Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit • Hacker News Board

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#181

Post by mafuyu » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:37 PM UTC

ChuckMcM wrote: post #151

This wouldn't surprise me, Fitbit has been getting more and more "Googlish" in its slurping of data. My current irritation is that it refuses to 'sync' your device unless you have location services enabled for the app. I get that some folks like a "track" they can refer to, for others it puts their life at risk[1], and for me its not something I care about. Steps and heart rate are enough for it to compute calories (…

The location services is likely due to both Android and iOS requiring location enabled for Bluetooth, as BLE Beacons can be used for location tracking.

https://developer.android.com/about/versions/marshmallow/and...

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#182

Post by jdalgetty » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:38 PM UTC

jimmydddd wrote: post #153

jdalgetty wrote: post #127

I wear a fitbit primarily for the sleep tracker. Is there a comparable non-google device that does sleep tracking? My garmin watch is not a great replacement in that regard.

My Garmin Forerunner 35 does a good job of sleep tracking. And it lasts around 10 days on a charge. (without using the GPS.) What model do you have?

I had the 235 in the past and now have the 245 music. I haven't tried it in a while but it was really poor in comparison to my fitbit.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#183

Post by jammygit » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:38 PM UTC

Fitbit has a privacy policy that says they won't sell or transfer your data IIRC, but that does not prevent them from doing so in the case of a sale or merger. I hate those clauses: the hypothetical argument is always 'what if some data miner buys them' ?

This is health data we're talking about

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#184

Post by Wonnk13 » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:39 PM UTC

jdalgetty wrote: post #127

I wear a fitbit primarily for the sleep tracker. Is there a comparable non-google device that does sleep tracking? My garmin watch is not a great replacement in that regard.

My new garmin 235? has the hr monitor built into the watch body and does a pretty good job at sleep cycle tracking.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#185

Post by coldtea » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:40 PM UTC

mathgladiator wrote: post #19

drcode wrote: post #15

I'd still love to hear a convincing argument from someone as to the benefits of counting steps and measuring heart rate with a wrist band- Are people feeling like they are more fit because they walked to lunch "the long way" so they can reach the 10000 step goal that Fred from accounting has set for them? Do they feel healthier because they were regularly watching their heart rate reading during their hour in the gym…

Heart rate is an interesting way of getting bio feedback for emotions. I am willing to bet that it will be used in future as a way of improving somatic therapy.

I am willing to bet that it will be used in future as a way of measuring ad impact...

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#186

Post by giancarlostoro » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:43 PM UTC

jammygit wrote: post #183

Fitbit has a privacy policy that says they won't sell or transfer your data IIRC, but that does not prevent them from doing so in the case of a sale or merger. I hate those clauses: the hypothetical argument is always 'what if some data miner buys them' ? This is health data we're talking about

Interestingly, if we had something like the GDPR in the USA, we should be able to force them to delete our data before the merger. I assume people in the EU who may have Fitbit devices might be able to have their data scrubbed from the Fitbit servers. Also they do use open formats if I remember correctly so some people have utilities to extract data and chart it and such.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#187

Post by sys_64738 » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:44 PM UTC

It’s probably a good exit strategy for Fitbit as they might not have a sustainable business.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#188

Post by skinnymuch » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:45 PM UTC

fetus8 wrote: post #64

drcode wrote: post #15

I'd still love to hear a convincing argument from someone as to the benefits of counting steps and measuring heart rate with a wrist band- Are people feeling like they are more fit because they walked to lunch "the long way" so they can reach the 10000 step goal that Fred from accounting has set for them? Do they feel healthier because they were regularly watching their heart rate reading during their hour in the gym…

I've been wearing an Apple Watch since it launched in 2015. The activity tracking and workout metrics are useful for keeping track of how active I am. It's not life changing. The heart rate monitoring has been incredibly useful for me. Over the last year, I've had 2-3 instances where my heart rate got rather high while sedentary. Those moments were times when I was having panic attacks. I could feel my heart racing,…

That’s pretty crazy. Anecdotally and what I assumed was the case, everyone I’ve talked to has said the heart rate monitoring is pretty worthless. At least before the last 2 iterations. Maybe they’re better.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#189

Post by freeplay » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:47 PM UTC

jakobegger wrote: post #178

freeplay wrote: post #100

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They already have that from your phone. If you have an android device, no explanation needed. If you use an iPhone, unless you abstain from Google products completely, they have it from maps, wifi AP MACs, etc.

Phones don't have GPS running most of the time, to conserve battery. GPS is turned on only while you use navigation apps or while tracking workouts. So even if Google tracks you all day, they mostly have coarse data. Fitbits main purpose is workout tracking, so they have a lot of precise GPS tracks. I suppose those have some value for Google.

Well, a Fitbit operates the same way your phone does. GPS not on all the time. The battery is much smaller than it is on your phone.

However, Google doesn't need your precise location 24/7. Polling GPS once every 5-10 minutes is more than enough to advertise things in your area or know every place you go throughout your day.

Re: Alphabet in bid to buy Fitbit

#190

Post by zerkten » Mon, Oct 28, 2019, 6:48 PM UTC

jammygit wrote: post #183

Fitbit has a privacy policy that says they won't sell or transfer your data IIRC, but that does not prevent them from doing so in the case of a sale or merger. I hate those clauses: the hypothetical argument is always 'what if some data miner buys them' ? This is health data we're talking about

Ironically, the security of the data is probably higher when controlled and operated by Google. That protection is at the cost of linkage with the other data which Google has.