I agree w/ the Bluetooth suggestion! I was just thinking about that the other day while I was yakking on my phone in the car. I also agree about Apple not wanting to get too involved but the attachment is a good compromise.
I’m not sure I can see exporting data to social networks being very popular either? It is enough of a chore keeping track of my own data, much less everyone elses!
The electronics that go into a medical device have to have a lower failure rate than the electronics in a phone or video game console. If my phone or game gives the wrong information, I replace it — or not. If my glucometer or CGMS gives the wrong reading — I could get hurt.
In other words: Rate of occurrence multiplied by the impact of the event equals risk.
Even if the medical device fails once the impact can be high. I don’t want cheap electronics in my medical products.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_management#Potential_risk_treatments
The FreeStyle Flash had a display light that comes on with one touch. Insert a test strip and another light comes on to illuminate the strip. The meter beeps when it’s ready to receive a blood sample and then beeps afterward when it has completed it’s reading. I’m not sure if these are still being produced.
There are lots of free or inexpensive meters that use cheaper test strips. However, it would seem the consumer does not trust these “cheap” products. There is a perception — perhaps true perhaps false — that the name brand meters and strips are better. So the consumer buys those.
How do you “know they make a killing off the supplies we buy”? Please provide a reference.
I wish the software supported Mac as well. I only use Macs at home and not having useful diabetes related software is constraining. However, I also see that Macs — despite recent surges — have a very small market share when compared to Windows.
Are you on twitter? Diabetes is all over social media: https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23bgnow
I think thing might be ok if Apple can get the FDA to agree to a liability waiver. The iPhone was never designed as a medical device and so long as any potential liability is limited to the third party device vendor we might get this kind of thing. I thinks that It’s mostly the liability thing that reduces the likelihood of innovative medical devices.
No twitter here. I am just saying that while it could perhaps be interesting to have follow someone else’s case study by observing their bg postings on twitter, I am more interested in discussions of theories as anything that I observe from someone else is sort of valueless until you move beyond the raw numbers to learn how they go there and get things that you can use? Which is probably why I like message boards more?
I don’t see a liability waiver of any sort being granted. There are too many different jurisdictions involved?
RF would be overkill. Bluetooth can be used for the wireless connection.
My point was more that the technology to make a talking meter that isn’t huge and bulky and outrageously expensive already exists. I wouldn’t want cheap parts in my meter, either, but they make talking blood pressure monitors and thermometers that are not any more expensive than “standard” versions of these devices, so there must be something out there that’s being approved for medical uses. If the meter companies had an interest in universal design principles I don’t think it would take that much effort or cost to include speech output in some of their meters, especially after the initial phases.
How about not making a special one just for lefties. That would not be a wise idea but make one where the screen rotates? So that if I am pricking my right hand I can read the results without having to change hands.
Yes I agree, I have been using one lancet per 50 strips and then I still feel wasteful throwing them out then. I am sure many here just change them 4-5 times a year and that is cool too. These are just the least expensive items in my D paraphernalia and I bought a huge box 4 years ago and am only half way down.
I also used to use syringes over 6-7 times before I would toss them…bad insurance breeds creativity.
As stated by many other people…I would LOVE to see a cell phone combined with a meter. If that’s too much to ask for than how about a mp3 player and meter combined. I’m pretty sure almost everyone that carries a meter with them most likely has a cell phone also. The first company to do this will sell many of them.
i did at first, and thats officially what i do. But honestly, if it takes me more than a minute to find a lancet, then i just give in and use the old one. I know there is still some blood on the old one, and it could possibly screw up the reading, but i dont think its a significant bias. Big thing is the pain, but i can usually ignore that.
I agree with you on all things there!
The update to the Freestyle Flash is the Freestyle Lite. It retains both the back light and the port light.
I know this is an old thread BUT… I used to work for Bayer, at the company store, the selling price for 50 strips is about $4.00.
Someone, somewhere is making a boat load of money 
Luckily for me a friend of mine still works there so I give them a $20.00 and he gives me 4 packages of strips.
I wish that Blood Glucose Meter Companies would honor their specials. How about not being eligible for a free meter because they show that I already received a free meter but they can’t find the record of it. Yes, I do own one of your meters but I bought it 10 months ago at full price. The customer service person on the phone never ask me if I owned one of their meters when I called them.
Now after quite some time on the phone the best they will do is send me a coupon for a discounted price. Because they do not send out free meters to anyone. So all of you that did receive a free meter it is just a figment of your imagination. Now I get to shop around to try to find the meter at a discounted price. Most of drugstores in my area are out of the meter or are selling them at the original price.
I do believe that I will seriously have to think about staying with this meter company. I may switch to the old meter company when my strips run out. Just so that I do not have to deal with the empty promises and also the bad customer service.