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They got me!

Nah, it’s a Fitbit. Got a factory refurb, so it was relatively cheap to try. I knew it would drive me nutty coo-coo banana-pants to have something on my wrist all the time, so I got a band long enough to wear on my ankle. I hardly notice it.

I don’t know how accurate these things are. It does appear to confirm what I suspected: I don’t get nearly enough deep sleep. Also, I don’t go anywhere NEAR 10,000 steps a day.

Have you tried one oF these things?

Speaking of nutty coo-coo banana-pants, if this wind doesn’t stop soon, I’m going to go there.

Comments


Comment from ExpressoBold Pureblood
Time: January 27, 2025, 6:59 pm

I used a Garmin unit for about a year. Within that year, the wristband broke twice and finally either the battery gave up OR it just stopped working altogether just because… Alas, I cannot get the tiny screws loosened to check the battery so the Garmin has just been sitting around for a year looking stupid and gaining weight.


Comment from Surly Ermine
Time: January 27, 2025, 8:06 pm

Scandalous weasel ankle pics! (Some dumbass was gonna say it)
Mrs. Ermine has one, uses it daily to count steps. Seems to like it, has worked well. I think it’s a Fitbit brand.

As long as we are talking gizmos, any interest in a Steam Deck?


Comment from Uncle Al
Time: January 27, 2025, 9:06 pm

Is there any brand of similar gadget that doesn’t report my activity stats, location, road rage episodes, toilet habits, antisocial (i.e. conservative) attitude, etc., to Homeland Security, Beijing, and George Soros? I’d like to have one but only if the wrist (or ankle) band talked via Bluetooth ONLY to my notebook ONLY. I understand this sort of thing is an instrumented peripheral and needs a server for processing the reporting, but I insist that the server be mine and nobody else’s.


Comment from Some Vegetable
Time: January 27, 2025, 10:41 pm

Uncle Al – no. There is no gadget that isn’t wired into the Borg. My Braun toothbrush wants to be hooked to the net as does our Roomba. Our friends’ refrigerator is online. The latest surprise for me is from my new car. I knew, of course, it reports data about the car back to the mothership…but yesterday I went to the carwash where I have a membership. When I rolled down my window to take my ticket – the car display said, “You come here often. Do you want the driver’s window to roll down automatically?” So, not only does the car know where I am, it tracks how often I go to particular places.


Comment from Armybrat
Time: January 28, 2025, 1:07 am

About 10 years ago when chef and I were still working, the new GM of chef’s hotel (a diehard exerciser) declared that everybody needed a Fitbit so he could see “who needed help with fitness goals.” Now we walked EVERYWHERE in Boston, so putting in several miles a day. Chef is right handed. He took the company provided Fitbit and put it on his right wrist as we were both already wearing Apple Watches on our left wrists. The GM was shocked at hubby’s daily activity report. We were both a bit porky and putting in FAR more activity than the GM. Turns out all that chopping/ knife action gamed the fit bit🤣. In all fairness, we were both recording over 5 miles of steps and 10 stories of stairs/day on the Apple Watches which was probably pretty accurate given our lives and jobs.


Comment from Durnedyankee
Time: January 28, 2025, 2:07 am

And therein lies the reason I no longer FitBit.
These cute little badges you get, ” Congratulations you’ve joined the Appalachian Trail club in miles!”

London to Beijing club, etc, etc, to give you a sense of achievement while they track your life….
No, thanks.

Our washer and dryer want to be on the net, our water heater too, one of our TVs(now sitting unplugged).
It’s bad enough they know what I read, watch, play, music I prefer (eclectic….), who I talk to, bank with, etc.
Damned if I will connect a washer/dryer or any other appliance because eventually they’ll make all kinds of decisions FOR you, in your best interest, for the children, and the climate.

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Maybe I wouldn’t care (or know) if I hadn’t been a programmer for 45 years.


Comment from Armybrat
Time: January 28, 2025, 2:26 am

@durnedyankee..we ditched Fitbit when that GM left. We still wear Apple Watches because we do. When we bought our “smart TVs” when we left Boston we made a pact that none of our appliances connect to the internet. We just say NO. Our appliances feel the need to check up on our decision every couple of months and we continue to say no. I’m pretty sure there’s a back door that everything is connected anyway and they’re just letting me feel like I’m in control so every couple of weeks I shut the power off and make everything start back up and request permission. It’s probably an exercise in futility but it gives me something to do in my retirement.


Comment from Deborah HH
Time: January 28, 2025, 3:03 am

I think the “walk 10,000 steps a day” was declared bogus. It was based on miscalculations and outright bad science. GIGO. Might do some research for new recommendations.


Comment from S. Weasel
Time: January 28, 2025, 5:55 pm

No interest in the Steam Deck, ermine. I like my games big and immersive.

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