Android/BlackBerry: There are apps that read your email or SMS while you’re driving (and DIY solutions), and apps that can send messages with your voice. DriveSafe.ly combines and automates the two for total voice-controlled messaging — and you can try it free.
DriveSafe.ly, in its 2.0 release, is an app that persists on your Android or BlackBerry while you drive. Set it up, turn it on, and incoming text messages and email are read out loud to you. After it reads, it asks you what you want to do with that message: respond, read again or just ignore. If you respond, you’ll use either DriveSafe.ly’s transcription servers or Google’s, depending on your phone, and you’ll hear your message read back to you before it’s sent out. If it’s messed up, say “Try again”, then give it another go.
The only real drawbacks that we’ve seen include the lack of Google Voice support, but that’s common among SMS automation apps. It’s also a yearly cost for the app — while you can download free and try out some functions of the app, the full email/SMS read-and-respond automation costs $US13.95 per year, or $US3.95 per month. Luckily, Lifehacker readers can use this code when activating their app to get a month’s worth of free use: LifeHackerSafely.
DriveSafe.ly is a free download for Android and BlackBerry, with a subscription cost attached to full operation.
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