Even though it is illegal in some states and very dangerous, commuters are continuing to check e-mail and text messages on the wayto work says The Commuting and Staying
Connected Study, conducted by Angus Reid Strategies for IMS Inc.
The study found that 32% of Americans and 23% of Canadians surveyed think that it
is important to their work-life balance to have access to
text-messaging, phone and e-mail while commuting.
People are feeling pressure from their employers. Roughly a quarter of Canadians (24%) and
a fifth of Americans (21%) say they have missed an important e-mail or
opted out of a call from work while commuting.
Some of them -
particularly in the U.S. - faced repercussions. American bosses were
more likely than their Canadian counterparts to react in a negative way
to an employee missing a call while commuting (29% of Americans versus
17% of Canadians). At the same time, 18% of Americans and 8% of
Canadians surveyed feel like they are letting down their employer or
colleagues if they fail to answer work-related phone calls or emails.
mobile technology en route to the office is important for many simply
because they like communicating and staying in touch with work, family
or friends (53% of Americans; 48% of Canadians), they want to make
better use of time (13% of Americans; 24% of Canadians), and they find
it convenient (15% of Americans and Canadians).
might be, this study shows that commuters are beginning to consider
in-car connectivity a basic need," said Tony Cassetta, Chief Operating
Officer, IMS. "These attitudes combined with increasing pressures to
stay connected are not likely to disappear, so it's important for
commuters to know that there is an alternative to accessing their
devices while on the road."
in-car device that interacts directly with your smartphone and lets you
manage your inbox using simple voice commands. iLane is a portable
smartphone-compatible device that can ride inside commuters' vehicles,
allowing them to control their smartphone entirely hands-free. iLane
reads e-mails to the user out loud, on command, and it allows for
access and control of other smartphone applications by voice command,
including managing phone calls, SMS messages and calendars.
iLane provides daily news, sports, and weather updates on-demand from
The Associated Press and The Weather Network, ensuring that commuters
are not only connected to the office but are also well-informed about
what is happening in the world around them.
data exchange with the user's smartphone to keep private information
localized in the vehicle, with no need for an external server
connection. It also allows users to make and receive phone calls using
a simple voice command, without taking their hands off the wheel or
their eyes off the road.
concerns of respondents who cited safety concerns as a reason not to
use mobile technology during their drive to work. More than one third
(37% of Americans and 35% of Canadians) cited this.
long commute times who feel that being connected to the office while on
the road is a priority," said Mr. Cassetta. "iLane is an alternative
choice that enables you to drive with both hands on the wheel, allowing
you to pay attention to what's happening on the road instead of on your
mobile screen."
Pricing and Availability
of $599.00, plus $7.99 per month. It can be purchased at www.ilane.com.