OTTER app Helps reduce texting while driving hazards
by Antonio Wells
Apr 23, 2010 2:00 PM –
Install
OTTER answers texts, saves time, saves lives… Features: Auto-reply w/ timer, Editable/grouped responses, GPS Mode, Parental Control option(GPS), One Touch Text Responses.
Price: Free, $1.99, $3.99
Pros & Cons:
Pros
- Can reduce texting while driving habits and hazards!
Cons
- We experienced some random force close in evaluation.
Features:
OTTER Android App is meant for reducing SMS text messaging distractions while driving. It features predefined and editable one-touch popup responses you can send back while driving (like “Yes”, “No” or “I’m running late”). However the real benefit is in the GPS mode, when enabled detects when you’re driving and if you receive a text message it will automatically respond (like Drivesafe.ly) with a predefined message and silences the phone (we learned from interviewing the developers that GPS mode disables itself and resumes normal audio volume when it detects you have not been driving for more than six minutes). Parental controls give parents with teen drivers the control to password protect OTTER ensuring it’s doing the job (but you can get around this by uninstalling the app, combat that with Protector or App Protector).
If you already don’t know then now you know AndroidTapp.com and parent company are advocates of “no texting while driving” campaigns and this app gets respect knuckles for that effort!
Video: OTTER Demo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNJiu3t9Yo8
Watch on Mobile
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OtterApp SMS Popup
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OtterApp Enabled
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Otter Manage Response List
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OtterApp Driving Auto-Reply
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OtterApp Parental Controls Password Code
Usefulness:
Very useful for drivers to curb the texting and driving habit and parents with teen drivers.
Ease of Use:
Intended for use in the car presumably with car charger as to not kill battery power. GPS mode is convenient, would be cool if it could disable itself after a period of not detecting driving and resume normal phone ring volume. Else you have to remember to disable GPS mode.
Frequently Used:
Intended for use every time you drive. Other use cases can be when you need to disconnect from your always-connected Android phone.
Interface:
The user interface is mostly basic settings menus and the popup received (like SMS Popup) appears atop everything else, even shows when the phone is sleep.