I am really glad to see more and more “iOS app enhanced” devices being released. We’ve looked at a few clocks that offer tight integration with iPhone or iPad apps and now we are seeing a slew of new devices coming out. One of them, Withings Smart Blood Pressure Monitor uses your iOS device as the “brains” of a blood pressure monitoring system. I’ve been using it for the last week and a half and even had Judie, Carly and Elana take it for a spin. Here are some details and a video overview.
From the Company:
Designed specifically for iOS devices, it fits your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch perfectly. Simply plug it into your iOS device, and launch the measurement. It couldn’t be easier.
Keep your measurements history close at hand: Checking the evolution in the long term and detecting trends early helps you remain on track. The free Withings App displays your results in nice and simple graphs always available at your fingertips.
Your graphs at your fingertips: Browse, zoom, get simple averages of all your blood pressure data in a single place. Access your stats on your iPhone, iPad or iPod, as well as on your private account, at home or in your office, on Mac or PC. Your data is safely backed up so you will never lose your history.
Readings, dates and time of day. It is important to keep track of the time of day when the reading was taken. The Withings app provides tools for visualizing your morning and afternoon readings separately. Hence, you only compare what needs to be compared.
Share your results for greater control: Email them to your doctor, or activate automatic synchronization with you favorite personal health records
One of the key aspects of this system is the simplicity of it. Once you download the free app and set the app up with your information (you will be required to create a free Withing’s account if you want to take full advantage of everything they offer) the app/device combination does the rest. As the company explains:
As easy as 1-2-3: Wrap the Blood Pressure Monitor around your arm and plug it into your iOS device. Based on your doctor’s advice, select either the single measurement mode or the 3-measures in a row mode in order to get a mean average. At the end of the measurement, the full results, including the Systole, Diastole and BPM, are saved on your iOS device, so you don’t have to worry about manually updating your health overview from day to day.
The device takes things a step further by taking advantage of the iPhone’s connectivity and letting you easily send your data to your doctor. As they explain:
Stay in sync with your doctor: It is recommended that you take your blood pressure measurements at home in a relaxed environment (WHO, …) .We have made it incredibly easy to share your results with your doctor. Push a button in the Withings App to send a recap email and seek professional advice.
Here is a quick unboxing and first look.
The device is available through the Withings web site for US $129.
MSRP: $129
What I Like: Simple to use; Keeps records on your device; Makes it simple to share information with doctors
What Needs Improvement: iOS device-centric; Less expensive standalone devices are available