Tag: safety

Show Your Small Business Cares: Help A Local School By Pledging Not to Text and Drive

by Katherine Elsasser

my business cares AT&T It Can WaitWe all know that texting and driving is dangerous: according to the National Safety Council, over 100,000 accidents each year involve drivers who are texting. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, over 3,000 people were killed in 2011 in distracted-driving related accidents, and texting while driving is the most dangerous distraction of all. That’s why the “It Can Wait” campaign was launched to remind people that no matter how important a text might seem, it’s not more important than safety!

texting while driving crash statistics from My Business Cares, AT&T and It Can WaitAs an extension of the “It Can Wait” campaign, AT&T has created a way for small businesses to show that they stand against texting and driving while helping their communities. They’ve created a “My Business Cares” sweepstakes so that small business owners and employees can take the pledge not to text while driving. When they take the pledge a local middle or high school (of the business or employee’s choice) will be entered to win $1,000, plus an in-school assembly educating students on the dangers of texting while driving. Given that 75% of teenagers say that texting while driving is common among their friends, that’s an important lesson for students to hear.

AT&T My Business Cares It Can Wait Pledge

Many small businesses rely on the benefits afforded by mobile devices. But when those devices are used while driving, employees can put themselves and others at risk. “My Business Cares” is a great opportunity for small businesses to send a powerful message to employees about the dangers of texting and driving, and gives individuals an opportunity to show they care while encouraging others to do the same.

Small business owners and employees can enter the sweepstakes via the “My Business Cares” tab on AT&T’s Facebook page. Simply take the pledge, enter your contact info, and select the local school you’d like to help.

SXSW: Chevy Eyes-Free Siri Integration

by Katherine Elsasser
Chevy Hand-Free Integration
Demo of Siri Eyes-Free Integration in the new Chevy Sonic

One cool thing we saw at SXSW was how tech is being incorporated into our vehicles so we can use our phones and apps even while we’re driving. We got a chance to get a demo from Chevy in their new Sonic, a compact car with their MyLink system. The MyLink system is basically their in-car entertainment system. But what’s new here is that it links up to your phone, so you can use your iTunes or apps like Pandora through your car screen. That means no fiddling with your phone when you’re supposed to be driving!

If you have Siri (iPhone) or Nancy (Android), you can also use that through your car to make calls right from your steering wheel, which means you never have to take your eyes off the road, because it’s all voice activated. Siri can also send and read your text messages. And since your phone plugs into the car, you don’t have to worry about Bluetooth battery drain. We’ll be posting more about in-car tech in action, but for now here’s a demo of Siri at work in a new Chevy Sonic:

Win a BlueAnt Q2 Bluetooth Headset!

by Shy Mukerjee

Contests are going to become a regular feature here on Small Biz Go Mobile. After all, why shouldn’t we give something back to our readers? Mario has talked about the BlueAnt Q2 Bluetooth Headset before, and you can check him out on CNN talking about voice activation, driving safety, and the Q2 below.

But how do you enter? Simple, just do two things:

The contest ends at Noon EST on Monday, April 4th. Winners (and our next contest!) will be announced that afternoon on this site. So follow us, retweet, and check back to see if you won!

Mario Armstrong discusses Hands-Fre Bluetooth Technology and Driving Safety on CNN