Expect the Google fit app to have these branding changes over the coming years : Fit - > Fitbit -> Google Fitbit -> Android Fit -> Finally back to Google Fit in 2023
You forgot Play Fit.
Play Fit (beta)
Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
631–640 of 784 posts
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#632Earlier quoted context omitted.
Actually, no. I find this whole "they're selling your data" trope to be trite and just annoying at this point. I actually expect this more a reaction to Apple's pivot into health with the Apple Watch (people seem to forget the ex-Burberry CEO positioned the Apple Watch 1 as a luxury product--anyone remember the Apple Watch Edition for $10k?--health came later).
> I find this whole "they're selling your data" trope to be trite and just annoying at this point. Do you believe it to be mistaken ? Or true, but not worth caring about?
It's hard to believe that the data in my exercise tracker has real, fundamental worth when I see so much targeted advertising that fails to leverage the data they already have. I suppose it doesn't matter to Google if someone buys a location-specific ad for a place I used to live in despite them knowing where my phone, purchases, and electoral record say I live but then why would them knowing my heart rate help them if they already know I bought a bicycle, search about bicycle parts, frequently use bicycle maps, and travel at about 15 mph?
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#633[deleted]
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#634Earlier quoted context omitted.
Nah, what they want is me, ie. my data. I'm throwing away that fitbit (Google Personal information gathering device) and deleting my account. I'm informed enough to make that decision. Unfortunately thousands of users that just got sold out are not. Fuck Google.
I moved to iOS to be Google free. Have been happy with my Fitbit until I read this news and went through this exact sentiment. Happy to be part of a vocal minority.
I advised my privacy-worried dad to get a Fitbit instead of an android watch (couldn’t afford Apple Watch). Now I feel like an *hole
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#635Earlier quoted context omitted.
The leverage of the consumer is the government whose legislators they elected.
Incorrect. That is an avenue of leverage. Currently driven more by corporate interests than citizen interests.
"democracy" literally means "rule by people" or "government by people". You are in effect claiming that America isn't a democracy (which may or may not be true, sometimes you look suspiciously like an aristocracy in disguise).
Anyway, over here in continental Europe democracy mostly works. And when people complained about privacy issues for years and Facebook laughed in our faces we eventually got the GDPR. That's exactly the kind of "either get your shit together or we will legislate it" this thread is about.
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#636Earlier quoted context omitted.
My Garmin 935 is waterproof, has an always on display, shows smartphone notifications, charges once a week, and has worked for over a year. If apple or Fitbit had this, I’d go back. Had multiple fit bits and they all broke in 6 months. Had an Apple Watch, but it needed to be charged every day, wasn’t waterproof, and display turned off. Apple has improved on 2 of those but it still needs every day charging. I would pu…
Seriously, I know that these always-on displays don't look as nice as an LCD, but I value battery life more. If there were WearOS device that had this type of display to make them last longer than a day or two I'd consider it, mostly for Google Pay and the ability to use Spotify without my phone.
Plus it really sucks to wait for the lag on wrist-raise (or the false alarms) to be able to tell the time. With the Garmin, glance at it to get the time; no wrist movement foppery. Edit: BTW, some of the WearOS watches now have effectively 2 displays: a always-on lcd with great battery life for the basics and the fancy backlit lcd underneath for everything else: one example is Mobvoi, which has funding from Google and thus hopefully isn't fly-by-night. Edit2: https://wearos.google.com/#find-your-watch .
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#637Apple would be fools to not offer Android support on the Apple watch on the back of this news... But they are so concerned about ecosystem lock in they might not. There are now officially no stylish or social alternatives to Google or Apple wearables. I'm sorry, but Garmin is just not style focused and one of the benefits of fitbit is the social aspect of challenging your friends. This is a huge blow to wearables.
Doesn't Amazfit GTR cover that? https://en.amazfit.com/gtr.html
Or Huawei Watch GT 2 https://consumer.huawei.com/en/wearables/watch-gt2/
Or Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 https://www.samsung.com/global/galaxy/galaxy-watch-active2/
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#638The PineTime is a new Linux smart watch - I imagine a future version could do the basics pretty good. I really just need notifications and a step counter, personally
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2019/09/pinetime-linux-smartwatc...
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#639Expect the Google fit app to have these branding changes over the coming years : Fit - > Fitbit -> Google Fitbit -> Android Fit -> Finally back to Google Fit in 2023
Should I be worried about the branding? Or the fact this behemoth of a company is buying it's way into every corner of my life. Close your eyes and imagine a few drones trying to see everything you do in your apartment. That's what it is. This ain't the internet I ordered :-(
You don't have to own or use any of Google's products.
Re: Google Buys Fitbit for $2.1B
#640Earlier quoted context omitted.
>You may think you have a product but you don't. I absolutely agree with everything. Here is the thing, total side topic - but Fitbit's product is really excellent! The packaging of the PCBs, the operating system, the tech, it's all really impressive. I know that means nothing in the larger scope, Google bought them for their data and mining potential. But the product is actually really cool. It appears to be simple,…
Can you run it with Bluetooth off logging locally and then sync periodically? I doubt it but haven't dove into it
I've done that occasionally, over a weekend when I left my phone at home or something. Doesn't happen often, obviously, but it does have some small number of days of local logging.