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Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

abc.net.au

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Re: Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

#5
post #3

Any suggestions for a fitness tracker (steps, sleep) which can be used without an Android/iOS app? If it is possible to access the data from a Linux machine - that would be perfect.

Garmin watches can be used this way, but it’s not quite as easy; you can even mount the watch as a USB drive and access a lot of the data that way if you want.

I did hit one issue once with maps on my fénix 7 where I had to plug it in to a windows computer specifically.

Re: Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

#6
post #3

Any suggestions for a fitness tracker (steps, sleep) which can be used without an Android/iOS app? If it is possible to access the data from a Linux machine - that would be perfect.

Garmin watches can be used this way, but it’s not quite as easy; you can even mount the watch as a USB drive and access a lot of the data that way if you want. I did hit one issue once with maps on my fénix 7 where I had to plug it in to a windows computer specifically.

Yeah Garmin is about the most open, and maybe even more specifically anything that uses their ANT protocol (like Polar HR monitors).

Re: Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

#7
post #4
post #2

Australia has very strong consumer protection laws in this regard. It's lovely.

11M is just the cost of doing business. Fitbit makes 1.6 billion a year.

This was for 58 customers though, so it sends a solid message I think

Re: Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

#8
post #4
post #2

Australia has very strong consumer protection laws in this regard. It's lovely.

11M is just the cost of doing business. Fitbit makes 1.6 billion a year.

Not in Australia (population ~25M), they don't.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1036011/apac-annual-reve...

This is about 10% of their total annual APAC revenue. Not insignificant.

Re: Fitbit fined $11M for misleading consumers about their rights under consumer law

#9
post #3

Any suggestions for a fitness tracker (steps, sleep) which can be used without an Android/iOS app? If it is possible to access the data from a Linux machine - that would be perfect.

Spent ages and wasted lots of money on trying to make this work. Buy an iPhone and an Apple Watch or go without was the conclusion. Everything else is absolute fucking garbage. Even the Garmin stuff is problematic. I had a Garmin watch crap out entirely while up a mountain. The Apple watch that replaced has taken a complete beating and works reliably every time and doesn't feel like I'm wearing a prison tag.

Incidentally the only activity tracking stuff that works at all outside the ecosystem is stuff that dumps GPX files. I ended up without a smartwatch at all there and just chucked a Garmin eTrex 10 in my bag for tracking and used OrganicMaps on the phone for mapping.

I wouldn't recommend sleep tracking. At least in my case, it makes me sleep worse worrying about it.

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