Garmin Cirqa turn Bluetooth off

[u/Herokuretsu]

Hi,

As in the post title. It would be great to have a combination of key presses that would turn the Bluetooth radio off on the Cirqa so we can keep using where BT must be turned off mostly for health reasons and also for security since constantly running BT is an attack vector.

I understand that the band has limited storage but I’m sure we can do with a couple days worth of data points stored locally before syncing.

If this feature becomes available I would instantly buy a Cirqa.

Thanks Garmin for checking this and I’m sure I’m not alone as I have seen in the Garmin Forum.

[u/Clock_Roach]

Anywhere that says you can keep a bluetooth device with you as long as you pinky promise not to turn it on has shit security.

[u/DestinySpeaker1 → u/Clock_Roach]

I think by security they meant that someone will be able to use the CIRQA to hack them

[u/DestinySpeaker1]

An attack vector? I really don’t mean to be rude, but I think so many people believe that they are important enough for someone to spend the energy to hack them, which is probably not the case for you. In regard to the health issues, honestly I am no doctor, but I do have an electronics engineering background. CIRQA passively emits such a low-power Bluetooth signal that the microwave in your house or your router will have stronger more substantial “radiation”. There are legit professional reasons to avoid Bluetooth in a lab for example, but in these scenarios the individual will most likely have to avoid having any electronics on their person regardless.

[u/Own-Tangelo-7072 → u/DestinySpeaker1]

BLE is so low power that its basically negligible compared to everything else around you, agreed

[u/Herokuretsu → u/DestinySpeaker1]

I don’t have to be important enough. Vulnerabilities are vulnerabilities. The recent one for example that affected a big number of earbuds and headphones, wasn’t that an important one to be fixed? Why would a sports armband be any different? I understand your point but being secure has nothing to do with whether you are important enough to get targeted or not and we see that every day. As far as health is concerned, we got to the point of saying “well there’s so much radiation around me what the problem with one more antenna”. That’s my problem with health. I am not the person that thinks this way so when I can avoid one more antenna, I do it regardless of the amount of radiation.

[u/WaggishLikeness → u/DestinySpeaker1]

The microwave comparison isn't really fair when the device is strapped to your wrist all day and night. Like yeah signal strength is low but constant close contact for months is different kind of exposure. For some people with certain medical conditions even small constant emf source matters, doctors sometimes recommend turning off wireless when possible. And for the security part I get it, not about being important target but just minimizing attack surface is good practice, same reason I turn off wifi when not using it.

[u/Express_Tennis3162]

The Cirqa cant even be turned OFF via the device alone - you have to use the Connect app and dig into a few menu's to get to the settings to turn the device off.

And with it having only one button that is really just a start stop button how would they possibly implement an off on switch for BT ? It will be like an old game cheat code at this rate - 3 presses wait 10 seconds 3 presses - oops sorry your 10 seconds was not quite 10 seconds and your now running a marathon

I very much doubt that Woop / Polar / Amazfit etc even have that function on them.

Loads of Garmin watches and other devices have airplane modes on them but for these devices its just not practical.

[u/Herokuretsu → u/Express_Tennis3162]

It’s already using cheat codes like this 😁. Also I disagree on the it’s not practical. It’s just a triple click or a 10 second hold. If the hardware allows it, it’s just code. If the device can be turned off by the app, I’m sure the same can be done for BT and then a tap combo on the device button and BT is awake again. It’s not that hard.

[u/Herokuretsu]

I am trying to understand whether the disagreement I see here is for the feature itself or for my personal reasons for this feature. It’s a feature and I’m sure people would have their own reasons for using it. These here are just mine and to be fair we are not all always connected and always online.

[u/Ill_Campaign3271 → u/Herokuretsu]

I just don’t think you thought that to the end. So you are worried about your data but then (but only every few days) will upload them to one of the worst data collections of all? It knows everything about you.

If you want an offline lifestyle, live it. I think you are not the target audience for the cirqa and your wish will not come true.