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

[JNL767]

I did click the three dots at the top right corner to see if I could edit my posts but there was no edit option there.

Naw, Windows 7 security isn't an issue, it's not as bad as Microsoft claims. That's right it's Microsoft themselves saying Windows 7 isn't secure. Why? They want everyone using it to buy an upgrade to Windows 10. Windows 7 isn't any worse than 10, MS just wants a billion computers running 10 by 2020 so they can beat some kind of record. Disinformation at it's finest.

Moderator edit: merged posts

[PureEvil]

@JNL767,

A few observations from your posts:

"That $23 dongle probably cost $1.50 to make." They charge $7 for the dongle, and I bet if you contacted support and mentioned that you're still Windows 7, they'd send you one.  So either $7 or $0.  They have for other folks here in the forums.

"Naw, Windows 7 security isn't an issue, it's not as bad as Microsoft claims. That's right it's Microsoft themselves saying Windows 7 isn't secure."

I think that Windows 7 was secure at the time that it was released (2009) and even while it was maintained.  Sadly, as far as security is concerned, there are folks who are building a better mousetrap and others who are building a better mouse.  There are annual conferences dedicated to computer security (search for 'bluehat' and 'blackhat'); it's a fast moving world.  Think about it, when did you first hear of ransomware?  Was it in 2009?

What it boils down to is that it cost money in engineering effort to keep this software secure, testing patches, deploying fixes, et cetera.  For instance, let's say that you own two homes outright (mortgage is paid off on both), you don't have any more expenses, right?  Oh, except for property taxes, utilities, and other general maintenance.

"Why? They want everyone using it to buy an upgrade to Windows 10." (emphasis mine)

Really?  Why then would they give away the Windows 10 upgrade for free for all Windows 7 users.  Granted you didn't take the free upgrade (and I imagine you'd have to pay for it now), but the characterization that they're doing it to get everyone to buy that upgrade is disinformation.  Oh, the irony.

Just my 2¢.

[Julia_G]

@PureEvil, hear! hear!

[Rich_Laue]

I still have the floppies for Dos 6.0, the 6.1 update .Win 3.1 and the Win 3.11 update. I'll even throw in Word .

I wonder how long it will take with a total of 45 floppies .Since no one uses this OS anymore, it might be the safest. Who wants to write an exploit for Dos? 

[PureEvil]

@Rich_Laue,

The moment you suggested this (exploit for Dos), it occurred to me that you could write a TSR that hooked DOS int13h interface for file reads and writes and effectively do a man-in-the-middle attack.  You'd have to set the processor flags appropriately on return since that's typically the way errors are returned, but it'd work.

You could effectively do spyware that made a copy of every file to a hidden directory on the hard drive, even if it was written to floppy diskette and it was ejected.

Dang...  It just occurred to me that yes... I'm that geeky.  Thanks for a stroll down memory lane.

[Rich_Laue]

Years ago a coworker made a hidden directory on the companies pc, he used it to store games. 

6 months after he left the boss was asking me why it seemed that there was some missing free space? 

This was when a 1 gig drive was huge. 

[AlvaroFitbit]

@JNL767 its odd that you can't see the option to edit your response. Which browser are you using? Try Firefox or Chrome. Still as it has already been mentioned the dongle is 6.95 and it should work with your Windows 7 computer. About the OS it is up to you to keep it as long as it works for you.

@PureEvil @Rich_Laue loved your conversation, I am lost about the technicalities but it is great to see you posting this.

I'll be around!

[Rich_Laue]

@JNL767 tgistis what clicking on the three dots should look like. I'm no sure about IE., but there is nothing special here and I would not expect that their refusal to follow web standards be tyetcause of not seeing the edit entry. 

I do know of several sites, like Coursara, that can. It be used. IE. 

[JNL767]

Why did they give away free upgrades to win10 for free? I guess you didn't bother to read the part where I mentioned Microsofts bad and deceptive marketing that Win7 is "not secure" and about how Microsoft is just trying to get a billion users on win10 by 2020 without fixing the security issue in win10 that were previously present in win7. I'm sorry you believed that propaganda about how bad windows7 is.

[PureEvil]

@JNL767,

You also mentioned that they want people to "buy" the upgrade (your post):

Are those not your words?  Are you willing to concede that you were spreading disinformation about their wanting you to BUY the upgrade?  I think the words you're looking for are, "Yes, I was mistaken about that."

Let's say that you have two cars.  Car #1 you just had serviced and made sure all things like tires, brakes, etc. were in working condition.  Car #2 has been sitting on your driveway for the past two years without routine maintenance.  Yes, it starts and you'll drive it down to the convenience store and stuff when the other car is being used.  Which one are you more comfortable taking on a cross-country road trip?

Microsoft is simply not maintaining this version of Windows anymore.  You're right, there are no guarantees that Car #1 above will survive the trip any better than Car #2, much like there's nothing that will definitely say that your Windows 7 computer will get hit with a security issue, but it's all a question of exposure and odds.  As I pointed out before, when Windows 7 was released (2009), you didn't really hear of ransomware.  The sad fact is, because it is so profitable, hackers are finding more and more ways to exploit your computer...  If you your computer doesn't get updates to protect against new threads it is more vulnerable.

Most folks I know get flu shots.  All things being the same, they want to minimize the likelihood of getting the flu and the severity when they get it.  Keeping your computer maintained is no different.

I mentioned the two households and maintenance for a reason.  What's a viable way to lower your maintenance costs?  Get rid of one of those homes.  It'll lower your monthly costs by roughly 50%.

Between Windows 8, 8.1, and all the versions of 10, there are at least 9 different versions of Windows that they continue to maintain.  If they included Windows 7, it would drive up their maintenance costs by 11% (1/9).  Do you want to pay an additional 11% for anything?

So to sum it up:

• You had the option to take the free Windows 10 upgrade.
• You elected not to take it.
• Like any other piece of software, the company eventually stops maintaining it, and now you're screaming conspiracy theories about their motivations.

They want to lower their maintenance cost (reasonable part of doing business) and as a token of good will, they gave you the path to get the free maintenance updates (on Windows 10) and now you're blaming them because you didn't take it.

I'm sorry... are your crystal slippers too snug?

Windows 7 was released on 2009.  That's the year that the iPhone 3GS was released; do you see anyone using one of those anymore?  That's nine years ago.  If it were a child, it'd be in 4th grade by now.  Most of us don't even have televisions that are that old anymore.

Not to mention that all this started with your not having a dongle...  Just contact support and chat with them politely and they'll likely send you one free of charge.  There are many accounts of this occurring on this very thread.  At this stage, you've spent more time responding to posts in this forum that it would've taken you to have the conversation with Fitbit support.  Let's get you working and move on with life.

[JNL767]

After the free upgrade, MS started charging again. You are mistaken because you didn't realize the free upgrade lasted for less than a year.
Not true that MS is not supporting Win7 anymore, they still plan to support it through 2020.
People who get the flu shot gasp at others who don't get the flu shot but why should they be worried when they're supposedly protected by the flu shot? I've never had the flu shot and I've also never had the flu. Studies have shown that getting the flu shot actually increases your chances of getting the flu.
I'm not paying the 11% maintenance cost to maintain win7 so it's perfectly okay that a multi billion dollar company can afford your highly jacked up 11% figure to maintain win7 (the second highest used windows OS) which many large businesses still use because of the said same cost benefit you referred to. I will bet you that most large corporations still use. The company I work for has 420,000 employees nationally and hundreds of computers in my work place, they all have windows7. This company is also located in just under 200 countries in the world, and seeing as there is just over 200 countries world wide, I bet it's not uncommon (as I previously stated) to say that win7 is still greatly used world wide.
As for televisions, I still own a TV from about 2001 or so, well before your 2009 date. It works well, so why throw it out? Going by your logic I should throw it out because hackers like you with **ahem**ty telepathic logic will hack my old CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) TV and make it less secure than an LCD tv. Go figure, ESP hackers are always trying to hack my thoughts especially since I watched that Tom Cruise film Minority Report about thought crime, I'm sorry I committed a crime, I'm guilty of calling bull**ahem** on propaganda and disinformation. As for working I can get 100,000+ steps on a short work week which includes calling B.S. on your ability to attack me but moving on in life requires you admitting you are a dodgy corporate tool who can't admit when you are wrong.

[AlvaroFitbit]

Hello everyone. I think we have deviated enough from the original topic in this thread. I understand there are different points of view regarding the OS's we use (I personally use Windows 7 and I have been thinking about changing to Windows 10 but I will wait for any Black Friday sales 🙂 ). Still there is no need to have this type of discussion on a Fitbit forum. I think we all can agree to disagree in this matter and keep using our preferred OS without arguing about it. Keep in mind our Community Guidelines and if there is another question regarding a Fitbit device you all are more than welcome to post it.

I'll be around!

[joycejj]

running windows 7 setup will not move pass insert dongle after it's inserted

[Rich_Laue]

Windows 10  is still a free upgrade.

Win 7 with the correct third party firewall and other security software can be made fairly secure. This really depends on your definition of fairly.

@joycejj have you thought about contacting support, the forum is full of posts mentioning that the dongle have been sent to the poster for free. It is worth a try. 

[onefield]

Still very poor info. Must use dongle NOT INCLUDED. Bizzar

[onefield]

Basic quality control fail here. If it is for smart phone use only say so. If it needs a dongle for laptop older OS then say so. The difficulty around admitting yet another screw up gives fitbit a real low end cheese ball feel. I only chose to stay with this line because of data continuity And on my first attempt to set up I am reminded why I stopped using it in the first place. BLLaaaaa

[onefield]

Wow you lead with wasteful to pack the dongle then shame people with electronic devices more than 10 years old.Think things through much. LOL It about honest representation of who needs what to use whats in the box. Not compatible with older than X os would be honest.

[onefield]

you are a very sad apologist for a poorly planed product package

[Rich_Laue]

As mentioned above, almost every computer sold in the last 2+ years comes with bluetooth and the dongle is not needed. However as also mentioned, customer service has been known tobs nd iut the dongle for free when the user asks nicely.

The dongle was left out when Fitbit realized that this that use the dongle are a lot less than 1%

[PureEvil]

@onefield,

Oh, I'd have to agree with @Rich_Laue here...  The vast majority of users are not going to need one, and for the few that do, they'll send it to you, free for the (polite) asking.

For instance, I like gadgets.  I have many gadgets that charge through micro USB port.  This includes:

• Tablets
• Phones
• LED lights
• Lighters (yes, as if for lighting candles)
• Bluetooth headsets
• Bluetooth speakers

Really, I don't need any more short little stubby 6" USB to micro USB cables to charge these devices.  I probably have several dozen of these.  It's wasteful and it drives up the price of whatever I'm buying.  For the less than 1% chance that a consumer will need one, I'm not convinced that I want it in the box.

Furthermore, you maintain that they should include everything that you need to run on Windows 7 in the box...  Windows 7 was released on 2009.  You know what else was released on 2009?  The iPhone 3GS.  Do you think that if you require something to enable the Fitbit to work with the iPhone 3GS, Fitbit should include it in every single box that they ship?  ...because I don't.