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Posts: 2,869 | Thanked: 1,784 times | Joined on Feb 2007 @ Po' Bo'. PA
#27
While operating a mobile device with one hand, what is it that you suppose people are doing with the other? I mean, do you think that in at least a few cases their other hand is involved in a primary task that should have their attention?

In today’s litigious society and in markets where a contributory negligence defense could somehow place fault on the actual device for allowing it's operator to be distracted (<I don’t agree with this, but it happens), I'm not sure it is a good idea for a manufacturer to promote one handed operation of a smart phone.

It is bad enough with just SMS >> EXAMPLES << imagine if people were booking hotel rooms, looking up lyrics to songs they just heard, or Googling recipes in order to decide if they need to stop at the market for ingredients on the way home while, all while they hurtle down the road @ 60 miles per hour while supposedly operating a 1, 1/2 ton vehicle.

It will be a while before lawsuits start hitting the news from the many injured or killed when a Los Angelos commuter rail train crashed with a freight rail and 25 people died. Edited: Just recently there was a Boston trolley accident in which 49 people were hospitalized. In both cases a possible cause stated was "operator distracted while text messaging". Although the investigations are not complete or may be found inconclusive, perhaps enough attention has been given to texting as a possible cause that a device manufacturer and/or a service provider could be named in a few of those civil actions.

Just a thought.

Edit: Correction made. Replaced with italicized text

Last edited by YoDude; 2009-09-01 at 18:56.
 

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