[HN Gopher] Gadgetbridge is an Android application for your smar...
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       Gadgetbridge is an Android application for your smart watch and
       other devices
        
       Author : vanous
       Score  : 98 points
       Date   : 2022-09-24 18:10 UTC (4 hours ago)
        
 (HTM) web link (gadgetbridge.org)
 (TXT) w3m dump (gadgetbridge.org)
        
       | c0l0 wrote:
       | I've been using Gadgetbridge, installed via F-Droid, to interface
       | with my Xiaomi Mi Band 4 for years now and can only recommend it.
       | For my device, it's 100% feature-complete, it's VERY polished
       | design- and UX-wise, and it comes without any ties to any
       | vendor's data-siphoning cloud services. You can even set it up so
       | that it works in parallel with your vendor-provided app, by not
       | deleting any data from the device it fetches, if you're yet
       | uncertain you actually want to use it as a replacement for your
       | current app.
       | 
       | Free software at its very best, really!
        
         | hobo_mark wrote:
         | That is also what keeps my Pebble2 still running perfectly as
         | my daily driver.
        
       | danuker wrote:
       | The reason I never bought a smart watch: no software freedom.
       | 
       | Also, ever since a phone failed and warranty claimed it broke
       | because of my LineageOS installation, I don't buy new phones
       | either.
        
       | xrd wrote:
       | I'm trying to find a good open source friendly watch. What I need
       | is:                 * GPS so I can track my runs       *
       | Bluetooth+mp3 support so I can listen to a podcast with Bluetooth
       | headphones while I'm running       * Multi day battery life
       | * Hackable. gadegetbridge compatibility looks like a great litmus
       | test for that!
       | 
       | Bangle.js looks great. But, I'm unsure if I can use a Bluetooth
       | headphone with the watch only. I don't want to carry my
       | smartphone with me.
       | 
       | I messed around with various old Android WearOS watches that I
       | installed AsteroidOS on, but the battery life was awful generally
       | and the software was spotty at best.
       | 
       | Anyone know?
       | 
       | Or, can anyone on this thread suggest the watch to get?
       | 
       | I had a Garmin that I liked but it is now at the bottom of a
       | lake. And it wasn't very hackable.
        
         | zapt02 wrote:
         | Bangle.js 2 does have a GPS but is a no-go for music listening
         | because it only has an 8MB flash memory. The ecosystem is also
         | much much much less polished than an Android watch. However
         | Bangle is very hackable and easy to write apps for, you can
         | literally do it in one minute using the Web IDE:
         | https://www.espruino.com/ide/
         | 
         | (Top left connect icon > Emulator > Bangle JS 2)
         | 
         | Just don't expect the ecosystem to be very polished.
        
         | aquaticsunset wrote:
         | I think about this problem during my longer runs.
         | 
         | The HR stuff can be solved with a Bluetooth compatible chest
         | strap, so I just need GPS and cellular (for emergencies).
         | 
         | I always have my phone in a little band around my arm or in a
         | bag, so the watch itself just needs to display telemetry and
         | manage inputs like start/stop, laps.
        
         | wormer wrote:
         | I use my pinetime
        
           | donio wrote:
           | If the parent meant to do those things without bringing the
           | phone along for the run then the PineTime wouldn't work since
           | it has no onboard GPS or enough storage for music.
        
       | grizzles wrote:
       | I just got a pinetime. Nothing could sync the time, not
       | gadgetbridge or any of the other listed companion apps. Then I
       | found this: https://github.com/alanszlosek/pinetime-infinitime-
       | time-sync... and it worked like a charm.
        
       | kadoban wrote:
       | Very cool, wish my watch was supported. I'll have to revisit this
       | list when my current one dies.
        
       | gayn1gga wrote:
        
       | vanous wrote:
       | Hi all. With the recent changes at Google which are affecting
       | Fitbit users, let me mention Gadgetbridge.
       | 
       | Gadgetbridge is an Android companion app not only for smart bands
       | and watches but also for wireless earplugs, multimeters... and
       | lately also for the Flipper Zero.
       | 
       | Unfortunately, Fitbit is not (yet?) supported by Gadgetbridge.
       | 
       | Support for other smart bands like Miband/Amazfit is pretty good,
       | the Fossil Hybrid HR is now almost like we wanted the Pebble to
       | be. Someone has been working on support for the Withings Steel HR
       | hybrid watches, which is also really nice.
       | 
       | See our wiki, here is a good place to start:
       | https://codeberg.org/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/FAQ
        
         | colordrops wrote:
         | What are the recent changes at Google?
        
           | karamanolev wrote:
           | Fitbit users will be required to log in with their Google
           | account from 2023, according to
           | https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=32963273
        
             | chmod775 wrote:
             | The same thing happened when Facebook acquired Oculus and
             | consumer protection agencies as well as users everywhere
             | started throwing a fit.
             | 
             | I think Facebook backed off pretty quickly?
        
         | DoktorDelta wrote:
         | Great to see Flipper Zero support!
        
         | mynameisvlad wrote:
         | What's the use case for the Flipper Zero? I get the features of
         | the app for smart watches and even headphones but I don't think
         | I've ever used the flipper app on my phone.
        
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       (page generated 2022-09-24 23:00 UTC)