Aria Air Scales - value?

[GrahamTheHat]

Does anyone else on here with the scales think this is a really poor value solution?

I'm a new FitBit user (for Christmas) and after suffering the SamSung/Android 13/FitBit sync problem with my new Galaxy Z-Fold 4 (bugs happen, all fixed - no finger pointing here), I purchased the Aria Air scales.

To be frank, very disappointed - definitely over-priced for what it does (i.e. literally a digital weight recorder that posts data to FitBit app - sometimes!!!*)

The bit that really bugs me is it seems to only work as described occasionally, despite plenty of resets (at all levels and on both phone and scales). I'm guessing the problem is the pairing* - simple instructions so good job to the programmers, absolute heaps of derision on the coders that decided NOT to put a pairing code on the device that the user has to key into the app in the same way I had to for my Charge 5 (and I presume other devices require as well). The concept of not needing a pairing code (aka having a default broadcast code) may make use very simple but it only works in certain circumstances.

In my case, those circumstances are to go outside into my garage where there are no other bluetooth devices at all and do my "weigh in" there. The problem from what I can see is the fact that without a dedicated pairing tag the scales, once stood on and hence the Bluetooth connection gets activated, look to "connect" with the first thing they can find - this is backed up by info on previous posts I've seen. This might be great for those in a big house with a separate bathroom/bedroom well away from other Bluetooth devices or in a place where they can be turned off - however in my humble end of terrace new build (with the consequent paper thin walls) various neighbour devices (I'm guessing) get in the way - from scans on my phone I've found Samsung TV, Oppo A5 and Echo 3 devices at various times appearing in the scan - when those devices DON'T appear, and my Aria Air does, FitBit app works fine!

Combine this with no BMI, loss of WiFi connectivity (Aria 2 ?!?) etc etc and these £50 scales "weigh in" at a hefty, low value cost in my opinion.

Also, I can't see any way that FitBit can "upgrade" the firmware in the scales to rectify this due to their design - if you can't connect to the scales, how can you get a conversation going that will be stable enough to allow for a software update to fix a connection stability issue ?!? Catch 22 ...

Would really appreciate a response to this from a FitBit moderator - be very interested to hear their thoughts and all comments ...

[JohnnyRow]

If you say the Aria Air connects to the first bluetooth thingy it can find, how many bluetooth thingys are there between your scale and your phone in your bathroom when you weight yourself?

Aside, fairly certain no mod is going to be drawn into a discussion of the relative value of any Fitbit product.  My thoughts: Aria Air certainly does seem overpriced for what it does.  My guess, only a guess with nothing to go on, since fitbit dropped Aria and aria 2 that measured body fat, they realized scales were not their core business, other companies were doing it at lower prices and perhaps better, and there were too many problems trying to deal with upgrades in wifi compatibility, but some people wanted to stick with all-fitbit hardware so Fitbit kept a bluetooth fitbit scale.

But there are many scales of other brands lower-priced scales that advertise that they sync with fitbit.  Somewhat similar to there being many third-party replacement wrist bands at much lower prices that the original Fitbit ones.  And all seem to be coexisting nicely.

[Rich_Laue]

The Aira Air was released in response to the users request to have a scale that syncs through Bluetooth.. 

If I remember correctly, the fitbit app needs to. Open on the phone for the scale to sync. 

I've also moved this post to the Aira Board

[GrahamTheHat]

@JohnnyRow  good point regarding finding the first bluetooth item found - beats me too, but was only "stab in the dark" explanation I could find. Regarding how many devices -  precisely none BUT as I said, paper thin walls (or at least non-signal blocking walls) means I'm picking up devices from next door (the Samsung TV in her bedroom I get, the Echo in the bathroom not so sure of - the houses in the terrace all follow the same box pattern just in case you're wondering how I know what my neighbour has going on lol)

Seems to be some sort of lag between my phone recognising the scales bluetooth presence (and hence meaning the app gets to see it) and the scales either stopping their "broadcast" (or perhaps getting locked into a "conversation" with a nearby device that isn't my phone, so the scales are looking for a response from a bluetooth receiver that isn't running the FitBit app so can't reply, and as the scales are waiting for a reply that will never come they aren't listening out for my phone app).

Went round and round in circles on this one, so as I mentioned a bit of a "stab in the dark" and without being able to become a man-in-the-middle I can't do any other form of troubleshooting.

Regarding the other comments, yup - I think you're bang on. Case of "buyer beware" then on my part, and indeed it was a case of wanting to stick with all FitBit hardware that led me down my purchase route. Regarding other devices I will look there now but being new to this whole fitness tracking thing I did think that own brand products would play together best, hence my angst around the connectivity - if FitBit are going to keep a bluetooth scale I personally think they could do better with their connection code - as I said, the tracker I have (Charge 5) displayed a pairing code that I had to enter when linking to my phone first time, so I would ask they may look at that for their next product release if there is going to be one.

Thanks for comments, all welcomed

[GrahamTheHat]

Thanks @Rich_Laue , I'm a newbie on the community as well, so did wonder how to move the post to a more appropriate place - my bad and any pointers to that effect most welcomed.

App is always opened on phone when I've been trying as learnt that pretty early on.

Thanks again for taking the time to reply,

[JohnnyRow]

@GrahamTheHat  If you bought it fairly recently from a certified dealer, you should be able to return it.  If you search on Amazon for "Fitbit compatible smart scale" or anything similar you will find many choices, or even add wifi to the search. Many of those scales include body fat % measurement via bioelectrical impedance or some similar term I forget offhand.  Many also claim to measure many other things but I have doubts if they really can measure any more, but perhaps.  And, as you might have seen, many of their prices compare to the Aria Air.