Gadget turns iPod, iPhone into breathalyzer
You’re out at a holiday party and down a couple of beers throughout the evening. While you feel fine, should you risk driving home in case you’re pulled over? A new accessory for the iPod or iPhone was designed to help you make this decision before climbing behind the wheel.
You’re out at a holiday party and down a couple of beers throughout the evening. While you feel fine, should you risk driving home in case you’re pulled over? A new accessory for the iPod or iPhone was designed to help you make this decision before climbing behind the wheel.
David Steele Enterprises’ aptly-named iBreath (US $79) accessory lets iPod or iPhone users test their own blood alcohol content. Yes, we thought this was a joke too, but apparently not.
Simply connect this accessory to the bottom of the iPod or iPhone (all current models supported except iPod Shuffle), fold out the "blow wand" and exhale for a minimum of five seconds. Two seconds later, your blood alcohol level will be displayed on the LCD screen to advise you whether or not you’re ok to drive. If you blow over, a built-in timer can be set (from 1 minute to 8 hours) to remind users to take the test again.
The company is positioning it as a safety device. The iBreath measures your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) range within 0.000 – 0.100 percent. Still, the LA Times tech blog says the group Mothers Against Drunk Driving worries that kids might use it to play drinking games.
The iBreath iPod Breathalyzer, which doesn’t require any batteries, also doubles as an FM transmitter, to wirelessly beam your music to an unused spot on the FM dial (such as on a car stereo) in order to hear your tunes through speakers instead of wearing earbuds.
Do U Have MightyMarlon Mix music On That ….da dj?
i always wanted an iphone but now i dont i wouldent want that on my phone hers a hint i wouldent say that on adds
…really dont
ps:im just joking i still want an iphone
lol
Firstly, Marc Saltzman, the addition of the device does not turn the iphone into a breathalyzer; Breathalyzer is a patent or tradename breath testing "instrument" i.e. (originally) the BORKENSTEIN BREATHALYZER of which there are now many variations. But as you can see as with photocopying we have taken the tradename XEROX and applied it to that process and say we're "xeroxing" this or that; its just common usage. It could be useful but users should be aware that the results probably won't be of much use in Court as "evidence" since it is not an "evidentiary instrument". This "screening device" would also have to be calibrated in some fashion on a regular basis if you were going to place an reliance at all on it. The "evidentiary instrument" aspect refers to current legislation in Canada; legislation in the United States will probably vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. :)
I am starting to think there is nothing that can be done to please the old crones at MADD (Mother's Against Drunk Driving)At least someone came up with something tangible instead of another bloody anti-drinking and driving print add or commercial. Pretty smart gadget I say!!! The price is right too!! Much cheaper than the fines and trouble a DUI could cause!
unreal to bad i ant get the money to get one !
I have to agree that the IPhone is "breathalyzer" (BAC tester) is a very interewsting step forward – at the same time, I do see some HUGE legal and ethical problems with using any "over the counter" (especially a cell phone attachment) to dtermine your TRUE B.A.C.. Police evidentiary (roadside) testing instruments are calibrated weekly or monthly and used by highly trained and experienced operators who look for speficic sources of "bad" (incorrect" readings, such as mouth alcohol (recent drinking, belching, regurgitating), temperature variations and readiness of the instrument. Factor in user errors (by someone who is untrained and has been drinking !!!) and lack of accuracy/dependability of the instrument (a cell phone attachment ???) and this thing should probably be kept as a party favor. To rely on it to determine if you should operate a motor vehicle, commit a serious crime, and potentially kill people seems to be negligent to say the least. If you have more than one normal sized alcoholic beverage – do the right thing and walkk or take a bus/taxi or get a ride with someone who hasn't been drinking at all. Keep it simple – people try to put tpoo many factors into play (body weight, last meal, drinking experience, pattern, etc) – have 2 or more drinks and DON'T DRIVE …..
Dave Gale
"
I don't see any use of this product. How many drunks would carry this around to test their blood alchohal level? You tell me that!
Bad idea… police instruments are calibrated on a regular basis. The manufacturer will be sued by someone facing impairment related charges. Hopefully nobody dies because of false confidence in this device
does anyone know how to spell here….are you all drinking right now??
I like it. I wonder if they can deliver a Blackberry version. Why not a stand alone version that plugs into your cigaret lighter or just any old cell phone? (I'm sure it's out there tho)
people eventually would buy that, but most of people would ignore if eventually if they buy the breathlyzer or not..
I think its not a good idea to put that on the market, .. hmm.. bec too many people would ignore it eventually they take it or not..
**police breathlyzer would work best than owning ur own**
Like Rob, calibration would be my main concern. How often? How far away? How much per each recalibration? Better to have it built into the vehicle.
I think the iBreath is the next best thing to sliced bread! This is a great tool for those drinking just a tad more than a designated driver, and still needing to drive. Makes sense to have a tool that tells you if you’ve had too much to drink. Austin
Why wouldn't they just make the device battery powered?
I'm drinking and i want one. Seems like a fun party item but nothing more. The company will end up in the dog house because it can't be calibrated regularly and shouldn't be trusted.
a men to drinking games
sounds like a good idea other than you could blow under and then start driving and then your blood alcohol could go up while driving without you knowing it from your last drink. sounds like a lawsuit for the company if something should happen to the person after they've used the test.
If you think this "tool" is supposed to help you determine if you had to much to drink…it should also tell you that you are also a "jack-ass" if you don't know already….
Seriously, if you need a gadget to "do" things for you, maybe your brain hasn't developed enough. Wait another 10-20 years until your mind matures and you become responsible.
This is stupid.
While this reads as a good idea. It is not. A common sense solution is zero tolerance. Drive Vehicle = No drinking.
Then there is no question about blood alcohol level.
While the comments here so far have been varied, I agree with some. Yes, common sense is if you drink, you don't drive. Zero tolerance I agree with, and is something my friends & I have been practicing for well over 20 years now. If they drink, invariably I get their keys (voluntarily, too – we're responsible adults) if we didn't take my vehicle to begin with. With that having been said, I know other "circle of friends" who practice the very same policy. Drinking & driving is down. The stats don't lie. R.I.D.E. pograms have been scaled back considerably since the days when I was a teen. I never really have agreed with MADD's agenda, or their methods. They aren't needed as they once were, but year after year, MADD is there ramming this down our throats. Society, on the whole, now "gets it." Sure, some people still drink & drive – but you'll always have the odd ones who will be totally oblivious to the dangers.
Getting back to responsibility – a good many of us (both young AND old) are concerned about the dangers of drinking & driving. Wanting to be responsible, it might be handy to have access to such a device that is available to the average consumer. While it's rare that I ever drink, I know most people do drink from time to time. There's nothing wrong with this, and there's NOTHING wrong with some people wanting to be responsible enough to have a rough guage (you can't take such an "inexpensive" device & solely rely on it's accuracy) to know whether or not they are able to drive after a few hours of their last drink. I think the intentions of the manufacturer are good here, and like any device, there will be a group of individuals who abuse it (ie. to play drinking games, or whatever). I think MADD is out in left field on this, but then again, I've always felt they were way out there. Even their "name" bothers me (come on, Mothers against drunk driving – I'm sure other family members care just as much, and are equally as important). I don't drink, and I don't feel we need an organization to be "reminding" us every holiday season about the horrors associated with drinking & driving. Time to stop funding that dead horse…
Anyway, use the device at your own discretion, but the average human being will know enough that it won't be as accurate as the devices the police have, and if you rely on it to be just as good, you'll no doubt end up in hot water one day. Besides, device or device attached to your ipod – there will still be friends like me driving his crew home on special occasions. Why? Because we've ALWAYS been responsible & won't change our habits – all without the help of MADD, too!
Have a safe & happy holiday season…