What is Reddit's opinion of
Gadgetbridge?
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51 reviews of this app found across Reddit:
If you are an Android user, consider using Gadgetbridge. It's a free and cloudless app that can replace the vendor's closed source application, allowing you to use it without an account to transmit your data to the vendor's servers. So you check their list of supported devices and take a look at any model that you might like, read its wiki and decide for yourself.
GadgetBridge has been working great for me!
It's not really a server replacement, but it replaces the app and still gets updates.
I've been using it for months with the pebble app uninstalled, and most watchfaces and apps work!
The only downside is, it does not have access to the pebble store, or any mirrors, so you'll have to manually install any pebble packages you want to use (apps/watch faces).
But once you do that, you're all set!
*Bluetooth-capable devices are still broadcasting their unique IDs and you can be tracked across the city, if watching sensors are present in the vicinity.
It's an alternative to the phone app, and gets very regular updates. I've been using it regularly since 2017 (2018? Time flies...) and I've been pretty happy with it. However, caveat emptor, make sure you're OK with the watch not being able to reach the internet - that means while you still get all notifications, internet connected watchfaces and apps won't work correctly at all.
Check out the list of supported devices for Gadgetbridge as a starting point.
Keep in mind that some of these are preferable to others in how they work and get supported so you will want to check out the specifics of each device and see what trade-offs you are willing to make between privacy and features.
You can get a smartwatch which is compatible with Gadgetbridge.
I use the Amazfit Bip which can do GPS tracking (not very well, but it's OK), heart rate monitoring and step counting. Works well enough for me.
You can export and import the database within Gadgetbridge. I think it's an SQLite DB, so you can work with the data :)
is a replacement of the pebble app without any cloud components so it makes the pebble work without Rebble or RPWS. It is possible that in the future it will also support dictation with your provider of choice. It works not just for pebble but also for other smart wearable. You have totally ownership of your data, if you want to download your steps and sleep information and make a chart with raw data you can.
You won't find it in the Play Store though, you need F-Droid, this way Google can't remove it.
The app certainly need polishing, there are no watchfaces, you need to download them from Rebble or RPWS and install them manually, but at least the app is constantly updated.
A group of developers have made an application called GadgetBridge, it's intended purpose is to replace the official Pebble app once it becomes obsolete. You can even start using it now, it's available for Android. The project looks like it's still active and developers are still implementing features. Currently there is no speech support but its an item they are looking into. Latest info about speech input can be found here: https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/issues/189
You can donate on their website if you'd like to support them and the continued development of this app, I'm sure they would appreciate support of any kind. https://gadgetbridge.org/
>Does anyone know if Rebble.io is going to be a viable solution going forward?
Not sure about that, but as far as servers go,
I've been using GadgetBridge exclusively for the last few months, (uninstalled pebble app)
And it's been working GREAT! most watch apps, even ones that need a companion android app seem to work just fine, it has a built in 'find my watch' app, and it's frequently updated!
I don't know if it can be used for the initial pebble setup, but it works GREAT for just daily use.
Ok, I don't know enough about tech or watches to understand the end-to-end part. Wouldn't something like Gadgetbridge solve the idea of your watch data leaving your phone (at least for Android users)? https://gadgetbridge.org/
Yeah, I think it's an issue with android 9.
The app has been pulled from the app store last I checked, so I don't think it's going to get updated.
If you need to see who's calling you, you could use Gadget Bridge but sadly that has issues with some companion apps.
(normal apps/watch faces/fitness tracking work fine with it tho)
GadgetBridge is just an android app that you can use to communicate with many devices. One of which is the Pebble watch. It has one nice feature that even the official pebble app doesn't have. It allows you to take a screenshot from the pebble and save it. It is otherwise sort of a stripped down pebble phone app. You won't find it in the google play store though. Here is the website for it which includes a link to F-Droid where you can downlaod the apk file. https://gadgetbridge.org/
It's not in the list of supported devices (https://gadgetbridge.org/ scroll down a tad) but I imagine (take with a grain of salt) that if it's more or less the same watch, it should probably work. But I haven't looked at the code, I have no proof that it would(n't) work. Just an assumption.
Also, I totally forgot weather setup - you need an api key and another app to interface with GB. It's... It works, but it's not intuitive to get going. I can explain if you want.
As long as weather keeps working, and you aren't seeking more privacy, the fossil/modded app is the way to go. I dig this techy stuff, and I'm still like 'ugh'. But it's there, and it works, I've been running it myself since I posted this topic; it's just convenience (during setup) goes out the window.
Truth be told the software side of things will probably still be lacking overall for quite some time.
A more ready and realistic solution would be the app you were thinking of, Gadgetbridge. For best results you will want to use it with some kind of de-Googled Android device like MicroG LineageOS, /e/, or whatever else. If you feel like your bio-data is important enough to keep truly private, consider getting a cheap Android device specifically for that purpose and just keep it off the internet all together once you get it set up.
As for the watch itself, Gadgetbridge supports quite a few of them, so just look through their supported devices list and find what works best for you.
If you use the official Zepp app it upload all your data to their servers, and you can only download gpx of your workouts, I don't see any option to download other data like sleep tracking, steeps or heart rate. Another option is to use Gadgetbridge, it is compatible with some Amazfit smartwatches, and is focused in privacy, I don't know if it is reliable or if you loose some functionality, because this app isn't compatible with my smartwatch. You can check it here: https://gadgetbridge.org/
I use GadgetBridge, which I downloaded from F-Droid, to connect to my smartwatch. It worked great on my old Amazfit Bip, and it works great for my current Pebble Time Steel. It doesn't sync anything online, all it does is sync the phone and watch together. Nice and simple.
I use the free OsmAnd with Gadgetbridge: in Pebble mode, the notifications contain exactly what the text-to-speech navigator would say.
I have already set up a tasker profile that forwards notifications over Bluetooth serial :-). I just need to do the watch side stuff.
I am starting to get low in program memory though. I'm at 80% already and the Bluetooth libraries take it to over 90%.
I think the ultimate goal would be to get gadget bridge to create an Arduino library.
If you are on Android then Gadgetbridge. Simple, does the job and doesn't send your data to any server. I think the Bip U needs some key from the chinese servers to pair for the first time. Check their wiki on how to get it under Special Pairing Procedures: https://gadgetbridge.org/#special-pairing-procedures
Gadgetbridge is awesome. It's a bit hassle to setup because new wearables make it really difficult to give Auth key without signup to their clouds but once you set it up, it works like a charm. It's peace of mind to have an app which does not require an internet connection, especially for an app which tracks your steps, activity and sleep and has access to your contacts, call logs, messages and calendar.
Link for anyone interested https://f-droid.org/en/packages/nodomain.freeyourgadget.gadgetbridge/
List of supported devices https://gadgetbridge.org/
If your device is not listed here, you can help the dev out by connecting using Bluetooth and sending the logs.
Gadgetbridge is an Android (4.4+) application which will allow you to use your Pebble, Mi Band, Amazfit Bip and HPlus device (and more) without the vendor's closed source application and without the need to create an account and transmit any of your data to the vendor's servers.
https://gadgetbridge.org recently released v0.5.7 with initial limited support for Mi Band 6. It describes itself as "A free and cloudless replacement for your gadget vendors' closed source Android applications".
It is available via https://F-Droid.org
Check out https://gadgetbridge.org/ and see if those folks got some ideas.
If not, explain the situation to your mum, why privacy is important to you but that you also appreciate the thought behind her gift. And see if you can trade it in for something more privacy friendly.
It's become Play policy that apps cannot have SMS and phone permissions unless they fall within specified criteria. The Pebble app actually fulfills those criteria in all likelihood, but if it's abandoned, no one is going to fill in the form to make the exemption request to Google.
In case you don't already know, Gadgetbridge is an open source app that can be used with Pebbles among other watches and which is distributed through F-Droid which has no such restrictions.
So far I’ve found Gadgetbridge. It’s an open-source drop-in replacement for proprietary activity band apps. It can get the data off various activity monitors (none of the once I own, unfortunately.) It’s a starting point, if nothing else.
While I don't know of any wearables that only connect to PC, I was wondering if Gadgetbridge would work for you instead?
There's a decent list of fitness trackers, and a few of them do HR tracking. I bought a Fitbit a few years ago, but am considering buying the Mi Fit to replace it (especially given its upcoming sale to Google).
I have an iPhone. Switched to Apple Watch since this writing, but when I used my Mi Band, I used the Lockdown app. May switch back but idk yet
>there are many free and open source password managers that don't go online, as the database is local. e.g. https://keepass.info
Ah, but I do like passwords syncing between devices. Is there a con to that?
I've forget that one: https://gadgetbridge.org/ also released on Fdroid Store.
" Gadgetbridge is an Android (4.4+) application which will allow you to use your Pebble, Mi Band, Amazfit Bip and HPlus device (and more) without the vendor's closed source application and without the need to create an account and transmit any of your data to the vendor's servers. "
Gadgetbridge is an Android (4.4+) application which will allow you to use your Pebble, Mi Band, Amazfit Bip and HPlus device (and more) without the vendor's closed source application and without the need to create an account and transmit any of your data to the vendor's servers.
AsteroidOS is an open source operating system designed for smartwatches.
I completely understand. The mobile software is probably no better than Tik Tok. There is a third party app that's supposed to be great but it's not found in the Play store. It's someone's personal project i believe, but the name escapes me.
edit: FOUND IT! https://gadgetbridge.org/
You could have a look at this project. It apparently does not require keeping the official app. I haven't used it as I don't mind having a mi account.
I came across it when looking for a solution for my pebble but then bought an amasefit gts and use the official app.
I got the Fossil Hybrid HR and that is a very similar situation to the Mi Band 4 in terms of pairing.
It looks like the Mi Band 4 is only not recommended because the process is convoluted. If you make it past the initial setup, it should be smooth sailing (assuming you never update the firmware).
If you are a person who tinkers, I would say that the process should be simple. Looks like you have to pair with the official Amazfit app, and then you just follow the instructions here to get the Auth Key, and then you just plug that key into Gadgetbridge.
On Gadgetbridge's homepage, they have a list of watches that are compatible, so check there if these round about ways of pairing makes you queasy.
Pick one compatible with Gadgetbridge. It's an open source android app that allows you to sync with certain fitness trackers solely over Bluetooth and never synchronizes with any server.
You do you, buddy, I'm just spreading knowledge here.
However, you should know that the watch itself can only communicate with a host application, for which there are FOSS alternatives such as Gadgetbridge.
Any GadgetBridge smartwatch would be a good choice. Personally I have owned multiple Pebble watches and they work great, and since the company that made them doesn't exist anymore, no one gets any data except you.
Thank you for this response! I think I am perfectly fine with this, because I mainly use my Mi Band 4 for notification, sms and call alerts.
"You do NOT need a rooted phone for GB btw."
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hmm but it does say that you need root, once, for Miband 4 according to their website
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Is this still your current daily driver?: Miband 4+gadget bridge? Because I want to make sure that this setup is stable that I won't miss any alarm or notification.
I don't use MiFit so no idea about exporting but if you have root, all the data is stored in SQLite3 database: /data/data/com.xiaomi.hm.health/databases/origin_db_[band_id].db (If for some reason the app is in work profile the path is /data/user/10/com.xiaomi.hm.health/databases)
You can find your pairing key there as well, if you'd want to replace MiFit with 3rd party app, I use gadgetbridge
I don't have any questions, but I liked the article a lot. I'm an Android user and I have a MiBand 2. I use Gadgetbridge to sync my data to my phone and don't have linked my MiBand to Xiaomi in any ways.
Also, the links where you say you submitted your post to Reddit don't work, you might want to fix them :)
Gadgetbridge is an open source cloudless Android app that serves as an alternative app for multiple budget smart watches & trackers. It can sync settings & time to the device and activity data from the device, then display it in a chart.
Gadgetbridge fills that role for now on Android, and on iOS there have been independent efforts in the past but nothing ongoing.
Source: I frequent the Rebble Discord group. This is the current state of things so far as I know.
I use the open-source app Gadgetbridge, which definitely has no ads. It doesn't have some fancy features other apps have, but it is able to upload custom watchfaces, and I prefer the peace of mind of knowing my data isn't going anywhere and that if something isn't working well enough I can potentially fix it myself or have a constructive chat with the developers.
I have used https://amazfitwatchfaces.com/ to get the watchfaces themselves.
Here's some information on how I've been using my Bip for this test:
- I received this Bip originally in October 2017
- It's running firmware 1.1.5.12
- I generally haven't let it run below 20% battery, and often haven't charged it to 100%
- I use it with Gadgetbridge as the "companion" app
- I sync it roughly every 1-2 hours during the day
- The backlight is set to level 1 (minimum, but not disabled)
- The function that lets me rotate the wrist to turn on the backlight is activated
- Heart-rate measurement is set to happen every 5 minutes
- Using the heart-rate sensor to improve sleep is activated
- There is one alarm per day, usually snoozed a couple of times
- Notifications are enabled, but I don't really know how many I'm getting
- Disconnect notifications are disabled
- I've never used GPS or activities during this test period
It's possible to fetch the heart rate in real time, but I don't think the watch broadcasts itself as a BLE heart rate monitor (I don't know if it uses the expected BLE attributes to broadcast it on, either), so I'm afraid you will need Bip-specific software. If you can program, have a look at the Gadgetbridge source code, which can fetch the Bip's heart rate and steps in real time.
It's probably a limitation of Mi Fit (which I don't use, as I use Gadgetbridge instead), as the Bip itself seems to be happy to register sleep at any time during the day for me.
Gadgetbridge is open source and has the ability to import GPS tracks in standard GPX format. I'm afraid at this time it has no functionality to log realtime accelerometer data.
To enable continuous GPS monitoring, you can simply start an activity that uses GPS on the Bip (walking or running).
There's always Gadgetbridge which replaces the pebble app, although i don't believe you can use rebble with it. It's open source so anyone can improve it or inspect the code.
I'm using a pebble time with Gadgetbridge on my android, and it works great. You don't get any apps, but all the basic functionality works perfectly.
I'd recommend using gadgetbridge if you just want the basic functionality without much hassle, and rebble if you want stuff like apps and dictation, and don't mind needing an account and relying on rebble's services.
Not sure if this meets your criteria fully, but I used a Pebble SE (this variation does not support heart rate tracking - I have full sleeve tattoos and HR tracking just doesn't work for me) and the Gadgetbridge app (https://gadgetbridge.org/).
It recorded steps and sleeping, and only stored the data locally.
I also used Open Scale (from the F-Droid repository) to record my weight and other measurements.
Now I'm just a regular ol' Joe with an Apple Watch...
Is it really much harder to type the very specific keywords (namely "apkmirror" and "gadgetbridge") that were mentioned into Google than to write another comment to ask for direct links?
Here, anyway:
- https://gadgetbridge.org/
- https://www.apkmirror.com/apk/anhui-huami-information-technology-co-ltd/mi-fit/
Beware: flashing beta firmwares, especially when not really knowing what you're doing, could potentially brick your watch, and there really isn't anything wrong with just waiting for a final release instead.
You may try to downgrade the firmware to test if it's software related. You can't do it with Mi Fit app but it can be easily done with another app like gadgetbridge: https://gadgetbridge.org
Here you have all firmware info and how to manually upgrade/downgrade your band: https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge/wiki/Mi-Band-2-Firmware-Update
I don't have direct answers to your questions using those services after the Pebble services end. However, it will be worth looking at the status of https://gadgetbridge.org/ and http://rebble.io/ to see what features they have developed after the pebble server's end of life. I do not think these projects are at a point where end users (not developers) would be comfortable with the installation and day to day use of what is available. I am saying this based on skimming through their front pages today so if someone more familiar with the projects disagrees, please add your thoughts.