Why does the Charge 2 not come with a USB dongle?

[MeanDean]

why in the hell does this not come with a dongle ? how frustrating to buy this product and begin to set it up ...only to find ..oh wait .....there is no dongle.?   wtf are you thinking .....so now how do i set it up ...this is my first purchase ..and with stupid thinking on fitbits part they don't ship all the hardware to set the watch up...?... this is so stupid ...i almost threw this piece of crap in garbage .....i would have if it didnt cost me 200 bucks ....Not happy .......

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Peejaydee]

CARS ????????????????

[joosama]

The fitbit Charge 2 doesn't sync with my Samsung Galaxy J5 (as yet) and so I had no choice but to set up with a PC - I don't want and never will want Windows 10 as there are hundreds of unnecessary apps running that I simple do not want on a laptop. I use Windows 7. I had to buy a dongle to set my phone up and felt the same grievance. 

I also now can't seem to set Bedtime reminders as I am not using Windows 10.

If you are going to make a device for a global market then you should have it link to all phones that are presently available and previous Windows versions - not everyone wants Windows 10

[eastcoastgal]

I feel the same . What a rip off. I just got mine only to find I have no dongle. And that is a crock of hooie on being able to set up on the windows 10. WTF? Can't you just include a dongle. This is not a positive experience to find you are missing something that should have been included aholes

[eastcoastgal]

You need to include the dongle for the amount you charge

[eastcoastgal]

very bad

I feel the same . What a rip off. I just got mine only to find I have no dongle. And that is a crock  on being able to set up on the windows 10.  Can't you just include a dongle. This is not a positive experience to find you are missing something that should have been included 

[Rich_Laue]

As suggested above @eastcoastgal and @joosama have you contacted Fitbit? This is about the best a Fitbit user can give you.

This board is where Fitbit users help out Fitbit users, unfortunately providing a dongle with the purchase is beyond the scope of the normal Fitbit user.

I will say that with most Win 10 machines and almost every Mac a dongle will bot be needed. Unfortunately Fitbit does not support,  at all, a real OS as in Linux.

[eastcoastgal]

you shouldn't sell something that does not have the basics for setting up. Its like sending a desk without screws to set up. Yes I am unhappy with the product and feel screwed

what were you thinking when you sell a product without the dongle? You can add that with a minimal increase in cost. Just saying. 

[Rich_Laue]

@eastcoastgal, you do realize that your not addressing any one from Fitbit that can make that decision. Yes im sure the Fitbit users are not the party that sold you the Fitbit. I know i had nothing to do with the sale.

As for what where they thinking? I gave a hint in my last post and it was explained in the first response on page 1 of the thread. You are more than welcome to read it for yourself.

[Peejaydee]

Yes my other half does not have bluetooth inbuilt on her computer
purchased a dongle which was quite expensive only to find out that it is
not the correct version then to add insult it did not state on the
packaging that it would not work on Windows 10 most people upgraded from
Win 7 etc to 10 so useless.Fit bit could have supplied one per request if
some people do not have Bluetooth

[PureEvil]

@joosamaand @eastcoastgal,

First, while Windows 10 does come with a number of apps installed (hardly hundreds though), you can uninstall the ones that are not essential, just right click on the tile and select uninstall (like this):

The ones remaining that you cannot uninstall are ones that are essential (like Mail, Maps, Calendar, Photos, etc.).  If you really think about it, it's not different than the modern smartphone; it's got essential apps for doing certain basic things and you can't uninstall them (can you uninstall the Mail app on your Samsung Galaxy?).

Second, you didn't have to buy a dongle.  If you read through this very thread, there are accounts of folks simply contacting customer service and getting a dongle:

"Call Customer Service directly.  I couldn't set it up on my older Mac, asked for a Dongle to be plugged in.  CS sent me a dongle, no charge, problem solved.  It probably would help to be nice and not yell at them, they don't make the policy.  The rep that helped me was great."

Third, while you're certainly welcome to run whatever you want, you can't really expect everyone else to continue to support your scenario indefinitely.  Let's put things in perspective...  Windows 7 (released in 2009) is as old as the iPhone 3GS.  Do you know anyone who is still running an iPhone 3GS?

Finally, including something in the box that only a small percentage of users will need, makes sense to some degree, but it also creates confusion...  If you don't believe me, you can read this thread, this thread, and this thread.  In fact, this is one of the comments:

"Im not really sure why they include it these days."

Just my 2¢.

[Damabelle]

While there are still functions that can only be performed on the computer like certain settings (sleep sensitivity), and printing.  I believe the dongle should still be included with the band, particularly considering the price and the one year warranty.  

Many older people or visually impaired people prefer to use a simple phone with tactile buttons not capable loading an app or syncing with the band, instead using the larger screen of a computer for accessing information.  

There are still a surprising amount of new low end desktops that do not have bluetooth, and many older desktops do not have the newer low energy bluetooth 4 required by the band to sync.  I know this device is not intended as a medical device, but there are a substantial number of people using the convenience of the information to help their doctors track aspects of their health (eg heart health of seniors, sleep information for insomnia and other sleep disorders).

Personally it was not a problem for me as I had compatible device, and a dongle from a previous broken band.

[PureEvil]

@Peejaydee,

"Fit bit could have supplied one per request if some people do not have Bluetooth"

Oh, you mean like this:

"Call Customer Service directly.  I couldn't set it up on my older Mac, asked for a Dongle to be plugged in.  CS sent me a dongle, no charge, problem solved.  It probably would help to be nice and not yell at them, they don't make the policy.  The rep that helped me was great."

Or this:

"I put my husband on the line and shortly thereafter, he was promised a complimentary dongle by mail."

Or this:

"I just spoke to customer service. They are excellent. They'll be shipping a dongle out."

[Rich_Laue]

@Damabelle the win 10 app is designed to work with all the Fitbit trackers. As for the dongle, Fitbit only makes one model, so it would be hard to buy the wrong one.

[Damabelle]

Sorry your reply really has nothing to do with mine.  I was saying a dongle should be included, and people should not have to buy one.  I realise that any fitbit dongle would work...  However, not any bluetooth dongle would.

Three things are needed in the computer to enable it to sync with a fitbit band.  The software, the hardware (the right kind of bluetooth adapter - at least version 4), and the driver for the bluetooth adapter installed.  

Just because a computer has windows 10 installed, or it is brand new does not mean you will be able to install the fitbit application and get it to sync.  Even a computer with windows 10 will not work if it does not the right type of bluetooth hardware installed, surprising, some new low end computers don't even have bluetooth.  

Also microsoft offered anyone who had windows 7 or above was a free upgrade to window 10 at the time it was released, which means there are a lot of older computers out there with windows 10 installed that will not work without a dongle.

[Julia_G]

@Damabelle, as the overwhelming majority of Fitbit users do not need or want a dongle, it would be a disgraceful waste of the earth's resources to ship an electronic device (even such a small one) that most people simply throw away or never use.

You are in a minortiy, and Fitbit is happy to cater for you, and other minority users -- just give them a call!  But that does not mean Fitbit's decision to stop supplying the dongles as standard with its newer trackers is wrong.  

It is a responsible, environmentally friendly decision which also helps keeps costs down for everyone.

[Rich_Laue]

@Damabelle your last paragraph about Microsoft clearly shows me that the response post by @PureEvil was not read. He clearly pointed links to a few of the many posts about people receiving a dongle for free by Fitbit. All they had to do was ask, did you ask?

[Damabelle]

...and you haven't read mine.  It is not a problem for me as I mentioned in my first post.  But there are people having to put a case to fitbit with a varying response, some being charged, most getting it free, many having to wait weeks to get it before they can use their device.  

[Rachel23]

Right. But mark the outside of the box so that people know they will need
to buy one if they need it. The tiny piece of paper with the website leaves
you searching for the dongle until you go through the set up and find out
there is no dongle included after searching the box again and again. The
instructions tell you insert the dongle in your laptop but fails to mention
there ISN'T ONE INCLUDED. We see "batteries not included" on all sorts of
packages, since the dongle is kind of important, put it on the box. It
will help with purchasing decisions.

Also, please don't talk about keeping costs down. Fitbit is known for
being grossly overpriced.

[Julia_G]

@Rachel23, that's a good suggestion -- although I am not sire that "dongle not included" woukd really make sense to most people.  Every Fitbit does have information that says "what's in the box".

The most important consideration is that sending out dongles to people who throw them away is very environmentally unfriendly, but, of course, cost is an issue.  Whether or not you think Fitbits are overpriced, they would probably cost even more if the company routinely included a device that the vast majority of its customers never used -- that's just a waste of everyone's money as well as a waste of the earht's resources.

The responsible, cost effective, thing to do, if you are in the small minority of users who still want / need the dongle, is to make a simple phone call to Customer Support...

[Damabelle]

Yes... I totally agree.  There isn't a clue from the outside that you may be missing a crucial piece of equipment. Particularly if you are buying as a gift for someone who will be needing to use their computer to use.  Fitbit do not wear well at all, and are expensive for the time they last.  For me locally, the dongles are not available in stores either.