Oct 28

Charities Now Texting For Donations

By Chris Samaras Phones In The News 1 Comment »

Send-Us-MoneyI am all for respectable charities, and I feel that if you are in a position to share some of your money, time, or knowledge, you should donate to where you feel you can make the most difference. That being said, I do not want charities to start texting me asking for money. Unfortunately, this seems to be a fast approaching reality/annoyance.

During the first timeout in the first quarter of the LSU-Auburn game at Tiger Stadium, United Way sent out over 2,558 text messages asking fans to donate five dollars by texting “LSU” to a certain number. The mass text brought in approximately $8,550 dollars from fans willing to donate to the non-profit organization. Apparently, the five dollars will be billed to their next cell phone bill.

I’m not sure where this kind of campaign falls, legally, but I’m sure if this one was a success, we’ll be receiving these kinds of pleas in the near future.

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Oct 27

Refurbished Cell Phones Help Stop the Killing in the Congo

By Chris Samaras Phones In The News No Comments »

PicFinalHaving seen Blood Diamond and read several articles about how the mining of diamonds in Africa was killing hundreds of thousands of its citizens, I consider myself aware of the crisis that diamonds have caused. What I was not aware of, however, was that the mining of the metal used in electronic components, such as those found in used cell phones, has become just as serious of a problem as the Congo is still a war zone because of the struggle to control the mines from which these metals come.

According to the Enough Project, the mining of Tungsten, Tantalum, Gold, and Tin for the production of electronic components, like those in cell phones, has provided more than $100 Million Dollars to rebel armies in the Congo and has resulted in the deaths of more than 5 Million people in the area. This money is used to buy weapons in order to brutally control the mines and torture their own people. In addition to using firearms to force locals into mining for these elements, the rebels have been using the rape of local women as a tool to maintain their control. It has been estimated that more than 100,000 women have been raped in the past ten years as a result of this conflict in the Congo.

If companies, governments, and other stakeholders can agree on a system to trace, audit, and certify conflict-free minerals that go in our electronics products, the mining of these elements could be one of the most crucial pillars of stability upon which the countries of Africa can build peaceful civilizations. Sadly, however, nothing will change unless we, the consumers, start demanding it. The Enough Project has made it easy for you make your voice heard in the fight to stop the killing in the Congo by texting “CongoPledge” to ACTION (228466). Another simple way to be a part of the change is to diminish the demand of these metals for the creation of new cell phones, by purchasing used and refurbished cell phones.

You can read more about the crisis in the Congo in these articles at The Boston Globe and at The Root.

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Sep 28

Getting Paid to Hang Up

By Chris Samaras Phones In The News 1 Comment »

Paid to hang up your cell phoneWould you hang up your cell phone in the car for a dollar? If so, drive to Boston where Jeff Larson is paying people who are driving and talking on their mobile phones a dollar to hang up. Jeff is the president of Safe Roads Alliance, a nonprofit group in Boston. His group has been trying to raise awareness about the dangers of using a mobile phone while driving through this roadside campaign that has been named “Bucks for Hang Ups.”

Larson has been standing on the side of the road near the Columbia Road exit off Interstate 93 South for about a week with a sign that reads: “Please, please, please, hang up and drive.” The back of his sign reads: “I’ll give you $1 if you hang up that call.’’ And he will. Larson has given away over a hundred dollars in a week, and he is prepared to give away four hundred more. Unfortunately for Larson, most people respond to him as they would to a homeless person panhandling for change. Even though he dresses in a suit and tie, Larson has been getting the finger all week. He says that people have actually been turning down the money.

Although no one likes being pestered at a red light, Larson’s cause is just. In addition to giving out a dollar for hang ups, he is handing out flyers that to inform drivers that they are four times more likely to get into a car accident if they are talking or texting while driving. The Harvard Center for Risk Analysis reports that 636,000 crashes and 2,600 deaths a year are related to cell phone usage. Larson commented that, “People just don’t drive well,” and I’d have to agree. There are already plenty of distractions for drivers like food, make up, and iPods. With BlueTooth earpieces being so cheap these days, it seems ridiculous to have to add cell phones to the list.

Larson plans on taking his campaign to Washington this week where US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will be holding a summit on distracted driving. If you’ll be driving in the area, look for the guy in the suit trying to give away money. Wendy’s still has a dollar menu, right?

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Sep 22

Ford Motors Says, "Text and Drive!"

By Chris Samaras Interesting Phone Stuff, Phones In The News 1 Comment »

Do not txt on your phone and drive! Ford Motors has become the first automotive manufacturer to support the anti-texting ban that has been introduced by U.S. Sen.  Charles Schumer, D-N.Y. Common sense would tell you that it’s not safe to text and drive, but Ford is saying, “Actually, it is – or it will  be.”

Ford is currently developing an improvement to their already popular Sync electronics package, which will convert voice into text  message. Ford reports that approximately 70 percent of the vehicles that they currently sell include the $395 Sync option. Based on  personal experience, Sync actually works very well. While driving your car, Sync enables you to deliver voice commands such as: “Call  (person’s name from your phonebook),” and your car will automatically dial the number and play the audio of the call through the  car’s speakers. With the text addition to Sync, the user will be able to narrate a text message to the system, and the system will convert  the narration into a text message and then send to whatever number or contact that the user wishes.

As the proposed ban on texting gains support, 25 percent of U.S. highway aid will be withheld from any state that does not comply if the ban is passes, it is nice to know that companies like Ford are working to incorporate systems like Sync in order to provide users the opportunity to use features, like texting, that have become a modern day necessity. The Sync system seems to be beneficial to non-texters as well as with Sync, more sets of eyes will be kept on the road where they belong.

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