A Watch Function with Flex (link to explanation in the comment)

[beckerist]

I was directed to post here in regards to an idea I had on how you could have a "watch" application for the fitbit. Basically, turn it into a limited binary clock. Link: https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Flex/Idea-for-a-new-Feature-turn-it-into-a-watch/m-p/490538

Reposted from the link:

There should be a feature that if you "shake" your fitbit (quickly wave your arm) then it would blink a binary time to you. It'd be like having a fun watch on your arm that would probably confuse some at first, but would be extremely helpful AND replace having to have yet one more thing strapped to my wrist.

To explain binary clocks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binary_clock

You have 5 dots to work with, so it would be a very limited clock, but you could do something like:

Dots A - E (A on the left, then B....etc to E on the right.)

A = 16, B = 8, C = 4, D = 2, E = 1. This would be only for the hours.

So, if it's 7PM (19:00 in 24hr format) you would see both A and E lit up

If it's 7AM (07:00 in 24hr format) you would see C, D and E lit up.

You could then show a "swipe" (much like after you initially tap the device) and it would then show minutes. In this case:

A = 32, B = 16, C = 8, D = 4, E = 2. Incorporate some flashing for an LED should it require an extra 1 minute.

Example: 5:55PM (17:55) would show:

First A then E would light up, then it would wipe, then A, B, D and a blinking E

Hours (16 + 1) = 17 = 5PM

Minutes (32 + 16 + 4 + 2 + 1 because it was blinking.) = 55

Example: 11:21AM (11:21) would show:

First B, D and E would light up, then it would wipe, then B and a blinking D

Hours (8 + 2 + 1) = 11 = 11AM

Minutes (16 + 4 + 1 because it was blinking) = 21

I don't think seconds would be necessary as it'd probably not be very effective anyway (given how fast they change.) The math may be confusing to some at first, but eventually you'll just look at it and think "oh it's A, C, D then B, E...that's 22 (10PM) and 18...10:18PM." It took me a while to get used to my binary clock but eventually I could just look at it and know, I didn't have to calculate.

Anyway, my two cents. I wonder if anyone else has ideas for plugins.

Side note: I'm a developer by trade. Is there an API or some feasible way I could write my own plugin to do this? Thanks!

Moderator Edit: Added Labels

[krazylego56]

So here's an idea I had for the flex, why not make it be able to show time using a binary like clock? It has enough little dots to tell the time where you could tap the device three times to show the hour and then show the minutes in two parts, the tens and the ones, due to it not having six dots. I'm not sure if you fiddled with this idea or not but it would be a great idea, especially for those that want to know the time but don't have a watch or have a phone easily accessible.

[kevintm]

Although the fitbit flex currently has no way to show the current time, I know it has the backend to be able to as it knows what time you do different activities at.  Here's a purposal on how the time can be outputted to the 5 dot display.   With a single tap it could pulse through the current time with a series of sequenced / flashed dots.  With each flash representing a different number for the time. Time format = HH MM

For example:

4 Pulse mode:

03:15 =  [][][][][]  +  XXX[][]  +  X[][][][] + XXXXX

 0 = [][][][][] + vibrate

 1 = X[][][][]
 2 = XX[][][]
 3 = XXX[][]
 4 = XXXX[]
 5 = XXXXX
 6 = [][][][]X
 7 = [][][]XX
 8 = [][]XXX
 9 = []XXXX

Another option is shorten it to 3 simple Pulses using Binary.  1 for Hour + 1 Minutes 10's place + 1 Minutes 1's place.

03:15 = [][][]XX  +  [][][][]X + [][]X[]X

 0 = [][][][][] + vibrate

 1 = [][][][]X
 2 = [][][]X[]
 3 = [][][]XX
 4 = [][]X[][]
 5 = [][]X[]X
 6 = [][]XX[]
 7 = [][]XXX
 8 = []X[][][]
 9 = []X[][]X

10= []X[]X[] 

11= []X[]XX

12= []XX[][] 

The left most led could be used for AM/PM or could be expanded to directly support displaying the 24 hours in a day.

[] = LED off (0)       X = LED on (1)

[kevintm]

Was I drunk? no.   A little piece of advice.  It's not professional to start throwing out insults without thinking about how what you are saying will be preceived.  If your not going to care about how others will react to the way you are phrasing your comments.  Your comments will not be seen as creditable more often then not.

Technology "is what it is" until it's functions and features are changed based on the public demand.  If the public does not agree with the need or desire then that's fine.  Or if the company is not willing to make changes, that's also fine.  But, you might be shocked at what other people may have to say, ideas they have or other ideas they agree with.

If the force was available when I was doing my purchase, I would've definitly purchased it instead. But, it wasn't.  There was also no mention of a replacement under development. 

[Shireeniebeanie]

That would probably run down the battery, and it would be too confusing for most people to decipher, but I love the idea. 

[kevintm]

I don't think it would affect the battery much at all. Since, it would only query the time when the user requests it. It's not something everyone would use, but neither is the alarm. Thank you.

[Lactic_Acid]

G-Day, lol at first when I started to read this I thought it was someone having a go then I continued reading then thought to myself; this person HAS to be a programer or something of that nature.....lol anyhow keep the ideas going m8

[bulgarianlily]

I love this idea.  I keep looking at my flex when I wonder what the time is! Don't want to wear a watch as well, and I like the ability to change bracelets so didn't like the force.  Please think about it...

[ProfessorFunky]

I agree with this, I came here to post up the same idea - but been beaten to it!  I'd be happy enough if it'd give the hour 24 h clock style as binary (1-24), and then roll over to the the minutes as a 1-5 (20% increments, flashing LED to show which fraction of the hour you're in) of time-to-next-hour.

On as an "advanced" setting though, I think it could confuse a lot of people.

[AmritaFitbit]

Thanks for this very thorough suggestion! We'll be sure to pass this idea along to our team. 

[SimonB]

I had an idea for modding the flex to make it a binary watch.

I don't use the five lights much for tracking progress so thought it'd be nice if there was an option in the app/site to alter the mode the fitbit was in so when you double tap it instead of showing progress it could display the time:

- off

0 on

1: -0000

2: 0-000

3: --000

4: 00-00

5: -0-00

6: 0--00

7: ---00

8: 000-0

9: -00-0

10: 0-0-0

11: --0-0

12: 00--0

13: -0--0

14: 0---0

15: ----0

16: 0000-

17: -000-

18: 0-00-

19: --00-

20: 00-0-

21: -0-0-

22: 0--0-

23: ---0-

24/0: -----

To help distinguish which lights are off/on it might be better to have the offlights (-) blink rather than just be off.

What do people think, useful addition?

[SuchCoolBrandon]

I think too much of Fitbit's userbase would have a hard time converting from binary. But perhaps a simpler alternative would be for the lights to blink once per hour that's passed. So at 7:00 PM, they could blink seven times rapidly. It would be a nifty feature for it to do this automatically on the hour!

[SimonB]

But if it just blinked on the hour wouldn't you run the risk of missing it if you weren't looking at it, plus I wouldn't want it going off all night when I'm trying to sleep. Though I appreciate binary's not for everyone. Maybe just something for us nerds?

[bisquitzone2]

when I bought fitbit I didn't know much about the product,  that I should have done but didn't now I have something that isn't what I expected,    you have to go to the computer to see your steps,  don't like that to much work,   second I cann't program the actual exercise I am doing,   I put it something which is already programmed in the fitbit,   I do exercise but not what I put in,   the sleep thing is fine with me,   I need something I can see my actual steps without going into my kindle or computer,  this fitbit isn't user friendl, to much work,   I am sorry I spent so much for the fitbit and I am not satisfied,   cann't program my actual exercise,   cann't see your steps on the fitbit,   more works needs to be done for me to recommend this to anyone,   I'm  66 and need to see what I am doing,    and don't need something is so expensive,   it's not get broke,  its get fit,   nanagg

[SunsetRunner]

Hello,

recently received the fitbit and noticed the 5 dots. Immidiatly tought that this would be a great binary clock.Was this send to the developers?

[gigibang]

I have the exactly same idea with you! Your Binary clock is incredible. Although I have another pattern of the clock, I still think your idea is amazing!

However, I don't know which plugin can help you, and I believe it is the fimework that can make this happen. I am a gropramming student, and I am looking forwark to update my flex by myself. If you have any idea, contect me plz!

[Phimea]

I like the binary clock idea. One alternative for the nontechie would be to vibrate the number of hours it is on the hour and display the minutes as a fraction of time until the hour. For example, if it is noon vibrate twelve times. If it is 1:00pm vibrate once. When tapped, blink 1 dot for 10min past, 2nd dot for 20min past, 3rd dot for 30min past, 4th dot for 40min past, 5th dot for 50min past

[jwashin1]

I'm also very much for this feature, and like some others here came up with the idea independently shortly after getting my FitBit Flex.  I think my particular view of how to implement said binary clock feature has been mentioned in the comments, or at least as some mix of others' ideas.  As for the complaints that it wouldn't be for everyone, for this reason I'd leave it as an advanced feature to be enabled by "power users", and not have it enabled by default.  In any case, anyone updating their firmware would already be enough of a power user to be able to figure this out.  I'd also be interested in knowing if there's some API or some available firmware code to work from.

[Psynomi]

I just got my Flex 2 and immediately had this idea. It seems foolish not to use the inbuilt clock and lights the Flex 2 has.

I had the same idea for a binary clock, that first shows the hours and then the minutes. I don't think it would be too hard to program this as a new feature and it would make a lot of people happy. Is anyone at Fitbit taking this into consideration?

[petr82]

Come on Fitbit developers, embrace your inner nerds and implement the binary clock feature already, the device is asking for it!

[Pablohan]

It really is long overdue. Please just allow us to work out the time through the flex two so we no longer have to wear a watch and fitbit!

[axaxaxas]

Please, developers, do this. Is just silly not to have this feature. If someone doesn't like it, she can just not use it!

[SunsetRunner]

Yes, let's have a binary clock in Flex/2; would love it! 🙂

[calebreister]

I would also like to be able to use my flex as a binary clock. I'm not exactly sure what's inside the Flex 2, but it is most likely very similar to the original Flex (STM32 + BLE chipset + IMU + power management circuitry), and it presumably uses an integrated RTC in the microcontroller to track activity times without being connected to a phone. My suggestion for a simple way to implement this would be to use the four white LEDs to represent BCD digits (one at a time), and the multicolor LED to indicate which digit is being displayed.

[SunsetRunner]

It doesn’t look likely that this will be implemented. I’ve been waiting for this feature to be introduced for over a year. 🙂

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone, and thanks so much for sharing this suggestion adding the current time to the Flex by using a binary code with us. While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and your input is a big part of that process. We truly thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us.