Glooko Launches an Easy Way to Download Blood Glucose Meter Data to an iPhone, iPod Touch, or iPad; Enter Our Giveaway to Receive a Free Cable!
By Adam Brown
Although most blood glucose meters are theoretically able to upload test results to a computer, the reality can be a frustrating, time-consuming process. Different meters need different cords, uploading is sometimes time-consuming, and programs are often incompatible with Macs or not very user-friendly. This month, a company called Glooko launched what looks to be a less irritating way to download your meter’s blood glucose history. The crux of the system is a single cable that can plug in to any of six popular blood glucose meters: Bayer’s Contour, FreeStyle’s Lite and Freedom Lite, and One Touch’s Ultra2, UltraLink, and UltraMini meters. The other end of the cord plugs in to an iPod touch (3rd and 4th generation), the iPhone (3GS and 4), or the iPad, allowing test results to be uploaded to the Apple device using the Glooko Logbook application (available free in the iTunes App Store). Generally, the process takes less than one minute, and the number of downloadable readings is only limited by the Apple device’s memory. Additionally, Glooko’s product can download multiple meters (e.g., meter in your car, meter at work, meter at home) and integrate the information based on date and time. We got a chance to try Glooko’s MeterSync Cable and the Glooko Logbook App, and we found it to be refreshingly straightforward.
Once downloaded, users can view the logbook on their Apple device, add notes (e.g., carb intake, insulin dose, activity level, pre/post meal tags), and share a 14-day summary report with their healthcare provider via email or eFax. While we do like the built-in communication features, we believe that many patients will find manually adding the notes time-consuming, if they even remember the data to share! For right now, the application is limited to displaying the test results in logbook format; to be able to show graphs or give statistics like averages, Glooko would need FDA approval. The company has informed us that future generations of the system will incorporate these features. Additionally, given Glooko’s notable investors who are associated with social media, we suspect next generation versions might even incorporate Facebook applications. Although it doesn’t have the most advanced data analysis capabilities, we really like that Glooko’s product simplifies blood glucose meter downloading, a problem that is real to many patients. The Glooko Logbook App is free on the iTunes App Store, although it must be used with the cord, which costs $40 and is available on Amazon. For a limited time, we are giving away free Glooko MeterSync Cables to the first 50 people who fill out a five-minute survey. –AB
