Fitbit (Strava for life)

Oh, and worse, I told fitbit all of this, and CC'd their founder... their response was largely: We can replace the units, but the design decisions are done and there will be no changes to the product.

So they won't ever issue new firmware for the scales to offer a calibration mode pre-weigh-in (which is what most electronic scales do), and they aren't considering a re-design of the fitbit casing.

Basically: What's the point of having a flawed product replaced with a flawed product?

I gave away my fitbit scales and fitbits, they were of absolutely zero value to me considering they were literally worse than useless.

I'd avoid them like the plague, there are better alternatives.

Fuelband is meant to be shit too, which is why I was looking at fitbit wrist band.

Back to the drawing board.

Jawbone UP is the only other one: https://jawbone.com/up

I have no experience with it.

I read poor reviews about that too. Sod this, I'll just measure rides and ignore the rest. That 23andme looks interesting.

The NYT reviewed/compared a couple of these not long ago if it helps.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/27/technology/personaltech/wearable-devices-nudge-you-to-a-healthier-lifestyle.html?_r=0

I see that the Jawbone Up has updated its software and opened up the API now strava syncs back to it, slightly more tempted by it now

Dredging this thread up but I just picked up a Mi Band. Anyone use these bad boys?

I'd be interested in using one, only thing that puts me off at the moment is the lack of API

Had it for a few weeks, it's really handy for tracking general movement and sleep (and the alarm is great - it wakes you at any point 30 mins before your alarm if you're moving around, which effectively makes the wakeup much less jarring) but it sucks for me - it doesn't support cycling activity. Boo hiss.

One for the masses: http://www.mi.com/sg/miband/

Its about a tenner: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Waterproof-Xiaomi-Mi-Band-Smart-Wrist-Fitness-WearableTracker-Bracelet-Watch-/381235557902?_trksid=p2141725.m3641.l6368

Doesn't track cycling tho :(

This thread needs bumping. Want to get a FitBit or like to track everything. Was using the Moov - which I really like. However having to move the band to your ankle to register an activity as being cycling meant I didn't really do that too many times.

I was getting the Pebble2, that Kickstarter got knobbled by FitBit buying Pebble and cancelling the Pebble2. I want something that does, sleep, activity and can differentiate between 'trying to run' and 'cycling' without me having to do something first.

What should I be looking at?

I have a Garmin vivosmart, between me and the missus we have had 5 warranty replacements and hers is fucked again (but out of warranty) in 20 months.
They are shite, avoid.

Got it- scratch vivosmart!

I just picked up a Charge Surge for like £55 on ebay - not boxed or anything, but new. Amazing really. Anyway it's pretty good so far.

I have a surge and really rate it. That combined with the scales and some discipline round eating and exercising and have got back down from 82kg last christmas to 67kg now.

So the Surge and Blaze are at the top of my list. What do you do in the app to mark an activity as being cycling, a walk or a run. I assume when cycling the pedometer is ignored - or not? For a long ride can you export the GPS trace to RWGPS (or other)?

Apple Watch.

Fenix

Apple Watch = never gonna happen.
Fenix = I like garmin stuff - but to be honest Garmin needs to wiseup. My Edge Touring has served me well, and I still use it for those Audax rides and tours. But in this age OSM+RideWithGPS App does a better job. If someone just made a generic long running Android device with GPS + 4G data. I would switch to it.

I've not used mine for cycling yet but I know you can export the GPS data - the watch says that it'll only store a limited amount before it starts deleting old data, so you need to backup frequently. But if you've got it paired with your phone that happens automatically anyway. Will come back if I get any more info

I haz Microsoft band. Good, it is. Does all the fitness stuff plus texts and phone calls. The battery is poor though, only does a day if you use it so not much point in the sleep tracker as you have to charge it at the end of the day.

It would seem the Blaze and Charge2 need to use your phone's GPS via the app. The Surge has its own GPS so it just works. Bending to the Surge.

Surge is significantly bigger as a result though. If I could've found a Charge2 for the same price I'd have gone for it because I always have my phone on me - ymmv though.

Incidentally this was the guy I used for mine - had to buy teh charging cable separately but they're new and for like half the price. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fitbit-Surge-Any-Size-and-Any-Colour-/192054575921

I am think for my main use cases which is the sleep and activity tracking perhaps the Charge2 is the way to go after all. For the proper rides, the garmin have to do for now.