E-Cigarette Maker Blu Debuts 'Socially Aware' Packs

The reusable smokes will alert the smoker to other e-cigarette users via a wireless network.

May 13, 2011

NEW YORK - Electronic cigarette manufacturer Blu has created a "socially aware" e-cigarette, the New York Times reports. The reusable smokes can let users know when other e-cigarette smokers are within 50 feet via a built-in wireless network connection.

When the two users are near each other, the e-cigs light up and vibrate. Contact information can be exchanged through social networking sites to download the data. The packs even vibrate when the user goes by a retail outlet that sells Blu products.

"You€™ll meet more people than ever, just because of the wow factor," said Jason Healy, the founder of Blu. "It€™s like with any new technology."

Blu€™s new "smart packs" will be available starting in June. The packs also charge the cigarettes. The company has plans to make later versions of the smart packs to connect to a smartphone via an app to provide more real-time communication options.

Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it will regulate e-cigarettes as tobacco products and not as drug-delivering devices. Check out "Vapor Pressure" in the May issue of NACS Magazine for more information about electronic cigarettes.

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