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3GSM: Legal dodge? Never! It's dashboard mounted, but NOT a satnav, says Nokia.

You'd be forgiven for imagining that the Nokia CK-15W is a satnav device. After all, it isn't a phone. And it is a Bluetooth device. So what is it? "A remote control for your phone" says the company. And not at all dangerous, no no, not at all.

The idea, says the press release, is that "the bright 2.2 inch color display provides a convenient backdrop for easily viewing and controlling your call functions while the separate input device provides controls for volume adjustment and accepting or ending calls."

Here's how it really works

Because there are laws in most countries these days about fiddling with your mobile phone, if you want to make or receive a call, you're supposed to pull over to the side of the road.

But with the CK-15W, you're not fiddling with your mobile phone, are you? You're operating a dashboard device, like your car radio. Hey! - you've seen people punching routes into their dashboard mounted satnavs, right? So it must be safe.

As Slashgear's Chris Scott Barr said, "I’m not sure how many accidents this will prevent, but a least your eyes are still somewhat on the road when you’re using it."

Somewhat, yes. A cynic would say that the purpose of this device is not so much to avoid accidents, but to permit people to make and receive calls, and scroll through their contact lists, while operating a car, without actually breaking the law.

Anybody who thinks this is safe, please let me know where you plan to be driving...