] it’s still one of the best fitness trackers I’ve ever strapped on my wrist.
] Although the Band 2 has a screen like a smartwatch, costs the same as a smartwatch ($250), and sucks battery like a smartwatch, it is most definitely not a smartwatch. Yep, you can get your Facebook notifications and emails buzzed to your wrist, but it’s really a secondary, “hey why not” function.
] There’s an optical heart rate sensor, accelerometer, gyrometer, barometer, GPS, ambient light sensor, skin temperature sensor, UV sensor, capacitive sensor, galvanic skin response sensor, and last but not least, a microphone.
] All that data is collected by the Microsoft Health platform, viewable on the cross-platform app or web portal. Wherever you look at the numbers, Microsoft tries its best to make sense of all the stuff it knows about you, put it in context with the rest of the population, and help you toward a healthier self.
] The display itself is now wonderfully bright and sharp, while the buttons remain uncomplicated and easy to press.
-] Despite the curvy screen, it’s not nearly all-day comfortable, and the battery bulge digs into my wrist within an hour.
] The stats it gathers are accurate, and seriously useful
] It’s especially fun for things I do that aren’t necessarily ‘workouts’—biking around town or going to the climbing gym. I’ve tracked those before with a more basic fitness tracker, but having the always-on heartrate and GPS is killer.
] one button lets you flick through things like calorie and step goals for the day, without having to dive into any menus.
] The smartwatch-esque notifications work just fine, with a buzz alerting you to a new email or text. But beyond that, it’s nearly useless as a day-to-day companion. Apps barely go beyond the very basic.
] The hardware is still too uncomfortable to wear day-to-day, and that’s a big problem for something you’re meant to leave on while sleeping. The screen orientation leaves me bending my neck to try and tell the time. It’s also still not waterproof—Microsoft says it’s water-resistant, but you also probably shouldn’t wear it showering and definitely not swimming.
] There’s a whole plethora of fitness trackers out there, some of which have all the same sensors that the Band is packing around the same $250 price. They also come in packages that look prettier and don’t slowly eat your wrist over the course of a day. In other words, you should probably buy one of those.
] the Microsoft Health software is leaps and bounds ahead of the competition. It isn’t limited to Band users—you can already integrate with apps like RunKeeper and Strava, and that list keeps increasing.
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] SRC = HN, comments
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] can i use microsoft band without smartphone - Yes, wont get email/text/... notifications, will have to connect to PC to synch data with, lasts for 3+ days of data gathering