13, 846. That’s the estimated number of fatalities that involved impaired driving in 2008 in the United States. That’s roughly 38 deaths daily. For lack of a better term, it’s a sobering thought. It’s a simple decision that could change the lives of many forever, including your own. Now I’m not one to tell you what to do; I leave that up to you and your own judgment. All I’m going to say is if you are planning to drive and you are even slightly questioning yourself, then you should find another way home. Sometimes, that inner, sober voice inside you may have a hard time being heard. The loud music and flashing lights could distract you from the decision at hand.
Think of BAQ Tracker mobile application as a megaphone for that inner voice. It’s a discreet and simple way to monitor your alcohol consumption or a loved ones consumption. With real-time representation of your calculated blood alcohol quotient, BAQ Tracker will take the guessing out of the question: “How much is too much?”
About BAQ Tracker
The BAQ Tracker mobile application was developed by LadyBug Teknologies Inc (yes, this is the correct spelling). The company develops products that focus on social drinking and promote responsibility. Not only to prevent drinking and driving, but for overall health. There’s actually a few situations you could use BAQ Tracker; moderate family members and friends or maintain control (but still have fun) at your office party, to name a few. The current version of BAQ Tracker is 1.0.11, with a file size of 393.6KB. Here’s how it works:
The first thing you want to do is create a profile using factors that include: age, height, weight and gender. These factors are taken into consideration when calculating your Breath Alcohol Content and aid in obtaining incredibly accurate results. According to LadyBug Teknologies, BAQ Tracker “has been benchmarked against enforcement quality breathalyzers.” For height and weight, BAQ Tracker supports metric and imperial units of measurement. Your profile can also be edited at anytime - as you get older or gain/lose weight.
Creating a profile
Tracking you and your friends
Tracking begins at the main menu. The icon at the top left corner of this screen links you a list of 9 generic drink types. Each drink type will display the average amount and ABV (Alcohol by Volume). The screen will capture the number of drinks you have had, your BAC and a real-time countdown to when your BAC will be at 0%. Overtime, if haven’t had anything else to drink, your BAC will visibly decrease as well. If you have accidently added an extra drink, the application allows you to delete the last entry. This screen will also display random facts regarding issues such as: BAC or meaning of terms (impairment versus intoxication). All of these facts can also be accessed from the BAQ Trackers included library. As I mentioned before, you can track other people besides yourself. While this is a great idea, the available options are limited. Tracking only works if you and the other person (or persons) are drinking the same drinks at the same time.
List of drink types
Other apps, like BAC Finder allow you to select only your weight, gender and time you have spent drinking. You then select how many drinks you have had (drinks are also categorized). You BAC is then calculated. I found that BAQ Tracker offers greater control, as you can easily record while you are drinking, rather than after you have figured out the time spent and number of drinks after the fact. You are then in a better place from which you can decide - when have you had enough?
Conclusion
The idea is to moderate, not eliminate, your consumption. BAQ Tracker is an excellent way to ensure you are well informed, in order for you to decide when to call it quits. The application allows you to quickly and quietly input what you’ve had and presents its calculations clearly. To others, it will only seem as though you are checking for messages, but to you it helps you judge your BAC. I did find the application a little pricey, at $8.99, but it is more intuitive than similar applications out there. You can pick up BAQ Tracker from BlackBerry App World.
Pros
- Discreet and easy to use
- Real-time calculations
- Limited tracking for multiple people
Cons
- Directions need to be rewritten
More Info
Article | 1 hour ago Neil Gaiman's amazing A Calendar of Tales now available
Article | 4 hours ago BlackBerry Accessory Roundup - Enter to win a Z10 case of your choice!
Article | 8 hours ago Deal of the Day: Save 44% on the BlackBerry Microfiber Pocket for Z10
Article | 4 hours ago Gear up your BlackBerry for the Formula 1 Monaco Grand Prix
Article | 6 hours ago Calling the CrackBerry Community: We want to feature YOUR awesome photos in our articles!
Article | 7 hours ago BlackBerry Dev Alpha devices will stay up and running after all
quixin Jan 12, 2010 at 10:54 am
the icon that is placed in the menu is way too big...
Looks ridiculous!
reagandee#cb Jan 12, 2010 at 11:44 am
When you are hammered and squinting your eyes in a dimly lit smoke filled bar you will be happy the icon is so large on your screen.
quixin Jan 12, 2010 at 7:09 pm
Touché!
joefalco Jan 12, 2010 at 10:58 am
$9.00? That's almost the cost of a 12 pack! :-)
Joe
07thking Jan 13, 2010 at 9:29 am
hahahahaha, you my friend are genius!
Jonneh Jan 12, 2010 at 11:03 am
Thanks for this review!
vinndy Jan 12, 2010 at 11:43 am
that way, I bet more people would use it and follow it, thereby preventing problems relaetd to alcohol & vehicles
valorian Jan 12, 2010 at 12:02 pm
For anyone who has used this, does it alow customize drink options? I like craft beers and most of them are more than 5%
Aztek13 Jan 12, 2010 at 1:01 pm
How about the beer we can get in Canada? Many are more than 5%.
ynotbme Jan 12, 2010 at 12:14 pm
One of the reviews said it didn't work on their Storm. Anyone try this on the 9550? I agree the price seems a little steep. But I'd be willing to try it if I knew it was compatible with the S2.
sparkerc Jan 12, 2010 at 1:29 pm
I am in the same boat. Would give it a shot, but the review that says that it is not compatible with the S2 9550 is what is stopping me from buying it. Anyone tried it yet?
valorian Jan 12, 2010 at 12:18 pm
Yes $9 is steep for an app but it's a whole lot cheaper than the cost of a DUI.
pantlesspenguin Jan 12, 2010 at 12:56 pm
I was coming here to say the same thing. I drink on the weekends & when I go out I'm ALWAYS paranoid that I'm over the limit when I'm going home, even when I've only had a couple drinks over the span of 3 hours or so. It would be nice to know for sure. I do agree that $9 is steep for an app...but really, consider the consequences.
racensave09 Jan 12, 2010 at 12:42 pm
Great app, but unless there's a blowout sale, I wont be getting it.
darkknightuga Jan 12, 2010 at 12:50 pm
Definitely a cool idea, but it won't be saving many lives at a $8.99 price tag.
Revolutionary Jan 12, 2010 at 12:59 pm
They are going to get sued. It's at once a good and a terrible idea.
Defendant: "But BAQ told me I would be okay!"
Victim's Family cum Plaintiff: "What's their address for service of process?"
ejcrossl Jan 12, 2010 at 1:19 pm
So your saying I should buy the app, go get wasted, and drive back and forth over the lawn at P.D. Get pd for my 4 months in jail....
Sounds better than work.
sparkerc Jan 12, 2010 at 1:41 pm
Looks like all of their products are BAC related with some for the law enforcement community. Doesn't appear that this is someone who decided to make a random app to do this.
Smokeaire Jan 12, 2010 at 1:40 pm
Now they need to expand the app to include talking on the cell phone while driving, texting while driving, fiddling with the car's GPS while driving, eating your Big Mac while driving..on and on and on.
It will make a great college drinking game...I can see it now.
mikeo007 Jan 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm
This really is a great app, but like many others have said, it should cost much less. However, I don't think the developer should absorb the cost. Rather, I think this app should be subsidized by a government or police force. This is already done with similar apps on platforms like iphone.
slcolbourne Jan 12, 2010 at 1:42 pm
The current version of BAQ Tracker Mobile 1.0.13 has been optimized for STORM.
Daejin Jan 12, 2010 at 2:00 pm
Using it on the BB Tour with no issues. I don't bother tracking when I'm hitting it hard but when you pop off to the bar after work for a pint or two it's helped make the decision of whether I stick around for a bite (and lower my bac) or take off for home. Worth it.
sparkerc Jan 12, 2010 at 2:10 pm
I bought it for the Storm2. By default, compatibility mode is enabled, so, after install, go to settings -> applications and disable compatibility mode. Works fine after that. Now... which way to the bar?
dillion3384 Jan 12, 2010 at 2:17 pm
Where is the free trial???
dillion3384 Jan 12, 2010 at 2:43 pm
found it
http://m.baqtracker.com/trial/
cadsystems Jan 12, 2010 at 2:35 pm
The local Vietnamese restaurant/pub just tapped a keg of Dogfish Head World Wide Stout 17% alc. This app could come in handy after say 10 of these. If you can't read the text on this app maybe you should call a cab or get the bartender to call you one since you can't dial the phone while its upside down.
liquidcyber Jan 12, 2010 at 9:42 pm
ok people first off this is not even close to being accurate this does not check you BAC that is determind from a breatherlizer and everyones tolorace is different dont be surprised when your BB says YOUR A .04 and you roll up on that drunk stop and you blow a .08 ... you think that app is pricey you can go to wallmart or pretty much any drug store and buy a blow in breatherlizer for around $40 BUCKS ..LOL but it is very accurate same as the cops like one poster said cheaper than a DWI
RSweeter50 Jan 14, 2010 at 1:09 pm
Besides, who is going to be the Buzz Killington at the party who keeps trying to punch a fresh drink into their phone. I would rather hear a good story about a bridge.
slcolbourne Jan 13, 2010 at 12:11 am
For those who are concerned about accuracy...this App was co-developed by one of Canada's renowned forensic toxicologists, James G. Wigmore. It uses the same algorithm used by the courts to calculate what is called a "retrograde" calculation of BAC ie a forensic validation of a DUI recipient's BAC. And although liquidcyber is correct, everyone's tolerance is different, tolerance applies only to impairment not intoxication...which is what a breathalyzer measures. In addition, we benchmarked it against enforcement-quality breathalyzers which we both own and sell since, as one astute commenter pointed out, alcohol awareness is our business. As for those cheap ($40 to $150) breathalyzers, they are less accurate than this App and highly more dangerous as they often under represent your BAC.
Love everyone's feedback and we'll be sure to incorporate your thoughts and ideas into the next issue! Happy blogging...
BearGator56 Jan 25, 2010 at 6:56 pm
I tested it out over the weekend, and it's worthwhile to have if you go out a lot. It's interesting to see how alcohol affects the BAC. As stated, tolerance and actual BAC are not the same! Just because you can pound a 12 pack and still "feel" fine, doesn't mean that you won't get a DUI.
The calculations work fine. I've had some buggy issues with setting up friends, though. For some reason, I haven't successfully been able to add others in and make it work. The area where the profiles are on the main screen are blank. Even my profile is missing. But going into the menu to "update profile," it's still there. It will still track the drinks, too. It just won't say who it's attibuted to.
If I could get the profiles to work correctly, I think it's a good buy. I might have to download it again or something.