Vicks SmartTemp Thermometer

Category

Description of App

The Vicks® SmartTemp App works with the Vicks® SmartTemp Thermometer to make it easy to take and track temperatures for the entire family.

With the thermometer and app, you can:
Create individualized profiles to track temperatures for each family member
Automatically record the dates, times and locations (oral, rectal or underarm) for each measurement
Track each family member’s temperature history over the course of days, weeks or years
Quickly understand the meaning of a temperature with FeverInsight. The app screen changes from green to yellow to red depending on the reading
Set reminders to recall when you last took a temperature or administered medicine
See trends over time by viewing temperature history on intuitive graphs and lists
Add notes to each temperature reading to record symptoms, medicines and more
Export important data to doctors or other family members via email
With iOS 8 or higher, automatically share your data with Apple’s Health App (optional).

The Vicks® SmartTemp Thermometer and App are compatible with iPod touch and iPhone devices running iOS 7.1 or later and have Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE) capability

Version

1.0.2

Free or Paid

Free

Apple Watch Support

No

Device(s) App Was Tested On

iPhone
iPhone

iOS Version

9.2.1

Accessibility Comments

So far as I've been able to tell, there are no major issues here. Pleasantly surprised at how easy it was.

VoiceOver Performance

VoiceOver reads most page elements.

Button Labeling

Most buttons are clearly labeled.

Usability

The app is fully accessible with VoiceOver and is easy to navigate and use.

Other Comments

I've been looking for an accessible Bluetooth medical thermometer. I was looking at one that fortunately, I downloaded the app first and when I went into the section to pair the device, even though I didn't have it yet, just to see if it was accessible, it totally turned off Voiceover. Can't have that now!
I've asked around and no one seemed to know anything about one that was accessible, so I did some more poking around and found the Vicks SmartTemp Thermometer on Amazon. If you do a search in the App Store for Vicks the app that comes up first in the search results is the app for the thermometer, so I downloaded it and it looked like pairing couldn't be easier and the thermometer was only $20, so I bought it.
It's just as accessible as I thought it would be. There's no display whatsoever on the thermometer, so everything is done through the phone or tablet and so far as I can tell, everything is accessible. The temperatures are color-coded as well as numerical to indicate when a fever might be present, but Voiceover has no trouble at all telling you what the actual temperature is. You can change between Fahrenheit and Celsius of course. In order to take temperatures, you have to first create at least one profile, but you can store multiple profiles to keep track of each member of the family. I haven't gotten this far yet, but so far everything in the app has been accessible so I'd expect this to be too, but you can also add symptoms with each temperature if you're monitoring for an illness or whatnot and create notes and reminders.
I've been pleasantly surprised at how accessible and easy it was to get going. The app tells you to hold down the button (the only button) on the thermometer until the red light glows steady. Well, I have a little bit of vision but it was daytime and the light wasn't bright enough for me to see, but it didn't matter. When I held down the button, it beeped, and I just held it for a bit longer. Then Voiceover said the thermometer was connected and would connect automatically next time, and it did. If you're looking for an accessible thermometer that works with an app to help keep track of health vitals, and this one does integrate with the iOS Health Kit if you choose, then this one is definitely worth checking out.
I just got the thermometer yesterday, although I had the app for a few days before that to play with to see if I thought it was accessible enough to try. I've noticed there were a few unlabeled buttons, but everything seems easy enough to access, so those unlabeled buttons don't look like they'd be too hard to figure out once I explore it more.

Recommendations

3 people have recommended this app

Most recently recommended by Julie M. 8 years 7 months ago

Options

Comments

By marianne on Sunday, March 27, 2016 - 15:41

Do you stick it under your tongue, put it in your ear or swipe across your forehead?

By OldBear on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

@marianne, There are three options and one of them is oral.
There's a few unlabeled buttons and the welcome pages are not readable to VoiceOver; you hit the "X" button to get out of them. Not too big a deal
It was a little difficult for me to hold down the button with one hand when connecting to the phone, then swipe around to read the screen. I have a cold, so maybe I'm a little weak. It does work though.
I found a pdf manual on line that I need to read through to find out about the battery and so on.

By carlos on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

Is there a way, you can post the link to the PDF. I've been looking for it, but cannot find it. I even tried calling Vicks and also the makers of the thermostat thermometer I mean sorry. But I couldn't find if there is an actual model number for it I greatly appreciate it. Carlos

By Smiling Sunshine on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

This looks like a great option. I sure wish it had been available when my son was younger. Anyway, thanks for the great review.

By KE7ZUM on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

Yeah I might get me one when I move out on my own. I hardly if ever get sick but yeah. Also how do you change the tips? I'm a believer in sanitation and I don't want to use that tip once it has been in someone's mouth, or ear or, Well you get the idea.

By OldBear on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

You can buy disposable covers for the tip on Amazon like hospitals use.

By KE7ZUM on Wednesday, April 27, 2016 - 15:41

Nice nice. and good to know. I'd have to check for latex free, in my case but yeah, thanks for that. And they will fit the tip nicely?

You can buy disposable covers. Just get generic covers (Amazon sells them and offers them as a purchase when you buy the thermometer, or at least they did when I bought mine). Any generic cover should do though.