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Transportation Idle Apple

iPad Steering Wheel Mount 230

Posted by samzenpus from the dr.-lampe's-christmas-gift dept.
kevin7kal writes "The Apple iPad is the ideal automotive communications and entertainment device. It is sized perfectly to mount using the iPad Steering Wheel Mount without obscuring the driver's view. 'I don't think that I am exaggerating when I say that the iPad Steering Wheel Mount probably has saved my life...'"

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iPad Steering Wheel Mount More

iPad Steering Wheel Mount

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  • Well... (Score:5, Funny)

    by dancingmilk ( 1005461 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:17AM (#32292094) Homepage Journal

    What could possibly go wrong?

    • Think of the Children!

    • Nothing. I used to my Physics book and other texts while driving to college. It was a great way to prepare for an exam, rather than waste time.

      That was in the primitive 90s, but now students can use the iPad instead! Perfectly safe.

    • Doesn't Need For Speed have an iPad version? (Score:4, Funny)

      by AltairDusk ( 1757788 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:36AM (#32292330)
      Now with more realism! You can FEEL the collisions as if you were actually in them... oh wait.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by bondsbw ( 888959 )

      He's not using a 3G iPad... so at least he'll end up in a ditch 100 feet from his house, instead of endangering the highway.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Zarf ( 5735 )

      Not as cool as http://tinyurl.com/2fh8uck [tinyurl.com]

    • You're not allowed to install any device that interferes with the deployment of the air bag.

      Also not allowed to have a video screen less than a certain distance from the driver.

      Also not allowed to display movies, etc., on any screen visible to the driver.

      We have sane laws up here. Of course, the video I want to see is of his face as the airbag launches the iPad into it at 200 mph.

      So after the lawsuits ("Apple is responsible - there was no warning not to attach it to the steering wheel") you'll have t prove you're more intelligent than a pet rock to buy one - and that should kill 90% of the iPad market.

      • You're not allowed to install any device that interferes with the deployment of the air bag.

        Also not allowed to have a video screen less than a certain distance from the driver.

        Also not allowed to display movies, etc., on any screen visible to the driver.

        We have sane laws up here. Of course, the video I want to see is of his face as the airbag launches the iPad into it at 200 mph.

        So after the lawsuits ("Apple is responsible - there was no warning not to attach it to the steering wheel") you'll have t prove you're more intelligent than a pet rock to buy one - and that should kill 90% of the iPad market.

        All very good points, and more than likely those same laws apply to most states/countries. This is also why you actually should do more research before filing a patent, which apparently this guy did, which I'm pretty certain is not a trivial or cheap task.

        I love the part where he says you are "absolutely not distracted in any way" with a fucking device that allows you to READ while driving a car.

        Yeah, it's safer than traditional texting, but since texting rivals drunk drivers these days, how much safer is

        • Not only does it encourage you to read while you're driving, it obstructs your view of the dashboard (speedometer, etc.).

          This has to be a joke. Especially with the subtitle about the "closed course" when there are clearly residential homes in the background.

        • A agree 100%. The screen changing the content as he spun the wheel is enough to give you motion sickness! Nice of him to say "you shouldn't be looking at this while you're turning." s/turning/driving/ and he'd be right.

          This is an automatic "it's your fault" for any accident - especially since, unlike a cell phone, you can't just slip it in your pocket - and it'll leave an imprint on what's left of your face.

      • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

        by acedotcom ( 998378 )

        You're not allowed to install any device that interferes with the deployment of the air bag.

        in all fairness. it is an i"pad", and pad are generally soft. plus this one is magical!

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by HTH NE1 ( 675604 )

        You're not allowed to install any device that interferes with the deployment of the air bag.

        So that's what happened to all those infomercials for The Club!

        you'll have t prove you're more intelligent than a pet rock to buy one

        Well, there is now a USB Pet Rock [thinkgeek.com], so that threshold is still very low.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Nkwe ( 604125 )
      I am hoping this is a joke. In case it is not or in case you are thinking about attaching something else to your steering wheel, please don't forget that there is an airbag with an explosive charge to drive it in modern cars. In an accident do you really want your ipad or something else heading toward your face at explosive speeds?

    • I wonder what happens when the airbag deploys?

      LOL

  • Hey! Slashdot! (Score:5, Insightful)

    by Opportunist ( 166417 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:18AM (#32292104)

    I checked "Disable Advertising", why doesn't it carry over to the articles?

    • Re: (Score:1, Offtopic)

      by Spazztastic ( 814296 )

      I checked "Disable Advertising", why doesn't it carry over to the articles?

      Because Idle CSS is shit. Remove the "idle." from the URL and it comes up with the normal CSS.

      Also, you should keep ads enabled. Unless if they are particularly annoying, keeping ads enabled will support Slashdot and keep them alive.

      • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

        by dyingtolive ( 1393037 )
        I think what he was trying to snarkily say was that the article itself was read too obviously much like an advertisement.

      • Heh. I keep the ads enabled usually. I just disabled them for a moment to make this posting possible to complain in a way that I deem funny that this is nothing but blatant, pointless advertising.

        • In general, when it comes to ads, my policy is simply that I do keep them enabled unless they give me a good reason to disable them (or use a blocker). Pages make money with those ads, and that way they can provide me my enjoyment for free. Not viewing those ads means that they make less money and either have to charge me or fold. Not good.

          For a page to make it to my ad-block list, it would have to open up more windows than I have open already. Which is a pretty high threshold.

          My hope is that I (and hopeful

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by saskboy ( 600063 )

      You shouldn't be looking at /. while driving at all, advertising or not.

      Kudos to your sig about Soviet Russia too.

  • Sigh... apple (Score:2, Insightful)

    by jack2000 ( 1178961 )
    This is dangerous and illegal!

    • This is dangerous and illegal!

      And so very fucking stupid!

      Does anyone think this wouldn't end up as lots of accidents?

    • Ah! But like the guy says right at the end of the video: "This iPad steering wheel mount is much safer than other forms of in-car driver distraction."

      • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

        by heson ( 915298 )
        Yeah, much like chicken race is safer in a modern car than on a motorcycle or russian roulette is safer with one bullet than with five.

    • Re:Sigh... apple (Score:4, Funny)

      by gront ( 594175 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:42AM (#32292412)
      Just wait until the airbag deploys. That will be a real treat.

    • Re: (Score:3, Informative)

      by FaxeTheCat ( 1394763 )
      Well, the only dangerous part was me laughing.... I checked the patent that covers it, and it is (drum roll!) DUCT TAPE.

      Yes, people. This is a JOKE.

      A good one, in my opinion...
    • But Darwin approved . . .

  • Mario kart (Score:5, Funny)

    by goombah99 ( 560566 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:20AM (#32292120)

    Cool! now I can play mario kart while I drive to work.

  • In the event of an accident... (Score:5, Informative)

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:22AM (#32292132)

    In the event of an accident, the airbag will crush the iPad into your face.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Dieppe ( 668614 )

      In the event of an accident, the airbag will crush the iPad into your face.

      And that is the key reason why this should never be used. Ever. There'll be laws, and well... Frankly that really represents the end of our discussion with this "product". Want to purchase a mount for something that, WHEN you crash, will come flying at your face at 100mph? You would have been fine because the seatbelt held you, but never mind the iPad implanted in your skull.

  • Apple: Maker of shiney... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Shirogitsune ( 1810950 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:22AM (#32292140) Homepage
    ...air bag deployed projectiles of death and dismemberment.

  • Satire, yes, funny not so much. (Score:5, Informative)

    by Rogerborg ( 306625 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:25AM (#32292182) Homepage
    Although I did (finally) laugh when I read their cited patent [freepatentsonline.com].

  • Hmm potentially illegal in most jurisdictions falling under the same category as TV's that are viewable from the drivers seat while in motion. Plus it blocks part of the steering wheel which means you have to use an altered hand placement on the steering wheel(as opposed to 10 and 2 or 9 and 3). Also addressing the saving your life issue, is what happens if he does get into an accident which causes air bag deployment? I see either the iPad flying right into your face or if the mount is rigid enough blocking

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Belial6 ( 794905 )

      Plus the first rule of driving, when driving that should be your only task

      That sounds great as a sound bite, but I'll take it a little more seriously when I ever meet even one single person that follows it, as opposed to people that hypocritically pull it out when they just don't want other people doing something.

  • because you can't see the fscking speedo otherwise.

    Cuz there's an app for everything.

  • Besides it's useless when turning the wheel. They need a universal joint with automatic leveling so the ipad stay readable while cornering at high speeds. Yikes! Where did that baby carriage come from?

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by aapold ( 753705 )
      With the motion sensor, all you need is a simple app that will rotate the screen freely instead of in 90 degree increments, thus auto-leveling it. You'd have to limit your important info to a circular area, as the rest would go out-of-frame at times, but certainly doable...

  • Airbag (Score:5, Funny)

    by CmdrPorno ( 115048 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:34AM (#32292302)

    Just think, when you crash and your airbag deploys, you could have the world's first iPad implant!

  • Distraction (Score:4, Informative)

    by necro81 ( 917438 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:34AM (#32292306) Journal
    As he says at the end - it's much safer than other forms of driver distraction. Which is to say: it's a much safer way to kill yourself and others.

    Joking aside, and driver distraction aside, this thing is illegal as all getout. I'm pretty sure that obscuring the dash (and things like, ya know, the speedometer) isn't permitted. Making the steering wheel harder to grip (and at the ol' 10 and 2 positions, no less) makes the vehicle harder to control. Putting a relatively heavy, knife-edged*, solid object right in front of the airbag is pretty brilliant, too. Ordinarily I'd just shrug my shoulders and say "ah well, natural selection at work," except there's a pretty good chance you'll take a few people out with you. I'm hoping that he means this as a joke.

    * In an accident at highway speeds, the thin edge of the iPad is as good as a knife.

  • Another cool idea (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Errol backfiring ( 1280012 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:37AM (#32292338) Journal
    If you can get the IPad to run in vertically flipped landscape mode, you can put it on top of the dashboard above the steering wheel and have it reflected in your front window. That way, you have a head-up display just like jet fighter pilots!

  • Stanley Milgram? (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Molt ( 116343 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:39AM (#32292366)

    I thought I recognised the name of the chap who described this as the "must have iPad accessory".

    Stnley Milgram [wikipedia.org] was the psychologist who ran the famous experiments [wikipedia.org] where obedience to authority was investigated by instructing participants to deliver electrical shocks to another person.

    Nice reference!

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by ffejie ( 779512 )
      Clearly a joke (Milgram died in 1984) or a different Stanley.

      I did love that the guy points out: "See how the orientation changes as you turn? Of course, you shouldn't be reading while turning." Funny, Mom always taught me I shouldn't be reading while driving. I never knew her rules were only applicable for when you were turning.

  • Especially when you hit the car in front of you, the airbag deploys and the last thing that goes through your head before you die is an iPad with bloodstained bejewelled on it.

  • Here's why you get one. (Score:3, Interesting)

    by PHoRD42 ( 306664 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @09:56AM (#32292644)

    You visit the Bonneville Salt Flats, install a racing game, keep the car in low gear so you don't actually roll it, and then boom! Your iPad racing game now has force feedback.

  • ... just how convenient is the driver/user going to find this steering wheel mount when the airbag propels the iPad into their face at 800 MPH?

  • Please please please... (Score:3, Informative)

    by Bemopolis ( 698691 ) on Friday May 21, 2010 @12:07PM (#32294388)
    Let this be sold through Amazon, so I can read more product reviews like this [amazon.com].

  • How 'bout for anyone texting, and is pulled over, they're required to put their device in a special mount on the driver's seat, and before driving, need to take off their pants or skirt, and SIT ON IT, shoving it where the sun don't shine, while driving. Then maybe they'll pay more attention to the road.

              mark

  • ... get this certified by the FAA and have it installed for the Northwest pilots?

  • Sheesh, at least make it a gyroscopically stabilized mount. How hard could it be?

  • ... when somebody gets a ticket for driving unsafely with one of these things distracting their attention from the road. And I hope it's *ONLY* a ticket.... taking your eyes off the road long enough to read even a single sentence while driving could easily cost somebody their life... particularly when there are other vehicles and pedestrians that you need be constantly aware of.

    • I'm a slow reader, it took me maybe... 10 - 15 seconds to read your comment. Travelling at 45 MPH that's nearly a thousand feet and that's a lot of space that could be occupied by something fragile and breathing.

  • This has to be one of the most retarded things I have ever seen. What that guy says in the video is a load of bollocks as well. The steering wheel is literally obstructed. What could be more distracting than having a giant fucking LCD screen jerry rigged to your steering wheel.

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