Texting while driving = ticket in CO starting tomorrow

The law that started in California finally arrives in Colorado starting tomorrow: it is a primary offense to be caught texting while driving, punishable by a $50 fine.

A few items of note:

• You can also get a ticket for texting while sitting at a light.
• "Texting" includes e-mail, Facebook, etc. -- anything that requires you to type on the keyboard.
• "Primary offense" means that you can be pulled over for suspicion of texting; you do not have to have committed another violation.
  
• This law does not include using a handsfree device to make voice calls (unlike California, but I'm sure that's coming too).
• Unfortunately there does not appear to be a good voice-to-text application for the iPhone -- most require a carrier assignment and use the e-mail gateway; ShoutOUT looks promising, but does not yet appear to actually be available.
  

I watched a cop get interviewed about this on the news this morning and he admitted that it would be difficult in a compressed time period to tell if you were dialing a number vs. texting, but that if there were a reasonable time period in which he was following you, he would probably be able to tell.

Guess I'll actually have to start using the traditional phone function of my iPhone.

Smartbook AG gets upset with people using the term "smartbook"

Apparently Smartbook AG has a multinational trademark on the word "smartbook" -- good for them. Although they are well justified in defending manufacturers against using the term for competing products, they have also apparently decided to go after media outlets and even some bloggers that are generically using the word to describe next generation devices under the moniker of "smartbooks".

Interesting marketing strategy.

Here's a link to the source about the smartbook controversy on TechCrunch.

Smartbook.

(yup, I'm happy to help)

Refreshing interview with Tom DeLong from Blink182

A series of refreshing interviews with Tom DeLong from Blink182 -- I especially like the video embedded below. To whet your appetite, here's a quote from the interview: "I believe that if you look at your band with a modern filter, you can create really cool merchandise, live experiences, an amazing website and monetize all these elements and not worry about selling the record itself. In fact, I believe you should take down every barrier and put as much music out there for free."






(if the embedded video is not working, click here)

4-part video series here.

Transcription of the interview here.

Wave invites follow-up

Ok, I got some hate mail from people that posted comments on my blog about the Google Wave invites, so here's my general response:

1. I asked you to send me an e-mail in the original post. Not only does it make it easier for me to invite you, but it protects you from having to post your e-mail address in the comments, subjecting you to what would likely be an overwhelming amount of spam.
2. For those of you that did elect to post a comment and left your e-mail address, I've rejected all comments so that your e-mail address will not appear where anyone or any spambot can find it.
3. This really was designed as a thank-you to people that read my blog; if you had actually read the text of my post, you would have been able to follow the instructions and likely would have received an invitation from me.

Thanks again to my loyal readers.

Ross

Google Wave invites

I've got 5 Google Wave invites for my loyal blog readers -- just shoot me an e-mail if you want one and, as always, first come, first served.

UPDATE: I'm out for now 3:30PM MST on November 8, 2009. Here's the deal: if you send me an e-mail before I posted this update, I'll save your e-mail address and send you an e-mail when I receive another round. For those of you that posted comments or contacted me in a way other than an e-mail, I'm sorry that I wasn't able to help you.

Thanks for reading.