Phone home garbage

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Tinkerisk

4198 posts

Uber Geek

#3362779 10-Apr-2025 20:19

sir1963:

I bought that one because it was rechargeable, I also hate throwing out batteries .

For it to work "properly" ie even to set the date and time, you MUST use their App and connect to the device by Bluetooth.

This gives them permission to grab a LOT of confidential information and send it to Germany.

You were a bit too quick with the trigger. Normally you use an independent app to which the blood pressure monitor is compatible via Bluetooth (Beurer is). This takes over the configuration of the device, without any manufacturer account via the API.

If it is a reputable, certified medical app, you can even give the treating doctor encrypted online access to the data so that they can monitor the treatment and intervene. We have just introduced the ePatient file in Germany, where only the patient can set which doctor can/must see which data (e.g. X-rays, so that not every doctor has to take them again and you are unnecessarily exposed to radiation). This also ensures that, for example, a dentist can see which medication the patient is taking before a nacosis or which treatments are currently being carried out by another doctor, so that there is no undesirable, reciprocal interference.

Apart from that, the data is subject to very strict German regulations for medical data, which is in no way comparable with the US crap. 😉

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Bung

6391 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3362782 10-Apr-2025 20:43

The Beurer site and an old video refer to being able to store data locally on your own device without using their cloud service if you choose to skip registration. Has that option been removed?

Tinkerisk

4198 posts

Uber Geek

#3362784 10-Apr-2025 20:49

Bung:

The Beurer site and an old video refer to being able to store data locally on your own device without using their cloud service if you choose to skip registration. Has that option been removed?

No idea. Manufacturer accounts are only the lowest denominator for me if there is nothing else. And even then, the data is subject to the rules of the country in which it is collected and stored (in this case, Germany). You have to die some kind of death if you don't want to keep records with paper and pencil. For me, it makes sense to use an independent, authorised app from the country in which you live and which is subject to its data protection conditions.

Perhaps New Zealand is also planning an ePatient record where you Kiwis have full control over your personal medical data despite the benefits of controlled encrypted access to it? That reminds me, doctors' appointments and repeat orders for prescriptions are almost exclusively made online here. The pharmacist can also have controlled access and so the medication is usually already available when it is collected and the health insurance company can then be billed by him without having to know the medical details, which it does not need to know.

Tinkerisk

4198 posts

Uber Geek

#3362788 10-Apr-2025 22:27

Ge0rge:

@Tinkerisk guess the GDPR doesn't apply to companies in the EU who want to harvest data of people who don't reside there...

The GDPR applies to

„a company or entity that processes personal data in the course of the activities of a branch established in the EU, regardless of where the data processing takes place; (example: Beurer located in Germany for a NZ citizen)

a company established outside the EU that offers goods/services (paid or free of charge) or monitors the behaviour of individuals in the EU.“ (example: geekzone.co.nz to me 😉 @freitasm)

The GDPR applies to you even if you’re not in the EU (see the 1st sentence). You can't know that, but that would be the least of my worries in this specific case. At the very most, Beurer would analyse anonymous conclusions about how their product is used in order to make it more user-friendly (which I think is ok), but is certainly not interested in the upsets of its customers (... although, ... Trump? ...🤣).

As already mentioned, they will never see most of the devices in operation again, as these communicate with third-party apps. For a software update at most. It's like the SmartHome gadgets which talk to HomeAssistant (which you also have to trust somehow).

Otherwise, as always, read the terms and conditions carefully and, if necessary, do not agree to them. But every Alexa, Siri or HeyGoogle and, above all, mobile phone operator knows more about you and many ignore that.

mattwnz

20091 posts

Uber Geek

#3362789 10-Apr-2025 22:52

sir1963:

mudguard:

I guess my question is what do you need from the monitor? To give you the number then you enter it yourself manually somewhere else?

The point was it had a rechargeable battery, I hate throw away batteries .

The fact it had bluetooth was not a sale point I cared about, and would have used it in dumb mode, but not even being able to set the date without their APP.....no way.

But I found a rechargeable unit with no bluetooth elsewhere and have spent my $$ there instead.

the ones I have seen take AA batteries, so you can buy rechargeable AAs for it if you don’t have them already

sir1963

3233 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3362795 11-Apr-2025 07:19

Bung:

The Beurer site and an old video refer to being able to store data locally on your own device without using their cloud service if you choose to skip registration. Has that option been removed?

https://legaltext.connect.beurer.com/#/HealthManagerPro/privacy/en

So my experience was that the App refused to work unless you were registered.

The App informs you any data collected remains their property

full functionality (ie setting the time) is not possible without the App.

Bung

6391 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3362856 11-Apr-2025 08:25

Is Health Manager (non Pro) not an alternative?

Edit: I see that Health Manager Pro is the current version. Health Manager advised that permissions were required but could be cancelled in your phone with reduced functionality. The old (9yrs) version shown in a video had an option to bypass registering with same effect.

sir1963

3233 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#3362873 11-Apr-2025 09:18

Bung:

Is Health Manager (non Pro) not an alternative?

Edit: I see that Health Manager Pro is the current version. Health Manager advised that permissions were required but could be cancelled in your phone with reduced functionality. The old (9yrs) version shown in a video had an option to bypass registering with same effect.

No longer matters. I should not have to waste time doing/finding work arounds.

tripper1000

1607 posts

Uber Geek

#3362993 11-Apr-2025 16:03

Good on you for returning it!

Tethering of appliances to the net adds cool-factor for some people but I can't wait for it to go out of fashion.

It is pretty much taken as a give-in that every customer/client will blindly install every app pushed at them. You're quickly becoming a third-class citizen if you don't install company X's or government dept Y's app on you phone.

Tinkerisk

4198 posts

Uber Geek

#3363001 11-Apr-2025 16:41

tripper1000:

… but I can't wait for it to go out of fashion.

For gimmicks, I agree with you. For digitisation in the public service sector, you will soon be on your own without services.

Spyware

3728 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#3363002 11-Apr-2025 16:41

tripper1000:

Tethering of appliances to the net adds cool-factor for some people but I can't wait for it to go out of fashion.

Funny.

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