iPhone accessory measures and tracks blood pressure

Considering that frustrations caused by our gadgets are likely to get our blood boiling in the first place, an iPhone accessory which measures and tracks blood pressure seems like a clever idea.

The Withings Blood Pressure Monitor is a simple accessory which — while seemingly best-suited for use with an iPhone — works with any iOS device as well as in conjunction with the Withings WiFi Body Scale. It's basically like any other blood pressure measuring tool except that it's connected to an iOS device and that its corresponding app can automatically submit your measurement data to the Withings website, Google Health, HealthVault, or your doctor.

To use the accessory, all you have to do is plug it into your iOS device — don't worry, it comes with its own batteries and won't drain your gadget — and follow some on-screen prompts. The first time you use the monitor, you'll of course be prompted to download the free Withings app, but after that the whole process is far quicker.

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Based on my own tests of the device — and assuming that I haven't had any odd health changes since a recent routine check up — the measurements it provides appear to fall within an expected range. And considering that the accessory has been granted FDA clearance, I have minimal reason to doubt the data.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

The Withings Blood Pressure Monitor can be ordered at www.withings.com now and it will set you back $129. For that price you'll get a well-designed measuring cuff with a built-in connection cable and a set of batteries.

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Rosa Golijan writes about tech here and there. She's obsessed with Twitter and loves to be liked on Facebook. According to her iPhone, she does not suffer from hypertension.