When originally launched, you could only get a Freestyle Insulinx meter directly from your diabetes nurse, as it needs to be programmed around your own personal treatment programme, for which an access code was required to put this information in. The meters are now available direct from Abbott in a ‘pre-easy’ mode so you can use all the main tools. You can add your own image into the phone as well as add various other personalized settings. It’s PC and Mac-compatible and comes with FreeStyle Auto-Assist software. The touch screen is icon-driven, so you press the relevant icon to get into that part of the set-up. There’s only one button, which acts as the home button, just like a mobile phone. The code is only needed if and when you want to turn on the bolus Calculator tool, and the code can be given by your HCP at their discretion.