FitBit: What Am I Paying For?

#FitBit:What Am I Paying For?

The most revealing thing about the FitBit isn't even the device itself. Oh no. The manufacturer does claim to boost activity. It does encourage exercise. Concerning the FitBit, the wrist unit is relatively accurate. The primary FitBit app is free, and the premium one costs nearly one third as much as the actual device -annually.

I mentioned in my last Fitbit article that the start-up app is lacking. Put plainly, it's performance sucks. It's terrible. Never fear -there's an alternative. This new "choice" is a slight achievement, but it sucks too. Using Fitbit's web page one can log on to record their stats, sleep, food, how much water -exercise.

Cool right?

Not really. Why isn't using the web browser and app awesome? Well, when one mixes their day up logging breakfast at home on the PC, and then at lunch on their iPhone app guess what? The two logs don't mesh together.

Hey Fitbit, your lack of a decent introductory app -one not so full of bugs and B.S., is a huge turn-off. Look, I want functional. So as far as Fitbit's Premium app subscription goes my verdict is no.

I'm not paying more if Fitbit can't make what I already paid for work.

How the hell do these folks make so much whip when their app sucks hind tit? I haven't a clue.

Here's some stuff about the Fitbit device that is cool:

Records how many steps you take using less juice on the charge meter than the "Steps" app for FREE on iPhone.
Tracks heartbeat -it's not clinically accurate.
Tracks how many floors you climb.
The FitBit presses you to climb extra floors and get 10k steps daily. Well, it's supposed to.  I went hiking, and it said I did 42 floors on the web page and 84 on the app.

Fitbit tracks calories. The Fitbit database is lame. It often has no idea what I'm eating when I scan a label. With alcohol Fitbit's calorie tracking grinds to a halt. This sudden stop is due mainly to the ineptitude of the Fitbit's software developers. To quote my girlfriend, "If you're going to have a scan function make it work."

Side note: If you want to track calories try the "My Fitness Pal" app. This app works so well it freaks me out. It knows what I'm putting down my gullet with a minimum of fuss. It's free too. My Fitness Pal can link with the free "Pacer" app- therefore providing the same type of data Fitbit's app does at no cost.

So what am I paying for then? Not much. Fitbit does send an encouraging email once in a while -if I accomplish one of its goals. Are these emails enough compensation for my wrist always itching? For that ugly band on my wrist that costs $149.99 plus tax that does little else than a pair of free apps?

Let's break it down. I lost five pounds. Even though I contribute this to eating less in the first place and cutting down on liquid calories, I did lose five whole pounds of flab. Cool. To track that weight loss through Fitbit's inconsistent applications, the price per pound weighs in at $29.98. My girlfriend did not lose any weight, but she still looks great.

I quit recording my stats when FitBit's app decided to stop syncing with their website app. Not being able to gather usable data logs with the device made me think less of the FitBit. It itched and was ugly.

I agreed when my girlfriend said we should take them back after a month of proper use. The lady at Target took the thing back without arguing.

"Why are you bringing it back?"
"The app that goes with it doesn't work."

I took part of the refund money and bought myself season four of Game of Thrones on Blu-Ray. It's better and cheaper.

Here's my big reveal about the FitBit: Don't waste your time or money on Fitbit. You can do better for free. It's not even good as a watch. One has to push the button to tell the time.

Goodbye, FitBit.
You suck.

Dirk Fender