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Microsoft Band

microsoft.com

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Re: Microsoft Band

#141

Post by Encosia »

mistermann wrote: post #106
Encosia wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

IIRC, Surface is one of the key reasons Microsoft did so well in the last quarter.

You mean revenue wise? Is it anything more than a rounding error? (Serious question.)

According to http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2014/10/27/mic..., they sold $908 million in Surfaces, out of 2.45 billion total hardware sales (including Xbox), last quarter. Total revenue last quarter for Microsoft was 23.20 billion.

So, Surface won't be replacing Windows/Office any time soon, but nearly a billion in revenue for what a lot of people try to frame as a failed product is not too shabby.

Re: Microsoft Band

#142

Post by robomartin »

robomartin wrote: post #139

Wow! This. Is cool. And $199? Just ordered three of them. Happy to see Microsoft put out something like this and, to some extent one-up Apple. While the i-everything world is interesting, not sure I want to shackle myself to a single company like that. Swimming? Is it waterproof? Any swimming apps?

Ah, not waterproof. That's OK.

Re: Microsoft Band

#143

Post by threeseed »

blhack wrote: post #121

How many mentions of the apple watch in this thread? The moto 360 is already out, it's completely awesome, I use it every day, and as far as I can tell is already ahead of the apple watch in terms of functionality. Apple are seriously gods at marketing. Wow.

It has nothing to do with marketing. Apple simply has a record of disrupting industries e.g. music player, music store, smart phone.

So of course people are going to compare it to the iWatch.

Re: Microsoft Band

#144

Post by wiradikusuma »

I don't want to sound skeptical (I like the device and consider buying it), but how likely is it they gradually introduce "Windows (Phone) only" features for this device, up to the point it's not so useful in other platforms?

EDIT: clarification

Re: Microsoft Band

#145

Post by iamshs »

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…

Regarding charging:- "Connector: Magnetically coupled connector to USB" http://goo.gl/mDFKbM

Re: Microsoft Band

#146

Post by bluthru »

jader201 wrote: post #120
bluthru wrote: post #108

I'm surprised so many are drawn to the industrial design of this. It seems quite clunky with the electronics distributed throughout the band. The flat portion is also too long. Microsoft wants to sell you a gadget while Apple wants to sell you a watch.

I belong to a certain group of people that I'm guessing many smartwatch makers are targeting. That is, I've not worn a watch for years, mostly because a) I've never needed time to be any more convenient than checking my phone, and b) watches tend to be more about style than function, and I care almost zero about the former and almost everything about the latter. Now that the "watch" is becoming functional, it really…

>So if gadget = functionality

I don't mean this.

I mean that Microsoft's band looks decent... for a gadget. Apple's watch looks decent for a watch.

Re: Microsoft Band

#147

Post by lhl »

Encosia wrote: post #82

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…

The only thing that's a bit of a bummer is the battery life (the Peak Basis claims 4 days and the Fitbit Surge claims 5 days) and the MS Band is only "Dust- and splash-resistant" while those other devices are waterproof to 5ATM (usable for swimming), but the sheer number of sensors is really impressive and I'm much more confident about software/data access. At the very least it looks like MS Health pipes data into HealthVault, which is API accessible), but I'm most looking forward to getting access to the raw data stream (considering it's my biometric data they're collecting).

Re: Microsoft Band

#148

Post by math0ne »

dingaling wrote: post #126
bhauer wrote: post #101

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been using wireless charging for nearly two years on my Lumia 920. And for the past year, my wife's Lumia Icon has been doing the same. I picked up a couple more charging plates when she switched to Windows Phone. Now that I've used wireless charging, I'll never go back. Connecting wires to charge is so 2012. I want my Surface Pro to charge wirelessly. And my Tesla Model S (well, that is, if I had one).

One benefit of old-school wired charging is that I can still use the device in a normal orientation whilst it is charging, so long as the cable is long enough. Do you find that wireless charging prevents that? I assume the fevice has to lie flat on the plate somewhere near a power outlet.

It does prevent that but it also prevents my device from ever being dead because whenever I'm at my desk I just put it on the charger. With the wired chargers in the past it was a paint to plug and unplug so my phone was always low but with the wireless stuff my device is naturally juicy all the time.

Re: Microsoft Band

#149

Post by arjie »

Would have bought this if it were fully functional with non-MS devices. It has all the sensors I want and looks unobtrusive. Even the Apple Watch looks like a Casio, so it's not like we're in top style here.

Re: Microsoft Band

#150

Post by CamperBob2 »

frade33 wrote: post #91

Jesus! it's perfect. and because MS got it right. compared to apple or pebble. in short, 'band form factor' is the one I was hoping, when apple introduced its watch. I was bit shocked when it was actually rounded-square shape. with this form, you get more with less.

Yep. Apple gave its customers the proverbial faster horse. This looks like an actual step forward.
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