Offer dual time zone on Fitbit devices

[mauser416]

I travel out of the country quite a bit.  My old watch offered a dual time zone feature which allowed me to see the local time but also allowed me to monitor time at home.  This made it easy for me to determine when I could call home.  I currently have Charge 2 and am looking at Ionic.  It would be nice to have this feature or at lest an app which provides this functionality.  I thought the apple watch could do

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[SantiR]

Hi @mauser416 and commenters, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We’re excited to let you know that this Feature Suggestion has been developed by a third party developer, and can be downloaded from the Fitbit App Gallery available on Fitbit Smartwatches. You’ll find it by selecting your connected Smartwatch (such as Fitbit Ionic) in the Fitbit app, then choosing the ‘Apps’ tile and toggling to ‘All Apps’ at the top of the screen. Some of these clock faces are: Dual Time and Cobblestyle. You can then explore third party apps by category and choose your favorite of the relevant options available. Happy exploring!

Please note that if you have feedback or a suggestion for the third party app, you can contact the developer directly (if they have shared their contact details publicly). Open their app in the Fitbit App Gallery and you’ll find their contact details under ‘app details’ or ‘clock face details’. Thanks!

[mauser416]

Fly Frosty

Consider yourself in good company.  I am in The Hague and endeavored to try the other two apps which offer dual time.  Both suffered issues which I expect are as a result of the syncing problems you've mentioned.

A thought which is possibly way off base.  If the default time for UTC why isn't it possible to input UTC/GMT and then tell it to output/display UTC +/- X? I am probably oversimplifying things out of ignorance.

Smalls

[FlyFrosty]

That is what I did in Dual Time (mostly because I have not worked out the city search yet).  In the current version, I save the GMT+- value in a file on the tracker.  For some reason, the default file is being loaded.  In my latest version, I actually get rid of the default value so the tracker is forced to use the saved value.  It works in the simulator...but so does the current version.  I am going to submit this version for review today.  

I am actually more concerned with getting the local time to sync up quicker...Still not so much as a peep from FitBit on this.

[FlyFrosty]

So...I will need a bit longer.  For whatever reason, the requested time zone is not read everytime.  I need to go get a keyboard shaped band aid for my forehead and go to work...

[FlyFrosty]

I have submitted a new version for approval.  I still cannot figure out the "force the clock to update now" problem (FitBit still will not respond), but I think I finally got the user settings to take priority over defaults.  (It is also Versa compatible now).

[mauser416]

FlyFrosty

While on the way to The Netherlands I tried the other apps.  One used and offset the other employed city selection.  The offset version reverted back to UTC.  The other would sporadically drop the second time.

QUESTION - if poor syncing is the cause why doesn't the primary time revert to UTC/Zulu  when I an in the air and my phone is shut off i.e. there is no means to sync?

My father was a meteorologist in the Navy.  Everything the was Zulu and local time thus he had a need for both to be shown concurrently.  I can see pilots' needing a fixed time reference thus the need for Zulu to be displayed constantly. My nees for a second time is really a matter of convenience.  My iPhone has World Clock but the second zone on Ionic keeps me from digging that out.

Consider, the main display would read the current local time as always.  Maybe include some stats along the bottom of the display such as heart rate, steps and active minutes.  Maybe these three could be chosen during set up.  I do not need the second time on the main display.  Since up swipe, down swipe and left swipe are taken as well as the buttons maybe it would be possible to switch to another display for the second time zone by right swipe of double tap.  Would switching to another display force the Ionic to process the offset?

Thank you again

Smalls (Eric)

Tryin' not to kill you too much

[FlyFrosty]

Smalls,

Your primary time should remain accurate when in airplane mode.  So far as I know, my watchfaces do (I've traveled extensively with them).  It is getting them to automatically change quickly to the new timezone when you land that is difficult.  In airplane mode, you can turn on wifi and bluetooth separately and your phone and tracker should function just fine.  Just beware, in this configuration the time on your phone may change to whatever time the airplane wifi server is set to.  Keeping the secondary time accurate is more a matter of figuring out how to code the watch to always get the offset and not just a default value.  This gets hard when the tracker and phone are not talking to each other (like airplane mode) and you leave the clockfae for an app and then go back.  My latest try is under FitBit review.

As far as your feature requests, I might do them in the future but, other than the second time feature that seems like the vast majority of clockfaces out there.  As a self serving aside, my other clockface (TravelersClockface) will cycle through today's date, Zulu time, and step count while keeping the primary time on top.  I have a new version (prettier font and smaller file size) is also under FitBit review which should be out in a day or two.

[Rich_Laue]

The time on the tracker will only update after the first sync after the phone has switched timezones .

[Chukde]

Not having a dual time watch face is a serious shortcoming on the blaze. I frequently need this functionality and it just means I need to use other watches when I travel. 

[FlyFrosty]

I haven't heard any complaints recently.  Have you all found a better option, or is Dual Time actually functioning?

[mauser416]

Installed it again yesterday. So far so good FlyFrosty.  Won't travel again until June 5.  Any chance of getting this carbon fiber as a background.  I can send the jpg.

Carbon fiber

[FlyFrosty]

So long as it is free, I can use it.  Right now, I don't have an option for changing backgrounds on the clockface, but I can probably make that happen.

[FlyFrosty]

Ijust released a new version.  I think I finally got the save part figured out for defaults (I started pretty much from scratch).  The clock should always use your defuaults now.  Next (unless I find out the defaults still are not holding) will be city selection for the second time.

[Bairdy13]

Another vote for this. Also the ability to change the time time or zone on the watch its self when you do not have internet access. Not being able to do what a standard watch can do is not very smart.

Allan

[Rich_Laue]

@Bairdy13 there already is several watch faces with dual time zones.. See the thread above for examples. 

If your interested in being able to manually set time

, I would add a vote for the request, rather than adding a BTW comment burried in an unrelated suggestion

Manually set time on my Fitbit

[Csimpson61]

Like so many others I travel for a living as a pilot. A dual time zone clock face along with 24 hour capability would be very useful for me. Thanks for giving us the chance to share our opinions and needs.

[Rich_Laue]

There is at least one clock face for the ionic that has dual time zone capabilities

[FlyFrosty]

There are now several dual time zone clock faces available (I make two of them).  On your phone, just search for dual time when you are selecting a new clock face.

[FlyFrosty]

If you want a 24 hour clock as your default, make sure your on-line settings reflect this.

- On a computer (NOT in the app) log-in to Fitbit.com

- Select the gear icon

  -- Select "Settings"

- On the main part of the page, scroll down to "CLOCK DISPLAY TIME"

  -- Select "24 hour"

- Exit out

- Sync your tracker

I personally design my clock faces in 24 hour format on an Ionic first, then adapt to a 12 hour clock and then the Versa (using the simulator provided by Fitbit).  I am working on a more customizable one now where I will include a settings over-ride to enable the 12 or 24 hour clock selection from the app.  I can go back to my current faces and add the option there, too if enough people want it.  Either that, or just get rid of the 12 hour option (I do not use it and I do not think it looks good).

Last thought.  I know a lot of us that use the dual time clock faces are pilots.  If there is a specific face or feature you think would be useful, there is a suggestion board (https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/idb-p/features) or you can email a developer directly (I am definitely not a pro, but if I get bored I might try: FlyFrostyUSA@gmail.com).

[FlyFrosty]

If any of you are still using this...I released a new update which gives a 12/24 hour display option in the Fitbit app.  No more having to go to your online profile.  I also made some display characteristics changes.  Please, let me know what you think.

If you are looking for more, I submitted a much more tailorable dual time clock for release.  It is called The Traveler (a greatly modified TravelersClockface).  It includes the ability to load a background image, change the font colors, select 12/24 hours, and display fitness items instead of a second time.

[Humer]

My fiance and I currently live in two different countries and I travel a lot. A dual clock would be very useful! There are clock faces designed by third party developers but I would prefer the security of one by Fitbit.

[dgorham98]

Please add me to the list of those would would like a second time zone option (Charge 4, for me). I travel a lot, plus have work colleagues on other continents - I'm constantly trying to calculate the time for other locations in the world! A second hour hand on Fitbit's "traditional" clock faces, or a second clock face available with a swipe right or even a clock face that lists 4 or 5 time zones in a single view would be excellent. Even having just a UTC option would allow easier calculation of global time zones. Thanks!

[ELEFE]

Can we do this for the Charge 4?

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone, thanks for sharing this suggestion. We’re excited to let you know that this Feature Suggestion has been developed by a third party developer, and can be downloaded from the Fitbit App Gallery available on Fitbit Smartwatches. To find what options are available, open the Fitbit app, tap your profile picture > Gallery. Then search third party apps or clock faces by category and choose your favorite of the relevant options available. Happy exploring!

Please note that if you have feedback for the third party app, you can contact the developer directly by opening their app in the Fitbit App Gallery, finding their contact details (if they have shared them publicly) under ‘app details’ or ‘clock face details’. Keep adding your suggestions!