AT A GLANCE

Features:

• Reads SMS messages and e-mails out loud when you get them
• Seriously easy setup and activation
• Compatible with Bluetooth (for those using hands-free kits or headsets)
• Customisable auto-response messages

Benefits:

• Eliminates typing SMS messages or e-mails while driving
• Doesn’t slow down your phone, or drain the battery
• Many, many, many customisation options

Are you curious to see what the SMS or e-mail contains while you’re driving? Don't do it! Instead, why not get DriveSafe.ly to read out your messages to you while you are on the road. I took this safety-first app for a drive (or two) to see if it really does everything it claims and wow, I was impressed!

A search on the BlackBerry App World took me directly to the DriveSafe.ly. Downloading and installing it went down seamlessly, but, the customisation kept me occupied for a while. (And as an interesting side point, this app won a Mashable award for Best Mobile App at CES 2011.)

Back to Basics

First up, there are the basic options to consider, such as turning voice command on or off*, selecting the maximum amount of words to be read out to you*, the type of voice (male or female)*, and the pace the messages get read out at.

You can also choose to only let the app read SMS messages or e-mails, or both. And also whether to read out the sender and subject line of the message, adjust the volume, and select the audio output (the phone’s speaker or a headset). And on top of this, DriveSafe.ly can also read out your calendar entries and caller ID.

Stopping Distracted Driving

If that is not enough for you, there are even more "advanced" options. These consist of quite a few of tick boxes that you can select or deselect to your own taste and preferences.

In this menu, you will find the following tweaks:

Setting an auto response timeout, choosing whether to send a custom auto response to e-mails e.g. “I will get back to you soon”, Play acronyms like “LOL”, Ignore your phone’s sound profiles – reading out messages while your phone might be on silent, removing “Fwd:” and “Re:” from being read in your messages, run the app on your phone’s start-up, playing audio notifications, not to use Wi-Fi, minimising the app on exit, reading your Facebook and Twitter messages, speed activated (Beta) – might be draining on your phone’s battery, read messages sent to specific mailboxes only (if you have multiple mail accounts on your phone), launch the app on a Bluetooth connection (like a headset) and send a Twitter status update (Beta) 

It's a lot to take in! DriveSafe.ly really is super-customisable, and all of the options available can be a bit daunting. However, it really does give you the freedom to create the functionality you would like in this app. If you're not the fidgety type, you could also just run the app with its standard options selected.

In terms of usability, DriveSafe.ly requires minimal interaction to turn on or off. You can both start up the app, and then toggle the on/off button, or you could turn it on from (almost) any menu item. It's that easy.

DriveSafe.ly may be very flexible, but most importantly, it will stop you from sending SMS messages or e-mails while driving! (Yes, I am looking at you!) If you install this app, there will be no need whatsoever for distracted driving and you'll be able to keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road. The world will be a safer place.

* Only available on DriveSafe.ly PRO

Turn-ons

• Lightweight, doesn’t drain your phone’s battery
• Very customisable, select the functionality you need
• Integrates with social networks like Twitter and Facebook

Turn offs

• So many options could be a bit intimidating
• Not available all smartphones… yet (only BlackBerry and Android at the moment)

Price: $13.95 (annually for DriveSafe.ly PRO but there’s also a freebie version)