It really strikes us on the ironic side of matters that the contemporary world’s most influential leaders and figures are required to impede on a subject as embarrassing as texting-while-driving. President Obama has spoken out on the issue, the Governor’s Highway Safety Association has spoken in support of the issue, and many legislative groups around the world have expressed their concerns on the deathly matter.

However, Representative Nicholas Thompson, R-Fort Myers, publicly stated that he didn’t think Florida needed a texting law until he saw a motorcyclist texting on US highway 441 with “one hand on his gas tank, texting – looking down and looking back up.” While many lawmakers and concerned citizens may share similar experiences, many have also been falsely lead to conclude that all lawmakers support a ban on text messaging while operating a motor vehicle. Unfortunately, it isn’t the case.

Of course, the argument wasn’t left uncontested, as Representative Steven Precourt, R-Orlando, exclaimed that “banning use of technology could lead down a slippery slope…to banning anything at all that increases risk.”

Back in December, ArsTechnica reported that text messaging is now officially more popular than voice calling in the United States, despite elevated usage costs. "The simple answer is we don't really know why," Dr. Juan Gilbert, director of Clemson's Human-Centered Computing department.

At its request, America has received a solution to its mobile texting additions. A group of researchers at Clemson University’s Human-Centered Computing Lab have recently developed a technology called VoiceTEXT that connects a cell phone to an in-car hands-free system and sets it to “vocal” mode. In perspective, the technology will connect the phone to a central cloud of servers where voice-to-text transcription will be processed in realtime and sent back to the user’s phone in one of three forms – an email message, a voicemail message, or a text message.

Of course, the “text message” mode teams up with “vocal” mode to play aloud the text messages to the user by means of text-to-speech software on the phone.

More here.