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The Alcohoot breathalyzer can call a cab for you when you’re too hammered to drive

Driving under the influence is never advisable, and honestly, you’re likely the least fit person to decide whether you should after you’ve pounded a few shots of tequila and an Irish car bomb with the gang. Getting behind the wheel when your blood alcohol concentration is through the roof is a potential hazard to yourself as well as others, yet there’s rarely a convenient way to measure your sobriety without relying on the boys to get the job done. Meet the Alcohoot Edge, a personal alcohol tracker for the monitoring your alochol consumption at home or on the move.

Recently showcased on the showroom floor of CES, the Edge is a next-gen breathalyzer that quickly pairs with your Android or iOS device for smarter tracking in a variety of situations. The compact, palm-sized device relies on police grade fuel cell sensor technology and Bluetooth to do so, and captures your test history within an accompanying companion app. The revamped design is a welcome upgrade from the company’s last-gen model, one that utilized the audio port on your smartphone or tablet instead of Bluetooth.

Edge 6
Image used with permission by copyright holder

With the newer model — which will soon launch on Indiegogo — you can quickly record and chart your BAC by simply blowing into its svelte mouthpiece. This allows you to gloss the effects of alcohol on your health and gleam insight on how your consumption changes over time. If need be, the companion app even lets you take advantage of your favorite ride-sharing services or scour your local area for a restaurant. Drunchies do happen, after all.

Brandon Widder
Brandon Widder is a multimedia journalist and a staff writer for Digital Trends where he covers technology news, how-to…
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