WASHINGTON - Three U.S. Senators have unveiled a brand new bill they're calling the TABLET ALERT Act, which would ban truck and car drivers along with operators of mass transit from using Apple's rumored tablet device (iTablet) while driving. The bill would serve as a companion to the wildly unpopular ALERT Act, a nationwide ban limited to texting and e-mail driving using cell phones.
The newly proposed legislation, which is being rushed to a vote, would proactively prohibit all drivers from watching movies, viewing interactive album art, reading e-books and sending text or e-mail messages using any tablet device while operating a vehicle. It's the first nationwide ban of its kind being proposed for a mythical non-product.
"If Apple ever does release an iTablet device, we plan on being there to confront them head on with our new legislation. The Tablet Alert Act is aimed at keeping drivers safe from their own mindless stupidity while driving," one Senator said at a poorly attended press conference in Washington.
"We know that an iTablet could be even more popular than the iPhone if it actually exists, so we're simply over-thinking it and planning ahead. If they build it, we will come. Because you can never have too much legislation when it comes to using technology on America's highways." one Senator's aide said with a slight lisp.
Although Apple's fabled media pad has not yet been confirmed as a product by the company, I can imagine the temptation of sending other drivers hateful iMessages using large bold text via the tablet's 10-inch screen becoming impossible to resist.
The idea of a tablet device being used for an even more disturbing trend some call "iMooning", could keep Mac video fanatics entertained for hours while on the road. A potential driving phenomenon that U.S. Senators may have never dreamed of.
Meanwhile, reports from Germany claim that Volkswagen is rushing to integrate Apple's tablet into their dashboard, featuring the device in brochures promoting 2010 models. Those reports remain unconfirmed.
[View all 64 Tablet spoof photos at Gizmodo.com]
defensive driving. The act or practice of operating an automobile in such a way as to minimize accidents, especially by looking out for and avoiding others who are driving badly.
Posted by: kevin | May 16, 2010 at 10:51 PM
Senators are just ignoramus.
They can't even imagine voice technologies.
Using voice interaction (instead of touch one) you can listen to sms or mail, and answer it.
Apple, awaiting your tablet (together with docking iPhone for communication) in the car!
Posted by: Uriah Heep | August 20, 2009 at 05:42 AM