Re: For privacy, what is a suitable alternative to the Google FitBit app on Android?

"Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> wrote:

On 2025-01-02 21:49, VanguardLH wrote:

As for receiving notifications, their app is running on the same phone
where you are getting calls and texts.  You don't need their app telling
you that your phone got a call.  When I go to the gym, I don't take my
phone: don't want to damage it, don't want to wear it while exercising,
and don't want it stolen.  I won't be taking calls or reading texts
while exercising, anyway.  Without the phone, the Fitbit device isn't
going to notify you of anything happening on your phone.  With the
phone, the Fitbit app is superfluous for notifying you of calls or
texts.

 
I find that useful. I get a wasap, the wrist thing vibrates, I just make
the movement on my arm like going to read the time, the screen
illuminates and I see who texted me, and a bit of the message. I can
decide fast whether to actually read it now, or if it can wait.
 
I don't go to gyms. I find it useful to track my walks.

I grin as I'm inside looking outside during the winter watching the
walkers strolling by or the runners bouncing along on the road with the
cars passing them by.  No sidewalks here.  Yes, be healthy by suffering
the wintery blast, and avoid cars.  No thanks.  Year-round outdoor
exercise is great if you live in Arizona.  During the summer, I've got
so many outdoor chores (mowing, cutting down shrubs and trees, repairing
fencing, construction, etc) that I don't need any additional exercise.
Haven't yet seen a tracker that measures my effort to de-root an area to
put a base for a shed, or replace windows.

Some of the gym machines apparently have BT and connect to the watch. My
elliptical bike doesn't, so the watch only logs my heart rate, not how
many steps I took. It should log them, my arm does a rhythmic movement.

I just watch the target heart rate on the gear at the gym, and set an
exercise time along with difficulty level.  The gear's measurements are
equal or more accurate than some wrist health monitor.  Some folks want
a history of their exercise.  I just rate my progress by how much longer
or harder, or both, I set the gym gear.

Yes, gyms cost money, unless your health plan includes Silver Sneakers
which mine does.  So, I could walk or run outside to sunburn or in the
rain or snow for free, or I could go to the gym to be indoors while
exercising.  My choice is the latter (on those days when my labors at
home don't obviate the need for exercising).

On an exercycle, my arms don't swing.  My hands and arms are on the
rests.  They do swing on the stair climber and treadmill, so the Fitbit
does measure steps along with heart rate and time; however, I have to
select the exercise type for the Fitbit to measure correctly (it doesn't
automatically detect what type of stationary exercise I'm doing).

I used the Fitbit app so little that there was no point in keeping it on
my phone.  In fact, I stopped wearing the Fitbit device at the gym where
my progress was measured in how often I visited, and how much I added
time, resistence, or other factors to an exercise.  I really don't need
a history of past exercise at the gym.  If I go on walks or hikes, I
prefer a much better route tracker app on the phone.

But we have different goals for the wrist health device, or the health
apps on our phones.  I got caught up in the Fitbit fad, but it faded.