Which tablets are supported?
Android 3.1 or above is required. For a list of tablets which are known to work, see below.
Sportablet requires a 10" tablet; if you have a 7" tablet or a smartphone, you can use the Uploader for Garmin.
There are known USB issues between various tablets / phones and some Garmin models. See here for more.
Sportablet requires a 10" tablet; if you have a 7" tablet or a smartphone, you can use the Uploader for Garmin.
There are known USB issues between various tablets / phones and some Garmin models. See here for more.
Which Forerunner / Edge models are supported?
- Serial Forerunner models (201, 301, 205, 305). You need an OTG adapter, then connect with a USB cable.
- File-based Forerunner models (10, 15, 110, 210, 220, 520, 610, 620, 920xt): see here for details (very important).
- ANT+ Forerunner models: 405, 405CX, 410. You need to set up thing properly: see here for details.
- ANT-FS Forerunner models: 310XT, 610, 910XT. You need to set up thing properly: see here for details.
- ANT-FS Forerunner models: 50, 60, 70. You need to set up thing properly: see here for details.
- Garmin Swim. You need to set up thing properly: see here for details.
- Serial Edge models (205, 305). You need an OTG adapter, then connect with a USB cable.
- File-based Edge models (200, 500, 510, 605, 705, 800, 810, 1000, Touring, Touring Plus05): see here for details (very important).
- Handheld models: Some eTrex, GpsMap and Oregon models are supported in garmin mode / serial mode / spanner mode. Other GPX-based handheld models (Dakota 20 etc.) are supported in mass storage mode. Please follow this tutorial, which redirects to another for garmin mode devices.
- Other devices are reported to be working: Astro 200 and Montana.
- Garmin Fenix / Fenix 2: see here for details (very important).
Known working Tablets / Devices
I used to show a list of known working combos here, but it quickly got outdated. It's almost impossible to keep up with android devices and versions. Generally speaking:
- some android models have built-in ANT+ receivers, so you can use that for full-fledged ANT+ devices (see list above, or read the tutorial for your model).
- otherwise, support for USB HOST MODE / OTG MODE is required.
- some garmin models are like mass storages, in which case you need an android device that (unlike e.g. the Nexus family) does not block external storage
- some android models have built-in ANT+ receivers, so you can use that for full-fledged ANT+ devices (see list above, or read the tutorial for your model).
- otherwise, support for USB HOST MODE / OTG MODE is required.
- some garmin models are like mass storages, in which case you need an android device that (unlike e.g. the Nexus family) does not block external storage
It doesn't work on my tablet / forerunner / edge, can you help me?
Sure! Enable the Detailed diagnostics under My options, and send me a copy of the transfer log. Please provide some details about your tablet (model, Android version) and about your Garmin device (model, perhaps the firmware version too).
How do I send a log?
You have to options. One is quicker, but you have to check that your email app is not truncating the text. The other requires a little more work but also sends more data, which is helpful in many cases. The "detailed way" is the only one available when a log is taken while sending data to web apps like Garmin Connect. Please don't send a screenshot of the log, as what is being shown on the screen is just a fraction of what is going on.
- quick way: select "my options" (Sportablet) or "options" (Uploader). Scroll down to Diagnostics, check the Enable device diagnostics box. Go back and try to read activities, or send to your web app or choice, whatever is failing for your. At the end (whether it succeeds, fails, or if you stop with cancel), you can click the red email log button. Your email app will pop up with the log as a message body. Make sure that your email app is not truncating the log, as it's pretty useless otherwise. Add anything relevant, like your Garmin model etc. Send the email (the address is already there). I'll get in touch. Now disable the diagnostics as it may interfere with the data transfer in normal usage.
- detailed way: like above, enable diagnostics, and also "dump diagnostics". Do as above, but do not click the email log button. Just step back to the main screen. When you do so, a toast at the bottom of the screen will inform you that a log file has been created and where (it's usually /mnt/sdcard/log.txt.bin). Go there with a file manager and email me the log (carlo @ sportablet.com). As above, add a few info as I really can't read your mind (at least, not over the internet). Remember to disable diagnostics after sending the log.
- quick way: select "my options" (Sportablet) or "options" (Uploader). Scroll down to Diagnostics, check the Enable device diagnostics box. Go back and try to read activities, or send to your web app or choice, whatever is failing for your. At the end (whether it succeeds, fails, or if you stop with cancel), you can click the red email log button. Your email app will pop up with the log as a message body. Make sure that your email app is not truncating the log, as it's pretty useless otherwise. Add anything relevant, like your Garmin model etc. Send the email (the address is already there). I'll get in touch. Now disable the diagnostics as it may interfere with the data transfer in normal usage.
- detailed way: like above, enable diagnostics, and also "dump diagnostics". Do as above, but do not click the email log button. Just step back to the main screen. When you do so, a toast at the bottom of the screen will inform you that a log file has been created and where (it's usually /mnt/sdcard/log.txt.bin). Go there with a file manager and email me the log (carlo @ sportablet.com). As above, add a few info as I really can't read your mind (at least, not over the internet). Remember to disable diagnostics after sending the log.
How do I buy the app?
The app is built so that it can be purchased only if it works properly for your android and garmin device. Therefore you need to get at least two activities from your garmin into the app. The first will be unlocked, and can be used to test the app. The second (and all the others) will be locked. Just click on a locked activity and you'll be sent to google play, where you can activate the app with a so-called in-app purchase. Please note that the purchase will "simply" unlock all the activities (now and forever). It does not add any new function, with the exception of the ability to send a course to some garmin devices (more to come). Also, note that google allows in-app purchase only from the primary user account, so if you have more than a user account on your tablet/phone, you must purchase from the primary.
Important note: (November, 2019) the most recent version of the app can now be downloaded only from the sportablet website (see http://www.sportablet.com/blog/fix-for-garmin-connect-september-2019). However, google won't allow you to complete the in-app purchase process from that app, even if it's signed with my developer key, as it doesn't match the version they have on record. Therefore, once you have tested the version from sportablet.com, you have to:
- uninstall : (
- install from the google play store
- complete the steps above (get a locked activity etc) and buy the app from the store
- check that you do not have any padlock anymore, meaning activation succeeded
- DO NOT UNINSTALL NOW : )
- just get the newest version from the sportablet website and install over the old version
- that's it
sorry to put you through all this. I'll come up with a different model later on, but right now I cannot really spend much time on the apps.
Important note: (November, 2019) the most recent version of the app can now be downloaded only from the sportablet website (see http://www.sportablet.com/blog/fix-for-garmin-connect-september-2019). However, google won't allow you to complete the in-app purchase process from that app, even if it's signed with my developer key, as it doesn't match the version they have on record. Therefore, once you have tested the version from sportablet.com, you have to:
- uninstall : (
- install from the google play store
- complete the steps above (get a locked activity etc) and buy the app from the store
- check that you do not have any padlock anymore, meaning activation succeeded
- DO NOT UNINSTALL NOW : )
- just get the newest version from the sportablet website and install over the old version
- that's it
sorry to put you through all this. I'll come up with a different model later on, but right now I cannot really spend much time on the apps.
Can I export my activities to SD card?
Yes, see this blog post for details.
Can I post my activity to Garmin Connect from my tablet?
Yes, see this blog post for details.
Can I share on Facebook?
Yes, see this blog post for details.
Can I track shoes mileage etc?
Yes, see this blog post for details.
How can I speed up the upload?
Android is not terribly fast at reading data from the USB port, and some devices (like the Forerunner 305) always send all the internal data. You can speed up the upload process by periodically removing old data from your device.
Why am I getting a "no GPS track" message ?
The Forerunner has limited internal memory. If you never delete activities, it will eventually run out of space and recycle some memory, by erasing the GPS track of the oldest. Some track data (distance, duration, etc) remain available, and are shown in the activity list. You'll get a "track ok" notice in the activity list when the GPS track is ok, and a "no track" notice when it's not.
Why are distance, duration and / or average speed / pace different between the activity list (or some other software) and the detailed statistics?
The Forerunner keeps an approximate count for total distance, duration, average pace, speed, etc. The real data is stored in the GPS track.
This approximate summary is shown in the Sportablet activity list, and it's also what many other programs show (e.g. the Garmin Training Center). However, once you select an activity, we go through the actual samples, and the result can be different.
Some software choose to always show the approximate counter, but that's not only inaccurate, it's also misleading. For instance, in this screenshot of the Training Center we have a run that is reported for 23:22:52, but the chart shows an actual duration of 23:10.
Once you open an activity, Sportablet recalculates duration, distance, and all the average / min / max statistics for maximum accuracy and consistency.
This approximate summary is shown in the Sportablet activity list, and it's also what many other programs show (e.g. the Garmin Training Center). However, once you select an activity, we go through the actual samples, and the result can be different.
Some software choose to always show the approximate counter, but that's not only inaccurate, it's also misleading. For instance, in this screenshot of the Training Center we have a run that is reported for 23:22:52, but the chart shows an actual duration of 23:10.
Once you open an activity, Sportablet recalculates duration, distance, and all the average / min / max statistics for maximum accuracy and consistency.
I've bought the app, then uninstalled / reinstalled, now it's asking to purchase again
Don't worry, you don't need to pay again. Actually, Google Play won't let you pay again, so you're safe anyway :-). You simply need to ask the app to check for a previous purchase, and it will reactivate. So, get some activities as usual. Some will be locked. Click on a locked activity, and you'll get this screen:
Note the message on the right. Just click "Check on Google Play" and the app will reactivate. Note that your Google Play user must be the same as the one who originally purchased the app. If you have multiple users on your tablet / phone, Google Play always looks at the primary user for in-app purchases.
For the Uploader, the procedure is similar but requires one more click. After you click on the locked activity, you get a screen like this:
For the Uploader, the procedure is similar but requires one more click. After you click on the locked activity, you get a screen like this:
Click Buy; the next screen will look like this (at the bottom)
See the message on the right. Same as above now :-).
What about an iPad version?
Sorry, it's not in my immediate plans.
