Promo video is up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEvjulEJH9w
Is there a video showing the product somewhere?
Microsoft Band
321–330 of 534 posts
Re: Microsoft Band
#322While everyone is trying to make a watch that looks as traditional as possible, Microsoft is thinking radically different for how the future watch should look likes. That's some guts. At $200 this looks like great device with built-in sensors including GPS and UV that also talks to whatever phone you own. I also like the fact that heart rate monitor is always on. Addition of barometer could have been nicer, however.…
They claim a battery life of 48 hours under "normal usage" (read: no GPS), with a charging time of 1.5 hours. Though if it's supposed to be used as a sleep tracker, I kinda wonder when we're supposed to charge it.
Buy two, obviously.
Re: Microsoft Band
#323Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Picking what technology will run your business is something that really needs to be done on a case by case basis, based on your knowledge and your business. We're definitely in agreement there. The main criterium is: use what you know how to use. So if you're comfortable using the MS stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it.
> The main criterium is: use what you know how to use. So if you're comfortable using the MS stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it. So, would it be fair to say "So if you're comfortable using the Linux stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it", or was that your parting jab against MS?
No, since Linux & FreeBSD are license free they have intrinsic advantages over Microsoft.
Re: Microsoft Band
#324- Click on 'Buy' - See 'you need a store to find out the right size' (reasonable) - Click on 'Find store' - Notice 'Only available in the US' - Close tab. Fail.
I feel the same way anytime anyone launches a new product.
I guess Canada is too far away to get shiny new things.
Re: Microsoft Band
#325Earlier quoted context omitted.
It's ugly, but if I were in the market for a smartwatch/fitness tracker this might be the only one I'd bother with. As I find myself saying more and more, I love this new Microsoft. It's insane how much harm a single man can do.
Ugly? For me it's one of the best designs for a smartwatch (I think Samsung or Sony also have this "band" design), not the big clunky watches that were released this year.
I'm in agreement. I really like the way this looks.
Re: Microsoft Band
#326Can it (or could it be made to in future iterations) record the sort of data used to produce the output of an ECG (echocardiogram)? That would be quite the application for people with actual or high risk for hear disease, I think?
ECG (electro- — not echo- — cardiogram) records electric potential changes between various points on the torso, of which pulse rate is really only a very averaged metric, obtained via blood flow and pressure changes.
No chance you'll detect a QT interval change with this.
Re: Microsoft Band
#327Earlier quoted context omitted.
> The main criterium is: use what you know how to use. So if you're comfortable using the MS stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it. So, would it be fair to say "So if you're comfortable using the Linux stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it", or was that your parting jab against MS?
No, since Linux & FreeBSD are license free they have intrinsic advantages over Microsoft.
Yet we see that StackOverflow is fast and scaling really well with demand while Reddit still has load issues after seven years.
Re: Microsoft Band
#328Earlier quoted context omitted.
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.
Wow, that is very eye opening, thanks!
Re: Microsoft Band
#329Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Picking what technology will run your business is something that really needs to be done on a case by case basis, based on your knowledge and your business. We're definitely in agreement there. The main criterium is: use what you know how to use. So if you're comfortable using the MS stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it.
> The main criterium is: use what you know how to use. So if you're comfortable using the MS stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it. So, would it be fair to say "So if you're comfortable using the Linux stack then go for it, otherwise, probably better to avoid it", or was that your parting jab against MS?
I read it as saying that the benefits of not basing your business on a proprietary platform are lower than the benefits of going with a stack that you already have some expertise at. You may read differently.
Re: Microsoft Band
#330Earlier quoted context omitted.
To compare Microsoft Band to a FitBit doesn't do the Band justice. FitBit is a toy - counting footsteps isn't "fitness" and a few LEDs isn't feedback. With GPS and an actual display, the Band actually has the ability to compete against Garmin and Suunto and actual fitness watches. My Garmin is bulky, can't lock a signal in a neighborhood with tall buildings and has software reminiscent of an Atari. And it was more ex…
Hey, you seem to know to be an enthusiast about fitness tracking, can you give me a quick advice? I want a fitness tracker, but I don't want the display. I want it to be lightweight and comfortable to wear, ideally wrapping around my wrist. Sweat-proof. Pedometer, accelerometer, and have decent sleep tracking. A killer feature for me for me would be measuring jumps, as in rope jumps. Does something resembling this ex…
In theory the Amiigo does what you want. In practice... well the device and software is pretty rough at the moment. I'd send you mine but I lost the shoe clip part already and I'm not sure if it works w/o it (it complained every time I loaded the app about it being missing).