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Microsoft Band

microsoft.com

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Re: Microsoft Band

#81

Post by antjanus »

dominotw wrote: post #19
tdicola wrote: post #14

Looks interesting and good on Microsoft for finally getting in front of a new hardware trend. I kind of wonder if all these health trackers are just going to be a fad though. Do you really need to micromanage every calorie and heart beat with a $200 gadget? There's a ton of hand waving about combining all the data, synergies, etc. but what are the actual benefits of these devices over just regular checkups with a doc…

Yep definitely a fad. I used up band religiously for a year couple of years when it came out. After a while I got sick of one more thing to keep track of, was just too overbearing. I see a counter trend where technology becomes invisible, fades into background and still works for us instead of being in out faces all the time. Smartphones, smart glasses, smart watches everything that wants a piece of our attention is…

I completely agree with you, I like the concept of "disappearing technology" because just about anything I want to do is somehow stupidly tied to a device with a screen. It's annoying.

With that said, one of the main things I wish I could have during my workouts is something to track what I do without me having to manually input it. So, if it can count the number of reps I do, sweet. If it can count how many steps I took within my 3 mile treadmill run, awesome. If i can see my heartbeat at a glance, great! Because treadmills fucking suck at that.

HOWEVER, and one of the reasons why I'm not considering the band, I don't want tweets, or messages, or updates, or any of that shit even more in my face. I don't want another touchscreen vying for attention. The new Fitbits do that but (luckily) not with WIndows Phones. I have one, and I see this as a FEATURE rather than a detriment. Why the fuck do I need to see stupid notifications while I'm trying to run?

Re: Microsoft Band

#82

Post by Encosia »

I was pretty underwhelmed by Apple's watch and have actively disliked the Android watches that I've seen so far. I use a Fitbit One every day currently, so the new Fitbit Charge bands with some phone integration kind of piqued my interest, but seemed very feature poor.

After seeing the functionality this thing offers and that it will work with my iPhone instead of requiring a particular phone OS, take my money.

If it really does as much and works half as well as the promo video suggests, MS may have a big winner here.

Re: Microsoft Band

#86

Post by dataminded »

jbigelow76 wrote: post #67
dataminded wrote: post #50

Any word on silent alarm and convenient wake-up like the fitbit?

That's a feature I like about my fitbit, but with the Band requiring a charge every two days could result in sporadic sleep data since most people will charge it as they sleep along with their cell phones. Granted, I charge my phone at work at my desk but taking off and putting on something that is supposed to track your activity could get annoying.

That does sound kinda messy. I think that I'll wait until the Fitbit Surge or Charge HR. Wish they'd gotten their act together well enough to get them out before holidays.

Re: Microsoft Band

#87

Post by ddrmaxgt37 »

FlyingLawnmower wrote: post #15

At first, the $199 pricepoint seemed high, but it seems to be a cross platform high end fitness tracker with basic smartwatch functionality. Incidentally, this puts the price point right in-between FitBits and Android Wear watches (and also the iWatch). Furthermore, 2 day battery life is a very welcome addition. I wouldn't mind putting one of these on my wrist.

The price actually seems low to me. The built in GPS and HRM make it compete with higher end endurance watches that cost $300+. I'm considering dumping my TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio for this if the real time stats during running are good enough.

Re: Microsoft Band

#88

Post by dataminded »

kolev wrote: post #29

Better than Basis Peak... except it's missing the galvanic skin response sensor. I'm really happy about the UV sensor (although I already backed SunSprite, which is a disaster)! Best of all, Microsoft Band will have APIs unlike the data-stingy Basis!

I can't figure basis out. So much potential. They should be crushing the market.

Re: Microsoft Band

#90

Post by swartkrans »

felixrieseberg wrote: post #64
guylhem wrote: post #35

All the sensors + apparently a very lightweight OS + small form factor = I like it. The killing feature is the integrated GPS. As mentionned on the website, you can go without your phone. That alone could make it a buy if it supports wireless charging (I don't want to bother with wires in 2014) Also, it is multiplatform, which is a big plus. I do not want an android watch or an iwatch, but something that will work re…

Hey, I'm an Open Source Engineer with MSFT (and the msft dude for YC) - there isn't anything out yet, but we have always released SDKs for pretty much anything we build.

If this thing works with Android I'd definitely consider getting one. I'm considering getting a fitbit or pebble but maybe I'll wait.
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