Blaze Firmware Release - 17.8.301.8

[AndrewFitbit]

Firmware version 17.8.301.8 - Resolves a syncing issue with Apple iOS version 10.2

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Workout mode missing? Not a problem! Just follow the steps for adding it back. 

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 Hey everyone! 

We're rolling out a new update for Blaze, release notes below: 

• In addition to call, text, and calendar event notifications, you can receive notifications from email and other third-party apps on your tracker.Common emojis also appear. Keep in mind all notifications currently on your tracker will be deleted after the update.
• You can receive reminders to move throughout the day.
• Five new clock faces are available. Navigate to your device settings and check them out!

This release also resolves the following issue:

• Some users reported that auto-brightness was too dim or delayed.

Important to note: A sync is required after a manual shutdown or a battery drain in order to show the correct time on Blaze. This is especially important for your activity tracked by Blaze because you'll want to make sure it's associated with the current date and time.

[El_Conquistador]

No my use really hasn't changed.  I selected a new clock face, synced and have been using it just like I did before.  I almost included that in my original post, but I tend to get chatty so I left that out.  Also, that wouldn't explain the battery not showing the correct status during charging.  I appreciate your suggestion though.  

[Ottawa_Stepper]

Was worth a shot! I can't be the ONLY one that has to play excessively with new features, RIGHT??? 🙂

[El_Conquistador]

That's right! I'm sure you're not alone!

[MOBile2D]

My Blaze was working perfectly but since I updated it to the latest firmware, it's been quite a nightmare :

- Battery drains 2x faster

- It freezes a few times a day, I have to manually reset it (by holding left + bottom right buttons)

- Sometimes it will stop syncing, manual reset "fixes" the problem

- Sometimes it will not charge at all, manual reset "fixes" the problem

My usage is still the same as before except that I'm using a few 3rd party notifications (nothing crazy but I do receive lots of emails daily).

So all in all, I love the new features but the reliability is very problematic. 

@AndrewFitbit is there a patch update to be released soon? 

[Cybdiver]

I must be weird I'm not having any problems

[Rich_Laue]

@mbimes read the top post of this tgread, it will explain why your time is off. 

As for this new formware, and I'm running the beta spp, I have not had to restart the phone or a tracker. 

My thought for those having problems, try setting your Blaze up as a new replacement device to your blaze. 

[Soldiergirl]

I've had the exact same problems since the latest update. After several
days troubleshooting with tech support, they are sending me a new blaze.
They were able to see the battery stats on their end and realized it was an
issue. They also opened up a ticket for the 3rd party app notifications
problem. Good luck.

--
Abiding in Him,
Tiff
Gal: 6:17

[Maripandy]

I got the notification last night to update. It took all night and now my blaze is all out of whack. There are no letters or numbers; as in no time, no notifications, not even "exercise" on the screen with the outline of someone running.

I contacted tech support and after over an hour of trying several things, their "solution" was to contact their software engineers to fix the problem... no estimated time on when this will be so meanwhile I have a $200 useless device and no other way of tracking my exercise.

Thanks Fitbit.... now I really regret giving up my Apple Watch for this crappy device. Guess I'm buying the Apple Watch again

[Kotli]

@Ottawa_Stepper @El_Conquistador

The "Quick View" in settings , if that was left to off may help with battery drain.

[benphonez3]

Just adding a post to note my annoyance about the Blaze needing to sync to be able to tell the correct time.  It really is a complete PITA.

I do wonder how all of those young cool kids in your adverts doing crazy things out in the mountains manage to track their steps/HR/activities, as the watch won't sync unless you have a phone signal.  Hope they didn't camp the night before and turn their watch to save battery...!

On a slightly more mundane level, imagine the frustration after you've been walking your dog for a couple of hours in the woods and realise that a) you did remember to put your watch on, b) you did remember to turn it on (because turning itself on when you pick it up would be too complicated presumably?), c) realise that it doesn't sync automatically when you turned it on d) it is aparently 23:27 yesterday and not 13:46 today e) all of your steps have been tracked on yesterday f) you can't sync with your phone as there is no signal.

ARRGGHHHHH!!!!  Why?!  My Casio off of 1985 manages to remember what day it is, how come this apparently smart watch can't?!

[SunsetRunner]

I have manually synced my Blaze all week and since Monday the Blaze has been 1 hour behind my phone. I've gone as far as a complete reinstall of the app and a new setup of the device and still no proper sync. Never had this issue until this week, after i appplied the update last weekend.

Goodman

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@AndrewFitbit wrote:

9/27 Update:

Firmware version 17.8.301.7 should now be available to everyone, latest release notes below:

"This release includes new features and fixes from the previous release in addition to improvements to the notifications service."

Important to note: A sync is required after a manual shutdown or a battery drain in order to show the correct time on Blaze. This is especially important for your activity tracked by Blaze because you'll want to make sure it's associated with the current date and time.

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[jjohnsonj]

Need help. I updated to the new firmware yesterday and now my blaze wil not sync...it says "looking".  I have the Iphone 7 and it worked great up until I installed this update. I reset my iphone 7 network settings,
"forgot the device on bluetooth" and then rediscovered it....still no luck. Frustrated.

[Mrsjaybob]

I have a brand new Blaze - got it yesterday!  Running firmware 17.8.301.7

I have no movement reminders

I have no "celebration" when I reach my primary goal

I rarely get notifications of phone calls and once in a while I get text notifications.  

So far - I love the Charge 2 - jury is still out on the Blaze

[Jenn15]

Me neither!!! 😃

[12HourWalker]

I got my update on 10/4/2016. It went smooth enough though I had to turn things off and on and visit the app, the website and resync all 3. The thing is, I was in the middle of a support issue where the Blaze refused to connect bluetooth music control for ALL Motorola Droid Turbo 2 users via Blaze(Classic) pairing. The good news is this update fixed that issue. All Turbo 2 users should update and try pairing again. Be warned that this will take several tries including shutting off ALL other bluetooth devices and pairing only your phone first. My Motorola Roadster was interrupting the sync process from clear out in the driveway.

[JordynHope]

Since the update I've been having issues with my time syncing correctly. My watch says the right time, but for instance when I slept from 9am-2pm today (I work nights) on my Fitbit app it says I slept from 9pm-2am. My steps also reset while I was asleep as if midnight had passed and it was a new day. Anyone else having this issue?!!

[Goosse1962]

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@jmattwood wrote:

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As far as I'm aware, the Blaze doesn't use GPS at all to calculate distance; it uses stride length multiplied by steps to calculate it. Certainly does that for a walk. 

Sent from my BlackBerry — the most secure mobile device

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You might be correct. With GPS available, I repeatedly get the same distence on a known path. without the GPS I had a significantly lower distence. I haven't checked the Blaze documentation. The Surge documents indicated that it used GPS for improved distence accuracey.

Have a Terrific day!

[12HourWalker]

The Blaze tracker doesn't have any internal GPS but it does have a bluetooth connection to your phone that allows it to use the phone's GPS to track walk's and run's distance. You will get a more accurate distance and if you use it's step count and the GPS distance you can calculate your stride length. You can then put your accurate stride length into your account profile and you will get a more accurate distance when using the tracker's step count alone. STRIDE Length =  MilesX5280X12/Stepcount (5280 feet in a mile,12 inches in a foot) this will give you inches per stride.

[blans]

Why would you think that requiring a sync in order for the time to be correct be a good idea? It worked perfectly before. When I turned on my tracker in the morning, I knew the correct time. Now I have open the app which I rarely used (because I had no reason to since my data is on the tracker) to get my time correct. What about the person that wakes up and goes out to workout without wanting to grab their phone and they can't use their watch? This seems to be a really bad idea, It wasn't broke...why did you fix it?

[benphonez3]

Thought I'd go for a run this morning.  Didn't charge my phone last night, so the perfect opportunity to switch it off and charge it whilst I'm out.

Watch on, warmed up off I set, look at watch to start activity.  BUT WAIT, IT'S STILL YESTERDAY!!!  Of course it is!  So I have to stop, run back to the house, go to the kitchen, switch on phone, wait for phone to start, wait for app to open, wait for watch to sync, turn off phone, put it on charge, go for run.  Every second of those four minutes was spent seething with the hatred I have for Fitbit and this latest firmware update.

I do hope that what I presume is your 'evil' wanting to know where I am when I turn my watch on so you can sell the data to other people, is worth putting your customers through this.