WellesleyPatch recently published an article about David Baum, Stage1Ventures and the launch of StartTalking. StartTalking, a product Stage1Ventures portfolio company AdelaVoice, is unique in that it supports 100% hands free text messaging from an android based smartphone. The app is currently in beta, and can be downloaded from the android marketplace or directly by visiting http://m.starttalking.com.

A pretty good deal, given that the fines for texting while driving can run from $100-$500.

Full coverage can be found on the WellesleyPatch website.

AdelaVoice, a stage1ventures portfolio company, launched StartTalking, the world’s first smartphone application that lets motorists keep their eyes on the road and hands upon the wheel.

StartTalking is different from any other solution because it is truly hands and eyes free, eliminating any touching or looking at the mobile phone. Today’s existing text messaging applications offer certain hands-free features, but ultimately require visual or physical interaction to initiate, compose, review, edit, or send text messages. StartTalking eliminates those interactions. In fact, StartTalking operates with the mobile phone’s display screen off, further reducing distractions while enhancing battery life.

StartTalking is currently available in open beta for android 2.0 smartphones, and can be downloaded by visiting the android marketplace, or by visiting http://m.starttalking.com . Additional coverage can be found on the Comunicano blog.

HipLogic, a stage1ventures portfolio company, is one of 70 companies chosen to present at the DEMO Fall 2010 event. Mark Anderson, CEO of HipLogic, announced that their social media and news feed application for Nokia and Windows mobile phones is coming to an Android phone near you.

Known as *Spark, this app brings Facebook, Twitter and news feeds in one easy to read panel, and updates them in real time. But its more than just a pretty face - the app is based on the next-generation of HipLogic’s MobiJax’s virtual machine platform.  Included in this platform is a app store specific to *spark, to support further additions / customization to its expanding user base.

HipLogic’s DEMO presentation can be viewed here.

Innerpass, a business and education collaboration tool that leverages the skype network, announced that it has crossed the threshold of three million users.

Steve Parsloe, CEO and president of InnerPass said that surpassing the three million figure was a major milestone for the organization, and added that over the past year, they have been incorporating user feedback into various upgrades, including an expanded Conference Bridge, an updated Screen-Sharing product, InnerPass Inbox and an easier File Manager product.

Additional information can be found in the Innerpass TMCnet article.