Blaze Stopwatch Splits and Timer Repeat

[mcmurv]

The stopwatch on the Blaze should have a split capability.  The Timer should have the ability to repeat or stop after a timer.  

These basic features are essential to any crossfit workout.  The essence of this is that one could do any time of work and then repeat without having to reset the timer.  

[FerdinandFitbit]

Hi there @mcmurv. Good to see you in the Community!

I think that many users have found the Timer and Count Down features very helpful but I agree with you in the sense that giving these two the capability of restarting will help in exercises where you want to repeat times. You can take a look at the Feature Request board to see if there is a similar existing request you can vote for or you can also create your own if it doesn't exist so that others can vote for it. The more votes it gets, the more chances it gets reviewed by our team.

If you need anything else, let me know and I'll be glad to help! 🙂

[11butterscotch]

As OP said, split and repeat are extremely basic stopwatch functions to assist many fitness routines, simply unfathomable why these are not included in every/any device positioned towards fitness activities. These should not have to be voted on they should have been baked into the product roadmap from the outset.

[mcmurv]

Amen!

[Rich_Laue]

I guess it comes down to yhe origanal feature request for a Stopwatch, did not mention a need for splits.  So if nobody requested the ability to do splits, Fitbit might not have thought of it.

As i aee it the Stopwatch works as requested 

[FelixFive]

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@Rich_Laue wrote:

... Fitbit might not have thought of it.

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As the "leader" in activity wearables with a "fitness first approach", Fitbit should have thought about it. And included it. Period. If Fitbit's roadmap is entirely based on user suggestion, then I would like to be paid for my contribution to product development. But with 50 some odd PhD's on board, I would like to presume that part of the price I pay for an expensive fitness activity device includes the vendor's ability to proactively determine these needs. Rich, you post a lot, and you are part of the Fitbit Community Council contributors, but it's a bit tiring when half your posts seem to be as an apologist.  Stating "as I see it the stopwatch works as requested" really misses the point as well as the consternation of users and comes across as a bit insolent at times. FYI.

[Rich_Laue]

as i stated, there was a request for several months for a Stopwatch and a Countdown timer. There was no requist for split times. This would then be perceived that split times being an unwanted feature. 

I'm not arguing I'm simply stating a fact.

[11butterscotch]

FY2015: 21M devices sold leading to18M newly registered devices of which 13M were purportedly still active at year end. The Feature Request Board has a few requests with over 1k+ votes, another group of requests in the several hundred votes range, and the bulk of requests with under 100 votes. Stopwatch received around 350 votes or so, splits had a few scattered requests and vote.

Kudos. You're right. And I'm sure the stopwatch functions as a stopwatch should: start, pause/stop, reset.

Unfortunately, your interjections often have only tangential bearing on the original point. Who cares if stopwatch had more votes than splits? These are both basic, very very basic, features of digital activity devices for a long time. Look on the stopwatch thread and you'll find comments showing incredulity that digital watch functionality doesn't include a stopwatch, forget about the 'activity' functionality one guy simply needed to time the grilling of his steak.

All the feature request votes in total for everything nominated appear to represent only a couple hundredths of 1% of FY15 registered devices, the stopwatch representing two thousandths of 1%, yet *five million* users stopped using their device by end of year, certainly not just because there weren't splits of course but even if one hundredth of 1% of those 5M users did that would be 5000 users otherwise retained and untold others significantly happier not to mention enticing those who otherwise did not purchase.

[bbarrera]

@11butterscotch completely agree with you regarding feature request board. When Surge was announced, Fitbit immediately ran ads in Bicycling magazine, before the Surge shipped to first customer. And customers and reviewers were shocked that it didn't have a bike mode. Yet my friend Rich likes to tell the tale that the feature request board was responsible for bike mode being added 4 months after Surge started shipping. I think its pretty obvious bike mode wasn't ready at launch, was on the roadmap, and was released when it was "ready" (bike mode required more tweaks over 2015, is better now but HR still flaky).

The reality is that the Blaze has a product manager, and that person is responsible for making the call on features. Having been in that role many times in my career, I sincerely doubt they pay much attention to the feature request board. From where I sit, Fitbit product managers have a clear view of competition, Fitbit target customer, and roadmap. Fitbit has consistently demonstrated they are targeting folks that know they should exercise more, and need 'peer pressure' (step challenges, hitting goals in app) for motivation. As a result, all features are implemented in simple manner, for example if you are a runner then compare Surge/Blaze running features to competition and its obvious a lot is missing. Therefore the stopwatch is consistent with how Fitbit rolls - stopwatch wasn't on Surge at launch, and conspicous by its absence, eventually Fitbit delivered something basic and necessary. From Fitbit point-of-view that satisifies basic need (check in the box) and keeps engineering resources focused on delivering next generation trackers.

[11butterscotch]

This is too bad, from a Mod on a different thread from mid-Feb: "My guess for the exclusion of interval training would be that it wouldn't make it to one of our Active Fitness watch [the Bkaze], but rather a Performance Fitness tracker" which very likely means capability to track splits won't make it either. Mod quickly followed up stating no intention to imply new "performance" product on the horizon. Frustrating given that Surge is getting long in the tooth with many usability/design/performance issues that some people experience.

I did read on Glassdoor a comment from a departing 3+yr lead mechanical engineer that Fitbit has "no defined development process". Concerning but may explain a lot from someone who presumably knows...

[MBarsic]

As stated... This is a basic stopwatch function.  I have a $5.00 Ironman Wal-Mart watch that can record up to 75 lap times at once.  Open up any basic clock app on your phone and you have the ability to START, STOP, or LAP.  This is not a new concept, and it should not be something people should have to request or vote on.  This is a giant software engineering FAILURE.  

As a running coach, I record the split/lap times of up to 60 kids at once in a single event.  All with my $5.00 watch.  I also use it to record the individual split/lap times of a number of runners during a relay event.  I use it myself to record my mile split times when I train for marathons.  (Sure I could use the GPS pairing function to monitor mileage, but I am not comfortable running with my phone.)  I see that in the RUN EXCERCISE feature you can record your splits... but this is not a true split.  They are using the term incorrectly.  You are alerted if you reach your split, but it should be called "goals."  

I know that I would benifit from a split/lap feature, but I also know that thousands upon thousands of other people/runners/coaches would as well.  Sadly... I am going to HAVE TO stick with my $5 watch for training. 😞

[cavanaughrunsci]

The Blaze needs a split timer/lap timer for coaching track! Even a simple watch has this feature. Please create an update for this elementary function. Thank you

[Bhumble]

I agree!  Fitbit, if you are listening.  I'm buying a Garmin 235 based purely on the fact that you can't seem to add a simple feature that is extremely important.

[MarreFitbit]

Hey my friends @MBarsic @cavanaughrunsci @Bhumble, hope everything is going great ! 

Thank you for your suggestion. We're constantly striving to improve Fitbit products and services, and we very much appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. The best place to make your voice heard is the Ideas board on our community as my friend @FerdinandFitbit has mentioned above, which our product development teas consult regularly to ensure we're delivering on what our customers need and want. Please take a moment to visit and give us your feedback. 

If you find that a similar suggestion has already been made by another member of the community, you can vote for their idea and add your comments (I couldn't find anything yet). Our product team looks forward to reading and incorporating your suggestions into future versions of Fitbit trackers and apps. 

Thank you so much for your feedback and for participating in our community! Have a nice start of the week! 

P.S: Share with us the link for the feature request ! 

[techniclean]

No respect at all for recording or tracking intense speed workouts on the track..or anything less than 1/2 mile distance..

[techniclean]

evidently the fitbit software engineers do not run..

[techniclean]

thumbs down...

[aceacharya]

Heres the feature suggestion. Everyone please vote!

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Split-Lap-Button-for-Blaze-Stopwatch/idi-p/20017...