 |
 |
|
|||||
August 2, 2005
Dear CNET members, We've all heard the great debates over the safety of cell phone usage while driving, and every time I see a person being distracted by a phone call while behind the wheel, I want to scream, "Shut up and DRIVE!" But on the other hand, what about today's car stereos? Are they just as guilty of distracting the driver? Bells and whistles of car stereo technology come with a deadly price; they're no longer simple AM/FM radios with a volume knob. They're satellite radios, MP3 players, multiple disc players, and so forth that incorporate a slough of small buttons, knobs, and displays, all in the small real estate of the car's dash, making it a monster of a task to decipher even when you're not driving. So is there something the car industry can do to make it safer for us to operate our car stereos? I know many of you have some great ideas brewing in the back of your mind, but before you chime in, read our Editor at Large Brian Cooley's latest article, "Your next car stereo could kill you," and see what suggestions he offers for making the car stereo more driver-friendly. And when you're ready to rock 'n' roll, tell us what other tips you have in mind to make car stereos safer--or if you think it is a hopeless cause and you'd be better off screaming, "Stop messing with your car stereo and DRIVE!" TalkBack to us.
|
|||||||
|
This week's hot topic:
Dangerous car stereosThe more feature-rich car stereos become, the more dangerous they are to drivers. After reading the latest Driving It column, many of you shared handy suggestions on how to safely access your stereo when in the driver's seat. Make mine remote With a remote control, CNET member bunnybash can queue up tunes to his heart's content, without ever taking his eyes off the road. He keeps it attached to his dashboard when he's not using it so that he doesn't have to go searching for it when driving. Read bunnybash's full post in CNET TalkBack Keep your hands on the wheel CNET member mpinter pines for his 1989 Olds Cutlass and its simple stereo control buttons that sat behind the steering wheel. The buttons gave him adequate sound control without his hands ever leaving the wheel. Read mpinter's full post in CNET TalkBack Make the stereo talk back Granted, simple steering-wheel-based buttons might not cover all the functionality of modern-day stereos. So CNET member sgordonson suggests those buttons be not only user programmable but also provide audio feedback on the action being taken. Read sgordonson's full post in CNET TalkBack Speak Up! What's your take on keeping "DJ'ing and driving" safe? Read "Your next car stereo could kill you," then speak up in the TalkBack section. • 10 hot vehicles for techies From CNET Car Tech • Top tech makes these cars fast and fun From CNET Car Tech • Car tech forum From CNET forums  Here are some interesting comments you've recently submitted
on CNET. Read up on it and talk about it.
• When software's flawed, who needs to know? Newsflash: Your desktop software is flawed...but you knew that. Or did you? Robert Vamosi has the scoop on current initiatives afoot to inform you of the latest flaws and fixes. Should software vulnerabilities be made public? • Revenge of the cheap LCD TVs No-name flat-panels continue to invade stores, and their prices are pretty darn attractive. Is the Aquos reign in jeopardy? Would you buy a no-name flat-panel HDTV if the price was right? • Never pay for software again Can you set up a new computer with all the software you need for free? Open-source projects and freeware efforts have made this a reality. Think free software's a crock? Believe in one world, one platform under Microsoft? |
Weigh in on this week's hot topic:
 Cell phones (tell us why) Car stereos (tell us why) DVD players (tell us why) Navigation systems (tell us why) People with road rage (tell us why) Kids (tell us why) Bad drivers (tell us why) Other (what is it?)
Vote and
discuss it here!
What's next? Want
to sound off on a future hot topic?
Dive into some of our community hotspots. Or if you have a
special topic in mind, e-mail
us.
Hot Products |
|||||
The e-mail address for your CNET Community newsletter is test.tester@cnet.com. Click here to manage your newsletters, including this one.
If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, please unsubscribe. CNET newsletters are now RSS friendly  Privacy statement CNET Networks takes your privacy seriously. Because we gather certain types of information about our users, we want you to clearly understand the terms and conditions surrounding the collection and use of this information. We encourage you to review our privacy policy. |
|||||||
TalkBack about car stereo safety!
Copyright 2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. CNET Networks, Inc. 235 Second Street San Francisco, CA 94105 U.S.A. |