Tuesday, May 26, 2015

FAQ: The New PlexFit Update

Hi guys,
I received a lot of emails regarding the new version so I would like to address here to hopefully help you quickly find the answer you need to look for.

Q: Help, no sync working when I updated to the latest version

A: Please go the navigation drawer, and select "Install Watch App" option to reinstall/update the watch app on your Pebble and it should work. Please note that new version requires the new watch app to sync.
If you have already had the latest PlexFit version on your Pebble, check to make sure sleep tracker is not active, go the sleep tracker screen (either through the menu or by holding the Select button), check the top right corner below the battery bar, do you see a record icon ? If you do, sync will not work since all syncs are disabled when sleep tracker is on for reason I will explain below


Q: PlexFit keeps launching itself to foreground. I want to run PlexFit purely background only. Please help.

A: Please go to Settings in the Navigation Drawer and check the box "Keep PlexFit Background" and you will never see PlexFit in the foreground again. The reason for this new behavior is because when PlexFit is running background, the sync is very spotty due to Pebble doesn't allow the background worker to use a more reliable sync function. I solved it by regularly launch the watch to foreground to check for new data. If you check that box, the Android app will automatically close the app after it's done so you will never see it in the foreground again.


Q: No sync working when sleep tracker is active, what's the deal ?

A: It was actually a deliberate design decision. There has been studies such as this one saying that having mobile phone or devices emitting radiowave near where you are sleeping reduces sleep quality: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2007/January08/Pages/Sleepandmobilephones.aspx. I tried to protect my users from harm so I decided to make PlexFit Pebble collects then analyze all the data by itself instead of streaming raw accelerometer to the phone like Sleep As Android (https://sites.google.com/site/sleepasandroid/doc/3rd-party-smart-watch-integration), which might be bad for your health. Please note that I am not trying to bash any apps, I am just trying to raise awareness on this issue and what I have done to improve user health.


Q: Sleep tracker is not accurate and it shows me very high awake time or very high deep sleep time

A: First of all, make sure you calibrate your PlexFit since sleep tracker depends on whether calibration has been done or not to be accurate. If you have already calibrated and the values are still off from other trackers, use the Sensitivity in the Sleep Tracker section to adjust sensitivity of the sleep tracker. If PlexFit gives you very high awake time, it means it's too sensitive and you will need to lower the sensitivity to low. If PlexFit gives you very high deep sleep time, it's undersensitive and you will need to increase the sensitivity to high.


Q: Steps in Google Fit doesn't match in PlexFit

A: This is actually a common issue but the solution is actually pretty simple. Go to Google Fit, turn off "Activity Detection" and the step should match. If you leave "Activity Detection" on, Google Fit will also act as a pedometer and it will count your steps in redundant with PlexFit, causing the step to disagree.
Please note that at times, there might be bug causing the steps to disagree between PlexFit and Google Fit and I have fixed most of them in the latest release. There's still one and I will try to release a fix for it this weekend.


Q: Distance estimation in PlexFit is not accurate

A: Distance estimation in PlexFit is based on the stride length, which in turn calculated from your height PlexFit reads from Google Fit. Make sure you enter your height in Google Fit. PlexFit will automatically check for updated height then readjust the distance estimation accordingly.


Q: What are the shortcuts ?

A: In the main PlexFit screen, hold Select (the middle button) to quickly access the sleep tracker window.
In the sleep tracker window, hold Up to start sleep tracking, hold Down to stop sleep tracking.


If I miss any other questions, please let me know and I will try to add.

Thanks guys,

21 comments:

  1. Two issues...

    First, I don't see sleep data syncing back to the Plexfit Android mobile app from my Pebble Time watch. The 'Sleep Graph' section on the mobile app's screen doesn't expand (except to ask me to choose a date). Should I be able to access a graph of my sleep pattern?

    Second, is sleep data supposed to sync back to the Google Fit mobile app (and then back to the Google Fit web app)? Don't see this happening, either... but if it's not syncing back to Plexfit then it obviously won't sync through the Plexfit mobile app to Google Fit.

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  2. Can you add more sleep sensitivity settings rather than just low/normal/high? Sleep for Android seems more faithful in deep sleep/light sleep transitions, but I just want a fit-and-forget 24hr activity recording via my Pebble. (Oh, I like SfA's snore detection/recording, too!)

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  3. (hmmm, seems to have lost my first attempt at a comment)
    First - thank you for this app. I just got my Pebble and went through a few different activity tracker apps in a few days... this is the firts one that not only does what it says, but does so in a clean and clear manner.

    Second - Could you add the Pebble screes to the FAQ with explanations for the icons? I found the main screen in the app store images, but the moon/sleep icons do not seem to be explained anywhere.

    Third (and finally) - a request for the future - When you look into adding running/biking as activities that the app tracks, can you also consider a few others (specifically, in my case, Kayaking). There is a paddle/stroke counter app, but it does not run in conjunction while other apps are running and does not sync to google fit. It would be great to get those activities tracked in the PlexFit App as well.

    Once again, thanks for a great app!

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  4. Hi, last version crashes very frequently, bringing my pebble into recovery mode and don't register steps (today I'm only at 308...)

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  5. I definitely enjoying every little bit of it. It is a great website and nice share. I want to thank you. Good job! You guys do a great blog, and have some great contents. Keep up the good work.
    sleep app android

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  6. I am still looking for the price of the full version. I heard that it is here but have not seen it. Please post the pricing info on Play if you have not done so. To hide the price until I go to upgrade is shady. Please make it prominent and easy to find.

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  7. Sorry if I'm missing this - but do I need Google Fit installed on my phone as well as Plexfit, or dos Plexfit do all that's necessary?

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  8. My friend mentioned to me your blog, so I thought I’d read it for myself. Very interesting insights, will be back for more!
    best sleep app

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  9. Loving the app but pretty please add a cycling option (especially exercise bike ) as the steps are way off what I do on the bikes computer, thanks ☺

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  10. My Pebble Time isn't recording any steps with a calibration of -21 and everything else in default. Is there a fix?

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  11. I am having an issue where if I charge my pebble plexfit gets stuck in sleep mode. I could go for a run wearing pebble and it will record my activity as sleeping.

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  12. Why PlexFit can not feed google fit sleep tracking info like "Xiaomi MI" or "sleep as Android" . what can be done to make sleep tracking information visible on Google Fit?

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  13. How to use to track bicycle distance and hours?

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  14. Easily, the article is actually the best topic on this registry related issue. I fit in with your conclusions and will eagerly look forward to your next updates. Just saying thanks will not just be sufficient, for the fantasti c lucidity in your writing. I will instantly grab your rss feed to stay informed of any updates.
    how to track my sleep

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  15. I seem to be having difficulty finding a Settings that has a Navigation drawer or a Navigation drawer that has settings to force Plexfit to retreat behind Glance. E.g. is this on my Pebble or my phone or ...?

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    Replies
    1. Plexfit on phone|Settings|Miscellaneous|Enable Background Mode if unchecked

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  16. Hello, sorry I wasn't able to find an e-mail to contact you directly. I have an original Pebble watch (crowd-funded) and have recently installed PlexFit and synced it with Google Fit.

    Yesterday I played tennis and my watch showed approximately 4,000 steps, however it never translated to Google Fit. I know the two apps are syncing, however, because random <1 min of walking will get recorded on Google Fit from PlexFit.

    I have played around with the settings including turning off the Google Fit tracking, and haven't been able to get any of my tennis recorded (I have played multiple times). Do you have any suggestions?

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  17. Sleep Graph is showing wrong time scale. The time is starting from 4am to 12pm instead of 11pm to 7am

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  18. Why are my PlexFit steps different than Pebble steps?

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  19. I have it set as the background app, yet it is constantly popping up. What can I do?

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