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GarminDB

github.com

31–40 of 74 posts

Re: GarminDB

#31
post #13

Be warned anyone that uses this - it uses Garth ( https://github.com/matin/garth ) to authenticate. It masquerades as an Android app (a single instance of one at that) and does some hacky stuff to login via web forms. Garmin is such a horrible company to try to integrate with. I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. And if you do manage to gain access to one of their offical APIs or SDKs, they…

Garmin has nothing on Strava. If you integrate with Strava and the user revokes the link, you have to delete all the data that came from Strava or you risk losing access to the API.

> I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this.

Same reason every other company locks down your data. You are the product and they want to keep you locked in, feeding them data.

They can't have you running off with all your data when a new device comes out from a competitor that is better; that would force them to compete more!

Garmin has a long history of being lazy as fuck unless someone's actually competing against them. The smartwatch market heated up and lo and behold features and better models coming out left and right. Their bike computers would go years between refreshes..until Wahoo, Bryton, Coros, and Hammerhead started beating on their door.

Strava is much the same way. They were pretty free with access in and out, and tightened things down making it nearly impossible to export data.

Re: GarminDB

#32
post #13

Be warned anyone that uses this - it uses Garth ( https://github.com/matin/garth ) to authenticate. It masquerades as an Android app (a single instance of one at that) and does some hacky stuff to login via web forms. Garmin is such a horrible company to try to integrate with. I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. And if you do manage to gain access to one of their offical APIs or SDKs, they…

Garmin has nothing on Strava. If you integrate with Strava and the user revokes the link, you have to delete all the data that came from Strava or you risk losing access to the API. > I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. Same reason every other company locks down your data. You are the product and they want to keep you locked in, feeding them data. They can't have you running off with all yo…

> If you integrate with Strava and the user revokes the link, you have to delete all the data that came from Strava or you risk losing access to the API.

That seems fair - the user has withdrawn their permission for processing their data or invoked "right to be forgotten", no?

Re: GarminDB

#33
post #13

Be warned anyone that uses this - it uses Garth ( https://github.com/matin/garth ) to authenticate. It masquerades as an Android app (a single instance of one at that) and does some hacky stuff to login via web forms. Garmin is such a horrible company to try to integrate with. I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. And if you do manage to gain access to one of their offical APIs or SDKs, they…

I'm a Garmin user as I find the hardware to be very reliable but the market is in deep need of an Open Source alternative.

Let's not forget Garmin was victim of a ransomware attack in 2020 and they finally paid $10 million after days of blackout and they never really addressed the issue.

Re: GarminDB

#34
I just got a new Garmin Vivoactive5 this week, because my old one broke (also vivoactive3). For now I am quite happy with it, but I bought it knowingly, that Garmins APIs and possibilites are not _optimal_ at all.

I looked into getting a Apple Watch series 10, but ultimately decided against it (battery lasting not longer than 1.5days / no real use for messaging or smart apps a side from health / 2x price compared to the vivo).

I would love to find an _open_ watch, that allows for hacking, nice APIs, self-hosting of dashboards even, nice apps et cetera. I feel like there is market for people like me. Maybe the rebirth of the pebble will be able fill this void?

Re: GarminDB

#36

A friend recently put me on to Intervals ( https://intervals.icu ) for Garmin / Strava related data nerdery and I’ve enjoyed it very much. As a rower it was nice that you can construct reports that give rowing related metrics rather than just the usual cycle / run stuff.

Nice app, i didn't know that one. I think for cycling that is quite sophisticated. However i had a different problem recently wanting to track a Hyrox Workout. I have a epix gen 2 (800€) and i cannot track it nicely. I know you can define workouts but it is such a hassle and doesn't even work good.

Long Story short, i just programmed my own App now for that. Works with all garmin watches and let's use define a fixed Workout and allows to analyze your individual performances across exercises:

https://multisports.creatness.studio - i'm still waiting for Garmin to approve my App Store Submission (another long story with garmin) but it can already be downloaded and sideloaded on a garmin watch. using it for a few weeks now myself.

Re: GarminDB

#37
post #12

Garmin should really embrace this. The alternative, relying on smartphone apps, will lock them out in the long run. The big advantage of buying dedicated hardware, like a Garmin bike computer, is having more control over your data.

I wish Garmin worked on their SDK and documentation — I wrote a quick app for personal use, and it made me appreciate folks who write Garmin watch apps much more. The documentation is incredibly bad, half the things I had to figure out using trial and error, and even then I wouldn't know how to build/test for other watches than the one I own. I'd have gladly worked on the app and put it in the store, I think it'd useful to some people, but I'd have to put far more effort than it's worth.

Re: GarminDB

#38
post #28

A friend recently put me on to Intervals ( https://intervals.icu ) for Garmin / Strava related data nerdery and I’ve enjoyed it very much. As a rower it was nice that you can construct reports that give rowing related metrics rather than just the usual cycle / run stuff.

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Re: GarminDB

#39
post #33
post #13

Be warned anyone that uses this - it uses Garth ( https://github.com/matin/garth ) to authenticate. It masquerades as an Android app (a single instance of one at that) and does some hacky stuff to login via web forms. Garmin is such a horrible company to try to integrate with. I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. And if you do manage to gain access to one of their offical APIs or SDKs, they…

I'm a Garmin user as I find the hardware to be very reliable but the market is in deep need of an Open Source alternative. Let's not forget Garmin was victim of a ransomware attack in 2020 and they finally paid $10 million after days of blackout and they never really addressed the issue.

An open source bike computer that isn't the price of a 2025 flagahip smartphone and the specs of a 2010 midrange smartphone! Please please!

Re: GarminDB

#40
post #13

Be warned anyone that uses this - it uses Garth ( https://github.com/matin/garth ) to authenticate. It masquerades as an Android app (a single instance of one at that) and does some hacky stuff to login via web forms. Garmin is such a horrible company to try to integrate with. I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. And if you do manage to gain access to one of their offical APIs or SDKs, they…

Garmin has nothing on Strava. If you integrate with Strava and the user revokes the link, you have to delete all the data that came from Strava or you risk losing access to the API. > I don't know why they lock down their stuff so hard like this. Same reason every other company locks down your data. You are the product and they want to keep you locked in, feeding them data. They can't have you running off with all yo…

Strava also imposes limits on app developers, it doesn't matter if you have 1 user or 1 million users, and it was quite hard to get the limits increased.

You'd think they would allow a popular app that their customers likes to use could have higher limits.

CityStrides were battling with it a lot, but it looks like it was resolved, finally: https://community.citystrides.com/t/increase-strava-api-limi...

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