![]() Microsoft later acknowledged that the limited release was in part because it was an unabashedly first-gen offering, and that it knew it still had a lot to learn about the wearable industry. Some Canadians, myself included, got their hands on an imported model and were impressed with how the device seamlessly married the key functions of both a smartwatch and a fitness band, but found the the original Band’s ergonomics weren’t quite up to the standards of competing products. A worthy upgrade over the Microsoft Band 2 The wearable featured a rectangular screen, included a total of 10 sensors, and was initially available only in the U.S., though it later made its way to the U.K. Or indeed how to repeat your new personal best.Microsoft released the original Microsoft Band in late 2014, a surprise announcement that – and this is an usual move in the modern tech industry – was leak-free prior to its big reveal. The Band 2 can tell you that was the case in near-on excessive detail, it’s up to you to figure out why though. Say you ran much farther than usual that other Monday. This means they’re best used as markers of consistency. This is par for the Band 2 course: it’s easy to drown yourself in statistics without drawing any conclusions from them.įitness trackers aren’t allowed to make health recommendations based on what you do due to governmental regulations. I also have a sleep efficiency of 89%, which could mean anything for all I know. I found out that although I go to sleep late, I do usually crack that magic six hour restoration mark. Sleep is a particularly good example of this. You’ll need to whack out your laptop if you want to learn much from what you’ve done over the last fortnight and beyond. Its free sister app for iOS, Android and Windows Phone is more of a way to see what you’ve done that day and marvel at your own athleticism. Nevertheless, I happily dreamt of scoring the winning FA Cup final goal and sprouting some proper facial hair.Īll the data you collect via the Band 2 is collated together in the functional but user-friendly online Microsoft Health dashboard. I’m a particularly light snoozer, as was proved by the Microsoft Health app’s data, so anything that interferes with my dozing-off routine is generally bad news. This is especially true when you’re sleeping with the tracker. The result? You won’t notice it nearly as much.Įven though the Band 2 is a big device – big enough for someone to notice in the urinals and spark up a conversation with you about it (true story) – its 238g weight doesn’t feel particularly heavy to wear. Whereas the original Band’s battery was awkwardly incorporated into the device so that it squeezed on your wrist, it’s now part of that neat clasp. There’s a practical side to this tracker’s rotund figure too. I especially like its tactile metal clasp, which is great for twiddling about with in moments of idle-minded distraction. While you could hardly describe this rubberised device as a looker, it does have a certain chunky charm. Thankfully this functionality has just been added in a new update to the Band 2, alongside alerts for when you’ve been sitting still for too long and some other more negligible tweaks.Īt least the Band 2 is comfortable enough to wear. Having to dig out your phone every time you wanted to skip a track was a total drag. In my time with the Band 2, I also wished it was possible to control your music through the device. In other more important developments, GPS takes a couple of minutes to connect when confronting the great outdoors, which isn’t ideal considering I tend not to spend too much time out there per run. That’s probably too much to ask of the Band 2 though. In an ideal world, you’d also get tips telling you how close you are to puking and whether that burning in your lungs is totally normal or just a marker of total athletic inadequacy. You can clearly read vital stats on its curved AMOLED touchscreen, such as the amount of time you’ve been running for, calories you’ve burnt and distance you’ve travelled. At least, I didn’t find the process of quickly putting one foot in front of another any more distasteful than usual. Running with Microsoft’s creation is relatively pleasant.
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