Well my fitbit from
www.fitbit.com finally arrived a few weeks ago. These are my initial thoughts based on the past couple weeks of use.
A little background.The fitbit is a pedometer on steroids. It wirelessly sync's with your pc, uploads the data to their website, and tracks your sleeping patterns. It is a small black and blue large paperclip like style that clips onto your belt and you wear it around everywhere. Battery as advertised is supposed to last 2 weeks, and it has lived up to that hype. It has a small OLED blue screen with a small button that lets you cycle through number of steps, miles traveled, calories, and a flower for how active you have been recently.
Mine had been pre-ordered for over a year while they worked out the kinks in the software, manufacturing process, and website. Overall I think they could have done a better job communicating with their customers on the very long delay.
I signed up for the website a few days before my fitbit arrived, and it does look very well done. The website lets you also add in weight, water consumed, and food you at each day, to help track all aspects of your fitness and diet. I find entering my food to be tedious, and haven't gotten going on that enough. I'm also hoping that their food database will get a lot better. I searched for Chipotle Chicken Burrito, and it couldn't find it. I don't weigh myself everyday, so that is pointless, and water consumption needs some work too, it would be better done with a few icons so I can choose which size glass I just drank, and it marks that accordingly, instead it is a slider in ounces. Who knows that good enough?
The fitbit iself is plastic and my hunch is not water resistant. So it probably is a matter of time before it goes through the wash. I clip it onto my pants every day, and depending on the type of pants, it stays, or wobbles around. I find on the days when I have a belt on, if it is tucked under the belt, it stays perfectly. I've dropped the fitbit from about three to four fee in the air at least 20 times, and it is still ticking. Last week I was running around with the dogs in the park, and it had disappeared. Luckily I was able to retrace my steps and found it. So when running around with the dogs, I now place it in my pocket, but their instructions say you'll get less accurate results.
My favorite feature is the sleep function, you hold the button down for a few seconds, the small screen says start, then strap it on your non-dominant hand using the included strap, and head to sleep. If you had asked me on average how much sleep I got before the fitbit, I would have said seven to eight hours. In reality, I only seem to be getting five to seven hours, closer to around 6 hours each night. That is including the average five to eight times I wake up each night and toss and turn a little bit. So even less when you take that into account. All that sleep data uploads to their website, and shows you some very cool graphs for how you've been sleeping.
Today I had the fitbit on my belt, which is a little thick, and I caught it on something, and heard a small crack, I think the paperclip design was stretched too far, and now it doesn't sit well on the charger without a rubber band pinching it closed to charge, but it is still working fine. So I believe it is just a matter of time before I'll need to replace it. At 99 dollars plus 10 dollars shipping, it will be something I have to think twice about if I replace it.
Overall I think it is fascinating, and I wish the fitbit team well and success, but I think the device has a lot of room to grow along with their website features. I look forward to purchasing version two.
Perhaps though our cell phones will just have this feature built in, in the future? Or better yet, with the powerpad technology, why cant we just embed it under our skin someplace, and wirelessly charge the battery up once or twice a month?
Posted via email from phingers's posterous
posted by Bryan at 12/22/2009 04:33:00 PM
The whole point of ordering online is to do it quickly and easily, and have full customer service options available. Well I just ordered a laptop for work from HP, and was completely shocked at their customer service. Order placed online. Noticed it wouldn't ship out till Dec 29th. But we chose 5-7 day free shipping. So I called them to see if they could change the shipping to two days, so we could get it on time. They said no, transferred me to the order cancellation department, and hung up on me after holding for 5 mins. I call back again, jump through their hoops, and wait 30 mins on hold. Again they wind up hanging up on me. Call back a third time, ask for a supervisor, 5 minutes later. I supposedly get the order cancelled. Still waiting for the cancellation email.
Just mind blowing. I mean I understand why they do it, but it is most definitely not because they are trying to help the consumer, or improve their bottom line. Most likely reason is because their lazy corporate programmers haven't built the program on the website yet to cancel the order. Or their backend systems are so archaic that to interface with the system to cancel the order is a nightmare. They are overwhelmed with calls, and the cancellation department is probably too. Why they cant update an order with a different shipping option is also beyond me, probably goes back to their systems yet again.
Problem is really that HP has a product that you want, and you need it customized. No one else makes one like that, so I have to put up with their terrible service. If it was Joey's sub shop down the street, I just wouldn't go there anymore, and he'd be out of business.
I think it just goes to show how amazing Amazon is, since you can do everything all online. I've never had to call amazon for anything, and I've ordered a million things from them. Wish they let me buy a laptop customized. Maybe that's coming soon.
Posted via email from phingers's posterous
posted by Bryan at 12/17/2009 02:03:00 PM
1. Is Facebook clueless, unethical or just unlucky? Why?
I think they are both clueless, and unethical. You are absolutely right, this is a complete trick, I read it carefully and said use the old settings for everything, but my wife, probably just clicked through. We already have strangers commenting on her photos. Which in my opinion means they could have already downloaded copies of them and found out other personal information.
2. Will Facebook's latest behavior result in more lawsuits and/or industry regulation?
I do hope that it results in a lawsuit or two, but not industry regulation. I just don't see how it could be regulated properly.
3. Do you trust Facebook with your information?
I do trust Facebook with my basic information, but nothing more than what I would give for a library card application. Beyond that no. It's just ashamed nowadays that I get emails in my inbox, which say I have an email at Facebook, that I have to go log in and read. Facebook is taking over. I hate single points of control or failure.
Posted via email from phingers's posterous
posted by Bryan at 12/14/2009 08:00:00 AM
Last night Marla and I decided that before Thanksgiving is not too early to put up our tree. So we did. It looks gorgeous, and we're still missing some tinsel and a tree topper at this point. Hopefully we can find those today before the stores close. We have a new unique tree this year, I have a remote control for it, and it is wired up with both white lights, the kind that my wife likes, and colored lights, my preferred choice. So now with the flick of a button we can switch back and forth between them and both be happy.
It is a good thing that I am in charge of all remote controls throughout the house, that way it will stay mostly colored lights. <grin>
Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! Please don't get trampled in tomorrows sales, and I hope I get to see you around Christmas time. TTFN.
Posted via email from phingers's posterous
posted by Bryan at 11/26/2009 08:56:00 AM
An inspiring quotation for the day... please share your reaction/thoughts/feelings...
"Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender,
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even to the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons;
they are vexatious to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain or bitter,
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs,
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals,
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love,
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be.
And whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life,
keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy." -Max Ehrman
Thanks to
Lea Demilio for the great poem, wonderful.
posted by Bryan at 3/03/2009 09:18:00 AM
