Fitbit unfurls last new wearable before it's gobbled by Google, right on time for global pandemic lockdown The gyms are shut. The government wants you to stay indoors. You can only leave your home once per day. And nobody, it seems, told Fitbit, which this week announced its latest calorie-counting, timber-trimming wearable – the Fitbit Charge 4. This wrist-worn Mr Motivator is very much business as usual, representing a fairly …
Indeed, I remain confused exactly why Fitbit exist at all. From this article, I understand that they were previously selling a fitness tracking device that was completely unable to actually track fitness and required you to carry a far more capable phone with you anyway. This new upgraded version finally adds the ability to actually track things for about 3 hours. Meanwhile something like a Garmin Forerunner has been around for ages, is far better for both sporty stuff and for working as an actual watch, and is actually cheaper.
That last point being the most important. I thought they were basically cheap tat for people who wanted to pretend to be doing fitness related stuff without actually wanting to spend money or do it properly. But who the hell pays extra for a crappy Fitbit when it's actually cheaper to get something that's better in pretty much every way?
*Disclaimer - I don't actually own a Garmin, I have a Suunto watch. Suunto are a terrible. If you actually want a GPS watch, get a Garmin.
They've always had a range, from basic pedometers all the way up; I bought one in 2015 that has GPS built in, no need for a phone other than to sync.
Of course, it's completely useless now. Android's bad enough but who the *fuck* would give google access to their heart-rate and all the myriad other stuff that can be gleaned from a smart watch. I asked them what they were going to do about having junked my $350 watch but all I got was,"google are really quite lovely and there's no way they'd ever abuse your data." Lying bastards ...
100% - I've used a Charge 2 for years and the current version of the app is just horrible. My Android phone did an "update" and effectively downgraded the nice working app with an advertising app.
When the Charge 2 battery finally dies I'll be looking at another company - that's a shame because the device itself is nice but the app is crap.
is really: when Google take over Fitbit, who does someone who quite likes looking at the statistics from their fitbit but who is not at all comfortable with Google having them move to? Withings seem like an option (French I think so based somewhere were there is at least some privacy protection). But I'm not sure.
So, on top of all the functionality that that little wristwatch-sized thingy already has, they've added a built-in GPS receiver. And they can log the data for a certain amount of time.
My, my. Technology really can do wonderful things.
I wonder how much energy a GPS receiver uses ?
Warning: please consider carefully before buying Android Wear devices, no matter how cheap. The performance and battery life start off barely passable and swiftly decline, mainly due to the ancient CPU they ship. I gave up and use a second-hand Fitbit, which at least works better than the two Android Wear devices I had.
I bought an Fitbit Versa 2 and swapped it for an android wear device when it spectacularly failed to do any of the things it was supposed to be able to do. Battery life on the wear device isn't amazing, although I can easily get a full day on a charge, but at least it works, I can get ALL my notifications on it, and it remains paired to my phone for above 10 minutes without requiring a complete reinstall of the Fitbit app. It was also considerably cheaper than the Fitbit. The Fitbit was also measuring my heart rate incorrectly. And my weight (Aria scales). And miscounting my steps.
Fitbit products are expensive trash.
I see these comments all the time - all fitness trackers are sensors with a little software so if you don't apply the sensor correctly then it will not work perfectly. Sure sometimes they are faulty (i.e. Flight 447) but most of the time it's the user failing to understand exactly why they are seeing the results they don't believe (i.e. Flight 447) .
I had been considering FitBit (among other options) for a while, but ever since I learned of their impending assimilation by GRUgle, unfortunately that's ruled them out from my perspective. The obvious alternative, Apple, is far too expensive, too fancy (and with too mediocre a battery life) for my use.
Inasmuch as most fitness tracking is fairly frivolous anyway, all I really want is something that can measure walking/running, cycling (maybe?) distance, and, most importantly for me (although, again, still essentially frivolous), swimming distance (not that I'm getting any chance to do that just now, sadly). The ability to be alerted to incoming calls and messages from my phone (not even necessarily the content of them) and perhaps to control music playing, would arguably be "nice" to have, but I don't really need anything super fancy. My fear is that the cheapo Chinese alternatives are probably also slurping your data away somewhere undesirable, are there any semi-smart-watches available that would do the trick and respect the privacy and sensitivity of your data?
I very much doubt that any manufacturer will balk at taking the data and using it as they see fit. However, if you're willing to accept some reduced functionality, there is an app called Gadgetbridge (look in FDroid) that can pair with some trackers and is local only. I don't know how well the supported devices work for your use cases, but for perfect privacy that's probably the only option.
Fitbit are a niche company and fitness watches is what they do. (Clue's in the name). However, I've no interest in a smart watch just to tell me I haven't taken enough exercise. But the devices from all companies seem to be aimed at the joggers. And none seem to have anything that I would welcome on my wrist. I'm sure they could find something to design in, (?) but the focus on fitness has made them complacent.
A friend of mine has the annoying habit of using his on our gig and seems to OCD us to do 10km even if we have been doing racing starts and other extreme workload exercises. And then tries to say that's enough when we hit 10k on a beautiful morning when we've got a good 2 or 4 k left in most of us.
" there's always the risk they could pop out of pockets mid-bike ride,"
Colour me old fashioned, but in my day, we had these things called "Zips" that were capable of preventing that from happening. Heck, even the more modern "Velcro" would be up to the task.
Your 'fitness' garments don't have pockets? Why on earth did you buy them then?
It is uncomfortable to have a phone bouncing round in your pocket while you're running.
Even if it fits perfectly into the pocket, it'll then be restricting your movement and be irritating.
That's why I bought wireless headphones - so I wouldn't have to have my phone in my pocket on the treadmill.
When I used to do long distance running in the days before fancy water bottles I used to run with nothing but a Yale key in my pocket. On getting a new pair of shorts I found they had a little net pocket in the middle of the belt region the looked key sized - unfortunately it allowed the key to swing* and after 15 miles it had bashed a serious hole in my flesh.
*yes I was built like a stick insect.
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