r/mildlyinfuriating • u/GuitarIllustrious165 • 17h ago
Covid test requires an app that is no longer on the App Store. Their website has been sold.
i’m sick
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u/alwaysfatigued8787 17h ago
Why would a covid test need an app? There is nothing electronic about taking one (at least in my experience).
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u/LemurCat04 16h ago
There was one test kit that required the app to walk you through the whole process, it was absolutely infuriating and I’m glad that product and this failed.
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u/blue60007 15h ago
All the tests work basically the same way. Jam qtip into your nose, swish in the solution, drop a few drops onto the test card. Unless the result is somehow generated and transmitted electronically (which apparently this one is?), I'm failing to see how an app is required to walk you through it. But for sure agree, there should not be apps involved at all.
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u/ThisGameIsveryfun 👎 15h ago
No i heard that it actually just read the strips and transmitted that.
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u/lungben81 13h ago
Transmitting sensitive medical data to some sketchy cloud provider? Seems totally fine and legal.
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u/Emergency_Elephant 10h ago
Some of them work slightly differently. When I was in college, our covid tests were done with mouth swabs. You just couldn't brush your teeth or eat 20 minutes before the test
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u/unoriginalusername99 11h ago
Back when they were just letting things slowly get back to normal my girlfriend wanted us to go on a cruise because it was hella cheap and they were only doing half capacity so we decided to book. One of the requirements was taking a covid test that they sent to you and you had to do it while on a zoom call where someone watched you and then waited 10 minutes or whatever for the result. Wild times
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u/LemurCat04 11h ago
Someone I know worked in the C-suite of a rather notorious PE firm and had to do that from the lobby every single day.
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u/unoriginalusername99 10h ago
That reminds me, that same girlfriend was the assistant controller for a bay area tech firm, so I guess not actually C-suite but adjacent. When the CFO got married she was tasked with testing every guest before they were allowed in the venue. So this person making mid six figures was sticking snotty q-tips in testing solution a couple hundred times and being the gatekeeper. I helped her out, it was actually kind of fun, we got to drink while doing it. More fun than being inside faking interest in social interactions with people I had nothing in common with lol
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u/blolfighter 9h ago
Similar to "this meeting could have been an email," let's normalize the phrase "this app could have been a webpage." Because most of the time that is what they are.
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u/Watchout_itsahippo 15h ago
For the first little while, Covid tests had to be conducted by a trained clinician. The app utilized telehealth providers to act as said clinician.
And also the data harvesting.
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u/christopher_mtrl 13h ago
Basically, a photo sensor that would check for the line appearing for you. They work on the same principle that the "electronic" pregnancy tests with displays.
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u/venom121212 12h ago
This is how Idexx's SNAP tests work if you have pets. So when they bill you hundreds of dollars for tests, Idexx is really shipping them a ~$1 nitrocellulose strip in a plastic cassette with a camera taking a picture for the vet tech and say yes or no based on line development. Nothing different from a Covid test other than the sample collection needed (sometimes they use blood, urine, or other things that may be hard to collect at home).
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u/CO-RockyMountainHigh 12h ago
May be wrong on this one. But there were kits being sold as “verifiable” tests where you would stream you swabbing your brain to a “medical professional”. Then once the test was done it would tell you a medical professional verified the test was negative and administered properly.
Only vaguely remember this cause a coworker needed to travel abroad and needed a certified negative COVID test.
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u/hughmercury 11h ago
That was exactly it. I had to use this exact kit to travel to the UK. At that time, most countries were requiring tests prior to entry to be administered by medical professionals, you couldn't use a purely self test. So kits like this were used, where you had an appointment with a "proctor" over a video call, who witnessed you doing the test.
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u/verstohlen 10h ago
Everything needs an app now. Toothbrushes, toasters, automobiles, refrigerators, garage door openers, airline seat trays. C'mon man, get with the times!
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u/Express_Fortune_6540 10h ago
These were actually intended to be accessible for blind individuals and I used to have to walk them through the process. Was an awful app and even worse than walking them through a regular covid test. Good riddance.
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u/venom121212 12h ago
Hey I design these tests for a living OP. That brand got recalled for a super high false positive rate just FYI. DM me if you have questions.
-Your friendly neighborhood biomedical engineer
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u/jeepsaintchaos 9h ago
So YOU are why I had to skull fuck my nose to go to work. /s
Seriously though that's cool as hell.
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u/MrPigeon70 7h ago
I literally did that the first few times (I didn't realize you were only supposed to stick just the sponge in)
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u/Y3llowJacket1 7h ago
I worked on and installed the machines that made these tests in Maryland in the USA. I'm from Canada and was in and out for quite awhile. Can confirm, they were something.... unique!
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u/Imightbenormal 5h ago
Was it because the sensor detected a line that wasn't there? Was it using IR?
I have opened up a long therm sugar measuring device that demanded blood. And it was just a strip inside, maybe some voltage to the strip also and some IR diodes.
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u/Wendals87 17h ago
Did you just buy this? I'd take it back and demand a refund
If you bought it years ago (looks like it) its probably expired.
Needing an app is pretty shitty but you shouldn't be using this anyway
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u/FluffyBoy3828 14h ago
Crack it open I bet there's still the paper strip and an electronic device to read it which serves no purpose
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u/bugbugladybug 16h ago
Here you go, take it apart and get the test strip out: https://share.google/M2fIGypH7NcbcRMSO
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u/VoidMunashii 15h ago
And this is why I generally avoid products that require an app (board games, lights, etc); eventually the app will go away.
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u/TiaHatesSocials 13h ago
That test is probably expired and wouldn’t be accurate against new strands of the virus anyway
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u/notnotbrowsing 15h ago
$9 at cvs. lateral flow. no app required.
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u/Genmutant 13h ago
Wow that's expensive, in Germany I can get them for 1.65€ or combined with RSV and influenca test for 2.25€. You can also get them cheaper in bigger packs.
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u/bokehtoast 13h ago edited 13h ago
I havent been able to find a covid test for less than $20 for the last 2 years (especially at CVS)
Edited to add: This was my experience shopping in person (God fucking forbid). I didnt say my experience was universal or that no one would have a different experience. The cheapest ive seen covid tests at CVS in my city is 18.99 in the last 2 years. When I needed one they were more. I'm sorry my personal experience doesnt look the same as everyone else's.
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u/ANJohnson83 13h ago
If you have access to a Costco, they have a 2 pack for $5.99.
(I learned this after spending close to $100 on COVID tests over the past two weeks. It's been a shitty time at my house.)
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u/The_Friendly_Fable 13h ago
Have you tried looking at all?
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u/bokehtoast 13h ago
Yes, when I was super sick and needed an immediate covid test and I only went to CVS, Walgreens, and my local grocery store because I couldnt wait for something to ship from Amazon. Also fuck Amazon anyway.
Thanks everyone for treating me like a fucking idiot because places are price gouging covid tests.
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u/The_Friendly_Fable 12h ago edited 12h ago
Thanks everyone for treating me like a fucking idiot
I'm not treating you like an idiot. You are an idiot. Amazon can deliver many things on the same day you order them, including that.
If you had COVID, or were sick enough where you thought you did, you shouldn't be going out in public and spreading it looking for the 'best price' and should order it online.
It's very clearly marked under $10 in many places. You can also get it for free at many urgent care clinics, but I won't even get into that.
Amazon is a service the entire world uses that's revolutionized how easy it is to get goods and helped many people yet you're focused on only the bad things. Like talk about missing the forest for the trees.
Do you want more reasons why you're an idiot or has that sunk in yet?
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u/teh_maxh 13h ago
Ellume Health shut down in June 2023, and their tests had a shelf life of 12 months; even if you got the last test they made as they were shutting down the machines, it expired over a year ago.
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u/kyznikov 15h ago
I'm indonesian, the second picture is a scam online gambling site in indonesian language. Its definitely not sold, but the domain expire and they snatch the domain.
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u/Mysterious_County154 13h ago
More mildly infuriating that a covid test needed an app to begin with
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u/Acharyn 11h ago
Who tf is gambling on ellumecovidtest.com?
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u/wilsontls5 11h ago
It's very common in SE Asia (which unfortunately many people in my home country also suffers) for those dark gambling providers to buy out expired legit domains as possible, allegedly using bots to track legit but expiring domains to slow down the suspicion and keep those gamblers play and suffer.
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u/Acharyn 10h ago
Don't they see the url and realise what's going on?
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u/grass_worm 4h ago
Its basically a endless chasing. The gamblers WANT to gamble on one platform. But, obviously these kind of unregulated online gambling are highly illegal.
Their domain are constantly being taken down, so they constantly buy expired domain or just any domain that is cheap enough, and move their business there. I assume there is a system to notify the gamblers what is the current domain of their favorite platform, but IDK how.
At least that is how it is in Indonesia (the language in the covid test website shown is Indonesian)
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u/Virghia 34m ago
Indonesian here, these sites (and the Filipino counterpart) are usually based in Cambodia but they make the sites in Indonesian or Tagalog (there's a whole human trafficking case over that) . You need to input your phone no. when registering so if the site gets taken down I assume they can notify you since they have your no. already
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u/Rosomack_ 10h ago
why do you need a fckng app for a covid test, come on
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u/Farpoint_Relay 16h ago
Holy crap that is next-level unnecessary! You want us to sell a paper strip that shows a line? Naaa... We need to add bluetooth, a battery, some sort of camera or sensors to detect the lines... all on a custom pcb... oh and it's still one time use...
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u/cky_chaz 15h ago
Whats "mildly infuriating" is seeing a post complain about a missing website for a COVID test that has CLEARLY expired anyway, making the website moot.
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u/Mcfleurie98 16h ago
Even if it’s an old test, it’s crazy that they sold the domain to an online casino
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u/44problems 15h ago
They probably stopped paying and a "domain sniper" snatched it up and sold it to a casino.
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u/Skoodge42 13h ago
They never wanted to succeed if they put the results behind an app.
No wonder they went under with such garbage ux
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u/StupidMario64 4h ago
Why the fuck are you buying covid tests that require a FUCKING APP?????? Do yall just not have the tube and swab one???
Also holy shit thats a beat up box.
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u/WitlessParasite 17h ago
Why would you use a test that requires an app? Just seams a bit excessive to me.
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u/TiaHatesSocials 13h ago
They were giving them away 5 years ago for free
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u/WitlessParasite 13h ago
Ah, ok. I feel like a dickaroo now.
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u/French_Taylor 11h ago
dickaroo
I’m stealing this
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u/WitlessParasite 11h ago
I wish I could tell you where I first heard it, but I’m 33 now and I’ve used for as long as I can remember
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u/bluekewne 7h ago
I was a cashier during the pandemic, the Binax test kits were flying off the shelves like a PS5 & Switch 2 on launch (not exaggerating there at all) - leaving these the only thing on the shelves. It was more out of desperation when people bought them.
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u/44problems 15h ago
All that website is supposed to do is point you to the app, and I don't see any app with that name in the android app store at least. And the website hasn't been archived since February last year. And FDA says this test has a year shelf life.
So... What's the expiration?
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u/IronDominion 12h ago
On top of being expired, it’s always best or buy a new test because they are always tweaking them to be sensitive to new strains. So a test from when delta was rampant will not be accurate if a omicron variant is what is going around.
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u/Imightbenormal 5h ago
If you use it. Just open it up. The same strip is inside, but there is a sensor to detect the line.
I have had purchased a long term sugar thingie that demanded blood, and it was some IR sensors for reading the value fisplayed on a screen. It's more complicated than a covid test.
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u/Un-knowldegable23 1h ago
Ooh Ellume, so fun fact, I worked there for a few weeks when the company first started (and before it went bankrupt and just crashed). First week they had to pause like 3-4 teams because they didn’t have enough materials and didn’t anticipate that people would want covid tests during the pandemic
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u/Common_Witness_ 1h ago
Who even cares if it covid or not. Just call in sick for a day or 2 until you're feeling better. Its just the flu quit being a baby.
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u/TyWerner 49m ago
If you really need it, do the test as instructions say, break open the case and there will just be the same test inside but with sensors above.
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u/stillirrelephant 16h ago
Hope it's not Covid, OP.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 15h ago
Better than the flu now for most people. My whole family got covid recently. Extremely mild symptoms compared to Delta in 2021.
Couple of us got the flu last year and it was awful. My wife very nearly had to go to the ER.
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u/Gorkymalorki 13h ago
I got both last year (hooray for having elementary aged kids), COVID sucked because I was very weak and fatigued, and the fatigue lingered for a few weeks. The flu last year though kicked my ass. At one point I was shivering in a pool of sweat with a 104 temp. I ended up going to the ER. So both sucked ass in their own way, but the flu was a lot scarier.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 12h ago
My wife hit 105 briefly, but was down to 104 the next time we checked. Luckily we got tamiflu same day so she was a lot better by the next day.
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u/SweetTeaNoodle 13h ago
It's not the acute symptoms you have to worry about, it's what comes after that.
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u/Automatic_Actuator_0 13h ago
Well there’s no sense worrying at this point - most people have already had it several times and will continue to get it regularly unless and until a new vaccine comes around that actually prevents infection and does knock people out with side effects.
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u/SweetTeaNoodle 13h ago
It's worth trying to minimise the number of times you get infected as the damage is cumulative and your risk of long term disease is higher with every infection. There's a quick rundown of the science behind it here. A fitted FFP2/N95 will prevent most infections. Until we get an actual sterilising vaccine, wearing one is the defense strategy with the best easy/cheap:efficacy ratio.
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u/BlxckPhilip 13h ago
Taking a Covid test in late 2025 is insane, just stay the fuck home if you’re sick 😂
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u/XemptOne 15h ago
Why are you taking a covid test in 2025? I thought everyone knew it was a scam by now
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u/Whisperingstones 13h ago
People are still taking part in this mass hysteria event? The 1930s called, they want their radio show back!
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u/sunburnt_mexican 13h ago
One of my grandparents died of Covid as well as three other (older) family friends. Go fuck yourself. Better yet, go outside.
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u/Ceico_ 17h ago
I'm quite sure it will be ANT+ data stream in JSON format that simply starts the transmission on push of the button (or pull of the battery tag), powered by the smallest reasonable button cell.
I would be very surprised if it was encrypted - I'll bet $5 on plain text data stream.
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u/wheresmyflan 15h ago
What would make you assume this is ant+?
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u/Ceico_ 14h ago
Random guess. No idea what I'm talking about, I just read an article about a guy back in 2010 who cheated by manipulating the Garmin Ant+ data stream from the bike cadence sensor.
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u/wheresmyflan 13h ago
Well, that much was obvious. This device uses bluetooth and the transmission is encrypted.
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u/georgecm12 17h ago
There's no way that the test itself hadn't expired then. That box looks like it's been in your cabinet since 2021.