Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The device arrived very quickly! It only has a quickstart manual, no more detailed manual (unless the online helps are considered to be a manual. Of course, before I bought it I checked that my smart phone was compatible. I followed the instructions, downloaded and installed the app. Gave the app access to my microphone. Then tried to record my first ECG. There was no indication that there was any communication between my Kardia Mobile and my phone. I waited with my fingers on the electrodes for about a half minute. Then tapped the "I need help". that opened a webpage with info that did not help. I then called their customer service. My low score is because I could never get my Moto G Play Android 11 to find the Kardia device, how poorly the customer service experience went (and possibly for how poorly their customer service manual is written). When I contacted customer service, there was little to no expression of sympathy or empathy, rather a defensive, I am trying to help you, do what I tell you. The agent did not listen to all I had previously done, told me I had probably downloaded the wrong app and implied that android phones are not as good as i phones. I was told that I should not be near any of the following: a pacemaker, active headset/speakers, Holter monitor, modem, computer, radio, any noise, and the list went on. I asked how far away I needed to be and I was told I should be in another room. How many homes have a room with no electronic devices? I was also told that I should not have any other apps running in the background on my phone. I was also told to turn off bluetooth (which was not on). I was then told to turn my phone off, leave it off for 5 minutes and then restart it. Uhm, one does that with a modem, but I have never heard that a phone or computer needs to be off for 5 minutes... If these are all the conditions for using a Kardia Mobile, this is not a very helpful device. I wondered whether the problem may be that the battery is dead. I was told I could go and buy a new battery. It seems there is no way to determine how much charge remains in the battery in the Kardia device. Even after following all of the instructions (most of which I had already done myself, but redid as commanded by customer service), my Moto G Play could never get a signal from the Kardia Mobile. At one point, the agent was in communication with "one of our smartest agents who uses an android". I asked several times if I could speak directly to that person. I was never allowed to. When I reloaded the app, she asked me to read what was written: I read exactly "Kardia on the first line and AliveCor Inc. on the second" she expressed shock, telling me that she did not think that was the right app even though it had been downloaded over 500,000 times. She expected it to say Kardia Medical (which I later learned is what the app name is in the Apple store). She asked me to type Kardia Medical into the app store search option. I did, and it pulled up the same app (the one I had already installed and uninstalled twice). The fact that she did not know what the app name is in Android "Kardia AliveCor Inc. " makes me feel that the customer service manual is not well written. Also, the fact that she was advising things that were clearly intended for people getting a poor reading, rather than for people who were getting no reading at all was rather frustrating. No ownership of the problem was taken, rather it seemed to be implied that I was disobeying her and had been foolish to own an Android. When my nephew visited, we were able to download the app to his phone and it communicated well with the Kardia Mobile. I recorded an ECG. I've been able to borrow an older iphone from a friend, and it is working well on that. I have done quite a bit of testing such as whether positions I am likely to take shortly after A-fib starts and ones I take to get out of A-fib will also record an accurate ecg. I have learned that I can be sitting crosslegged on the floor, with the device pressed against my leg (I am often outside when it starts). I can be laying on my back with my feet against a wall Kardia resting on my belly and get a good reading (a position for getting out of A-fib). I have learned that I can be within 4 feet of my modem and still get a good reading. All of this is very encouraging after the initial experience and all the instructions to place it on a table and rest the forearms on a table. I have saved pdfs of ECGs in each of these positions for comparisons of any when I am in A-fib just in case something unusual happens in those positions that I cannot read in the pdf. I would still very much like to get the Kardia working with my cellphone so I don't need to take two phones with me everywhere. I wasted hours getting it started. I was going to give this a one star. Since I got it working, I will give it two. I am still considering returning it and getting a Wellvue or an EMay. I am glad I can return it within 30 days.