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Team Behind 'Twine' Introduces the 'Range' iOS Food Thermometer

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Apr 12, 2001
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The company behind the popular Twine Kickstarter project has launched a new iOS-enabled food thermometer project called 'Range'.

RangeThermometer.png
Range comes in two flavors, one for meat and the other for high-temperature projects like candy-making. The team have not used a wireless solution like the Bluetooth used in the iGrill -- instead, the designers chose to connect the Range directly to the headphone jack of the iPhone or iPad. As a result, the thermometer can be used in the oven to monitor the temperature of roasts and the like.
Clip it on or stick it in and set an alert for the desired temperature with the Range app for iOS (we include presets for common uses). While you do the dishes or sip a well-deserved glass of wine, Range graphs the temperature over time so you can learn and improve from each experiment. Once the roast has reached temperature and achieved perfection, Range tells you.
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​
Range is available for preorder/backing on Kickstarter for $49 for one, or $89 for both variants.

Article Link: Team Behind 'Twine' Introduces the 'Range' iOS Food Thermometer
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2013/07/24/team-behind-twine-introduces-the-range-ios-food-thermometer/
Sky Blue said:
Like the idea, not sure I want to leave my phone outside next to the grill
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Yeah, I'd like this better if the terminal end of the cable went to a Bluetooth module so I could connect to it wirelessly. I like the idea of this device, but I don't my iOS device physically tethered to to stove/grill.
 
I'm I'm understanding this right, the thermometer is attached via a cord to your phone, so you have to either leave your phone inside the oven, or have a cord keeping your oven from closing correctly?
 
curmudgeon32 said:
I'm I'm understanding this right, the thermometer is attached via a cord to your phone, so you have to either leave your phone inside the oven, or have a cord keeping your oven from closing correctly?
Click to expand...

There are already loads of digital thermometers with probes that feed into the oven. The cable basically squishes into the seal around the door - the door closes just fine.
 
curmudgeon32 said:
I'm I'm understanding this right, the thermometer is attached via a cord to your phone, so you have to either leave your phone inside the oven, or have a cord keeping your oven from closing correctly?
Click to expand...

I have a thermometer that has it's open display on the end. The cord is usually pretty long and heat proof.
 
The 4' cord might not be enough to reach the counter, depending on the kitchen layout, but I suppose you can use an audio extension cord if you have to.

An alternative would have been a design with a small cord that connects the thermometer in the oven to a small blue booth transmitter outside the oven, which would let you put your iOS device anywhere in the vicinity.
 
I like that these accessories are coming out for ios. However, you have to question the need for something like this when a regular thermometer will do the job better.
 
Sky Blue said:
I have a thermometer that has it's open display on the end. The cord is usually pretty long and heat proof.
Click to expand...

Right - there's no "as a result, the thermometer can be used in the oven" here. I have an iGrill, and the main unit sits outside the oven with the probe inside. The same would be true of the Range, apart from the fact that it's my iPhone/iPad at the other end of the wire, instead of an iGrill unit which then transmits to the iPhone via Bluetooth. This would mean my iPhone is tethered to my oven for as long as I'm cooking, and that wouldn't be great if I'm using it outside with my grill (which is what I normally do with the iGrill). Shame, as the app looks very nice in comparison to the iGrill app.

Why not allow this to be plugged into a Twine, as well as directly into an iPhone? I already have two Twines, and the Range app ought to be able to be made to work with it I would think.
 
If the inside of the cord is metal, how does it avoid having heat travel up the cord over time to fry your iPhone/iPad?
 
Lord Hamsa said:
Yeah, I'd like this better if the terminal end of the cable went to a Bluetooth module so I could connect to it wirelessly. I like the idea of this device, but I don't my iOS device physically tethered to to stove/grill.
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The iGrill came out a couple years ago and does just that: http://www.igrillinc.com

The early reviews showed great promise, but some of the current ones on Amazon are 1 star reviews. They do sell this in the Apple Store as well.

I would have jumped all over backing this if it had bluetooth, but not with leaving my phone outside.
 
Hasn't the novelty wore off on you guys complaining about leaving the phone outside?

jesus. its a PHONE. i was uber uptight about mine too, then after a month, it gets tossed around like everything else

GET OUTTA YOUR BUBBLES!!

and those who say "blah blah $600 device noise noise", u most likely paid $200 so just do me a favor and leave your snarky comment at the door.

/end
 
ELMNT925 said:
Hasn't the novelty wore off on you guys complaining about leaving the phone outside?

jesus. its a PHONE. i was uber uptight about mine too, then after a month, it gets tossed around like everything else

GET OUTTA YOUR BUBBLES!!

and those who say "blah blah $600 device noise noise", u most likely paid $200 so just do me a favor and leave your snarky comment at the door.

/end
Click to expand...

I think it's time for a Snickers bar....
 
Nice idea, terrible video. Very unprofessionally shot and sounds like the sound was recorded inside a tin.

Doesn't exactly inspire quality.

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HitchHykr said:
I think it's time for a Snickers bar....
Click to expand...

You win best quote of the day :)
 
Hi - Range creator (and longtime MacRumors reader) here. Thanks for the interest. We went with wired instead of wireless for reasons of reliability/cost/battery anxiety/reliability. Also, we did design it for more than just outdoor grilling. :) Put your phone under a bowl and/or repurpose your old 3GS, maybe. I'm most excited about our plans for the app - we didn't want to just do some skeuomorphic temperature dial. I'm going to get to be scientific with my complex experiments using the recipe graphing!

We're conscious of the shortcomings of some other things out there, and we wanted to provide a well-designed alternative - hope you like it enough to back us, or like us enough to support our ongoing development of cool new objects you'll want in the future.

Sorry the Kickstarter video was the impression you took away of the product - the audio bugs me too.
 
For everyone that wants bluetooth - look into iGrill (also referenced in this story). It looks _much_ better than this...
 
Like the concept. I expect to phase my ipad2 out as a recipe / kitchen media center, and hadn't thought about it as a temperature gauge, too.
But like others have said, tethering it right next to 400+ degrees....I dunno
 
Having worked in a commercial kitchen for a about 10 years, I can tell you that this thermometer looks cool, but in a fast paced kitchen where your firing meals for multiple covers faster than you can plate any dishes, this would be utterly useless (and fragile). We use some super fast Thermapen Thermometers that do need to be used with care, but won't break if you drop them or melt if you leave too close to a range spitting out 20,000 BTU's.
 
The video is not that great, but I'm kind of glad actually. Sometimes I watch those slick overproduced kickstarter videos and wonder what they need my money for.
 
A digital thermometer with alarm and all funky features cost what, up to $20 or so. It can also withstand a lot more abuse than an iDevice ever could.

I have an old iPad assigned to kitchen duties already. Great for recipes and the like but I can't see myself spending $50 on this thing over a conventional digital thermometer.
 
As an ex-chef, I can't see an iPhone going through the abuse the Kitchen equipment gets unfairly dealt. Neat idea though.
 
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