Microsoft Band
Table of contents:
- Microsoft Band as smartwatch
- Microsoft Band as a quantifying bracelet
- Microsoft Band, price and availability
Arriving a little earlier than expected, today Redmond officially announced its smarwatch, dubbed the Microsoft Band (we were able to learn its name a couple of hours before thanks to the publication of its companion apps for smartphones). Now with the official characteristics in hand, we can say that most of the rumors that had been circulating were true."
As Forbes and other sources had announced, it is a wearable with a clear focus on he alth and well-being, being full of sensors to measure our vital figures day and night. Its battery lasts 2 days, and it is compatible with all major smartphone platforms: Windows Phone, Android and iOS.
Let's take a closer look at what Microsoft Band offers us in each of its sections, but first of all, the official specifications.
| Material | Thermoplastic elastomer with adjustable closure |
|---|---|
| Screen | 1.4-inch color TFT, with a resolution of 320 x 106 pixels |
| Battery duration | 48 hours without GPS enabled |
| Average charging time | Full charge in 1.5 hours |
| Allowable temperature range | -10°C to 40°C |
| Maximum Altitude | 12,000 meters |
| Sensors | Optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer, GPS, ambient light sensor, body temperature sensor, UC radiation sensor, galvanic skin response sensor, capacitive sensor, microphone |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 4.0 LE |
| Mobile Device Compatibility | Windows Phone 8.1 Update, iPhone 4S or later, and Android 4.3 or 4.4 |
| Environmental resistance | Resists splashing water and dust |
| Charging system | USB Cable |
Microsoft Band as smartwatch
The fact that Microsoft Band's focus is on fitness and he alth does not mean that it leaves out the classic functions of smartwatches: the management of notifications and alerts linked to a smartphone. Here we comply with what we could expect, by being informed of the calls, text messages and emails coming from our phone, whether it is a device with iOS, Android or Windows Phone
We can also receive notifications from Facebook, Facebook Messenger or Twitter. And for when we feel that notifications are being too invasive, we can set rules to receive only some of them, and even activate a do not disturb mode in which we don&39;t we will receive any notification."
"In addition, Microsoft Band has small applications to obtain information such as the weather forecast, or changes in the stock market for companies that interest usAlong with this, it includes a stopwatch, an alarm system,a clock mode> without having to press any button on it, and the possibility of customizing its appearance, changing the wallpaper and color of the interface."
Finally, we have Cortana, who, thanks to the integrated microphone, can be asked to create reminders, edit calendar events, create notes, although it seems that several of these functions will only be available if we configure a Windows Phone as a companion device>."
Microsoft Band as a quantifying bracelet
Now we move on to the area where Microsoft Band wants to excel: the quantification of vital signs, and help getting a greater well-being Here we find that thanks to its longer battery life (2 days) it becomes feasible to use it at night, which allows it to record how much we have slept, and what has been the quality of our sleep (phases of sleep, number of times we have woken up at night, etc).All this information is stored in the cloud thanks to the service Microsoft He alth
Along with this, this band is capable of recording the heartbeat, UV radiation, the paths we take when running ( thanks to GPS), the calories we have burned during the day, etc. For each variable you can also set a personal goal, and we will receive a congratulations alert when reaching it in order to increase our motivation. And of course, this information will also be available from PCs and smartphones through Microsoft He alth, and can even be synchronized with associated services such as RunKeeper or MyFitnessPal.
Microsoft Band is also noted for offering us custom workout routines thanks to partner partners like Men's He alth and Gold's Gym.Thanks to its sensors, the device is capable of detecting each time we have done a repetition of each exercise, and through this it can guide us to perform complete routines, customizing them based on the heart rate information it collects, and indicating when we should continue and when to stop.
Microsoft Band, price and availability
As already known, the price of this smartwatch will be $199, but unfortunately, for now will only be available for the United States There is no information on when it will arrive in other countries or the exact value it will have in other markets.
Official page | Microsoft Band
