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I think an inverse mode could be nice for the watch (text = black and background = white). With my Pebble i could read the time and other informations much better than the actual way on view.
Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity and labels.
The default display for the Surge is black background, white digits. I find this hard to read, especially in bright light. Could you also offer an inverted display, white background and black digits? Nike+GPS watches offer this and it is great for day time running.
Nice idea! I like this. It will be easier for us to read the display at daylight runs. A lot of users will benefit from this idea. It will be great to have this feature on the Surge. Hopefully it will be implemented in the nearest future. Let's keep voting for this idea. Thanks for the request.
With direct sunlight, though Surge black & white display is quite good, it's hard to read due to screen reflection over dark background. I'd suggest to add an option to automatically toggle display colors when sunlight is detected. From dark background with white text to white background with dark text. I know that Surge thick bezels will be stressed and it will lose some of its coolness but readability will improve.
this would be SO MUCH better! I'm having a heck of a time seeing this during the day and the ads and video even are totally misleading as they show a bright **ahem** screen. Something needs to be done!
I think an inverse mode could be nice for the watch (text = black and background = white). With my Pebble i could read the time and other informations much better than the actual way on Surge.
That would be so cool to add. I've experienced this situation when I use my Surge outside, so I believe this would be a great idea! Thank you for sharing. Hopefully other members vote for it as well.
I think an inverse mode could be nice for the watch (text = black and background = white). With my Pebble i could read the time and other informations much better than the actual way on Surge.
Yes it is extremely difficult nearly impossible to read the display outdoor. I think it will be smart to add an option to increase the screen brightness using the mobile app even if we have to suffer on battery life, let the users make the decision. We have a 45 day return policy, i hope this feature is implemented on the next software released. Thank you.
Soooo, I'm really disappointed that you can't read the Fitbit Alta outside. What's the point? I don't walk around the house? That's what happens when you assume that a fitness tracker is useable outside. Who would have thought? Anyway, I will never buy another one until you fix this feature.
Hello friend! I think your idea is very cool and useful, because when the sun is too bright it is too hard to read the display. This will benefit Surge users a lot. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feedback.
I have a Charge HR with a pink strap and red screen text. This is impossible to read in outdoor light, unless shaded. I previously had a tracker with white text display which was always easy to read.
My suggestion is that ALL trackers, regardless of strap colour, should have white text.
Hi @Mike3172 and commenters, thanks for your suggestion.
We're always working to streamline our offerings as we introduce new products. Although it has been a very popular product for us, we will soon stop selling Fitbit Surge. If you're looking for a new device, we recommend considering Ionic. Ionic is a motivating timepiece packed with fitness guidance, health insights, music storage, apps, and more. You can learn more about Ionic at https://www.fitbit.com/ionicor compare the Fitbit family of products at https://www.fitbit.com/compare.
Please note that we’ll continue to support Surge from a software standpoint, along with any questions you might have during your use of the product. We apologize for any inconvenience and hope we can continue to provide you with Fitbit devices you love and help you reach your goals.
I think your suggestion is a good one, so I took the liberty of changing the label and title so that it is applicable to future products and exercise developments.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and feedback with us.
For what it's worth: this would be a bad idea for OLED screens. Only lit pixels draw power, so a black background uses significantly less battery power than a white background. Studies have shown a 40% improvement on cell phones. Switch to a white background and your battery life is going to plummet.
When I am walking on the beach here in Western Australia I cannot see the screen of my Charge 3 special edition. It was suggested that I put the brightness to auto but that made no difference at all. There is no shade so I am at a loss to read the screen properly.
Hi @SunsetRunner! Great suggestion, thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request. A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.
When completing an exercise, such as "Run", the background picture makes the results hard to see, especially in daylight. The background should be black. The numbers are very small and get lost in the background.
I would appreciate the invert option (black and white) for the Charge 3 also. it is a minimalist style which was a motivating factor for the purchase but with the existing screen set up (regardless of whether it is set on auto or normal brightness) is nearly impossible to view the screen when using the device outdoors on a clear day.
I would appreciate the invert option (black and white) for the Charge 3 also. it is a minimalist style which was a motivating factor for the purchase but with the existing screen set up (regardless of whether it is set on auto or normal brightness) it is nearly impossible to view the screen when using the device outdoors on a clear day.
An inverted (black text on white background) mode for all clock faces should be a standard feature for all models. This would also help with troubleshoot or working around a degraded OLED display that is partially fading in parts of the display. (Having to charge the battery more frequently would be expectable if used like this.)
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