-control to decide to put the phone away, most do not because of the positive reinforcements the network offers us. Nicolas Carr says in his book, The Shallows, "The Net's interactivity gives us powerful new tools for finding information, expressing ourselves, and conversing with others. It also turns us into lab rats constantly pressing levers to get tiny pellets of social or intellectual nourishment." (Carr 117)
ReplyDeleteI don't think people will stop texting and driving until they are forced by technology like the cellCONTROL. This technology is probably necessary to protect us from ourselves.
ReplyDeleteWe spoke of this a bit during the class discussion, but I think implications for this technology can be seen beyond the simple task of preventing teens from texting. Like breathalyzers being imposed by a judge after prior DUI incidents, cellCONTROL could be legally mandated after texting and driving car accidents. Obviously the technology is imperfect, but since texting and driving is illegal in many states, this could be a means of prevention of future accidents. However, anytime the government steps in to impede a freedom, there is always the potential for abuse of power. If the government can forcibly keep us from texting, what is the next step?
ReplyDeleteThis is all probably moot, anyhow, since vehicle technology seems to be evolving much more rapidly than this cell phone technology (or the law, for that matter). Soon enough, cars will be driving themselves and we'll all be passengers, free to text at will.
"[...] we seem determined to give human qualities to objects and content to treat each other as things" (Turkle xiv).
ReplyDeleteOf course Dr. Turkle was talking about interactive, sociable robots, but I think the quote above is relevant in many situations. It's scary how much we've become dependent on technology. As Kristina and Jocelyn talked about in class: cell phones were made to make our lives easier, but now we need another technology to prevent us from that very technology. We're trusting cellCONTROL to prevent us from texting and driving instead of expecting ourselves to have enough self control to not text while driving.
CellCONTROL--Cool (Jocelyn)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDsrhG_I8dE
As discussed in class, CellCONTROL has many possible applications in addition to being a parental control device for teen drivers. I think the best suggestion was that it be used in driving school to help monitor students with a history of texting while driving.
I think your first statement says it all, especially that it is likely to be ineffective. It seems too easy to get around the control of the technology. If it only works with the car in motion, you are free to use your phone at red lights and stop signs. Also, it doesn't work on apps downloaded after setting up cellCONTROL?! Let's say, for example, a parent put this device in their son or daughter's car. It would be too easy for any iPhone-savvy teen to get around this technology.
ReplyDelete