A survey conducted as part of AT&T's It Can Wait campaign revealed that most teens consider texting while driving to be very dangerous, but do it anyway. So do their parents.

Harris Teeter launched a new version of its mobile shopping app this week.

Similar to the old version, you can shop the sales circular on your smartphone to create a personalized shopping list. But you can now access your e-VIC offers and save digital coupons to your loyalty card through your phone.

The new app also allows you to scan the barcode of an item in your kitchen pantry and add it to your shopping list, transfer or renew a prescription and create your own personal list of favorites that you buy on a regular basis.

Ray LaHood, the U.S. transportation secretary, recommended today that automakers equip new cars with controls to disable some kinds of in-vehicle technology while the car is in motion -- to limit the safety hazard of distracting drivers with communication, entertainment and other functions that are not required to operate the car safely. [See 2/16/12 story.]

The driver would have to stop the car and put the transmission in "park" to perform functions on built-in gadgets including texting, Web browsing, 10-digit phone dialing, and viewing more than 30 characters of a text message unrelated to driving. 

These functions would be enabled in moving cars only for devices that are used by passengers and cannot be viewed by drivers. ... [MORE]

This week the National Transportation Safety Board said North Carolina and the other 49 states should ban practically all use of cell phones (including the hands-free variety that some folks think is safer) and other portable electronic devices while driving. [12/20 update: Car-phoning is a convenient habit that would be hard to give up. See today's Road Worrier column with a vigorous debate in the comment section, and add your thoughts.]

Is this a great idea, or is it going way too far? Does phoning make you dangerous behind the wheel -- or are you confident that you won't kill yourself while you're yakking with your secretary or your boyfriend?  I'm writing about this Monday. Please let me hear from you by email, with your name and daytime contact info. Or call me 919-829-4527.

This far-reaching recommendation came after NTSB blamed a texting driver for starting a chain-reaction pileup in Missouri in August 2010, in which two people were killed and 38 others were injured. As the Associated Press reported:

"According to NHTSA [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration], more than 3,000 people lost their lives last year in distraction-related accidents", said [NTSB] Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. "It is time for all of us to stand up for safety by turning off electronic devices when driving."

"No call, no text, no update, is worth a human life."

Critics protested that NTSB was over-reaching. ... [MORE]

Now through Christmas Eve, Redbox is offering customers a daily deal and a chance to win prizes.

To get the deals, you must text the word FUN to 727272 each day and you'll be sent a code for a Redbox discount. The discounts range from 25 cents to $1 off a rental.

My code today was for 25 cents off and is valid through Dec. 24.

Texting will also get you entered to win a daily prize.

Today's sweepstakes prize is a Sony Playstation 3 and Turtle Beach headset.

If you don't want to fool with texting, you can enter the contest here by filling out an online form.

Google Voice is an awesome communication tool available to multiple computing platforms from mobile to desktop. Domestic calls are free. International calls are cheap. You can use its voicemail that even provides transcripts...well as best as voice recognition can.

Text messages have been free and now Google Voice for Android allows text messages to multiple recipients. Group texting! I haven't seen word of an update for iOS.

Are carriers trying to kill off their text plans?

The word on the web is that AT&T Wireless is dropping its monthly $10/1000 messages plan leaving only the $20 unlimited option.

With advanced feature phones and smartphones there is little reason left to  pay for a text plan at all. I do have a minimal texting plan with AT&T, but I use Google Voice for most of my texting. If I were faced with only a $20 option I think I'd be inclined to pass. Facebook's new messaging app joins a bevy of third party messaging solutions used by millions.

The size of data for an SMS text is minuscule compared with the bandwidth required to make a call. It would seem to be a way for carriers to free up bandwidth.

Text messages are data which smartphone users already pay for.

I'm surprised we consumers have not applied more pressure on carriers to provide FREE texting plans. The cost for a carrier is insignificant and the monthly charges are pretty much legacy fees. It is a bit like still paying AOL for an email account that you can get for free at aol.com. It is still happening.

Understandably, carriers would be reluctant to pass on such easy revenue, but if a carrier could support a free option of just 100 SMS messages per month it would get the attention of frugal smartphone users.

Clearly fountains in malls are a danger. Texting should be done in isolated safer environments like your car perhaps.

OK, in my clumsy wording I gave some readers the wrong impression when I confessed to a weakness for using my smart phone when I drive, in ways that are not smart (see today's Road Worrier column, with reader comments).

Actually I'm not begging the General Assembly to halt my risky behavior. I'm getting around to making a 2011 resolution that I will halt it, myself.

I tried not to be smug about my successful vow to quit talking on the phone while I drive ... [MORE]

Teens who text 120 times a day or more - and there seems to be a lot of them - are more likely to have had sex or used alcohol and drugs than kids who don't send as many messages, according to provocative new research.