by Tim
Review – Bayer Contour USB
2:00 pm in General reviews, Kit & equipment, Meter reviews by Tim
Well chaps, after nearly 18 months of thinking about it I’ve finally gone and done a video blog. It’s a review of Bayer’s Contour USB meter and it’s almost unbearably brilliant. In my view.
Anyway, watch and enjoy; and do let me know if you like the video blog format and I’ll do some more – we actually rather enjoyed doing it! Huzzah!
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Oh yes, very 21st century. I spent a fair amount of it trying to work out what books you had on your bookshelf (sorry, Magdalen(e) college’s bookshelf…) and waiting for the reappearance of the glamorous assistant, who definitely needs a starring role next time…
Is 21st cetury good or bad? And are you saying my review was not so enthralling that your mind wandered onto the books and the assistant?
@katie Beautiful hands 【ツ】
Stunning review, slight disappointment that it was not crushed or something just for entertainment purposes!
@mikeinspain – I’ve promised it to @ckoei, so it was never going to come to a sticky end.
Oh, if anyone wants a video review of this meter that’s actually useful, then check out Sue (from diabetes.co.uk) here: http://www.youtube.com/user/Diabetescouk#p/a/u/0/Z_xVSdxHBmI
@tim Bummer! 【ツ】 @ckoei Sorry for trying to get your new meter blown up!
Nah – that fate will be reserved for the hideous Menarini GlucoMen LX
http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2009/07/review-menarini-glucomen-lx/
Oh, and if anyone’s interested, I did tie the bowtie myself – none of this elasticated nonsense!
An excellent review @Tim, I nearly choked on my cheese and tomato butty! Nice meter, but too fiddly for me (and for you by the sound of it!). Did you really tie the bow tie yourself, or did your lovely assistant have to tidy it up?
21st century – good. (21st cetury – better?) My mind wanders at anything – it is impossible to tie down for more than a few seconds. I do think, however, that a techno geek such as yourself should have found a way to swop in a replacement at the last second, thus allowing a fitting finale to the vlog of blowing the thing up, yet still allowing @ckoei to receive the (slightly soiled) goods. I like things to be blown up
@teloz – the tie was all my own work. I can tie a bow tie blindfold – a useful skill I’m sure you’ll agree…
@tim: Especially when you’re already blindfolded with a bow tie blindfold
@annette – the lot of you are obsessed with blowing stuff up!
Prolly @Tim, something to do with your reference to a ‘gelignite suppository’ in one of your reviews… what an image that provokes!
And this is wrong why, exactly?
Bangers and mash seems to make you Brits so bombastic…I beseech the ruffled flamingo to take “my” portable property under her glamorous pink wing until it can be sent to safety (and to put on its dear little fez that was tossed away so ruthlessly?)
Bloody brilliant Tim!!!! Love the video review and look forward to more vids!!!
Marc’s been using the contour USB for a few weeks now and is happy with it. He went off the freestyle lite saying the buttons pressed too easily and so far nothing has beaten the Nano in his world! But as Accu-chek won’t give us a free data cable he’s not using a nano.
If anyone is interested, I have a spare copy of the Accu-Chek 360° software, including a USB data cable. If someone wants to PM me with an address I’ll post it on to them.
PS: Remember it doesn’t work on Windows 7! (Though from what I can gather, it’s not on its own!)
@aileen I have a “Nano” and had no end of trouble with it and have reverted to the Aviva. I do have a Smart Pix which communicates via Infra Red… No cables required.. No sure how it would connect with the 360º software though??
@Mike – The Smart Pix has all the software built in instead of running it on your PC. You need an infra-red reader to communicate with the PC if you use the Accu-Chek 360° software, the data cable that comes with it has has an infra-red reader on one end and a USB connector on the other (and a mesmeric flashing blue light!
).
Fabulous review very upmarket – could we try a different location next time? I like looking round peoples houses! Certainly the way to go re reviewing products. How long did it take you to be 6.5? Very impressed. Did you try it on the pc and Mac? Do you think the pie charts, graphs and any other pictorial way of displaying our results was any good?
Whilst you looked rather splendid in your suit (yes I’m very impressed by the bow tie bit) can the lady in pink have a full costume which she could share with us? Perhaps she could be the one who stabs you?
Can’t wait for the episode.
Ooh yes, @mustard – this could be the first of a long running serial – reviews around the house, each time the glamorous assistant getting closer and closer to doing the dastardly deed, until, in the last episode, she stabs @tim in the back, and finally takes her bow.
Oscars all round.
I like your evil way of thinking! Insulin isn’t always detected as a murder weapon! We just need better locations and more of Katie!
@mustard – if I do another one I’ll make sure it’s in a different location (or, in fact, exactly the same location as it’s conveniently near the big computer).
6.5 was just what I happened to be – sorry!
The pie charts produced by the software aren’t particularly exceptional – they’re just graphs of results really. But then what else do I expect?
The lady in pink (aka @katie) has ideas for the next broadcast…watch this space.
@annette – why would my wife want to stab me? Actually, don’t answer that question…
Roll up! Roll up! Forget Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, Shoot Up Productions presents the incredible star talent of @Tim and the ineffably lovely @Katie in the blockbuster movie, “The Accu-Chek Compact Plus, Is It The Best Meter In The World, Or Is That Just A Rumour!” Be prepared for thrills, spills, laughter, and tears as they tell this epic story of love, lust, longing, and insulin dependancy…
@Teloz I’d like the cable and software if pos ….
No problems @Aileen, send me a PM with an address and I’ll get it in the post tomorrow.
@Teloz and everyone really – the Contour USB DOES work on Windows 7 and the pie charts are fab!!
I don’t doubt it @Charlie, but I was on about the Accu-Chek kit, which doesn’t, but as I’m a recidivist and quite content with Vista, it’s not a problem to me, At the end of the day we’ll all find our own ways of managing our data and we’ll all think ours is the best way, but as long as we all keep our blood sugars within reasonable parameters, who gives a sh… erm… tinker’s cuss?
xx
ooops sorry @Teloz – it’s been a long day – first day of the summer holidays with a 6yr old to entertain… at least it’s wine o’clock – that sould sort things out..!
Wine o’clock is a lovely time it goes unnoticed with the pump! but used to really be in-forced with the Lantus timing!
I agree with TIm. I use the Freestyle Lite and until the little hamster in there stops being able to work out my blood sugar I’m sticking with this meter. The USB meter looks faaar too fiddly for my liking.
@janie1992 – finally! Someone agrees with me! That said, the Contour is actually quite a good simple meter – the Freestyle Lite is just better…
@mustard – re: your earlier comment that insulin isn’t always detected as a murder weapon – check out my review of “Insulin Murders” http://www.shootuporputup.co.uk/2009/06/review-insulin-murders-by-dr-vincent-marks-and-caroline-richmond/ Sadly insulin is pretty much *always* detectable as a murder weapon!
I seem to recall (maybe its in your book, @Tim, or even one of those you mention in the article – my memory is somewhat hazy) reading about someone in America who spent a very long time in a coma that was irreversible (brain damage?) after being injected with huge amounts of insulin – can’t remember if she died or even is still alive. The point here being that they knew she had been injected with insulin, but they couldn’t actually prove who’d done it. So they couldn’t charge her husband. (But I think they did anyway. God Bless America.)
Love the new review format! I fancy an Accu-Chek Mobile but sadly I’m stuck with my Aviva-esque Combo.
Maybe you could play “Will It Blend” (http://www.willitblend.com/) with any meter that doesn’t reach a certain rating?