Holding a mobile phone while driving doesn’t make any sense from a safety point of view, but the recent crackdown here in the UK could make it damaging to your wallet and driving licence too. As well as fines and points on your licence brought in last February, there is extra awareness starting next month. In addition under the new rules, drivers could be charged with dangerous driving, which carries a maximum sentence of two years in jail.
So coming in to this year I decided I need to stop breaking the law and bought a Jawbone for my Blackberry 8310. I’d heard of these things earlier last year, and seen the delight on Thomas Otter’s face when one was brought across to Germany from the US for him. Basically the Jawbone is a bluetooth earpiece, with a nice, simple design, and slick operations thanks to its noise cancellation technology. The noise cancellation means that, within reason, you can easily hear and be heard, even when there is plenty of road noise, the radio on, or your favourite Hendrix track playing through the car stereo from the iPod. The device has only 2 buttons, but it’s easy to get the hang of performing all the various functions in the appropriate context. Battery life is good - I charge mine every few days or a week, and the device comes with various earpieces and clips to help suit your particular ear. I find it very comfortable. Pairing with the Blackberry just worked. The only real issue is that now I look like one of those business people driving an executive car with an Uhura style earpiece that Jeremy Clarkson is so fond of taking the p*%$ out of! However, it’s the price you have to pay for a bit of safety. Highly recommended, and only £70 from your local Carphone Warehouse.
