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Reasons to think 10 times before spend a lot of money in a Garmin Vivomove Style (my experience)

Sorry for my english in advance.

Impossible to deactivate updates: Updates have a lot of bugs, and Garmin spend very long time to solve. you spend your money to be a lab rat. You cannot decide by yourself whether you want to update or not.

Completely dependent of internet: Not possible to configure anything without internet, like alarm, appearance, widgets, etc, and these functions cannot be modified via watch. I really don't understand why!


Notifications apear when you are using cellphone: It make no sense because you are using your cellphone, no need to spend the battery notifying things you are viewing in your phone!


Same Icons for any notifications: Whatsapp, message, all use same white icons with same format (sometimes I think this watch not use a color LCD and have no pixels to create another format), and not possible to customize. Nothing is customizable because it uses a proprietary software source. I wish it become Open Source someday so that it can really deliver its full potential of this hardware, because the hardware construction of this watch is fantastic, but limited by software!


Now (3.90 update) it wake up with any vibrations: Any movement with the arm/wrist awakens the watch. Like wash your hands, ride a bike or motorcycle, clap hands, etc. The battery didn't last long, so now the watch lives in the socket charging. I bought a desk clock, I think.


The music commands is hard to access: If you are using your cellphone as musicplayer and watch as remote control, you need a lot of steps to access menu on your watch to change a music. So, is more fast and more convenient you take your cell from your pocket and change!

Gestures is very poor feeling: When you need to "click", the watch swipe for next menu or not understand your click. If you need a double click, even worse! If you swipe, the watch think you click and enter in options. It has a life of its own!

You may be asking yourself: why didn't he send these suggestions to Garmin?
Because as you can see here in the forum, The Garmin has not cared about customers!

I’m not remembering other annoyances right now. Can someone help me list others?

  • Stairs Goal is not based in movements: Stairs Goal is not based in movements, only altitude: The Stairs Goal will appear when you are into a car climbing a road, or take a elevator, etc. Not based on analyzes of movement of your arms to detect that you are walking to simulate an exercise and mark this Goal.

  • It’s kind of funny… I actually really like the watch’s design and most of its functions. It serves me mostly well.

    But it never ceases to amaze me, how this company can have such an appalling communication with its customers. What is this forum for, if no one from Garmin ever reads it? Or if they do, why do they never let the frustrated users know they do? Where is any other channel where to let the company know of issues and actually get at least some decent reply that they acknowledge the issue and maybe are working on it?

    I am left in wonder how a company producing such a great product (in the end, I believe the watch is actually great) can have so overwhelming communication issues. If they were just a bit better in this, it would make such a difference, I’d say. I’d really like to see this company reform this culture and continue to make great products with great customer support included. Pray tone1Bow tone1‍♂️

  • Guys, everybody is entitled to an opinion and I respect that. However, please consider this:

    - One thing is if a feature does not work as advertised, another thing is if a feature was never there or if the detailed behavior of the product can be learned reading the spec on Garmin website or the numerous independent reviews (written or video) that pops up as soon as a new device is released. Personally I never spend my hard earned money in buying anything of the complexity of a smartwatch before thoroughly researching the specs and the experience of other users. I can guarantee you this is very good insurance against buyer remorse. You may say "who has the time do that! I should just trust a brand like Garmin". Fine, I respect that, but do that at your own risk and do not complain afterwards. With the millions of people that can buy a given watch it is impossible to predict all users' needs, opinions and preferences. I have used fitness trackers and smartwatches from several other companies. I can tell you, the perfect one with no flaws does not exists.

    - This is primarily a user forum, although hosted by Garmin. If you want to contact them directly, the best thing to do is to go to the support page. From there you can call or chat with a Support Agent. I prefer a chat as I can put things in writing and save the chat for future reference. I have used the support chat several time in the years that I have owned Garmin products and I have always been connected to an agent in seconds. The support page for the Style is here:

    https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?productID=662825&tab=topics

    Try that and if they are not responsive, then complain. Until then, we are just mixing feelings, perceptions and opinions with facts. Not a good way to be objective

    - A specific comment: the floors/stairs measurements IS based on movement, not only on change in atmospheric pressure due to change in altitude:
    https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=LJ6vYF2phv7JUAOlsRRjC8

    If the watch does not behave that way it could be defective or there might be other issues. See this, specifically for the Style:

    https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/vivomove_style_luxe/EN-US/GUID-C6DD81FF-7367-484F-B117-0878495C4237.html

    Complaining is good if based on facts and done in a constructive, polite way. It helps us as users and helps Garmin to make better products.

    I have a support case open with Garmin as my Style stopped updating VO2 Max after the software update 3.90, so it is not like I am a Garmin fanboy making excuses for them.

    I have posted here on the forum numerous time about my VO2 Max issue, contacted support, provided them files from my watch via email and other information they needed. I am following up periodically with them since the issue has been escalated to engineering. Every time I have emailed them a reply arrived sometime immediately, in any case within an hour and in one occasion late at night. I would hardly characterize that as "overwhelming communication issues".

    This is my experience.

  • Thanks for bringing attention to this, Batman. Sure, it’s true I haven’t opened a personal support chat for every issue that has been mentioned here about the latest update of the watch. I might have been lulled by the fact I saw it mentioned here. Will try with some of the issues mentioned and see. Upside down

    Still, I have seen companies do much better. Dedicating a person to communicate with users in this public forum might be a good step, I’d say.

    I admit my post was not constructive and it was rather a rant of a user currently frustrated with issues with the latest update to his watch. Grin

  • Karel, sure, I understand the frustration. In addition to the watch losing the ability to update the VO2 Max readings after the update, I also had the Body Battery that stopped working and the Stress reading that was a little higher than it had been before. Those two issues were resolved with a reset, though.

    As for someone from Garmin jumping in, they usually do if it is more clear that a posting is about an issue that requires assistance. When they see a thread titled "Reasons to think 10 times before spend a lot of money in a Garmin Vivomove Style (my experience)" they probably do not have much to say, even if they read it Smile.

    Generally I see Amber and Isabella from Garmin answering to postings here. Something Amber pointed out was to tag her in a posting to get her attention, like this .

    Sort of like the Bat-Signal in the sky (sorry, could not resist Joy)

  • Impossible to deactivate updates: Our updates include specific fixes and for the devices to work correctly we need those updates to go through. We do our best to address all reported issues in a timely manner and apologize for any issues you have experienced.

     

    Completely dependent of internet: Our watches are designed to work with the Garmin Connect App. Not all watches have the same features, for example, modifying from the watch. This is a great example that I can send to my team but keep in mind not all changes are made.


    Notifications apear when you are using cellphone: If a notification shows up on the phone, it goes to the watch (settings permitting of course). There is no way for the watch to know that you are "using your phone" and then ignore previously set settings.


    Now (3.90 update) it wake up with any vibrations:  You brought this issue up to me previously, we have a case regarding this along with the videos you sent to me that is being investigated. We just do not have an update regarding this just yet. This is the case number that has been created PSC 179116.


    The music commands is hard to access:  You can reorder your widgets to get to the widget quicker. Here is the link with directions. I recommend changing the widget to either the first or the last. 

    Gestures is very poor feeling: This is an experience I can send to my team that is happening on the watch.

    You may be asking yourself: why didn't he send these suggestions to Garmin?
     I am genuinely sorry that you feel this way. We do our best to address as many threads as possible and escalate customer issues when they are brought to our attention. Regarding your issues with the device, I have requested some information from you outside of the forums and will gladly continue to escalate your experience once you have responded. I am unable to until I have the requested information.

  • It’s kind of funny… I actually really like the watch’s design and most of its functions. It serves me mostly well.

    But it never ceases to amaze me, how this company can have such an appalling communication with its customers. What is this forum for, if no one from Garmin ever reads it? Or if they do, why do they never let the frustrated users know they do? Where is any other channel where to let the company know of issues and actually get at least some decent reply that they acknowledge the issue and maybe are working on it?

    I am left in wonder how a company producing such a great product (in the end, I believe the watch is actually great) can have so overwhelming communication issues. If they were just a bit better in this, it would make such a difference, I’d say. I’d really like to see this company reform this culture and continue to make great products with great customer support included. Pray tone1Bow tone1‍♂️

    Hey there! I am happy to address any concerns you may have with your device. Please let me know so we can work together! If you tag my name It does not get lost! If you would prefer, I can also DM you. 

  • Karel, sure, I understand the frustration. In addition to the watch losing the ability to update the VO2 Max readings after the update, I also had the Body Battery that stopped working and the Stress reading that was a little higher than it had been before. Those two issues were resolved with a reset, though.

    As for someone from Garmin jumping in, they usually do if it is more clear that a posting is about an issue that requires assistance. When they see a thread titled "Reasons to think 10 times before spend a lot of money in a Garmin Vivomove Style (my experience)" they probably do not have much to say, even if they read it Smile.

    Generally I see Amber and Isabella from Garmin answering to postings here. Something Amber pointed out was to tag her in a posting to get her attention, like this .

    Sort of like the Bat-Signal in the sky (sorry, could not resist Joy)

    Hey  I just wanted to drop in to say how appreciative we are that you notice our efforts! Thank you for not only being patient while we work through your experience but also very willing to work with us! 

  • , you are welcome. The way I see it, I am helping you to help me, so it is a win-win. Stuff happens, what is important to me is the reaction to a problem and the efforts put into making things right.

    I see that you also read and respond to postings in the forums of several other Garmin devices, so I sure appreciate your efforts!

  • Hi, 

    I did a search before buy, but people has "ego - português" and not say the problems. A fan don't related problems, and I am not a fan. If Garmin understood my post as a problem, yes, it will be a problem. But if Garmin understood as a evolution, it will be an evolution.

    You need pros and cons to decide to buy anything. Internet have a lot of pros, and here I related the cons.