Don't hold your breath: iBreath for iPhones and iPods

December 22, 7:15 AMSF Consumer Electronics ExaminerJennifer Anthony

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iBreath for iPhones or iPods

Just when you thought you had seen everything, comes another device for the iPhone or iPod.

It’s called the iBreath, and it’s an alcohol breathalyzer from David Steele Enterprises. Its website describes the $79 gadget “as the ultimate iPod accessory that lets you take your own alcohol breath test so you can get home safely.” The developer’s website goes on to describe how it works: “Just fold out the blow wand and exhale into it for at least five seconds. Two seconds later, this amazing tool lets you know if you're within the legal limit to drive. It even houses a timer that can be set from one minute up to hour hours in order to remind you when it’s time for the next test.” 

It’s not the first consumer breathalyzer, of course. A variety of other breathalyzers, including the AlcoHAWK Slim Breathalyzer (an “entry-level consumer breathalyzer”), are available from none other than breathalyzer.net and alcomate.com. But the iBreath requires no batteries, and can be plugged into the car if you happen to not have your iPod or iPhone with you.

And of course it doubles as an iPod FM transmitter that transmits your iPod tunes to any FM tuner. The developers say they hope this feature will make it more likely for users to keep the device plugged into their car stereo and not hidden away.

Opponents fear that the tool will inspire more drinking games than responsible behavior. Fans claim that even the most innocent of objects can be used incorrectly, and that this tool just may save lives.

While I feel that preventative measures (aside from the obvious one of planning ahead) are not always such a bad thing, I have several concerns. First, I worry about how it might foster a false sense of security and whether it is reliable, since law enforcement agents use tools that are calibrated regularly. Second, acceptable BAC levels vary by age (it is considerably lower for people under 21). But most importantly, this tool does nothing to assess other major factors that greatly affect driving, such as mood and fatigue.

And judgment. Which leads me to believe that people might also consider other options. For example, there’s TaxiMagic, by RideCharge, Inc., a free iTunes application that connects iPhone location features with taxi dispatch systems to let users book taxis instantly.