Charge 4 screen brightness boost

[eschroedermark]

For direct sunlight situations, add an ability to boost screen brightness temporarily, i.e. one-time event, through an easy to access while exercising method e.g. through a screen tap/scroll sequence. Enable the user to determine the preferred method in the Settings on the Charge 4 device.

[PattyK69]

Yes please. I have a Samsung smart watch and PREFER my FITBIT for it's ease of use, but the screen brightness is probably the one thing that really annoys me! I just upgraded from a HR 2 and I am so disappointed with the lack of screen brightness. I understand that it may be a battery issue, but I think users should be able to choose.

[Randy32169]

Glad I could help. A high setting would be great. I’d rather charge more often if I could read the blasted screen outside.

Sent from my iPhone

[Mardo4]

As a jogger I can not benefit from any of the stats on the charge4 device until I stop, find a shade tree, and shield it with my hand.  A lot of the appeal for runners is to look at their pace during certain sections of their run, distance, and heart rate and none of this can be efficiently done without a feature for outdoor brightness without disrupting activity.  It works fine as is indoors.

[Islandblades]

Very disappointed with the Charge 4. Screen is so dim can't even tell time in the evening, inside.  Returning to Best Buy. 

[swampmilkweed]

I posted the original question as I was considering the charge 4 doe my
hubby. I certainly am not interested now. My Versa 2 is clearly visible
in bright sunlight. It is terrible at counting steps, but I use the
timer and the alarm. My Versa 2 gives me steps when I am standing still.
Great for competing, but bad for actual healthy exercise.

[danfry69]

You might want to consider the HR2 instead. I have reverted back and am quite happy I did!

Sent from my iPhone

[Islandblades]

Thank you for the suggestion, greatly appreciate it.

[Islandblades]

Thank you for the info, appreciate it.

[NaveedAnwar]

Fully agree with brightness issue.  

My HR2 stopped working last week, and now I got HR4.  But the screen brightness is just too low, even for room ambient light .  I can hardly read the numbers.

There must be a way to increase the brightness, or to have it set at a higher level to start with. 

[Islandblades]

I was told by Fitbit to hold in the side button until a moon icon shows, if this icon is lit up it's set to dim at night, by touching the icon it removes the dim selection and the clock face will brighten.  It worked great, I have no more issues with it being dimmed. If this doesnt work for you, call customer service- it may be an easy fix if yours is different.  Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[sandydonald]

I am lost for words. My new Charge 4 screen brightness (on Normal or Auto) is dimmer than my old Charge 2.  It's hard to believe that fitbit would ship a new product with such a defect.  I was out today for it's first outing on a golf course,on a very cloudy day, and I could not read the screen which was never a problem with the Charge 2.  Sunny days, were a problem but never cloudy days.

I guess I'll be sending it back and asking for a refund.  I just don't get it - why would a commercial organization of global reach turn customers away towards competitor products?

[JCGZ]

Please add a bright or sunlight setting for the charge4.  The normal is useless in daylight when I run.  

I would definitely use this daily

[HeatherUFEATHER]

This affects me daily as well.  While swimming, I want to check how long I've been in the water, or which heart zone I'm in, or just know what time  it is, and can see nothing on the screen. I hope this can be adjusted.

[Noodle61]

There are so many people complaining about this issue but not one response
from the company. Very poor

[beach9NOEL]

This is 3rd and LAST FitBit.  So dim -even on the pitiful choices offered of brightness.   It’s useless outdoors.   By the time my eyes try to adjust to to the dimness & trying to read what I want cuz the screen is split and I do is half the size of my original Charge, the display time is done and the screen is black.   What a horrible concept.  Did no FitBit engineer test the prototype outdoors or in a dark room?  My friends are always upgrading their sports watchers/trackers and I steer them away from this $170 semi-useless one.  I got it for being able to swim with it.  But I cannot read the screen outdoors so it is pretty much a black band on my wrist. And the cool metal wrist bands I had purchased just before my last FitBit died do not work on the Charge 4.  More money wasted. 

[Treegirl64]

Just upgraded to new charger 4.  I liked it so far moving around the house until I did my first walk outside in sun this morning. Couldn't see a thing. It was set on auto, I have it on normal now but something needs to be done! A lot of money spent not to be able to see!

[beach9NOEL]

Hi Treegirl 64

If you can return your charge 4, I would do it. I waited too long had
other things going on in my life and kind of forgot about it. My Amazon 30
day return window expired. I’m so disappointed in myself but I didn’t send
it back.

The older chargers such as charge to which I really liked, I had a full
screen just for one item/feature. I did not have a difficulty reading it
outdoors. But this charge4 looses on both counts.

One of my friends suggested an Apple Watch but I don’t need to get phone
calls on my wrist.

And you didn’t say if this was your first Fitbit or not. Be aware that the
Fitbit has a battery that cannot be replaced. The life of your Fitbit is 24
months -give or take a couple of months. Then it is dead.

I am now living in the Phoenix area where we are go into pools a lot.
Whether it’s during the sunshine, I’m underneath the shade tarp over the
pool, or it’s in the evening, I cannot read my FitBit at all.
Fortunately, our clubhouse has a couple of large clocks hanging on the
fences around the pool so I can tell what time it is.

The only saving grace is when I set my Fitbit to swim before I go into the
pool, it does track my exercise. But that’s it. Not really worth $170.

A feature I do like is the sleep tracker. That and the fact that it
prompts me to move if I don’t take that many steps per hour or two reasons
why I originally got a Fitbit. This is my third and last one.

..NOEL
--
..NOEL

[Treegirl64]

Hi, I had a older fitbit but stopped using after a few months and when I decided to wear one again thought I would upgrade for new features.  I like it shows me my texts when I am walking around the house, it must pick up from my phone.  I am retired so will keep, would be nice to see how I am doing while I am out but I can check when I get home.  They should do a update though.  I got mine on sale for $149.  I don't use it for sleep because don't like something on my wrist that much.  I also like the gps and for first time knew how long my dog walk was not just steps.  My daughter has apple watch but I don't need to spend the money since I am not working.  I would if I was though, love apple products.

[beach9NOEL]

Oh my gosh.  This ridiculous setup on fitbit website wouldn't let me comment until I had agreed to their terms policy and instead of returning me to your post, I wound up on the main community website.  Just shows me that they are not user-friendly.  Yes, texts are nice.  But on the Charge 4,  I cannot read them.  So I am frustrated.  I'm semi-retired and didn't want to spend the money for an Apple watch.  But when this one dies (or sooner) I am going to research the Apple watches.  I didn't care for the large size.  I am from NYCity & South Shore of Long Island but have moved around the country a lot.  Now this ocean city girl is stuck in the Phoenix desert valley!  It's so bright here that it's impossible to read the screen outdoors.  At first, I didn't like the fitbit on my wrist at night but I wanted to track my sleep as I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.  It showed my doctor how messed up my sleep is even tho' I went for an overnite sleep session at his office.   My husband got a larger one, I think a Versa fitbit.  He likes it.   My friend up in Northern Ariz where I used to live (high elevation plateau) and I would walk every morning at least 2 miles.  She had a Samsung or whatever tracker.  We would compare to see whose was more accurate!  When she got a little dog, she accompanied us.  I miss both of them!

[IHandfull]

Did anyone switch to an Apple Watch? If so, do you know if it has the exact same features as FitBit? No matter how many comparisons I watch/read, they don't compare all the workout features between the two.

Specifically, I'd like to know if the Apple Watch:

- Tracks/you can enter food/calorie intake

- Enter/track water intake

- see how many minutes I'm at fat burn and at cardio

- How many calories/steps/floors/miles/minutes I've exercised per day. I know it does some of these, but I can't find where it says it does all

- Tells me to move every hour (I believe the Apple watch does this)
- Can I track weight loss goals over a period of time, like I can with the Charge 4, where it tells me if I'm within/over/under my calorie goal zone.

- See weekly progress

Thanks!

[Glonner]

I agree with the comments on the screen brightness when using the GPS. It's almost impossible to know if it's connected to GPS or not. The Surge GPS application was superior. You could see all the details clearly and it even tracked inside buildings. I still have it and use it. If the Charge 4 can be updated by firmware that would be perfect.

[Noodle61]

It's not even fit for purpose as a watch in the sunlight as it's impossible
to see what's on the face in the sunlight. I'm so disappointed to have
spent my money on such a poorly designed fitness watch. Wouldn't recommend
it to any one

[Tinhead]

This is my first Fitbit having had a vivofit and I am so disappointed at the charge 4.  It has some nice features but it is not user friendly.

Sometimes there are too many presses of the side "button" and because of the very dim screen outside it is not easy to see if it has worked.  Couple this to the VERY short screen on renders the Charge 4 useless in exercise situations.  Oh, and the tap screen to activate often needs a couple of blows.

So fitbit please improve as a priority by a firmware download:

1. Screen ON time

2. Screen brightness

[Chatman4]

The ability to read the Charge 4 in sunlight is a major issue.  I recently  "upgraded" to the Charge 4 from the Charge 2 because the strap on the Charge 2 broke for the 4th time.  While it was always replaced for free over the last couple of years, it was a pain.  I got the 4 because I thought the strap would not keep breaking and assumed that the device would work at least as well as the Charge 2 with some enhancements.  I was wrong.  You simply cannot read it in sunlight and even if you cover it and try to read it in the shade it's nearly impossible.  

With the Charge 2, the device would automatically recognize your bike ride and record the distance, speed, calories etc.  But the Charge 4 does not record distance on a bike ride automatically (even though it's supposed toP.  When I tried to get support in the chat room I was instructed multiple times to use the manual settings to record my bike ride distance.  I thought I would give it a try since it's a new device and I needed to give it a chance.  But alas, I cannot read the screen in order to manually record my ride and track the distance.   

I think I am going to do a bit of research and get a product that suits me better if this can't be fixed.    

[Noodle61]

It seems that once they have our money they aren't interested in us and any
problems we're encountering.