Americans turn to technology to control impulses

NEW YORK - Dan Nainan can't trust himself to work at his computerwithout clicking on distractions, so he uses an Internet-blockingprogram to shut down his Web access twice a day.

"I'm sorry, but try as I might, I could never, ever do this on myown," said the New York City comedian who's struggling to finish abook. "I wish I could, but I just don't have the discipline."

Nainan's system of two, two-hour blocks is one example of howAmericans are trying to control their impulses using technology thatsteps in to enforce good behavior.

With the new year just starting many tools are now available tohelp people stay in line, including a GPS-enabled app that locksdown texting once a car gets rolling and a program that cuts offcredit-card spending. Another device monitors your workout andoffers real-time voice feedback.

Have we entered an era in which electronics serve as mother, copand coach because we can't manage our own desires?

Yep, said Ann Mack, a trend-watcher for JWT Intelligence, an armof the marketing giant. She named "outsourcing self-control" and "de-teching" as two top trends for the new year.

"The thing is we're becoming more aware of these behaviors, andas a result, we're trying to seek help to circumvent some of ourmore base impulses," Mack said. "We're bombarded more and more withtemptations on a regular basis, and it's getting increasinglydifficult to deal with that."

Tools to cope with temptation are everywhere.

Some car owners are voluntarily using a technology developed forconvicted drunk drivers - ignition locks attached to in-carbreathalyzers.

Shelley Snyder, marketing coordinator for Intoxalock, said about1.5 percent of the company's clients are voluntary, which includesparents imposing the setup on their young drivers.

"I know that isn't a lot, but it is growing at a slow, steadypace," she said.

One of Intoxalock's competitors, Guardian Interlock Systems, saidits figures are slightly higher: 5 to 7 percent of clients aredrivers voluntarily installing the equipment, with about 2 percentintended for use by teens.

Also gaining ground are clients using the system permanentlyafter they've completed court-ordered monitoring - about 1 percentof Guardian's clients in 2010, compared with none the year before.

"We hope not to see these people again," said David Contreras,Guardian's vice president of operations. "It's the one product I'vebeen associated with where I don't want to sell it to you twice."

If your drunken behavior tends to cause more remorse off the roadthan on, there's an app for that as well.

A handful - including "Don't Dial!" and "The Bad DecisionBlocker" - will cut off your access to phone numbers for up to 24hours, the former allowing you to name a friend as gatekeeper.Another app requires the answers to math questions before allowingyou to send an e-mail, the presumption being it's really hard to domath while somehow impaired.

George Distler in Orlando, Fla., developed the BlackBerry appNOTXT n' Drive after a teacher at his daughter's high school waskilled when a texting motorist - an older one - crossed a median andstruck her car.

"I didn't even realize texting and driving was such a tremendousissue until I got into investigating it," he said. "I was challengedby my teenage daughters."

Distler, who had previously developed games for the iPhone, basedthe app on the notion that the safest way to deal with your phonewhile driving is to remove temptation altogether. His NOTXT runs inthe background and, using GPS, automatically restricts texting via aphone's airplane mode when a car reaches 10 mph. It deactivates whenit detects the car has stopped.

The app, sold in several other counties as well, hit theBlackBerry market Sept. 3 and has been downloaded about 2,000 times.

Among those downloading the app were three companies with acombined fleet of more than 1,200 trucks. Distler estimates about 48percent of his sales are parents hoping to curtail the textinghabits of young drivers.

"Nobody's really going to just put the phone down and not useit," he said. "The issue is we don't police ourselves."

Another app, Slow Down, alters the tempo of your music, dependingon your driving speed, on an iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch. Using GPS,the music slows if a preset speed limit is exceeded and stopscompletely if you're over the limit by more than 10 mph. You canhave your tunes back when you slow down.

What about other areas, like overspending?

Enter MasterCard's inControl program, which has one companypartner in the United States, Citigroup. You can set a general capand the bank cuts you off when you've reached your spending limit,or you can preset a monthly amount for specific purchases such asrestaurant meals. Like other bank cards, you can also order upspending alerts.

Overthinking, overdrinking, overspending. What's left?

Are you lonely on your runs? Adidas has extended monitoring anddata collection technology for its miCoach brand to include a"coaching mode." You can choose from a variety of voices to feedinformation about form and speed.

Mack thinks a greater awareness of how we consume has produced agrowing awareness of the limits of self-control.

"The spotlight has definitely been put on that," she said. "We'reincreasingly living in this era of mindfulness. Expect moretechnology coming out that saves us from ourselves."

ABOVE: This product image courtesy of Happiness Brussels showsthe Slow Down app being used on an iPhone. Slow Down alters thetempo of your music on an iPhone or iPod Touch, depending on yourdriving speed. Using GPS, the music slows down if you're rocking outat the speed limit and stops altogether when you've exceeded it.

LEFT: This screenshot courtesy of Cuttlefish Industries shows the"Don't Dial!" app. A handful of new apps, like "Don't Dial!," cancut off your access to phone numbers for up to 24 hours.

AP photos