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Comment by transpute | Hacker News Reader

Garmin:

  - sells an accurate blood pressure cuff with WiFi data sync (sans phone)
  - is an active R&D contributor to OpenEmbedded Linux
  - includes optional health data sync to vertically integrated cloud
  - provides open FIT [1] protocol for local data sync

[1] https://developer.garmin.com/fit/protocol

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Yet I can't use my new Forerunner 55 watch without connecting it to Garmin servers. They make sure it takes about an hour to have a reliable GPS position unless your make it regularly connect to an active Garmin account, either via Garmin Express (dekstop) or Garmin Connect.

I switch to GadgetBridge but without updating the AGPS files, no reliable GPS.

How open of them.

I was seriously looking at their Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics watch. But, yeah, that's a total no-go for me then too.

Before my workout, I'll take my Garmin watch and switch to a workout mode that requires GPS and leave it by a window while the Garmin gets a GPS lock.

Go prep for workout.

Just before heading out, I'll go by the window and get the watch which has locked on to the nearby GPS satellites.

Start workout.

> sure it takes about an hour to have a reliable GPS position

Any feedback from Garmin on this issue? It sounds like a bug, unless they have documented a non-technical policy dependency between GPS and cloud login.

(unassisted) GPS cold-start time is about 15 minutes to download the complete almanac and ephemeris data over the satellite link. That assumes everything is received correctly the first time. A watch's small antenna could increase that time significantly.

Garmin is undoubtedly already aware that you need cloud login for their devices to download almanac and ephemeris over the internet.

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