Exercise voice cues

[SunsetRunner]

I just got the charge 2, Started a walk from the device itself, but I did not get my voice cues at all.
It tracked the map via GPS just fine and time and pace and all that but I never got any voice cues.

[MikeF]

Voice cues are available when using MobileRun on your phone.

Exercises run from a tracker don't support voice cues as the tracker doesn't have a speaker.

[SunsetRunner]

So first of all, it's not called MobileRun any more and hasn't for quite some time.  I don't mean to split hairs, but the Charge 2 is a new device and new users (who also may be reading this) won't know what you are talking about.  I only know because I've been a long time Fitbit user.

It's called "Exercise" or "Track Exercise".

And I know the tracker does not have a speaker.... HOWEVER... it does have connected GPS, so when you start a Connected GPS exercise, it is already "talking" to the app and the Exercise function, so one would assume that it should also respect any Exercise Voice Cues that have been set.

[MikeF]

Then one "assumes" incorrectly.

I can be pedantic too you know so, for what it's worth, it is still called MobileRun regardless of what the button is labelled 🙂

[SunsetRunner]

Ok whatever.  Thanks for the "help".  

And just to be clear... no where on my Fitbit App is it called MobileRun.  If I had been a new user, I would have had no idea what you were talking about.  

[HelenaFitbit]

Hey there you guys! Let's take it down a notch okay? Let's keep our Guidelines in mind when interacting in the forums and make sure to keep this place friendly and conversational. 

@SunsetRunner I'd like to mention this page. What @MikeF is making reference is that if a tracker does not include a GPS capture option (Zip, Flex, One) you can track a GPS run on your phone, or even track a run when you don't have a tracker; this is a feature that is known as MobileRun. 

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy stepping. 

[SunsetRunner]

@HelenaFitbit  You too are missing the point.  First, this is a Charge 2 post.  If you don't have those trackers, you would have NO WAY of knowing that it's called MobileRun.  I was trying to make sure the thread was easily understood by people coming here who have a Charge 2 and may also be new to Fitbit in general.

Second, I went to the app on my husband's phone, he only has a One.  Even there, no where does it say MobileRun.  

Since you all are so intent on insisting that it's still called MobileRun, and to put this argument to rest, please prove it.  Show me exactly where in the FitBit app it's called that.  Do not point me to a forum article.  Show me the steps to get to where I would see "MobileRun" in the FitBit app because I can't find that terminology anywhere regardless of the tracker except in the forums.  (I have the Charge 2, husband has a One, one daughter has a Charge HR, other daughter has a Flex).

[SunsetRunner]

@HelenaFitbit And just to be clear, I did read that article you pointed to.  But again, that's in the Help not in the app.  Honestly, this has always been a pet peeve of mine with Fitbit and the forums.  Calling it "MobileRun" in "Help" (and by others in the forums) when that terminology is NEVER used elsewhere is simply bad documenting.  I've been a computer programmer for 20 years, and you never, ever use your "internal lingo" in the official documentation unless that's what it is officially called.  And in this case, it's definitely not called that in the app.  Maybe it used to be, but it's not anymore.

[anthony185]

Helena, I agree with you 100%! My voice cues don't work and I have no idea what "MobileRun" is when reading this thread. I just got a Charge 2 (1st time using Fitbit) sync'd to an Iphone, and tracking my runs/excercise using the Fitbit Mobile App for Iphone.

I have voice cues turned on in the app, and have tried setting for different times, distances, etc -- I sync to my phone fine, GPS/course data is logged, but I get NO voice cues at all.  Ever  

[Rich_Laue]

@SunsetRunner and @anthony185, the first paragraph on the page@HelenaFitbit pointed to has a link to the mobile run setup instructions.

Basically this is when you use the Fitbit app, with the phones GPS to record the path walked. The app still will use the steps recorded from the tracker if it was being used. Without a tracker Fitbit will take an educated guess on the steps walked. 

As for choice cues while using the Charge 2 to record the run, since the Charge 2 doesn't have a speaker, this currently is impossible to implement.

[JuP]

I don't quite understand why everybody is pointing out that FitBit doesn't have a speaker when people are requesting voice clues when exercise tracking is started from FitBit itself. That's not relevant at all. Everything what need to be done is to send notification to app when I will start tracking (in same way as sync is dine) and app should do exactly same as when you start tracking exercise from it. Mean enable GPS tracking and enable voice clues.  How hard is that ? That's what thousands of people are requesting. If they give me access to their codebase I will implement it for them for free 😀.

[Boost01]

I agree... it really doesn't make sense that the Fitbit phone app can't give voice or screen notifications when starting a run from the accessory.

I have never actually used the phone app to initiate an exercise as it is just much easier to press the button on my watch, especially when I have other apps also tracking my runs.

[Rich_Laue]

Let us look at what happens when the start is pressed on the Charge 2.

The Charge 2 connects to the phonez GPS. The phone simply zends gps points to the Charge 2 which then saves them along with the rest of the information.  The app itself knows nothing about your run since. It is not involved in the actual recording. 

Now if i go to the Charge 2 settings i see under exercises, run, that there isn't an option for run cues like there is in the Blaze. So maybe we need to request run cues first. 

Now a note about the comunity forum of Fitbit users, this is where users ask users for help with their problems.  You may continue to discuss what you would like to see in the tracker, but remember that the conversation is basically between you with no assurance that a Fitbit developer will ever see it. We have a feaature request forum for such requests, do a search you will find that this has been suggested and waiting for votes

[Sdjhawker03]

Did you ever figure out how to get the voice cues to work from the phone if the exercise is started from the fitbit charge 2?

[Boost01]

you can't, only if the exercise is initiated from the phone.

[Rich_Laue]

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@Sdjhawker03 wrote:

Did you ever figure out how to get the voice cues to work from the phone if the exercise is started from the fitbit charge 2?

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When the tracker is recording the run, it is the tracker that does the recording. The app currently has very little to do with the process. In fact I don't even need the app to be running for the Charge 2 to record my run. 

[bigbert22]

I just upgraded from the Charge HR to the Charge 2 and agree 100% with this apparent shortcoming. Seems like there would be value to a lot of runners and walkers who like the voice cues they get when starting the exercise with the app but also want the stats to display on their Charge 2 during the run or walk (can only be done when initiating tracking with the device).  I typically use an armband for my phone when I run and just put it in my pocket when I walk.  Having to chose between getting voice cues or being able to see the stats is a negative.  If the Charge 2 can talk to the App to tell it to start sending GPS data, then I would think that somehow the device could send data back to the App once a milestone was reached to announce distance, elapsed time, pace and split time through the phone (speaker or headphones).  If they can work together for GPS tracking, they surely could potentially cooperate to accomplish voice cues.

[Rich_Laue]

Currently the Charge 2 doesnt tell the app to start sending the GPS points, since my Charge 2 is able to record my walk/run without the Fitbit app running.

Even if the app was running, the app would only be sending the gps points, the Charge 2 is doing the actual recording.  

I'm not saying that it cant be done, but will require a change in both the firmware and the apps. As for as we know, Fitbit developers don't say much about the future, they could be working on this, or not while we hash it out, instead of presenting our sales pitch as to why we want it.

[Rich_Laue]

Currently the Charge 2 doesnt tell the app to start sending the GPS points, since my Charge 2 is able to record my walk/run without the Fitbit app running.

Even if the app was running, the app would only be sending the gps points, the Charge 2 is doing the actual recording.  

I'm not saying that it cant be done, but will require a change in both the firmware and the apps. As for as we know, Fitbit developers don't say much about the future, they could be working on this, or not while we hash it out, instead of presenting our sales pitch as to why we want it.

Sonce we don't have access to the code, or know how it really works, we really can not say, "it's easy, just do this". There is a lot more needed to be changed tye s simply q or 2 lines of code.

[mc02671]

Dear Friends  

I have the same problem as it was reported at the beginning of this thread. 

The voice cue is not working when I track an exercise through phone.

To be more clear

I press the + button and I choose the "run" exercise.

Beneath I choose what  voice cues I want by hitting on the "cue types" line. A pop-up window is opened were you can check (check boxes) what voice cues you want. In the right side of thiw window there are some volume buttons that are not accessible(try hitting the with different ways).  According to the instructions I should control the volume of the voice cue, through these volume buttons.

Any help please?