New ‘911 Assistance’ App Could Save Lives
In the past 911 dispatchers had to spend a lot of precious time pinpointing the location of their mobile users. More often than not, emergency response teams were seriously delayed because they were given the wrong address. GPS technology helped to solve a lot of these issues, but knowledge of proper CPR procedures are still a big issue. This is the reason that the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District has released an iPhone app that will measure the caller’s knowledge of CPR and then accurately report the data back to the 911 dispatcher. Emergencies can happen anywhere, which is why safety experts say that it is essential to have access to a cell phone. If you can give an approximately location and you are able to describe the nature of the emergency then police, firefights or an ambulance can be called.
The app, called ‘Fire Department,’ will give callers the ability to administer CPR while a nearby 911 dispatcher is immediately alerted. This means that precious minutes are saved as the caller won’t be required to talk to a dispatcher at all. While the app works to relay the exact coordinates of the emergency scene, the caller can assist the injured party until a first responder is able to arrive. Not only will this app potentially save lives, it will also help 911 dispatchers to do their jobs more effectively. Speaking to a dispatcher may help callers feel more confident, but when time is of the essence every second counts.
Accessories Constantly Evolving
In today’s world, there are many variations of what people once did to entertain themselves. For instance, there was a time when kids would imagine they could make their toy robots move on command. Then came the next phase in which children could actually make those robots move on command via a wired controller. More recently, that idea was taken to the next level to allow those same robots to be controlled wirelessly. Now we move into a whole new variation of that same idea, the Tankbot: An iPhone and iPod Touch controlled robot.
There is a new fad in creating the best and most intriguing iPhone and iPod touch accessories to corner market shares. The Tankbot is the latest development in this war. The Tankbot created by Deskpets is a remote controlled toy robot that allows you to control it via an iPhone, or an iPod touch, and even an iPad. This newest toy to be developed has treaded wheels for increased grip on various surfaces. Although the technology to use iDevices as a remote is not a new idea, Deskpets does have a new way to control its device. It downloads an app via a dongle that plugs directly into the device. Once downloaded, the device can use its built in accelerometer to completely navigate the Tankbot. The Tankbot will be able to charge via USB cable in about 30 minutes and will provide about 15 minutes of run time. This is a great function since most people don’t like to buy batteries and will not use the device all the time. Another added feature is that is has infrared sensors which allows it to navigate freely, avoiding obstacles and such. The Tankbot is said to retail for roughly $20 and be available in multiple colors and frequencies.
A Good Deed Turns Into iPhone Theft And Harassment
After Jessie McSweeney got a ride home from what she thought were two good Samaritans she learned that there was more to them than what met the eye. After a night out on the town during New Year’s Eve, McSweeney, her boyfriend and a friend found themselves all but stranded in the rain. They walked to a main road and a driver pulled over and offered them a ride. McSweeney and her companions got to their destination safe and sound, but she soon learned that she left her iPhone in the generous driver’s car. And that’s when the trouble began. Having saved her email and Facebook passwords on her iPhone, the devious driver and his friend started to terrorize McSweeney. First, they went though her list of contacts and started to send lewd text messages. Next, they sent out emails that not only threatened bodily harm, but also disparaged the 23 year old victim’s name. Thankfully, McSweeney was able to change her passwords and notify her friends and family of what had happened, but by then the damage had been done.
Even McSweeney’s grandmother was harassed. The thieves originally made contact with McSweeney and told her that they would drop off her iPhone at a police station, but they decided to play a horrible prank instead. They even logged into her Facebook account and made disparaging comments on her friends’ pages. Jessie McSweeney was able to contact her cell phone carrier in order to have her service suspended, but so far it looks like the crooks will get away with their crimes. McSweeney is more than thankful that she was able to get home safely, but she is now worried about having more of her private information compromised. Since these two mean spirited criminals have broken several federal laws, perhaps the authorities will be able to pinpoint their location and bring them to justice.