Review: Withings Thermo Smart Temporal Thermometer

A fantastic idea perfectly brought to consumer’s hands. Gone are the days where you force a thin metal probe under your tongue and painfully await an answer when feeling under the weather. Withings brings you the Thermo.  A smart temporal thermometer that can deliver your temperature through touch.

Thermo packs 16 sensors that can collect over 4000 measurements in just a few seconds. No mess, no holding it under your tongue and no discomfort. The crazy amount of measurements that it can process allows for it to accurately deliver your temperature while factoring in variables that can affect the reading, such as ambient temperature and skin heat loss.

It works right out of the box before you even consider any of its additional capabilities. You start out by taking the rubber cap off of the end and turning it on by pressing the button once on its face. You then control whether is reads Celsius or Fahrenheit by swiping your finger up or down to the right of the display, marked with a lit-up vertical line. Then hold it to the center of your forehead and click the button one time again. It will give off a slight vibration telling you the process has started. Then gently slide it either way across your forehead to one of your temples and hold it there until it vibrates (twice) again, and you have your temperature displayed on the screen. The entire process only takes about two seconds.

This makes it perfect for young children, especially infants since it avoids any kind of irritation or hygienic concerns. You can even take their temperature in their sleep if you’re careful as it doesn’t necessarily have to make direct contact (it can hover up to a half-inch above the skin). I know you can count me in because it gives me an excuse to take the thermometer that I have now (typical digital, but still under the tongue model) and break it in half on the way to the trash.

The display offers a small colored LED light indicator that gives you a quick confirmation of the level of concern the taken temperature falls into. Green means the temperature is safe and a normal average. It will turn yellow if it proves to be an “elevated” temperature and considered a mild fever worth monitoring. It will turn red if the temperature is a high fever.

Downloading the Withings Thermo app (available here) allows you to take advantage of it’s continued features. They currently support iOS and Android devices (no word yet on Windows devices). It can connect to the app either via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, proving that range between the Thermo and your device is not an issue. During our tests we were able to successfully connect via both options without any set-backs.

The app allows you to create profiles for your family members so that it can take things like age into account for a more accurate delivery as well as ranges. You can even assign a picture for each user. You can then begin to keep a record of all measurements taken for that user. You can create all sorts of notes that you can reflect back on (such as sharing the information with your doctor on the next visit).

The Thermo is small enough to pack away in a bag, drawer, purse or anywhere else you can think of. It travels nicely as it is just over 4.5-inches in length and hardly weighs anything at all. It is also IP22 rated for water resistance in case you accidentally splash any water on it (just don’t submerge it any).

It takes two AAA batteries which will give you up to two years of use before having to swap them out. Getting to the battery compartment is relatively easy as you simply pop the back cover off to access them.

When it comes down to it, the keyword for the Withings Thermo is “Easy”. Using it is easy, connecting it is easy, storing it is easy, cleaning it is hardly required yet easy, swapping batteries is easy and most importantly: enjoying it is easy.

We interviewed Withings earlier in the year at CES where we first discovered the Thermo and acquired an immediate interest in the device. We looked forward to the day that we could get our hands on it and pass it around the office taking each other temperatures (for science!). I will include the video below in the video portion.

At the moment, the Thermo is exclusive to Apple Stores, apple.com and on withings.com for $99.95. It will be made available in additional outlets in the future.

Our Conclusion

We absolutely love the Withings’ Thermo and believe that it is an excellent step into the future of health devices where taking care of those you love (including yourself of course) is made easy, hygienically sound and educational. Not only can you determine what your temperature is, but you can record the information, take notes and even get advice when using the app. In our tests, we compared the readings against multiple alternative devices such as your typical under the tongue reader and via the ear and found the measurements to be consistent with very little margin of error, which was exciting. This is a great product. A little pricey maybe, but then again, anything this new to the market is. A game-changer for sure and we see a bright future for Withings ahead.

*Average price is based on the time this article was published

Downloads:

The mobile app can be downloaded for iOS and Android devices here.

Video:

Additional Images:

Specifications:
Other Features: Batteries Required, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
Bluetooth Compatibility: Bluetooth 4.0
Power Source: Battery Power
Batteries: 2xAAA
Battery life: Up to two years
Height: 1.31 in./3.33 cm
Length: 4.57 in./11.61 cm
Width: 1.31 in./3.33 cm
Weight: 2.64 oz./74.84 g

Are you a manufacturer or distributor that would like us to test something out for review? Contact us and we can let you know where to send the product and we will try it out.