Few issues / points for discussion or assistance.

[MercuFree]

Ok so I have had my Blaze since April of this year. I'm totally into it and in the main think it is an awesome product. I talk it up to friends and family and have helped 3 other people purchases Fitbit products. So when I say this I'm not just degrading the product but there are issues:

1. Recently, and possibly since the new software update, my Blaze battery life has halved. It was doing 4-5 days routinely, but now, after a solid, fully green charge, it is last only 2 days and then dying.

2. When the Blaze is shut off, the clock stops working. Previously this wasn't an issue and if I wanted to shut off the blaze to save battery life, I could just turn it on and the time was correct. Now it requires a full sync cycle to get back on track. Not sure if this is after the update but it is annoying.

3. I know that this has been brought up but I want to upgrade to the full gunmetal band, and yet can't do this! I think it would result in alot of sales if Fitbit offered this to early buyers of the blaze at a reduced or lesser price, and certainly shoot up PR of the product.

4. Step counting has become an issue and whereas it started off being approx 95-98% accurate (I personally tested), it is now only 80% and I often get steps added in the car, or sometimes while sitting at my desk.

5. Pulse is also an issue and seems to be a bit more faulty. I've cross checked it and found it to be less accurate now than it was.

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These are some recent issues. Overall, I think the Blaze rocks but it's longetivity continuance is a concern if these points (and others) don't get resolved. I take good care of mine, don't bash it, keep it clean, don't let it overcharge, etc. and still am running into faults which could result in the product being a problem or not useful within a few months with how it's going. Any watch should have a much longer life and warranty, so this should be addressed.

I hope this helps in clarifying some key points and totally willing to be directed to anything that might resolve the above (note i've tried various things).

Thanks! 

[bbarrera]

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@MercuFree wrote:

2. When the Blaze is shut off, the clock stops working. Previously this wasn't an issue and if I wanted to shut off the blaze to save battery life, I could just turn it on and the time was correct. Now it requires a full sync cycle to get back on track. Not sure if this is after the update but it is annoying. 

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Introduced in Sept 2016 (8.301.4) firmware update:

http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1176/

And at least one Fitbit moderator has stated this was intentional to fix a bug. Strangely, only the Blaze requires a sync after a shutdown or battery completely drains. Sounds to me like the Blaze firmware has a bug, and the user is forced to workaround by syncing.

[Driver8666]

@MercuFree

1. Not on mine. I still get the full 5 days that the Blaze says it does. Sometimes pushed to 6, but without a percentage indicator on the Today Screen, when it says low, you can bet I'm charging it as soon as I can. This is at the 5 day mark. If there was a percentage indicator (which I have made a request that they put this on the Today screen) I could calculate at what point will the Blaze need a charge. I can push a low battery warning on my Xbox One for about maybe 5-30 more minutes depending on how much of a pounding the controller is taking. But then again I have 3 controllers for the thing. One of which is Bluetooth and restricted to my computer. One dies, that's fine, grab the other and keep on going. I get 2 weeks out of the battery on that. All of them are equipped with rechargable batteries. 

2. Do not do this. There is no anedotal evidence to suggest that turning it off saves on the battery. The root cause of the clock problem from what I've read can be traced directly back to this. Remember the game Interstate 76? Never get out of the car? Never shut the Blaze off. It's not needed. Leave it on, and you won't run into that problem at all. People need to stop shutting off the tracker. Let it do what it's supposed to do. This method will completely eliminate the people complaining that the clock is off because they shut the tracker off. 

3. They should make that a separate item altogether aside from the full product (Band and watch together). 

4 and 5. This is not an issue on my watch.

Overcharging shoudn't be an issue. 

[MercuFree]

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@Driver8666 wrote:

@MercuFree

1. Not on mine. I still get the full 5 days that the Blaze says it does. Sometimes pushed to 6, but without a percentage indicator on the Today Screen, when it says low, you can bet I'm charging it as soon as I can. This is at the 5 day mark. If there was a percentage indicator (which I have made a request that they put this on the Today screen) I could calculate at what point will the Blaze need a charge. I can push a low battery warning on my Xbox One for about maybe 5-30 more minutes depending on how much of a pounding the controller is taking. But then again I have 3 controllers for the thing. One of which is Bluetooth and restricted to my computer. One dies, that's fine, grab the other and keep on going. I get 2 weeks out of the battery on that. All of them are equipped with rechargable batteries. 

2. Do not do this. There is no anedotal evidence to suggest that turning it off saves on the battery. The root cause of the clock problem from what I've read can be traced directly back to this. Remember the game Interstate 76? Never get out of the car? Never shut the Blaze off. It's not needed. Leave it on, and you won't run into that problem at all. People need to stop shutting off the tracker. Let it do what it's supposed to do. This method will completely eliminate the people complaining that the clock is off because they shut the tracker off. 

3. They should make that a separate item altogether aside from the full product (Band and watch together). 

4 and 5. This is not an issue on my watch.

Overcharging shoudn't be an issue. 

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@Driver8666

Thanks for your input, and while appreciated it doesn't totally solve my problems. My Blaze battery life depltes faster, the fact that your's doesn't is excellent for you but doesn't resolve my issue.

On the turning it off, unfortunately I can't say the same. I have taken it off my wrist to sleep (as sometimes I prefer to sleep without it on) only to find it dead, with no remaining battery life the following morning. Whereas when I turn it off, the battery life is saved and so on.

Agreed on point 3. Any input from a moderator on if this is moving forward or not? Does fitbit plan to sell these separately?

Any further points of input on the steps and hearbeat modifications or ways to improve this?

Thank you.

[Rich_Laue]

Lithium batteries in general work best if they are charyed to 80% and never get below 30%, of cours with Fitbit it would only report a medium charge..

[Driver8666]

@Rich_Laue

This is why I suggested that like our phones, they include a percentage indicator on the Today screen. It does make sense. 

@MercuFree

I sleep with it on. Nothing happens. My watch will be charged however tommorow night even though it could last another 4 days. I'm on vacation so my normal routines on my watch and app are shut off, and a sync will probably happen sometime Thursday afternoon. After that I won't by syncing for a bit, maybe once every 4 days or possibly 5. 

As far as steps are concerned, have that set to auto. So is the heart rate monitor.