How to sync with Chromebook?

[Duckie]

April 1 2014

Planning to purchase a Google Chromebook, will Fitbit work with it?

jim

Moderator edit: format. 

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @veryagedcanada, thanks for sharing your thoughts about your Fitbit experience. We don't want to create frustration in our users, since Fitbit was created to support and provide help with your daily routines. I'll pass along your feedback. 

And in regards to your Charge 2, if you need me to open a case for this; let me know I'll be glad to give you a hand with that.

I'll be around. 

[phe13]

I don't have a charge 2, I have an Alta. Please open a case. Thanks.

[ncoutdoordiva]

This is not a solution.

[veryagedcanada]

My daughter intervened at this point and ordered me a Fitbit dongle. Now my Charge 2 synchs every time I ask it to, no problem. This dongle cost $8 Canadian. Why not just include it in the box with the tracker? It would save so much frustration!!!! Speaking of frustration, this last Canadian winter has been the worst in my still-functioning memory. Why would someone choose to live this way! This Spring has been the coldest I can recall - only tomorrow can I put the tomatoes out, maybe, if the weatherman says +10C or more for tomorrow night. I'm getting fed up.

Veryagedcanada

[Falcon07]

Jim,

Sad to say that the Google Chromebook does not work with your fitbit. I have both a fitbit and a Chromebook and they do not sync with each other.

~Falcon07

[focomike]

The aggravating thing, my friend, is that they *do* sync. Occasionally. At
least, the ASUS 434 does. But it isn't reliable or consistent, and when you
finally think you've figured out the details, it won't do it again. My
suspicion is that something gets cached in memory and blocks an update.
Deleting the App, and reinstalling it, is sometimes effective, but what a
crappy design! I still blame the Fitbit engineers, one way or the other.

[codyhana20]

NOPE U NEED A PHONE OR IPAD OR IPOD

[nestorb]

Yes but Google has purchased FITBIT correct? So why is this an issue? My wife doesn't want anything to do with a smartphone but uses a chromebook and would be interested in monitoring her VS. Thank you for listening.

Barry

[Dt4frogs]

Thank you for the information, I've been trying all day to setup my husband's New Fit bit Charge3 on his Acer Chromebook and it just won't work, they emailed me back and said that they didn't have Chrome OS as an option at the present time. 

So your information came in very handy. 

Thank you! 

[veryagedcanada]

Hi Dt4frogs,

I'm absolutely not an expert on Android or Chromebook. I just found out by trying it that the Chromebook operating system does not include a place to deal with Fitbit trackers of whatever kind. Google did buy Fitbit, but not so they could improve our experience - clearly, they bought Fitbit to get the enormous database of personal fitness data on 10 million people. They may be developing an AI fitness guidance system for United Healthcare. to impose on its captive client base of 1000+ companies workforce. Some poor worker will soon be getting a letter from his boss threatening to end his insurance coverage at the end of the month unless he/she conforms to the "personalized activity profile" designed by the AI. 

Doesn't the Charge 3 have blood oxygen measurements? I don't know squat about medicine but I'll bet a cookie there's something about heart-attack risk assessment involved.

Veryagedcanada  - 80 years old and don't really give a pinch of the proverbial anymore.

[Nolins]

My Charge 2 works with my Windows 10 but not with Chromebook. My wife's Fitbit Alta was impossible to read outdoors, was reluctant to respond to tapping and failed completely after about a year and a half. My wife's brand new Versa 3 doesn't want to update on Windows 10 and doesn't work on Chromebook. Perhaps I'll return it to Costco and find something else for her. So very sad.

[SunsetRunner]

You can get the app, but you cannot sync your Fitbit onto you Chromebook.

[SnowWolf2006]

But we can install the app, we just can't sync our Fitbits.

so you need Apple product.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[GTV]

Absolutely ridiculous that Fitbit isn’t compatible with chrome book. 

[MGgirl]

Doesn't Google own Fitbit?  But a Google Chromebook is not supported?  A lot of people use chromebooks (and some of them don't have smartphones).  Why can' we get Chromebook support for Fitbit??

[LZeeW]

Hello @MGgirl and @GTV  welcome to the Help forum.  Fitbit has never been compatible with the Chrome OS.  Despite the fact that Google bought Fitbit, it is unlikely that this will change.  The newest devices require an Android/iPhone/tablet to set up.  There are several app features, such as the Health Metrics, Menstrual tracking, and Sleep Score, that aren't available on the web dashboard.   Fitbit is definitely moving away from the web.

I would't be surprised if Fitbit got rid of the web dashboard completely and made it all phone/tablet based.

[Williger]

@LZeeW this is definitely the most disturbing post I've read in years on this forum! 🥺 🥺 🥺 🥺 🥺 

When is the planned obsolescence date? Will y'all be enhancing other options like Alexa or SMS?

YIKES YIKES YIKES YIKES YIKES and DOUBLE-YIKES!

Anyway, this doesn't even make sense. NEWER Chromebooks (i.e. not the one I'm typing on right now, LOL) allow access to the app store. Are you saying Fitbit blocks Android users from downloading Fitbit if the OS checks out as a Chromebook? 

I've not heard of anyone using Fitbit on a Chromebook but it's not like I know many people with this technology combination.  I, unfortunately, don't have a newer model to test this on but almost determined to prove this wrong, may load up ChromiumOS or some of the other platforms to experiment further. Despite you saying this won't work, for whatever reason, I'm feeling confident it would. In fact, obscure installations like Fire and HP Touchpad help maximize my Fitbit experience!

@MGgirl I'm using a very old Chromebook that runs perfectly so hasn't been replaced, but the newer Chromebooks feature the Google Play store, which should have the Fitbit app. There are also ways to trick the app store into devices not natively supporting them, like my Fire Tablet which just took a little finagling. I'd simply go to your play store, assuming you've got a newer model, and try installing it. I'll hopefully get an opportunity to experiment later with newer ChromeOS's and will share what I discover.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[LZeeW]

@Williger   I didn't mean to upset you.  This was me thinking out loud.  Perhaps a little too loud.  But these are some of the things I've seen over time.  You can't set up the newest devices on a laptop/desktop.  The latest Fitbit Connect is from 2018.  The latest Fitbit app for Windows 10 is from 2019.  The newest features are on the app only.  Fitbit got rid of the open groups on the web.  The open and closed groups are only on the app.  Challenges are only on the app.  Children 12 and under must use the Ace series trackers.  All Ace tracker data is on the phone app -- it can't be on an adult, web accessible account because of internet privacy laws.  There's more, but I think I listed enough examples.  Sorry, but this is what I see when I look at Fitbit's behavior.

I never used a Chromebook.  I don't know if you can put the Fitbit app on Chromebook.

You asked I know if Fitbit will be enhancing features.  I don't know, I'm not a Fitbit employee.  Even if I knew, I'm sure that knowledge is covered by an NDA.

[veryagedcanada]

Hi from VeryagedCanada,



Thanks for the info. Actually, my Fitbit II won't transmit sleep
data anymore so I just got a plain old watch.

Fitbit changed the software thinking I would just buy a Fitbit
III. But I've stopped worrying about sleep in general - I survived prostate
cancer treatment from the CLINAC machine and from that I have a sharper
focus on my digestion than sleep. The CLINAC can't help but zap a few other
things down there along with the prostate, and that means all that piping
down there will take a long time to work right again. I've taken up Buddist
meditation instead.



VeryagedCanada

[Williger]

@LZeeW it wasn't you that was upsetting, but rather your announcement that Fitbit is discontinuing web services as I so much enjoy and use this much more than the phone app. When they removed the premium web reporting, my benefits of usage went down tremendously, though I still very much love my trackers and the wonderful friendships and comradery in the challenges I participate in. I'd uninstalled Fitbit connect from my computer, it was only installed a few months ago when a Fitbit rep claimed it was necessary to load music on my Versa, which I've still not yet gotten working but that's not appropriate to discuss in the ZIP forum. I do run the Windows app and it's wonderful to have a non-updated app version as it's come in handy several times when the newer one glitches. Losing the community groups was devastating at the time, though was able to connect with some friends through private Facebook groups.

I'd assume since newer Chromebooks have the "app store" that it would work to install Fitbit. I've manipulated the play store onto devices that weren't able to load certain apps and have since been able to install Fitbit and others, so assume this would work on a Chromebook. Only, specifically, newer Chromebooks, not like my old one, LOL

If you're not a Fitbit employee, can you please share the links you're getting information from about them discontinuing web services so I may follow the threads?? Also, how would I or others set up the snazzy signature line you have? I figured this was something limited to Fitbit employees, and I'm happy to learn something new, thanks! 🙂