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

[Rich_Laue]

You may also find the contact info in the top right of wvery page, click on where your picture would be, far right icon, thrn contact support.

It may also be found in the app under help, however i don't think that you have a supported phone.

Http://Contact.fitbit.com  most posts also have a link to support when the ask to contact fitbit.

[Schimpf]

Same Here.  Bought it for my husband for Father's Day.  Can't setup on my computer.  Disappointed in Fitbit!!!

[daleelad]

I took mine back to the store (there is no where on the package to say you have to have windows 10 and if no you need to purchase a dongle) then told everyone on Facebook don't buy a Fitbit.   

[Amy1015]

I have a new laptop with Windows 10 and it would sync when it felt like it, sometimes 24 hours between syncs even though it was sitting on my lap, and yes the Bluetooth was on. It was driving me crazy since I wanted to see everything show up asap. I had the Fitbit One previously, so I use the dongle from that. The Bluetooth on my phone syncs it right away, so probably my laptops issue. I agree they should come with a dongle or stated that older computers will need one, maybe even some new ones like mine.

[Peejaydee]

These dongles cost peanuts absolutely peanuts they should have supplied one with the device not everyone has a smartphone.

Moderator edit: format

[PureEvil]

@Peejaydee,

Yes, but if you're running the latest OS (on either Windows 10 or Mac) you don't need it.  It syncs perfectly happily through the built in Bluetooth hardware on the computer and does not need the dongle.

If you're still running Windows 7 (which was released eight years ago) and which still was offered a free upgrade to Windows 10 (which you may not have taken), then you need the dongle.

And, if you contact support, they'll normally send you one free of charge.

I hope this helps.

[Peejaydee]

Thanks for the reply my other half does not have blue tooth incorporated in her laptop Windows 10 so cannot sync we tried one of my dongles but it still did not connect  I would have thought on the Fitbit packaging it would have stated that this item can be used with computers,etc but you would need to purchase a USB blue tooth dongle.

[PureEvil]

@Peejaydee,

That's fair, but my observation is that most new computers come with Bluetooth (even desktops).  And I hate to split hairs, but if Fitbit will send you one if you asked them (and by most accounts that seems to be the case), then you don't really need to purchase a USB Fitbit dongle, but you do need to attain one.

It should certainly sync with the dongle.  Both the Windows 10 Fitbit App and Fitbit Connect will sync with the dongle.  I'll be happy help you diagnose if you're still not getting it to work.  Just let me know.

[Peejaydee]

Thanks Frank sent a message to Fitbit so will see what they say I decided to get a new dongle for her V2.0 plugged in and a message came on screen not compatible with blue tooth low energy.

[daleelad]

All it said on the packet was compatible with Windows - this is my issue!!!!!!.   Fit bit need to provide more details on their packaging especially if you live 3 hrs from a town and you buy something as a gift.  You expect to be able to use the item on purchase especially when the person is so excited.  If I had known I needed to wait for a dongle and pay even more - I would never had purchased it.   


Sent from my Samsung Galaxy Tab S2 on the Telstra Mobile Network

[Peejaydee]

Personally I don't think Fitbit are in the least bit interested they are
making too much money around the world

[PureEvil]

@Peejaydee,

I don't think that's a fair characterization.  Their reasoning is sound:

• No smartphone platform requires a dongle to sync, they just sync through Bluetooth LE.
• Neither of the shipping versions of computer OS's (Windows or Mac) require a dongle either.  On my observation, most new computers (yes, even desktops) come with a Bluetooth LE adapter.
• From people's account on the forum, they'll ship a Fitbit USB dongle to you for just the asking.

For example, allow me to show you this little adapter:

It's a USB to PS/2 mouse adapter.  For a while every new USB mouse that you bought came with one of these because there were still computers with PS/2 ports (and keep in mind that USB ports were introduced around 1995).  Yet for years later each time you bought a mouse, it came with one of these...

Now, some folks may argue that they should include everything you need in the box, even if you should happen to have a 20 year-old computer which still uses PS/2 ports (no new computer does).  Now including such an adapter means that:

• It drives up costs.  You need to manufacture each one of these, and that'll drive the cost for each mouse that you sell.
• You need to account for it in the packaging, which will make each unit slightly bigger and heavier.  This matters when you're shipping millions of them.
• It confuses the customer, I've personally had phone calls where loved ones try to put the USB cable into the adapter and then can't find the PS/2 port to plug it into their computer... where they can simply plug the mouse directly into the computer.

All of these same things apply to Fitbit and the USB dongle.  All new computers come with the latest OS; pretty soon Bluetooth LE will be a standard among all computers (like USB ports), so eventually all Fitbit customers won't have a need for this USB dongle.

The only real question is whether Fitbit started to do this when there are still enough computers running earlier OS's or without Bluetooth LE...  and even then, they'll send you one for just asking.

I hope this helps.

[Rich_Laue]

@PureEvil recently i threw my PS/2 adapter out,  should i have kept it? 

Do i keep that SCSI and parellel port  boards that i still have? 

[Peejaydee]

Fitbit did not respond to my message regards sending me a dongle so I went on their Facebook page again they did not bother to reply and of course being a negative comment they would not like that.

So I went out and purchased a well known make mini Bluetooth adapter V.4.0 for my partners  PC which cost €17 it did not work, I contacted the company and they insisted that  this adapter will not work with Windows 10 O/S.

[Rich_Laue]

When you contacted "the company", was the company you contacted the manufacturer of the BT dongle?

As for contacting fitbit many find Twitter the best.

[SunsetRunner]

"As for contacting fitbit many find Twitter the best."

Rich, what if you are not a tweeter? 

C.B.

[PureEvil]

@SunsetRunner,

There is a help link both at the very top and at the very bottom of this page, click on "Get Support" and it'll take you here, where you'll have options for support, including:

• Live Chat
• Call Us
• FitbitSupport (Twitter)
• Email US

It'll look like this:

I've found that they're pretty responsive on chat (which works from your web browser).

[Peejaydee]

---

@Rich_Laue wrote:

When you contacted "the company", was the company you contacted the manufacturer of the BT dongle?

As for contacting fitbit many find Twitter the best.

---

Yes  the company I contacted was the manufacture of the BT dongle they did not appear interested even when I told them on Twitter they kept saying that it does not work with Windows 10 I stated that Windows 10 had been out for a least a couple of years and they had not yet produced an updated driver, for a lot of people would have taken the opportunity and updated their computers from Win 7/8 plus there were lots of these dongles on the stand in the shop.I would also like to add that not everyone owns a smartphone some actually use a mobile phone as intended to make phone calls and do not need to play candy crush on a daily basis,the same with computers not everyone can afford the latest all singing dancing tech.

 With a little research patience and perseverance manged to get this dongle to work with the Fitbit device and I am just a dummy so what are their software staff doing everyday.

[FatinFL]

Poor analogy with car::tires.  Seems more like car:: Navigation. But then you remember most individuals use the GPS on their phones and are opting out of navigation systems when purchasing cars.

[Rich_Laue]

@Peejaydee the win10 Fitbit app was written to work with a built in Bluetooth addapter in the computer, or the Fitbit USB Bluetooth adapter, i dont think Fitbit ever tested it with or tried to make it work with a generic bluetooth adapter.

@FatinFL, If the user is using a phone, they would not need a usb bluetooth dongle.

I've gone back 3 pages and yours is the only post i find that mentions cars. Not sure who your responding to?