MOFFETT FIELD, Calif., Aug. 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- reQall (www.reqall.com), the award-winning developer of proactive intelligent assistant technologies, today introduces reqallable InCar (beta), the first context-aware app to intuitively decrease phone-related text and email distractions while driving. The new app works by detecting a user's Bluetooth connection and launching the phone into reqallable InCar mode, which prompts the handset to acknowledge notifications only from priority contacts, highlight and read aloud critical details within incoming emails and texts, and enable voice activated replies for safer, smarter in-car phone use.
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"reqallable InCar is an intelligent assistant built from the ground up to transform messaging for drivers by helping your Android phone understand when it should—and should not—interrupt you," said Rao Machiraju, co-founder and CEO of reQall. "The app calibrates the phone to work as if purpose-built for driving: screening contacts, highlighting key message details for clear, explicit communication, and leveraging Bluetooth audio for hands-free and car-smart message commands and replies."
Available for Android, reqallable InCar hooks into the phone's contacts, calendar and user's home and work locations to contextually assign "priority" status to incoming messages. When a Bluetooth connection is detected, reqallable InCar launches and quickly identifies whether a message is VIP status - like from a spouse or colleague at work - while less critical emails and texts are held back until you have reached your destination, or the Bluetooth connection ends.
For texts or emails messages deemed a priority, reqallable InCar distills the content to present only the most salient details, delivering requests and action items via audio. Users can reply to messages by voice, with responses "read" back to the driver to insure accuracy. Users can also listen, and respond to, awaiting messages and reach out to VIP contacts with the quick touch of a single button.
A new industry report by Parks Associates[1] revealed that connected car features are rapidly gaining consumer acceptance. Over 75% of U.S. vehicle owners with at least one connected car feature indicate these services will influence their next vehicle purchase, and over 50% rated connected services as "very important" in guiding their new vehicle purchase, according to Connected Cars: Revenue Opportunities.
"Digital distractions present a real road safety issue, which will only increase as technology provides new ways to communicate while we drive," added Sandy Pentland, Professor, MIT Medialab and reQall's Strategic Product Advisor. "Reqallable InCar ushers in a new era of context-sensitive, intelligent messaging for the car—one that uses your personal smartphone to keep distractions to a minimum, no matter what car you're in. Only messages that are important and contain actionable content merit attention surface, and drivers can respond by voice—to keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel."
reqallable InCar comes on the heels of Google Glass and smartwatch app launches by reQall, which introduced reqallable's virtual assistant technology for Google Glass in June, the Toq smartwatch in May, the Pebble smartwatch in March, the Samsung Gear in February and the Sony Smartwatch in January. New reQall apps for other devices and environments will be released in the coming months.
reqallable InCar beta can be downloaded for free from Google Play. More information can be found at www.reqallable.com.
About reQall
Recognized as one of the top 25 ideas from MIT Labs over the past 25 years, reQall is the award-winning developer of context-aware, proactive and intelligent assistant applications for wearable and mobile devices. reQall is a venture-backed company based in NASA's Silicon Valley research park.
[1] Connected Car: Revenue Opportunities features research and analysis on market trends, big data analytics, UBI, emergency assistance, stolen vehicle recovery, location-based services, infotainment, Wi-Fi hotspots, and safe-driving technologies, The report is available for sale at www.parksassociates.com.
