breathalyzer

Cool party favor or life-saving tool? You be the judge

So you're at a party late one night. You really hadn't planned on getting this drunk. Who knows, though, maybe you're not as drunk as you feel. Wouldn't it be great if there was some way to know just how drunk you are before you attempt to drive home?

OK, that was the basic setup right? I throw a hypothetical situation out there and then the next paragraph is supposed to read something like "Well Bob Loblaw feels the same way, and he has a solution for you called X". With this product, though, … Read more

iBreath: the iPhone Breathalyzer

Innovation in the App Store has been rampant, but worthwhile development in third-party devices (save a few battery backups/boosters) has been sparse. iBreath, a Breathalyzer and FM Transmitter for the iPod (and unofficially for the iPhone), is a new and notable exception

The device, sold by David Steele Enterprises, is priced at $79. Originally circa 2006 the device sold with the FM Transmitter and in two colors for about $50. The latest iteration of the device has evolved to be bit more modern with better controls for the FM Transmitter. It's compact and fits on the bottom of … Read more

This teddy knows when you're tipsy

If you think GPS breathalyzer devices are intrusive, you'll love this next item from Japan. Engineers at iXs Research are developing a talking teddy bear that serves as an in-car navigation system, giving directions while sniffing out any alcohol on your breath with a sensor embedded in its neck, asking "You haven't been drinking, have you?"

As if that weren't irritating enough, this backseat-driving teddy also has sensors designed to detect reckless driving, such as sudden braking and acceleration ("Watch out!"). And as a "bonus," according to Pink Tentacle, the bear … Read more

Europeans lead the way with GPS breathalyzers

This is one of those items that, depending on how it's viewed, is either a testament to progressive use of safety technology or a frightening commentary on the prevalance of alcohol on the road. Or both.

AvMap, an Italian GPS equipment manufacturer, is the second company we've seen in recent months to combine a navigation device with a breathalyzer. This version is the product of a partnership with Peugeot, which has used AvMap technologies in its cars since 2005, according to GPS Business News. It follows a similar device mentioned on Crave a few months ago, from Portugal'… Read more

Gadgettes 78: The Last Gadget on Earth Episode

If that one missile that was shot at that one satellite was to, oh I don't know, miss that satellite entirely and redirect itself at the earth and blow everything up except for one of us and a small handful of gadgets...Well, let's just say you'd NEVER see us using them. Not even if they were the last gadgets on earth. Listen now: Download today's podcast EPISODE 78 Why didn't I think of that? What the HELL?! This Week in Hello Kitty

GPS device knows if you've been drinking

Of all the odd combo devices on the road today, this one actually seems to make some sense. Portugal-based NDrive has developed what it calls "the world's first GPS navigation system with a breathalyzer," according to NaviGadget.

There are other car breathalyzers that have been developed, of course, including some that prevent the engine from starting if the driver is past the legal limit. But the built-in GPS system might provide additional incentive for motorists to buy one of these portable devices, which appear to be destined for the European market for 200 euros, or about $297. … Read more

Volvo drunk-driving tool prevents start

Volvo is offering a tool to help drivers realize when they are too drunk to drive.

Its Alcoguard device tests alcohol levels in drivers and will be available as an option on its 2008 Volvo S80, V70 and XC70 models in Sweden, the U.S. and Europe.

The Alcoguard is a handheld device that wirelessly integrates with the car to prevent drivers over the legal alcohol limit from starting it up. Volvo refers to the device, which must be used within 10 meters (about 33 feet) of the car, as an "alcolock."

Drivers must blow into the device, … Read more

Source code standoff in breathalyzer case

Minnesota authorities have missed a court-imposed deadline for turning over the source code for a breath-testing machine at the heart of a a high-profile dispute that recently made it to the state's Supreme Court.

That means now there's a greater chance that charges could be dropped against third-degree DUI defendant Dale Lee Underdahl.

The next step is a court hearing scheduled for September 19, Underdahl's attorney, Jeffrey Sheridan, told CNET News.com in a phone interview on Tuesday. At the hearing, Sheridan is expected to ask the judge to throw out any evidence the state had obtained … Read more

On the wagon: Nissan trials an in-car Breathalyzer

The likes of Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hilton might soon find themselves restricted to driving Nissans as part of their parole. The Japanese automaker this week announced that it had started testing an in-car Breathalyzer system that disables a car's ignition if it senses that the would-be driver is over the legal limit.

In a press release that looks suspiciously like it was translated by a software program, Nissan says that the system will be installed on "daily-operating vehicles where the drivers will monitor various factors such as functionality and alcohol-detection reliability." According to Edmunds, Nissan intends … Read more