Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Hardware, iPod Family, Retail, Odds and ends, Stocking Stuffers, iPhone
iBreathalyzer is, yes, a breathalyzer for your iPod

You've gotta be kidding us. Not only should you never drive after drinking, as even legal levels can be dangerous, but even if you just want to know your BAC you can buy a regular breathalyzer for a lot less than the $80 this one costs, and you don't even need an iPod to connect it to.
But we'll give these guys their credit -- of all the things you can attach to an iPod, this one might be the strangest.


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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Robert said 6:07PM on 12-18-2008
So, this means I can make an iPod my designated driver, right?
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modernmagic said 6:16PM on 12-18-2008
Depending on your BAC it should play the appropriate song.
south said 4:01AM on 12-20-2008
^^^ Ha ha. I wonder how drunk I'd have to be before "Livin on a Prayer" started playing.
ziggyonice said 6:09PM on 12-18-2008
Hey, hey, hey... it's a breathalyzer AND and an FM transmitter.
At least it has some functionality.
lol, Still that really is something else.
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OneDollarBil said 6:17PM on 12-18-2008
Only thing that would make this truely great would be to tie it into the iPhone so you can't drunk dial or send random text messages to ex-girlfriends haha
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Michael Rose said 9:07PM on 12-18-2008
Now THAT's a million dollar idea. The drunk-dial lock.
Tim said 8:53AM on 12-19-2008
How I think it came to be: A warehouse accidentally orders a non-refundable shipment of iPod dock connectors and 5 volt breathalyzers, and decides to make lemonade out of lemons.
Still, an iPhone with a primitive sense of smell brings us one step closer to a working Tricorder, although it would only detect the most depressing forms of life.
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lanejasper69 said 12:56AM on 12-19-2008
I'm sure it's SUPER accurate too.....FAIL.
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waiownsyou said 5:08AM on 12-19-2008
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OpticalSerenity said 5:50AM on 12-19-2008
Considering most states have a "per se" limit, usually around 0.08 and also a "less safe" limit, almost always 0.01+, this is worthless.
Per se limits are only when you are either stopped for a non-moving violation or when you're stopped at a safety check point. If you are stopped for a moving violation, such as Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device or Failure to Maintain Lane or Failure to Move Over Upon Approaching Emergency Vehicle, then the limit is anything above 0.00.
So you assume you're ok because this device (which btw, may or may not be accurate, more on that in a few) says you are below your state's per se limit, and you drive. You're looking down at your iPod and cause an accident, law enforcement arrive, you blow a positive amount. You get charged with DUI Alcohol Less Safe.
Secondly, you have to understand how your body handles etoh (Ethanol). As your body is receiving alcohol, your BAC is increasing. Let's say you do a shot and drink two glasses of wine, wait 15 minutes, then drive to the next bar, your BAC may be 0.034 at the first bar, but in 10 minutes may be 0.057 and in 25 minutes may be 0.074. This is how the body works. You go "on the way up" and then "on the way down." You decrease at only a rate of 0.015 BAC / hour. So..that's a problem.
Third, even an Alcosensor that costs law enforcement $500 isn't as accurate as it needs to be in order to be admissible in court. The roadside sample is only accurate to Positive/Negative standards. For true accuracy, you'd have to submit to a chemical test of your breath using an Intoxilyzer 5000 by CMI. This instrument costs well over the cost of every Mac in the lineup, combined, and requires certification on the officers' parts to use it. Or of course a blood kit can be taken and sent to your state crime lab.
Anyhow, I've scraped up enough dead bodies and had to tell enough moms that their children wouldn't be coming home that night because someone thought they were ok to drive because the box on the wall at the bar said they were 0.03.
Don't drink and drive, and you'll live to install Snow Leopard :)
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colouroflight said 11:50AM on 12-19-2008
Are we supposed to be impressed by that tome?
Austin Lee said 9:32AM on 12-23-2008
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
http://drughealth.blogspot.com/
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James said 11:56PM on 2-05-2009
I still can't believe this product even made it to production. I wonder what chinese company talked this guy into branding it and selling it in the US. I've used small breathalyzers that attached to my keychain and I was never happy with the results so I can only imagine how terrible this thing must perform.
Still, i use the alcomate premium breathalyzer from alcometers and so far so good. I also make sure not to drive with anything higher than a .05 just to be safe.
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Ribby the Tibby said 11:59PM on 2-05-2009
sorry didn't realize this had life links set up. i bought that breathalyzer from http://www.alcometers.com
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