Really dumb question about syncing with bluetooth

glassyo

Let me reiterate...it's REALLY dumb.

I don't own a smartphone with its always on cellular connection. I do own a few different tablets tho and just bought a Galaxy Tab 4 to sync away from home with its more up to date bluetooth 4.0. Did I just make this up or can I sync strictly through the bluetooth without being connected to wi fi? Whenever I have the bluetooth on and try to sync, I get a no network connection message (which probably should answer my question but you never know).

And, when I turn bluetooth on, the One comes up on the device list but I get a can't communicate with device type error message.

heybales

You could sync between device and tablet, that could work, if compatible.

But you'll never get updated stats in your app from your account, or your device sync and app entries to your account, or your account stuff to MFP - without Wifi.

glassyo

I did a cursory google and it seemed bluetooth is independent of wi fi so thought I could at least sync between the One and the tablet The tablet's on fitbit's compatibility list but I wasn't sure anymore with those two error messages.

I have wi fi at work so it's not that big of a deal. Other than now I'm going to obsess over it until I can get it to work.

(Kinda like I'm STILL trying to work out my stride on the One so my calories/distance come a little closer to what they should be.)

editorgrrl

heybales wrote: »

You could sync between device and tablet, that could work, if compatible.

But you'll never get updated stats in your app from your account, or your device sync and app entries to your account, or your account stuff to MFP - without Wifi.

^This. Syncing is a two-step process. Your device (smartphone or tablet) gets the data from your tracker via Bluetooth, then the device uploads that data to the Fitbit server via wifi or cellular.

glassyo

So the uploaded data couldn't stay in the app/on the tablet itself until it can be uploaded to the server. That's what I wanted to know.

heybales

Yes, it'll stay there. Actually, pretty sure from people's comments, it stays there until there is enough change to warrant upload to the server anyway.
fitbit really doesn't need the traffic of per minute syncs with all the apps running in the world.
There's probably some minimum change required before the new data is sent up anyway.

glassyo

Ok so then now I have to figure out my bluetooth/no internet connection/app problem. Otherwise the new tablet goes back since I'm not that in love with it yet. I'm in love with what I ended up paying for it tho!

glassyo

Well, I did a search in the fitbit community and someone last year had the same question and apparently it won't sync and store the data on the tablet until there's an internet connection. I still emailed customer support to see if that changed in the past year and maybe put a bug in their ear to think about making that an option.

heybales

That's strange, because I can kill the data connection on my mobile, but still sync the device with BT to it and see the same stats the device is reporting.

Of course I never tried for extended period of time, perhaps there is a limit to how many syncs with updated info can happen, since it's not just current stats, but min by min data that needs to get back to the servers.

glassyo

Hmmmmm then maybe I should concentrate on trying to get the bluetooth to actually pair with the tablet and see if that works.

heybales

Actually, why do you need the stats on the tablet, if there's not going to be an internet connection for awhile anyway to update Fitbit or MFP accounts.

Just look at your device for calorie count, subtract 500, there's your eating goal so far.

Steps and distance are on there too.

glassyo

LOL because I get obsessed. I'll have the internet connection at work if I need it but I got the new tablet specifically because I wanted something more portable with bluetooth 4.0 just in case and then I had the pairing problem and that got me thinking about syncing without the internet connection.

I pre-log all my exercise right now until I can get the calories/distance somewhat close to where they should be. I run the activity log when I take my walks outside but the steps and calories get overwritten once I tweak the time I left and came back home.

I basically know what I'm burning except for when I'm at work which is a wild card.

But if I'm ever away from a wi fi connection and get this overwhelming urge to check out my calorie burn on the tablet/app, I'd be able to!

heybales

True on updated calorie burn.

But you might test that, because the device does update it's calorie burn when you overwrite the original data.

Not sure if you do that on the app only, will it send that update info back to device on next sync to update it there too?