![]() At the very least it's a FAR better device than it looks. It's over-stuffed with sensors, unattractive to look at and not always the last word in accuracy, but it does a lot of things well. In short, the Band is an impressive hybrid. Though sadly I have not had the chance to test these, due to hating golf. It also has a wealth of golf-related functions, from course mapping to swing analysis, courtesy of a tie-up with TaylorMade. It doesn't have the accuracy of the best running/fitness watches but for athletes of only moderate seriousness, it's fine, and it's also significantly cheaper and more discreet than most such watches. In fact, despite its appearance the Microsoft Band is actually more like a running/fitness watch, with GPS and pulse tracking. If you've got a Windows Phone device, you can do much more, including taking calls and dictating messages via Cortana, via the built-in mic.Īlthough it's ugly and stiff, it's not actually all that uncomfortable - it doesn't leave contusions on your skin or anything like that.Ī lot of users would benefit from its fitness functions, which are way above what most step trackers offer. What really adds value is that it's also got decent smartwatch type functionality, with phone alerts, texts and messages all pinging up on the bright little screen. It's useful for tracking your workouts, serves as a solid step/sleep counter and the Guided Workout feature is really good. Which is that because the Microsoft Band is a) stiff enough to be a little uncomfortable and b) in need of regular charging, in my view you'd be much better off just taking it off and plugging it in.įor all its quirks and shortcomings, the Microsoft Band is an excellent hybrid device in many respects. Sleep-tracking performanceīecause of its HR monitor three-way accelerometer and gyroscope, the Band is a very solid sleep tracker too, able to pull out stats on deep and light sleep, plus "sleep efficiency", whatever that is.Īs usual with this type of device, I question what you're meant to do with these stats, but putting that to one side, there's a greater problem here. They don't appear to do anything at this point though conceivably they could be useful in the future, if Microsoft decides to use them. Oh, and there are also a skin temperature sensor and a galvanic skin response sensor. I'd go so far as to say it's the Band's killer app, in fact. This is a great idea, executed really well. Fire it up and your Band counts down each interval, buzzes to indicate each one has finished and offers onscreen instructions as to what happens next ("30 seconds rest", "Star jumps for 20 seconds", "Pressups for 40 seconds", "Simon says 'stand on your head'" and so forth). This is for any form of interval training, with a large number of preset workouts available to download to the Band, graded by intensity. ![]() The REALLY useful thing the Microsoft Band does is its Guided Workout function. It also means the Band's app is able to have a stab at estimating your recovery time after exercise, although I have to admit I took zero notice of this. The Microsoft Band also tracks your heart rate when you're not exercising, so you can keep an eye on your resting heartrate over time - if it's generally going down, you're probably doing alright. Surely most of us are intermediates when it comes to exercise? Even if we sometimes pretend not to be… That's not really meant as a criticism, though. ![]() As with a lot of things to do with the Band, it's fine for intermediate exercisers, superfluous for anyone who's not very active and not really good enough for anyone who's an elite/hardcore/super-try-hard runner or cyclist. This doesn't tell you what HR zone you're in while working out - though obviously you can work it out yourself easily enough, if that's your bag - but the bigger issue here is less than rock solid accuracy. It's generally accurate once locked on, giving distance data that's not perfect, but consistent and good enough for most people's purposes. GPS lock-on can be quite slow, but you can start running or riding while the Band is looking for a satellite. Interestingly, it can also sync with the likes of Strava and Runkeeper if you actively prefer to use your mobile's GPS. Just like every other fitness tracker.īut Microsoft Band also uses GPS to track runs and cycles without the need for your mobile. Yes, it counts your steps with a reasonable degree of accuracy, and congratulates you for reaching 10,000. ![]()
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