Blaze Firmware Update - 17.8.200.3 [Closed]

[AndrewFitbit]

Update 5/6/16:

Hey all,

I've been keeping a close eye on this thread, and I wanted to give a quick update.

For reports of Blaze steps and/or distance being inaccurate, I think this is definitely something worth looking into. I've passed on all the feedback to our team so they can investigate. As a friendly reminder, remember that accuracy depends on many factors.

Here's a couple things being worked on:

• Excess Calendar Notifications
• 'Auto' brightness setting is too dim or adjusts slowly

For 'Auto' setting being too dim, you can switch to 'Normal' as a workaround in the meantime. Please note switching to 'Normal' will have a slight impact on battery life.

I'll provide updates when I can. Thanks everyone. 🙂

Update 4/27/16:

The firmware update should now be available to everyone. Update your Blaze and let me know how it goes! You can read the release notes for version 17.8.200.3 in the lead post or check them out on our help site. 🙂

Update 4/23/16:

Sorry for the wait, here's the release notes!

"The Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages are now available on Blaze. Note that Blaze is only available for pre-order from fitbit.com in China, Japan, and Korea.

This release also resolves a couple issues:

• Some customers were unable to resume a paused FitStar workout.
• Some customers reported problems with the Blaze screen (display)."

You can find these release notes for this update (17.8.200.3) on our help site.

4/21/16:

Hey everybody,

Some of you may have noticed there's a new firmware update for Blaze! We just started pushing this update out yesterday, and just like any other update, we'll be rolling it out in waves. This update focuses on a few bug fixes. Release notes will be posted here soon.

Thanks!

[Incuchris]

"Release notes will be posted here soon."

I guess "soon" is a relative term, eh?

[JoAus]

Since this update my Fitbit blaze is not automatically detecting exercise with smart track. Looks like you fixed some bugs and caused some others. I don't want to manually log my exercise as it adjusts calories and active minutes so how can I get this rectified?

[AndrewFitbit]

Update 4/23/16:

Sorry for the wait, here's the release notes!

"The Simplified Chinese, Japanese, and Korean languages are now available on Blaze. Note that Blaze is only available for pre-order from fitbit.com in China, Japan, and Korea.

This release also resolves a couple issues:

• Some customers were unable to resume a paused FitStar workout.
• Some customers reported problems with the Blaze screen (display)."

You can find these release notes for this update (17.8.200.3) on our help site.

[meresydotes]

When will I be able to sync my blaze with my PC? Before I got it, I saw on the forums that any of my many bluetooth dongles would work. Background sync sometimes works, but I can never force a sync. When I complained about not being able to use the dongle, I was told I would be able to sync with the charging cradle. This does not work. When I complained about this, I was told it would be fixed very soon in an upcoming application/ firmware update (not clear which).

I can sync with my phone, so it's not a HUGE deal, but I prefer to sync with my PC. Windows 7 home and professional 64 bit (2 different PCs). I've tried disabling bluetooth on my phone, and it doesn't help. Also uninstalled and reinstalled fitbit connect, moved the dongle to a different USB slot, and tried several different dongles.

***Note - this was also a problem with my charge HR***

[CMichelle]

Just did another test on this Blaze, comparing it to tracking on Endomondo app and as you can see, it is still way off.  If I walked 3 miles, steps should be close to 6,000 but Fitbit says I only took 3,144?? @AndrewFitbit, if you want to check out my dashboard, I will leave it up for a little bit before I delete and manually type in my workout.  Funny thing is, I believe the calorie burn is pretty darn close but I assume that calculates off the time of the workout and average heart rate throughout.  My new Blaze just arrived in the mail so I will be setting it up this afternoon.  Wish me luck that this one is more accurate!

[AndrewFitbit]

@CMichelle Hmm...is it only undercounting when you initiate a 'Walk' from your Blaze? Have you tried using MobileRun to see if you get the same results?

[CMichelle]

No, what is MobileRun and why would you use it as opposed to the Exercise functions on your Blaze, especially when it has GPS that connects when you choose Walk or Run?  Seems redundant. . .

[CMichelle]

Well, I think I give up.  I set up my brand new replacement Blaze and it STILL doesn't work.  Used the Walk Exercise and the MobileRun function in the Fitbit app and BOTH shorted me 20 steps for every 100, same as my old one did.  I rebooted the Blaze and tried it again, did 3 or 4 tests and did the same thing every time - 80 or 81 steps for every 100 I took.  What a waste - I can't believe a Fitbit cannot physically track steps accurately.  I might as well go back to my plain Jane Flex, at least it worked.

[Rich_Laue]

You mobile run stop does not count steps, that is the job of the Blaze.

Now If you where using the connected GPS and the mobile run, the step count for both comes from the Blaze.  How close where the miles? This is what the gps measures.

[meresydotes]

@CMichelleI know I've said this about 34975249078 times, but did you try setting elliptical in "SmartTrack" to "ignore?" It was night and day for me. I was having the same problem.

[CMichelle]

@meresydotes  Yes, it has been set to ignore this whole time.  I never use an elliptical machine.  Not sure what that would have to do with just walking around the house and only getting 80 steps for every 100 anyway.

[meresydotes]

@CMichelleI'm not sure what it would have to do with walking around the house, either, but it sure did for me. Worth trying, right?

[CMichelle]

Wished it fixed mine but no such luck!  

Any other little tricks, tips or settings I need to do to get this thing to work right? Don't have time to call Customer Service tonight - going to have to wait until tomorrow.

[Rich_Laue]

I'm not sure what kind of walking your doing around the house, If it is a few steps, pause, a few more, pause. Your Fitbit wants to see 5 consecutive steps before giving you credit.  If your doing things while walking it could be that the arms are not properly moving for steps to be counted.  I have a job at work that both arms are moving as I walk about 5,000, but the arms are not moving correctly most of the time and I'm lucky I'd I see 1,000. Then later in the night I'm not walking, but my arms are moving and I get most of those steps back..

Is this a problem? No it is the limitation of having a device mounted to the arm, it therefore it is only able to monitor arm motions. 

Go for a walk outside, let your arms move naturally, and manually count the steps and compare.

[AndrewFitbit]

@CMichelle If you haven't already, how about changing your 'Dominant Hand' settings, or switching which wrist you wear it on?

[CMichelle]

@Rich_Laue  I have done all kinds of testing - 100 steps in a row down the sidewalk outside, around my house, etc.  That was the same testing the Fitbit Customer Service had me do as well to test accuracy and said if it wasn't within 95%, then they consider it defective.  

@AndrewFitbit  Right now, I wear it on my left wrist since I'm right handed and have it set to non-dominant hand.  If I moved the setting to dominant hand, wouldn't it give me LESS steps instead of more since it tries to compensate for hand movement on your dominant hand?  I could always try to change it and see if it does give me more or less, I guess.  I would never wear a watch on my right wrist so don't really want to have to move it there.

At least my notifications are working now. . .

[Rich_Laue]

@CMichelle as you started the dominate non-dominate setting is to help filter out false steps, not used on counting valid steps.

When I first got am an arm unit, I added it to a second account so that I could compare it to the Fitbit One. I compared it for 4 weeks, two weeks on the One arm and two on the other. One week odd each on dominate and one week odd each on non-dominate.

[Incuchris]

So, the firmware update didn't really change much. I was hoping the notification/reminder to move (the one alta has) would be included. Still experiencing inaccuracies, which is frustrating. My charge hr was very accurate..guess I should have read reviews before "upgrading" to the blaze.

[meresydotes]

@Incuchris@CMichelleSo youall made me paranoid and I decided to count steps again, which I haven't done in a while (note: I haven't gotten the update yet - it took like 2 weeks for me to get the last one). 100 steps came out to 77, 200 was about 171. Then, when I walked 100 with my hand on my leg like I do on the treadmill, it was 100 exactly.

I can see how a wrist-worn tracker might have problems counting steps as accurately as one worn on the hip, but standard steps with a regular swinging arm shouldn't be a problem.

I know that it does take a few steps to get it to start counting. It will never count what I call puttering steps. But now I'm annoyed!

Update: Phew! I restarted my blaze and the step count for 100 steps went up to 89. Given that I was marching around my house and turning lots of corners to avoid walls and furniture, this is at least in the acceptable range.

Plus, I will say that fitbits have always been consistent. That's the one thing that really got me with the elliptical thing - my fitbit was suddenly inconsistent.

[Rich_Laue]

The OP has been updated to include the release notes.