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Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

reuters.com

371–380 of 538 posts

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#371

Hmm, I don't suppose they will revive pebble. https://www.theverge.com/2017/2/22/14703108/fitbit-bought-pe...

One can only dream. It was so far ahead of its time, and I still consider it superior to any smartwatch out on the market. I have mine from 5 years ago that still works great. We need more products like this.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#372
post #344

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A watch that needs to be charged once in a few days is actually worse than one that could use a charge every night. Charge at night is a habit that can easily be adjusted to our daily schedule. btw Apple watch does last a full day (I meant 16+ hrs) with decent use, unless you are playing music out of it all the time or obsessively checking time/calendar. Only advantage of fitbit is that some models are easier to wear…

I want a watch that only needs to be charged once in a few days, because I want to wear it at night for it to track my sleep and wake me up and I could charge it while I shower (every 2 days, in case you're wondering).

While it might not be as 'smart' as some other ones out there. The Nokia/Withings Charge HR has sleep tracking, heart rate tracking, vibrates and does notifications too. The battery easily lasts a month sometimes longer.

It also looks like an actual adults watch too.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#373

I deleted everything Google and switched to iOS a few years ago so Google would have less of my data. Now they are going to get detailed location, activity, and sleep history for all of those years anyway. You really can't win can you. I bet there is no option to download my data and nuke what they have before this happens either.

The only winning move anymore is to not play. Don’t sign up for any service that collects and stores detailed information like that. If that’s even possible these days. Unfortunately the “people who actually care about their data” market is too small to justify making something like a privacy-oriented Fitbit.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#375
post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I do not own a Fitbit, but on my older Pebble, the music integration feature allows me to play/pause the music, switch tracks (to skip that one song in the playlist I should really remember to remove), and adjust the volume. When I'm working out or doing yardwork, it's handy to have access to these things on my wristwatch rather than trying to fiddle with the phone in my pocket. It's sounds like the most minor conven…

I think any bluetooth headphone can do this. That's why the fitness trackers don't implement it.

So my bluetooth speakers are blasting while i work out. I don't need headphones with controls. My pebble can control the music without a problem.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#376

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't used Fitbit since the first iteration of the product, but why would you want Spotify on a device that tracks your fitness level?

I do not own a Fitbit, but on my older Pebble, the music integration feature allows me to play/pause the music, switch tracks (to skip that one song in the playlist I should really remember to remove), and adjust the volume. When I'm working out or doing yardwork, it's handy to have access to these things on my wristwatch rather than trying to fiddle with the phone in my pocket. It's sounds like the most minor conven…

I'm still using the original pebble. Unfortunately, i'm getting hit by the screen tearing problem and it is so old that i can't even open it to fix the problem.

I don't want a watch that i have to charge daily, or i'll take it off and end up never putting it back on. I've been thinking of buying up some refurbished old pebbles as they have the exact features I want without the downsides of ALL of the newer watches/fitbands.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#377
post #310
post #295

It will be interesting to see how Google uses the fitbit data. I could see them synchronizing a user's searches with their heartbeat information to try to gauge emotional response to topics.

As someone who's taken the internal trainings a few times by now: NOPE. Health data is scary-scary and no team wants to taint itself with it, unless it's the core of the product.

Health data is not that scary. You create a contract between each business associate, and you can have 20 different orgs in a chain of trust going back to a single care provider. A lot of the modern security best practices of tech companies (not to mention GDPR) fulfill most of the privacy and security requirements of HIPAA too.

Anyway, Health is the next up and coming tech market. That's why Amazon just acquired Health Navigator and is rolling it up under Amazon Care (https://amazon.care/). Google [Alphabet] isn't just going to leave money on the table (and healthcare is lotsa lotsa money)

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#378
post #336
post #295

It will be interesting to see how Google uses the fitbit data. I could see them synchronizing a user's searches with their heartbeat information to try to gauge emotional response to topics.

It doesn't always have to be about linking everything to everything. They (Android) needs a decent watch/health device, one that Google has some control over. As it stands today, lack of 'Apple watch' support really kills their Pixel/Android sales.

They can't even get messaging right and that's way simpler. I doubt they can get health right.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#379
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve always wondered, how do they know if you’re in the EU? Can I change my address to somewhere in the EU and get my data deleted or will they check?

Maybe where the data originated? So, if you are a EU citizen, but use a google device in the US on vacation, is the data generated in US bound by US-only regulations, so no GDRP?

When you are geographically in the EU the GDPR rights apply to all your data.

The location of the data does not matter.

The origin of the data does not matter.

Citizenship does not matter.

These are the reasons many US firms tried to call GDPR overreaching. However if it didn't apply in this way there would be too much wiggle room to be effective.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#380
post #356

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’ve always wondered, how do they know if you’re in the EU? Can I change my address to somewhere in the EU and get my data deleted or will they check?

Maybe where the data originated? So, if you are a EU citizen, but use a google device in the US on vacation, is the data generated in US bound by US-only regulations, so no GDRP?

It's...complicated: https://www.dataprotectionreport.com/2018/12/edpb-clarifies-...

"The Guidelines note that the processing of personal data of EU citizens that takes place outside the EU will not trigger the GDPR so long as the processing is not a specific offer directed at individuals in the EU or to monitor their behavior in the EU."

So it may be safe for google...but given it would apply to a user profile in general, including EU, maybe not?

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