Question about Windows 10 (or maybe Fitbit - not sure)

[Tabby]

DH got a Fitbit as a reward from work. I've been wanting one for a while to see just how much walking around I actually do at work. Anyway, I tried to set it up this evening and apparently I have to get the app from the "Windows Store". I didn't know there was a store but I did manage to find it. I can search for fitbit but once I click on it, I get the circle of death. It's seems to be trying to go to something, or possibly even install something but it never gets there. I can't click on anything over the window and I could only close it by right-clicking on the icon at the bottom of the screen. After a couple of tries I thought I would just let it do its thing - maybe it was actually installing after all. After about 15 minutes or so it just stops and goes back to the store home page. I've had Windows 10 for less than a week and this is the first app I've tried to get so I don't know if it is the store that isn't functioning properly or if it is the fitbit app. I thought of trying to install something else but I really don't want anything. Any ideas?

Also, I started to get the app on my phone. It actually went through easily but then I had to give it all kinds of permissions to set up my account, including data access and I don't have a data plan so I cancelled it. If I could be assured that it would only try to talk to my phone when wifi was on, I could just load it up there.

[Minz]

I am not sure about Windows 10 because I had Fitbit installed before I upgraded to Windows 10, so that part just works. As for the phone. I too was worried about constant syncing etc, so in the settings of the Fitbit app on my phone I set it to manual sync. I don't actually think it uses data to sync, that is done by bluetooth. But once it syncs it wants to update your online acct and that is where you get the data usage. My wifi only iPad just waits until it gets a wifi connection to update the online data, but I know phones can be different. It saves battery life on both the bit and the phone/iPad by doing manual syncs, but I will say that I like the auto sync better because I don't have to think about it. Good luck with your Fitbit. I am totally addicted to mine, and get obsessed if I have taken it off and don't get credit for exercise I have done in a day. It is pretty funny. I still went for that walk, but if my Fitbit battery is dead, or I have forgotten to put it on and don't get credit, I get a little bitter.

[digihorse]

I would be very surprised if you have a smart phone that has apps, and you don't have data. Most providers will not allow that, and you have to a have minimum data plan. Do you text? If you do, you have data. SMS is transferred over the data network, not the voice.

[Tabby]

Thanks everyone. I did eventually manage to get it to download on my computer - apparently there was a whole list of stuff waiting for me to install but it was the first I'd clicked on it. As I said, I've only just upgraded to 10. In the meantime, I did take the chance and put it on my phone. It seems to be sufficiently blocked from working when my wifi is off. I have a texting plan but no data. In Canada they charge up the wazoo for each and every little thing. I can add data for $10 a month but if I actually start using it they charge you by the byte. There have been horrific stories of people getting $25K cell phone bills - I'm not going to be one of them. So data-less phones are still pretty common here.

[Xcaliper]

The fitbit syncs with your phone by bluetooth, but the phone then syncs with your online account by data or wifi.

[Tabby]

Thanks X. I tested it today - won't work when I don't have wifi. I'm enjoying this fitbit a fair amount but I was disappointed that I only walked a little over 5000 steps at work today. Granted, I had a lot of computer work and the weather sucked so I didn't go outside at lunch but I thought I put a lot more miles than that on the job.

Question: How often will I need to charge it? I don't want it to die on me on a day when I actually do something!

[Minz]

I charge mine once a week, and I have had it for a year and a half now. The more it syncs, the faster the battery will go down, but I have found a week pretty average for a charge. It will usually send you a message or an email when your battery is getting low, but I find it easier to remember to charge it every Sunday night. That way I don't miss getting credit for activity!!

[Tabby]

Thanks Minz. As I am limited to wifi at home, I'm not syncing very often.

[Artemis]

No tech help - just wanted to say I LOVE my fitbit. Mine shows me the funniest faces.
The other night I sat around a bit to watch Survivor - looked at my fitbit screen - he showed me a picture of a potato with two eyes. (At first I thought he was calling me a turd, then realized the picture was a potato- )

It's a great guide to how much I'm moving - inspires me to get up more often. Enjoy!

[Xcaliper]

I'm only getting 4-5 days per charge but I do have mine so it syncs constantly.

[Tabby]

I just wanted to chime in that I rode my horse 20,000 steps in the conservation area yesterday!!! This truly is fun and completely appeals to my OCD side!

[NancyP]

LOVE my FitBit.... I have the Flex.
Been using it for nearly 2 years. On my third one....but they do stand behind their products, and although some people would disagree with that, they have been very good to me and a couple other friends.

The charge on mine lasts for 5-6 days.

If anyone here wants to 'compete' with me, send me a PM and I'll add you ....

[Tabby]

I don't know if I'm "competition" ready yet. I haven't had this thing a week yet. I really just wanted to prove to DH that I do a lot of walking at work, despite having a desk job. Everything is just so far apart and laid out very poorly - we waste more time going back and forth than you wouldn't believe. It turns out I don't actually walk 10,000 steps a day at work - more like 6,000. But I can make up the rest doing other stuff in the evening. I was actually surprised how many steps I walk just doing house work on the weekend. I bought DH one for Christmas - he's already bugging me to take this one back but I'm not letting it go !

[Tabby]

Another question regarding the fitbit - I am getting credit for riding. It's sort of cheating but I wonder if it's worse. Twice I've done a couple of >20,000 step trail rides, mostly at the walk. Am I getting a step credit for each of his 4 beats at the walk? I'm getting primarily "active minutes" for this time and if you click on the bar on the graph, it says I'm doing intense exercise. If that's the case, I'm totally cheating because when I walk beside him I'm taking roughly the same number of steps as his front legs alone, not his back legs. Does this mean if we trot more it will go back to moderate exercise? Our canter stretches have been far too short to see what happens then. Maybe I'll have to do a few 15 minute solid trot and canter sessions. My poor old semi-retired beastie won't know what happened to him and all the credit will go to me!!!

[NancyP]

I wear my Flex when riding and yes.... 'steps' are added to my daily count, but I really have no idea how many are 'credited' for each gait.
The Flex does not show the step count as they are taken. I have to sync it with my iPad or desktop in order to get my step count.
And I really don't check my active minutes very much either....
I just wear it and let it do it's thing.

[Tabby]

I played in a ball hockey tournament yesterday. I figure I played a total of 90 minutes altogether. I got a little more than 1/2 the steps than I did from my 2 hour trail ride on Sunday and this was me running around. I think I am getting credit for both the front and the back leg steps on the horse. I was certainly more whooped after hockey than the horse ride though my fitbit says I burned more calories riding LOL!

[Canyon]

I am reviving this thread to ask a question about Fitbit.

I received a Fitbit Flex for Christmas; it shows progress with LED lights. I am probably going to upgrade to a Fitbit Charge which has a digital display for time of day and daily stats.

Any feedback on whether upgrading another step to the Charge HR (with heart rate monitor) is worth the money? I don’t anticipate exercising very hard for quite a while. I just need to move more!

[NancyP]

I have used the Flex for 2 years. I wear it all day, every day.
I only want to monitor my steps/mileage.
I don't monitor my sleep, nor do I keep track of calories taken in or burned.

My DIL got a Charge for Christmas.
Personally I am fine with the Flex as I don't care what my HR is, how many flights of stairs I have climbed ...and I wear a wristwatch along with my Flex.
I don't mind having to check my iPad/desktop to see what my daily step total is.

The band on the Charge is quite a bit wider than the Flex ... I am petite with a skinny arm and think the Charge looks too big on my arm. Of course...then I would not need to wear my watch!

I think it's a matter of what YOU want .. or need... to use it for.

[KathyK]

I got a Flex from work and really don't want it. If you know anyone who'd like one for $50, let me know.

[Tabby]

Oh KathyK - if only you posted a week earlier! I lost my beloved Flex a week ago last Sunday on the TTC in Toronto. I was crushed and lost without it - even though I only had it a little over a month. I had bought one for DH for Christmas and was hoping to "compete" with him. He knew how upset I was so he went out and got me the Charge (he's a love ). Anyway, I agree with NancyP that the band is a bit wider and looks too big on my arm. I can't wear my watch with it. It does tell me the time but my watch was nicer looking. It also tells me on the face how many steps I'm at so I don't have to sync to find out how close I am to the next target. The band also fastens like a watch which is likely more secure than the Flex band. I'm sure I lost mine because I was taking gloves on and off a lot that day. Anyway, I like the features of the charge but I think the Flex suited me better. I'd trade with DH but my wrist is much smaller than his and he won't be able to wear my charge.

[KathyK]

I wish I had known, Tabby.