Wearables

[Russell Holton]

Just wondering what the forum's experience is with wearable devices (fitness trackers/smart watches). It's past time to replace my orphaned Microsoft Band. So far, the only options seem to be FitBit and Samsung - both which seem to have issues on certain features.

[Ray Tackett]

Dunno about the current stuff, but my experience with three different brands of electronic pedometers was dismal. None of them could count my steps for squat. Apparently I move too smoothly. I suppose a wearable with GPS would at least get the distances right, even if the step count turns out to be garbage.

[Dave Siciliano]

I’ve used them, but once the novelty wore off, I stopped. I can get my heart rate in 10 seconds. GPS tracking is very accurate, but I pretty much know the distance on routes I bike and have a bike with an odometerand timer on it. What I didn’t like, is most devises have to be downloaded to a computer where the data may be shared. I don’t want that shared even if the marketing folks say your personal information is scrubbed.

[Ward Miller]

Just wondering what the forum's experience is with wearable devices (fitness trackers/smart watches). It's past time to replace my orphaned Microsoft Band. So far, the only options seem to be FitBit and Samsung - both which seem to have issues on certain features.

Russell, before we try to drive a square peg into a round hole, what are your requirements?

If all you want is gee-whiz, then the choice really doesn't matter. For example, some pilots just want a watch that includes a timer. Others want one that counts up, counts down, gives Zulu time and the phases of the moon.

[Russell Holton]

Russell, before we try to drive a square peg into a round hole, what are your requirements?

Valid point. I want a competent smart watch with some activity tracking. While I don't plan on a lot of fitness use, I'm turned off by reports that the Samsung tends to under-count steps by about 20%. Good sleep tracking seems to be only a recent thing - hard telling if it's any good. I'm trying the Fitbit Versa, which seems to be competent as a tracker, but I find falls a bit short in the smartwatch functions. I may have to look at the Garmin, but I'm seeing a few reports that give me pause.

I asked what others experiences were just so I could judge how their experiences (both good and bad) stacked up against my wants.

[Russell Holton]

Dunno about the current stuff, but my experience with three different brands of electronic pedometers was dismal. None of them could count my steps for squat. Apparently I move too smoothly. I suppose a wearable with GPS would at least get the distances right, even if the step count turns out to be garbage.

Many wrist-based units seem to have a algorithm that ignores any movement that is less than 12-15 steps. Once you go over that, it will start counting (and perhaps add the "missing" steps). As such, they will fall short in certain environments, but all should do OK. if you're going for a walk. Does that match what you found?

[Doug Rickert]

I've had a fitbit for several years--the kind that clips on or is carried in your pocket. It's nothing fancy, but it does a good job of tracking steps and distance and flights of stairs. It seems to be calibrated fine, as judged by distances measured with my car odometer. Sometimes when the weather is bad, I walk on my GF's treadmill. For some reason the distances on the treadmill and the fitbit do not match, with the fitbit giving higher distance figures. I don't know if that's a problem with the treadmill or with my gait on the treadmill or something else. The data can be uploaded to a computer and shared I guess, but it doesn't seem to be necessary to get the data.

I just went to the Fitbit website to get the model name of my gear. It looks like they don't make this one any more. So, all the above is probably useless to you.

[Tina Gonsalves]

I have an Apple Watch. What I like about it best is that it mirrors my phone and I don't have to have the phone with me in order to decline telemarking calls. Glance at my wrist and decline a call from anywhere in the house. And Dave, the downloading of info to a computer was one of the nails in the coffin in getting an arrest in my hometown. Guy killed his wife and her Fitbit activity was used as evidence. See it here:

[John O'Shaughnessy [FCM]]

I don't like wearing things on my wrist. The later iPhones (and, I assume Android as well) have barometers as well as GPS and accelerometers, and do well enough for my needs. The built-in Health App covers much of it, but you can get specialized Apps as well. I used to use a FitBit One, perhaps what Doug had. It was good, but the iPhone caught up, and since I always have my phone with me, it'll do.

[Dave Siciliano]

Yes Tina, I’ve seen other instances too. Also, am I-phone selfie was used as an alibi. I’m just not comfy with all this tracking.

[Doug Rickert]

I think John's right. Mine probably is a Fitbit One. I also have an iPhone which is always with me. The phone and the Fitbit agree very well on number of steps and distance. Not so much on translating hills into flights of stairs. The Fitbit is always considerably higher. Not sure which is closer to the correct number. When/if my Fitbit dies, I'll probably just use the phone too.

[dick merrill]

I'm waiting for someone to get convicted based on a conversation recorded by Alexa. We know she can't keep her mouth shut!

[Scott Dyer HPN/NY]

I'm waiting for someone to get convicted based on a conversation recorded by Alexa. We know she can't keep her mouth shut!

Dick -- "As secret recordings go, the Portland couple's conversation was pretty mundane: They were talking about hardwood floors.

But their Amazon Echo was listening and recording their discussion. The device then sent the recording to someone in their contacts — without the couple's knowledge.

The wife, identified only as Danielle, told Seattle TV station KIRO 7 that they learned something was amiss when they received a phone call from the husband's employee who lived in Seattle, telling them what he had inadvertently received. He told them to unplug their Alexa devices right away." https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...heir-knowledge

And.....

"A New Mexico man was arrested for allegedly beating his girlfriend and threatening to kill her — after Amazon’s Alexa called police, authorities said.

Eduardo Barros, 28, became angered with his unidentified girlfriend while house-sitting in Tijeras, about 15 miles east of Albuquerque, and the dispute suddenly turned physical on July 2, authorities said.

During the assault, Barros waved a gun and threatened to kill the woman before he allegedly asked: “Did you call the sheriffs?”

The question was inadvertently picked up by the smart speaker and the voice-powered virtual assistant recognized the phrase as a command — prompting it to call 911, Bernallillo County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Felicia Romero confirmed to The Post on Monday." https://nypost.com/2017/07/10/alexa-...is-girlfriend/