Graeme:
I agree the time limit to apply the sample to the USB Contour is a bit of a drag. I've gotten caught on this because if I am having a rough day, I can't be rushed to prick my finger from time to time.
I work around this problem by placing a test strip just inside the meter BEFORE I prick my finger to get a sample.
You can pull the strip out quickly before the meter fully powers up, so it is just resting inside the meter.
In other words, the strip inside the meter, just not FULLY inserted for the Contour to recognize that it's there and powered up.
When I prick my finger, I use my free hand to gently tap the strip fully into the meter so that it powers up and initializes, showing the display screen.
As soon as I see the "apply blood" message (usually about 2-5 seconds after power up), I apply the blood from my now-prepared-finger to the strip and run the test.
Hope this helps. ;)
-marcus