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The best personal breathalyzer
By Séamus Bellamy This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a buyer's guide to the best technology. When readers choose to buy The Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here. After 65 hours of research—which included getting intoxicated at a police station to test personal breathalyzers alongside law enforcement equipment—we're sure the BACtrack S80 Pro is the most accurate, reliable, and easiest-to-use personal breathalyzer that you can buy. We reached this conclusion after conducting research over four years, considering 102 models, and trying 15.
BACtrack's new wearable told me how drunk I was at CES
At 7 PM the exhibition center's doors opened and hordes of journalists broke through the velvet rope line holding them at bay. They rushed down broad, carpeted hallways, deftly ignoring the staff's pleas for calm and demands for proper identification. There was no time for pleasantries that night: It was a land rush, with limited table space and access to the precious few Ethernet connections. Welcome to the Pepcom Digital Experience, where exhibitors and reporters alike jockey for the other's attention in hopes of scooping their competition. It's madness, enough to drive a man to drink. So that's exactly what I did.
BACtrack Vio: Making it easier to be a responsible drinker
Back in May I tested the BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer (US$149.99), a handy little Bluetooth connected device that works with an iPhone app to let you test your Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) with a high degree of accuracy anywhere you may be. While I gave the device a top rating, I had two qualms about it -- it was pretty good sized and it was also quite expensive. Today the company released the BACtrack Vio (US$49.99), a new smaller model of the device with a bargain price tag. Let's take a look. Specifications Dimensions: 2.85 x 0.95 x 0.65 inches (72.4 x 24.1 x 16.5 mm) Weight: 2 ounces (56 grams) Detection Range: 0.00 -- 0.400 percent Blood Alcohol Content Sensor: MicroCheck® Power Supply: 1 AAA battery (included) Warmup time: 10 to 20 seconds Blowing time: 5 seconds Warranty: One year Design Highlights Compared with the previous model of the BACtrack, the Vio is absolutely tiny. It comes with a key ring so that it can either become your default key fob or hook onto an existing key ring. This is a really good feature, as it is light and unobtrusive enough to be something that you'll always have with you -- perfect for those unplanned after work parties. There's a tiny flip out tube to breathe into; if you want to share the device with others, BACtrack Vio comes with three mouthpieces so you don't share germs directly. One button is used to turn the device on and off, and it also provides a way to pair the BACtrack Vio with your iPhone. Functionality Highlights BACtrack came out with a new version of their app that is available in the App Store today. It works with the older devices, but really shines with the BACtrack Vio. To set up the device, you start by putting a AAA battery into a slot on the side of the unit. Download, install and launch the app, turn on the BACtrack Vio by holding down the power button for two seconds, and tap Pair Your BACtrack to link the two devices. Note that you must do this every time that you use the Vio, but it only takes a few seconds. Once the BACtrack Vio and iPhone are paired, you're presented with a Take A Reading button. Tap it, wait while the sensor warms up, and then you're asked to blow into the device. After about five seconds, your BAC level is listed. The company's ZeroLine gives you an indication of just how long it may take for you to get back to a 0.00% BAC. In the slideshow above, I included images of both the older (version 1.4) and newer (2.0) versions of the app. The new version is light and very iOS 7-like in design, while still offering the same great functionality. Conclusion What's not to like about the BACtrack Vio? It's available for a third of the price of the BACtrack Mobile tested by TUAW just two months ago, yet offers the same level of accuracy. The app has been updated to give it an iOS 7 vibe, getting rid of the dark and dreary look of the old app. With the new price and smaller form factor, anyone who likes to imbibe now and then should be able to afford a BACtrack Vio. They'll be available at Best Buy stores and Amazon.com later this month, can be purchased online at BACtrack.com right now, and will see increased distribution soon. As someone who likes the occasional beer or bottle of wine while enjoying a good dinner, I am thrilled that BACtrack is making affordable products like the Vio available to the public. With an iPhone, a BACtrack Vio, and a sense of personal responsibility, there's no reason for anyone to be driving while intoxicated. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
Drink-testing the BACtrack Mobile breathalyzer
Drinking and driving is something that should never be done, but all too many people have "one too many" alcoholic beverages at their local bar or sports venue, then get behind the wheel to drive home. While many of these folks may never get pulled over, they're still endangering themselves and others. Since it's difficult to judge just how impaired you might be after imbibing a few brewskies, people take a lot more chances than they should. That's where BACtrack Mobile (US$149.99) comes in handy. It's a pocket-sized calibrated breathalyzer that syncs over Bluetooth to an app on your iOS device to warn you of when you should call a taxi or ask a friend for a ride home. Specifications Dimensions: 1.75 x 2.75 x 0.63 inches (44.45 x 69.85 x 16.0 mm) Weight: 1.7 ounces (47 grams) Battery: Rechargeable with included micro-USB cable Sensor Technology: Xtend electrochemical fuel cell Warm-up time: 10 seconds Blowing time: 5 seconds BAC range: 0.000 to 0.400 percent BAC Compatibility: iPhone 4s, 5, 5s, 5c; iPad 3, 4, Air; iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display, iPod touch 5th generation Design Highlights The BACtrack Mobile is a small, discreet white box that fits into its own little carrying bag that can be placed into a pocket or bag before heading out. The device is designed with a semi-transparent channel that makes it easy to see some of the interior electromechanical components as well as LEDs that indicate what's going on. The BACtrack Mobile can be blown into directly, or you can use a small mouthpiece for sanitation if you wish to share your device with your drinking buddies. All of those mouthpieces are the same opaque white color, which would make it somewhat difficult to figure out which one needs to be used by what person, so I personally wish they'd make them different colors. Charging is done through a micro-USB port on the bottom of the device, and when plugged in, a pair of blue LEDs pulse to tell you that charging is underway. Those lights turn to a dim steady blue when the device is fully charged. Once you're ready to test just how wasted you are, you load the free BACtrack app onto your iPhone and then pair the device via Bluetooth. Functionality Highlights Pairing is quick and painless, done from the app rather than requiring a trip to Settings. When you're ready to check your BAC, you press a button in the app, watch a countdown "clock" spin down while the device preps itself, and then blow into the BACtrack. You need to puff for about five seconds, and the app lets you know when you can stop. You'll also hear a small "click" from the device itself. Within several seconds, the BAC level is displayed in the app. Just how accurate is the BACtrack Mobile? The company notes that the device uses "police grade" Xtend Fuel Cell Sensor Technology to make the measurements, and offers a high level of accuracy and consistency. To ensure that it maintains that professional level of accuracy, BACtrack recommends sending the device in for a recalibration every six to twelve months. This review was a first for me -- the first time I got a buzz on for TUAW! To test the device under real-life conditions, I split a bottle of Cambria Chardonnay with my wife, then later had a nice glass of Pinot Noir to bump up my BAC, and then finally topped off the evening (and went into the danger zone) with a shot of Limoncello. The three glasses of wine were split over about a three hour period, and when I checked my BAC the first time, it measured at 0.049 percent -- just below the level (0.05 percent) that would put me into the Driving While Ability Impaired (DWAI) zone under Colorado state law. The app allows you to tag drinks (a good way to remember what you've downed during a bender), add photos, and even take notes. You're required to wait 15 minutes after eating or drinking anything before doing a test in order to make sure that the BACtrack Mobile doesn't see the residual alcohol in your mouth and cause a false high reading. That 15 minutes also allows the alcohol to be absorbed into your bloodstream... So I drank the shot of Limoncello and then waited the appropriate amount of time. The second reading, unsurprisingly, came in at 0.053 percent. Had I been driving instead of performing the tests in the safety of my own home and if I'd been stopped by law enforcement officers, that would have been enough to have put me into DWAI territory. The app can tell you how long you'll need to wait until your BAC is back to zero, showing a chart that can also let you know when it is safe to drive. You can also choose to share your BAC results publicly, privately, or keep 'em to yourself. The private sharing just puts a pin on a map along with your level of inebriation -- the BACtrack WorldView page shows just how wasted some people will get (either that or they didn't wait 15 minutes before blowing into the BACtrack's mouthpiece). Conclusion If you like to have the occasional drink or two and then get into your car, BACtrack Mobile can help keep you and others safe by ensuring that you're not driving while impaired or under the influence. Think that the $150 price tag is expensive? Think again -- the cost of a first-offense DUI (driving under the influence) can run anywhere from $5,000 to $20,000 in legal fees and higher insurance rates. BACtrack Mobile is an highly accurate tool that can help you make the decision to give your keys to a sober friend or take a taxi home. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
BACtrack iPhone breathalyzer could save your life this holiday season
According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, car crashes from impaired driving due to alcohol consumption spike over the holiday period. This shouldn't be much of a surprise, as it's the time of year that people generally go to more parties than normal and enjoy the company of friends and family with good food and drink. However, thanks to our iPhones and some innovative technology from a host of companies, we now have it in our power to know without a doubt if we've had too much to drink before we even get behind the wheel. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer from BACtrack is the world's first Bluetooth mobile breathalyzer that allows anyone to check their own or a friend's blood alcohol content from an iPhone or Android device. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer itself is no bigger than a pack a cigarettes. The user simply breathes into it and his or her blood alcohol level is calculated, with its results being sent to the companion BACtrack app. The iPhone app makes it easy to read your results in numerical format, but it also gives you a written warning, such as "You may be experiencing a loss of shyness and slight euphoria." However, instead of just telling you how inebriated you are, the app also allows you to track it over a period of time -- and, more importantly -- can tell you when your BAC will return to 0.00 percent so you can drive again. The app also allows you take photos of your drinks and log your drinking habits in a built-in journal. You can share your BAC results with a private list of people, anonymously on the web (contributing to real-time BAC results around the world, which you can view) or via your social networks on Twitter and Facebook. The social integration may seem odd, but it can help notify your friends that you need a ride home when you are too drunk to drive. BACtrack has been a global leader in breathalyzer technology for more than a decade and the engineering that went into its BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer shows it. Its mobile breathalyzer uses an industry-leading Xtend ElectroChemical Fuel Cell Sensor, which is a police-grade cell. The company says it is not only appropriate for personal use, but professional use as well, including in military, hospital, clinical, business and school settings. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer displays BAC results to a full three decimal places (0.000 percent). It measures 1.75 x 2.75 x 0.63 inches and weighs just 1.75 ounces (47 grams). It's rechargeable via the included micro-USB charger. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer isn't a gift for everyone. Indeed, it may offend some people if they receive it. However, it'd be great to see bar and pub owners keeping one of these behind the bar. It also gives those responsible drinkers another option for keeping tabs on their fun and alerting them when it's time to let someone else get behind the wheel. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyzer costs US$149.99. The BACtrack app is a free download. It's one of the few iPhone accessories that can actually save a life this holiday season.
