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Microsoft Band
- dataminded 12y agoAny word on silent alarm and convenient wake-up like the fitbit?
- jbigelow76 12y agoThat's a feature I like about my fitbit, but with the Band requiring a charge every two days could result in sporadic sleep data since most people will charge it as they sleep along with their cell phones. Granted, I charge my phone at work at my desk but taking off and putting on something that is supposed to track your activity could get annoying.
- dataminded 12y agoThat does sound kinda messy. I think that I'll wait until the Fitbit Surge or Charge HR. Wish they'd gotten their act together well enough to get them out before holidays.
- hallman76 12y agocommand-F -> "alarm" Timer & Alarm Time your laps around the track or set an alarm to wake you silently.
- grimlck 12y agoI'm really impressed, I was set on getting an apple watch until now, but this may change my mind - great form factor and style, has the sensors I'm looking for, and cross platform. I'm eagerly waiting a review.
- guylhem 12y agoAll 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 regardless of the cellphone I chose. I wonder if there's a devkit to read the data. If some HN is from Microsoft, I'd love some links to the devkit page (simple stuff, like retreiving GPS log, heartrate log, etc)
- numo16 12y agoBased on this interview/article on the verge [0], it sounds like there are plans to open up to devs eventually (not surprised, considering microsoft's current trends), sounds like they are just taking this one step at a time. [0]: http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-band-hub-for-fitness-data http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-...
- felixrieseberg 12y agoHey, I'm an Open Source Engineer with MSFT (and the msft dude for YC) - there isn't anything out yet, but we have always released SDKs for pretty much anything we build.
- swartkrans 12y agoIf this thing works with Android I'd definitely consider getting one. I'm considering getting a fitbit or pebble but maybe I'll wait.
- cwyers 12y agoThey've announced apps for iOS, Android and Windows Phone, at launch.
- integraton 12y agoDo those apps support HealthKit and Google Fit?
- dmishe 12y agoEven if they do, it seems that you get the best of it by syncing to MS cloud with algos to run over your data.
- cyanbane 12y agoLooks like it supports data relay to MapMyFitness Suite of Apps, which I would think could then relay it to HealthKit if there is not already a direct export from MS's iOS App.
- steven2012 12y agoFinally a Microsoft product that isn't stupidly handcuffed to their ecosystem. Microsoft has amazing engineers still, and they must be frustrated that they aren't allowed to produce the best device they can, regardless of os. I hope for their sake this thing does well.
- madeofpalk 12y ago> Finally This isn't 'finally'. This 'new Microsoft' has been doing this for a while.
- thescrewdriver 12y agoVisual Studio doesn't seem to install correctly on my Ubuntu box.
- madeofpalk 12y agoAnd?
- zamalek 12y agoVisual Studio has been using COM since COM was new. That 21 years of code that's been written against an API that Linux doesn't provide. COM is not only proprietary but also a horrible thing. I don't see it ever being on any Linux list of things to do. It will never install on Linux. If you want something as good as Visual Studio on Linux, write it.
- 72deluxe 12y agoCOM is horrible to write code for (although not THAT bad), and is tricky to troubleshoot (hurray for TLBs and massive hex registry strings) but it is a very handy feature of the system! Does anything exist on other platforms like Mac OSX and Linux? CORBA was written all over the place GNOME1 / 2 time as I recall but I don't actually know if anything like COM exists anywhere?
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- cnp 12y agocan someone explain this?
- o0-0o 12y agoMS is rumored to be working on a wearable. This is obviously it. Looks like Apple outed them through their submitted app.
- eslaught 12y ago> "Apple outed them" More likely someone at Microsoft hit the wrong button, or failed to set something to private, or whatever. This even happened to Apple with some iPad Air 2 documentation not so long ago, so obviously this stuff happens.
- BinaryIdiot 12y agoNa man it's available for order!
- dpark 12y agohttp://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-band-hub-for-fitness-data http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-...
- mmcconnell1618 12y agoI guess someone selected "Release when approved" instead of "Release manually."
- RayVR 12y agoalso, this: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/get-started http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/get-started
- RayVR 12y agooptical heart rate monitor and UV sensor are interesting but not enough to get a microsoft phone Edit: works with iphone and android. http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardware/system-requirements http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardwa...
- twodayslate 12y agoThe battery lasts for two days http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardware/battery-life-tips http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardwa...
- sah88 12y agoUp to 48 hours. You can bet that is with everything off. Looks like its going to be a 1 day device with GPS/Heart Rate and moderate usage.
- ghshephard 12y agoIf it can get more than 3 hours with the GPS turned on, I'll be very, very impressed.
- TheTaO 12y agoGets five hours with GPS.
- ghshephard 12y agoThat's very impressive - my iPhone 5, with "GPS Tracks" (my favorite waypoint tracking device), with the screen off for most of the time, gets a little over 4 hours before the battery dies out.
- andrewljohnson 12y ago"For example, if you receive many notifications or run with GPS turned on, you’ll need to charge the band more often." A smartphone can go 48 hours if you turn off all the radios too. The 48-hour claim seems mostly meaningless to me.
- zvrba 12y ago> A smartphone can go 48 hours if you turn off all the radios too. My Lumia 1520 goes for longer than 48 hours, with all the radios ON.
- turnip1979 12y agoThis actually seems better than Android Wear. I like their form factor more than a watch. It might give Apple a run for their money.
- ghshephard 12y agoThey are chasing after slightly (but not completely) different markets. This is a (very capable) fitbit competitor. Apple is definitely targeting fashion. Microsoft is marketing a < $200 band. Apple will be selling a $5K+ Gold Watch amongst its offerings. In some ways, the Microsoft watch is actually much more capable than the Apple Watch (Hello, untethered GPS!) - but nobody is going to put it on the front page of vogue.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- bigtunacan 12y agoWhen I saw the app name I instantly thought of the D12 song. "These chicks don't even know the name of my band...my band...my band..."
- tdicola 12y agoLooks interesting and good on Microsoft for finally getting in front of a new hardware trend. I kind of wonder if all these health trackers are just going to be a fad though. Do you really need to micromanage every calorie and heart beat with a $200 gadget? There's a ton of hand waving about combining all the data, synergies, etc. but what are the actual benefits of these devices over just regular checkups with a doctor?
- j_lev 12y agoI think there is benefit in at least recording and optionally uploading data to the cloud for now.
- dominotw 12y agoYep definitely a fad. I used up band religiously for a year couple of years when it came out. After a while I got sick of one more thing to keep track of, was just too overbearing. I see a counter trend where technology becomes invisible, fades into background and still works for us instead of being in out faces all the time. Smartphones, smart glasses, smart watches everything that wants a piece of our attention is going away soon. I want to learn the routes around my neighborhood and not need a map in my eyeglasses. I want to talk( or not talk) to friends in real life not text message them. I just want to come home an play my piano not read a twitter battle on my phone. I want fall asleep talking to my partner/dreaming about future, not obsesses about my deep sleep rem cycles. I want wake up when I am done sleeping not by a smart alarm keeping track of my sleep cycles. I just want to eat eggs and toast for breakfast not powdered rice from a plastic bag. I don't want any of this smart* shit. Please make it stop.
- coldtea 12y agoYes, such a backslash is quite possible, and if one has lived through several decades of similar on/off stages in trends will know (those involved in the sixties culture wouldn't expected young people would turn into apolitical consumerists a mere decade later -- "Family Ties" style). Unfortunately a lot of conceptually challenged people don't understand anything about social norms, peer pressure etc, and think that using or not using this technology is just "individual choice" ("noone is forcing you", etc). Then again some think that you can get out of a depression just by trying to think more positive...
- FlyingLawnmower 12y agoAt first, the $199 pricepoint seemed high, but it seems to be a cross platform high end fitness tracker with basic smartwatch functionality. Incidentally, this puts the price point right in-between FitBits and Android Wear watches (and also the iWatch). Furthermore, 2 day battery life is a very welcome addition. I wouldn't mind putting one of these on my wrist.
- ddrmaxgt37 12y agoThe price actually seems low to me. The built in GPS and HRM make it compete with higher end endurance watches that cost $300+. I'm considering dumping my TomTom Multi-Sport Cardio for this if the real time stats during running are good enough.
- josu 12y agoMy problem is that if it's also a sleep tracker. When are you supposed to charge these things?
- gelatocar 12y agoDo you wear it on the inside of your wrist? Otherwise wouldn't the display be sideways?
- damianknz 12y agoI suspect thats so it can measure your pulse better. Its also more private if it displays text messages.
- bobbles 12y agoYeah just the example photos on their own website make it look like this thing will be awkward to use
- nilkn 12y agoIt looks like the display is meant to be facing outward from the bottom side of your wrist (i.e., down, if you put out your arms straight in front of you). A lot of the videos show people just flipping their wrist around to correctly orient the display. It's a little unusual but doesn't really seem like it'd be any sort of issue to me. My only concern would be scratching the display.
- stephengoodwin 12y ago"A full charge can last up to 48 hours, but can vary significantly depending on your settings, usage, and other factors."[1] That doesn't make me optimistic about using the GPS for very long. [1] http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardware/battery-life-tips http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardwa...
- mrigor 12y agoPromo video is up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEvjulEJH9w https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEvjulEJH9w
- davmar 12y agofor maximum effect, watch this first: http://funny.garrytan.com/this-is-a-generic-brand-video http://funny.garrytan.com/this-is-a-generic-brand-video
- wes-k 12y agoThank you, I needed this after the video started with cheesy music and the words "life is made up of moments".
- baby 12y agoIs there a video showing the product somewhere?
- mpg33 12y agoI actually like the look of these bands more so than the watch look Apple is going for...
- suprgeek 12y agoGot a nice package of on board sensors: Optical heart rate sensor 3-axis accelerometer/gyro GPS Ambient light sensor Skin temperature sensor UV sensor Microphone Haptic vibration motor The 2 day battery life is the one turn off for me. Otherwise this is actually quite nice for $199 cross platform fitness wearable
- iamshs 12y agoWhat is the software running on this? Interestingly, MS is mum on it. What a change. Also, can the microphone connect to Siri, Google Now? I know Cortana is running on it. Must say, looks very very alluring. Edit:- Sizing:- http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/sizing http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/sizing From the accessories it looks like it can be wirelessly charged, and has BLE:- http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/buy/productID.309986100/ThemeID.33363200/Currency.USD/mktp.US http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/buy/productI... Edit2:- Does not look like wireless charging. It is "Connector: Magnetically coupled connector to USB"
- javert 12y ago> What is the software running on this? Interestingly, MS is mum on it. I'd really like to know. No matter what the answer is, it's going to be fascinating. Even if it's Windows but they've decided not to broadcast that.
- underwater 12y agoI imagine it's Windows CE. Is there any reason to suspect otherwise?
- javert 12y agoWell, I took the person saying "MS is mum on it" as "they are keeping it secret." If they are keeping it secret, that's interesting. But I'm possibly reading into this something that isn't there.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- dmolony 12y agoI was hoping it was Microsoft Banned.
- theworst 12y agoYour comment is useless. Is this not feature comparable with others in its class? What don't you like about it? Is something not worthwhile if it's not first? Aaaaand you've convinced me to again eliminate my HN account and spend time elsewhere. Idiots are the best productivity measure -- they make me not want to be on HN.
- kolev 12y agoBetter than Basis Peak... except it's missing the galvanic skin response sensor. I'm really happy about the UV sensor (although I already backed SunSprite, which is a disaster)! Best of all, Microsoft Band will have APIs unlike the data-stingy Basis!
- curiousDog 12y agoIt does have the GSR looks like
- kolev 12y agoYes! Thank you!
- dataminded 12y agoI can't figure basis out. So much potential. They should be crushing the market.
- kolev 12y agoYes, I thought so, too, but they suck at material choices and ergonomics. Also, they don't have an API. Since Intel bought them, Basis Peak seems to look and feel better, but where's the API? Anyway, Microsoft just made a no brainer to decide - they offer everything that everybody else has (except pulse oximetry that Amiigo was supposed to have - not sure if they delivered it) and much more at the same price.
- lhl 12y agoI've had a B1 for 1.5yrs. They've promised a public API since before that time, but it still doesn't exist. In fact, I have a hard time thinking of any features they've added this entire time (in fact it's terrible as a watch since you can't set the time/time zone except via the web and after a full data sync, making it often useless if you travel much). I finally got the Amiigo a couple months ago - I didn't see SpO2 stats detailed. It was actually pretty underwhelming - the Amiigo doesn't have the promised API/SDK either. The MS Band's sensor suite is better (GSR, skin temp), it's just too bad it's not waterproof.
- curiousDog 12y agoWow, this actually looks fantastic. Microsoft has always killed it in the hardware department. Looks like it connects to their cloud service as well. Will probably consider getting one.
- beggi 12y agoErm, always killed it? Zune, Surface, Lumia?
- wlesieutre 12y agoZune had problems, but hardware wasn't one of them. At least not from the five minutes that I ever used one. Which was maybe the only Zune I ever saw.
- ANTSANTS 12y agoSeconding this. I used one for a few years and while I loved the device itself and everything about its interface, it was hampered by the poor software (a reskinned version of Windows Media Player, basically) required to sync anything to it, and the fact that no one cared enough about Zunes to reverse them like they did with the iPods :( I might still be using it if it had drag and drop file management.
- curiousDog 12y agoHardware-wise, I'd say yes. I haven't used a Lumia but the Zune-HD and Surface were actually well made.
- madoublet 12y agoNot to mention the Lumia just became a Microsoft product. Microsoft has yet to put their own stamp on the brand.
- brianpgordon 12y agoXbox 360?
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- dang 12y agoUrl changed from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-band-sync/id926162815 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/microsoft-band-sync/id926162... via https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8531131 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=8531131.
- viggity 12y agoin general, I'm a pretty big MS fanboy (win phones since 7, surface 2, etc). And I am suspect of the category as a whole, but the orientation of the screen just seems so dumb. Also, people keep saying it is so small, it certainly doesn't look like it to me, especially on the sides it looks relatively thick. I'm going to be out in Redmond soon, hope to see some in the wild.
- BinaryIdiot 12y ago> but the orientation of the screen just seems so dumb. I thought this at first but after thinking about it I think it's really intuitive! When you use a watch you have to turn your arm in a non-natural way but when you turn your palm up it's actually easier because of the way the mussels are laid out. Also that's how you always look at your phone. I wouldn't mind trying one out.
- TheTaO 12y agoyes exactly what I was thinking. For reading anything on this it will help to have it worn with screen inside which is more natural for me.
- Shad0w59 12y agoHow do I buy it (international)?
- astrojams 12y agoThis looks really good. I love the new Microsoft - it feels good to root for them again.
- webwielder 12y agoWhen would you have rooted for them in the past?
- digisign 12y agoLast time I remember was when they provided Basic for my C64 and were biting the hands of IBM.
- chenzhekl 12y agoIt' with Bluetooth 4.0. So my HTC 8X which is loaded with Bluetooth 3.0 may not be able to work with it. Such a pity.
- blackaspen 12y agoThis is what the modern "software driven company that happens to make hardware looks like". And I'm glad it's Microsoft. This looks awesome.
- Encosia 12y agoI 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 really does as much and works half as well as the promo video suggests, MS may have a big winner here.
- lhl 12y agoThe 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).
- antjanus 12y agoI'd love to see someone compare this to the new Fitbit Charge HR! :)
- ddrmaxgt37 12y agoThe MS Band has more sensors and his bound to have much better software. I'm guessing that it's not going to be a very fair fight.
- antjanus 12y agoyeah but Fitbit has the whole "light-weight band" going for it plus 5 days of charge. I do like the GPS feature though, that's fucking killer
- pradn 12y agoAnyone know if the data will sync to the iOS Health app? I use it to track my fitness goals and such.
- frade33 12y agoJesus! 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.
- CamperBob2 12y agoYep. Apple gave its customers the proverbial faster horse. This looks like an actual step forward.
- scotchio 12y agoDang it! I was just about to buy it. Looks like Cortana will only work if you have a Windows phone. That missing killer feature IMO is a deal breaker. From the article: "Cortana: If you’re using Windows Phone 8.1, you can take notes and set reminders with your voice using Cortana personal assistant."
- WorldWideWayne 12y agoIt's got a microphone and bluetooth so it might just be a software limitation. I wouldn't be surprised if Apple actually locked third parties out from using Siri like this though. Are you saying that you want Cortana even if you're using Android or iOS? I don't think that's going to be possible.
- chokolad 12y agoIt uses Cortana running on the phone itself. Band's hardware does not have Cortana.
- Nicholas_C 12y agoWith Google Now functionality this product would be killer. I really hope that's a feature.
- orbifold 12y agoI certainly would not want a bracelet that tracks so much information from a corporation that is known to cooperate with the NSA. The bracelets they force repeat sex offenders to wear track less information about them. The only way I would consider using such a device was if both the hardware and software were available for public review.
- sb057 12y agoCan I assume you don't own a smartphone, then?
- orbifold 12y agoOf course not. I own a phone, whose battery lasts a month, I can call people and receive text messages. And its common knowledge that its not a good idea to bring any mobile device to demonstrations for example. In Germany they've been known to indiscriminately monitor all mobile communications at demonstrations and put the numbers on file.
- firepacket 12y agoYour communications can still be tapped, your location can still be tracked through cell towers, and remote malware can still turn your phone into a persistent bug. I don't think there's much of an advantage to using a dumb phone. At least with a smartphone you can run apps that encrypt your communications.
- Void_ 12y agoI'll be happy to share my data with Microsoft or NSA for that matter, I'm pretty sure nobody there cares how I spend my days, and I don't think they're interested in your days either...
- orbifold 12y agoWell western governments are experts in keeping their population docile and politically disinterested. So I'm not surprised a growing percentage of their population is fine with being monitored and spied on. The majority of the population might not really need protection from the state, but the few that do, dissidents, political activists definitely do. By establishing a culture, where people are happy to share their data with the government anyone who isn't will automatically be a suspect. For example people who use TOR are put on a list. I don't know what live you lived, but some of my friends were under police surveillance (some police officer lived as a student for several years before his cover was blown by an acquaintance) because the government thought they had to keep taps on far left student organisations. Considering how much effort they went through to do that, I'm sure they monitor much more benign activity electronically.
- fortuitous 12y agoCrashed for me browsing that website with win 8.1. Thanks, microsoft. It actually rebooted my computer. Only microsoft can reboot your computer from their own website.
- jimmcslim 12y agoI wonder if integration with Xbox One is on the cards? It would seem to be natural given the fitness side of Kinect; if this has a HRM integrated perhaps that could be sent while you are doing your P90X workout or some such...
- yohanatan 12y agoI am sure the Microsoft employees which will make up about 95% of the market share of this thing will be happy (until it goes the way of the Kin, Zune, etc).
- bluthru 12y agoI'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.
- legohead 12y agoI'd barely call the iWatch a watch. It fails at what makes a watch a watch -- being able to tell time immediately. The iWatch display is off most of the time to conserve battery.
- Smirnoff 12y agoiWatch lights up the second you raise/twist your hand to look at the time -- that's pretty much immediately for me.
- nilkn 12y agoIf it can actually detect that motion perfectly every time.
- skc 12y agoThat's interesting but it implies I cannot tell the time if my arms are at rest on a table or say, hovered over my keyboard.
- legohead 12y agodo you have one? in the demo I saw [1] the girl had to actually press the watch with her finger to get it to light up. [1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQgbPWRbbOc#t=237
- jader201 12y agoI 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 is more of a gadget, and that's the only thing drawing me back to considering having something attached to my wrist again. Of course, I also realize there is a group that does care more about style, and maybe these people aren't the target for the more "gadgety" type smartwatches. One of the reasons I think the Apple Watch Edition is a joke is that it's trying to target both groups (the other reason being the ridiculous name). And I don't think there is that large of an audience that is willing to spend that much for style + functionality -- if they want to spend that much, they likely care more about style, and will stick to a traditional watch. So if gadget = functionality, then I say "Finally. Sign me up."
- pzaich 12y agoThis looks like the perfect form-factor for a more powerful wearable swim watch. Most of the other options are bulkier or too limited in their feature set. Unfortunately it looks like it's only splash resistant.
- nnutter 12y agoThis looks intriguing. Much more so than Apple Watch. However, the thickness of the band has me concerned. I stopped using UP because the band was thick enough it made my hand fall asleep when typing. (Having to take it off negated one of its main purposes alarm.)
- sytelus 12y agoWhile 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. Other tidbits: -Screen looks too small to do much of an interaction so I'm guessing type of apps would be mostly notification types. -I seriously hate all these stock photos and videos. Marketing seems to be out of ideas and creativity yet again. Show the f*ing product, not random faces. -48 hr battery life -Cortana works only for Windows Phone -It's supposedly made for the right hand which is very weird. -Sleep quality monitoring seems pretty cool -The whole thing is projected as health device and makes me feel that it's designed for fitness nuts. This is going to severely limit the audience and very bad marketing strategy. Apple's watch is much more human/teens oriented that anyone wearing watches wouldn't mind to wear regardless of its health related features and probably mostly just for fun (send my heartbeat!).
- piotrkaminski 12y agoThey 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.
- javert 12y ago> I kinda wonder when we're supposed to charge it. I already keep a charger at my work desk to charge my phone, that's when I would charge it and it would not be a hassle in the least.
- rplnt 12y agoIt would be great if it had wireless charger antenna in the strap and the charging surface would double as mouse pad. Then the right hand would make sense.
- 72deluxe 12y agoI wonder if they'll sell a giant charging pad you can slip under your mattress? I wouldn't buy one, but at least you could have all your devices on you as you sleep!
- blhack 12y agoHow 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.
- threeseed 12y agoIt 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.
- ojbyrne 12y agoI wanted to see Strava in the partner list. I would have clicked Buy Now if so.
- gggggggg 12y agoI am surprised with a Find, that this is the only mention of the word strava on this page. Or have I not understood the device right?
- nilkn 12y agoEven though I'm not much of a fitness buff, the sensor array that this has is something that I view as more or less necessary in any smart wrist wearable. This sort of quantified self tracking is something that a smartphone simply cannot do in any reliable and persistent way. So I think this is a huge step in the right direction. So much so that it'd be a nearly guaranteed buy if I were more assured that it'll be fully functional with an Android phone. The lack of Cortana support for non-Windows phones, though, is not reassuring. I can live without that, but will I still be able to get notifications with an Android phone? If I wanted only a fitness tracker, there are other options out there. It'd also be awfully nice if it supported wireless charging. I'd really like to see the sort of charging dock for this that the Moto 360 has (transforming it into a snazzy desk clock). I think this could look even better on such a stand, since it wouldn't have the watch strap hanging off the sides.
- KobaQ 12y agoDamn, recently MS nails it with their web design.
- sorahn 12y agoI use a laptop and usually my wrists are resting on the desk. A face down display seems like it would just scratch up immediately.
- tkorri 12y agoOh the title got me thinking that this is music related, like a new version of Songsmith. I'm glad I was wrong, the device looks very nice!
- roxtar 12y agoLook pretty slick. It's interesting that it's marketed as a fitness device but is actually a smart watch. I own a Garmin Forerunner 305 which can last 6-8 hours of active use. I know that the recent Garmin devices last close to a day. The Microsoft Band doesn't tell us how well it does on battery with the GPS -- without the GPS it claims 48 hours.
- pedalpete 12y agoIf you're using gps to track running and such, you aren't running 24 hours a day, so you can save battery by turning it on and off. I think that's a great feature. But it would have been nice to say 'GPS' time, like phones describe 'talk-time'.
- jackalope 12y agoThere are times I wish I could leave GPS tracking on all the time, with a simple way to add markers either now or later, and with the ability to share the data with any app I want. There are times I just want to hop on my bike and ride without doing some dance with a finicky GPS app that I have to remember to stop at the end (and hope it doesn't crash during my ride).
- eli 12y agoFor what it's worth, any Android phone with Google Now already can track you (albeit without super high resolution) 24/7. It's actually kind of cool; it looks at where you are and how fast you're going to infer walking vs biking vs driving.
- roxtar 12y ago>If you're using gps to track running and such, you aren't running 24 hours a day I run and cycle. I and many people I know do cycle ~ 12 hours in a day, while training. Right now the choice among road bikers I know, is the Garmin 810 which lasts that long with continuous use.
- robomartin 12y agoWow! 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?
- robomartin 12y agoAh, not waterproof. That's OK.
- rplnt 12y agoIt's weird though, isn't it? I would expect it to be waterproof. If not swimming, then just not having to worry about it when being in rain, washing hands, etc..
- robomartin 12y agoAgreed. Yet not one of my cellphones from iPhone and my old Blackberry back though various motorola's have been waterproof and that worked out OK for me. On a watch form factor this is kind of strange. These are the kinds of things that make me wonder what designers might be thinking sometimes or perhaps question the design process itself. Do they wash their hands? Do they cook? Have they ever had to walk a few blocks in pouring rain? Or bike? Do they go fishing? Swimming? Surely the question had to come up. Who said "no" and why? I still bought them. I want to support this and see where it goes. Is the Apple watch waterproof?
- brlewis 12y agoFitbit Flex: http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/About-the-Fitbit-Flex http://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/About-the... While it is water resistant and can be submerged up to 10 meters, Flex is not designed to track swimming activities. If you want to better reflect your swimming activity and calories burned, we recommend logging the activity on the Activities page of your dashboard. There are similar "About" pages for the other Fitbit trackers that you can get to easily from the page above. Most say something like this: Your Charge is water-resistant. It is rain and splash proof and can stand up to the sweatiest workout. Remove before showering or swimming.
- wiradikusuma 12y agoI 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
- wfjackson 12y agoIt also depends on how much the other platforms support deep integration. For example Apple tends to lock down things like Siri(perhaps this can connect as a bluetooth mic) and Google had scuffles over Youtube on Windows Phone so is likely to do everything in it's power to undermine this.
- arjie 12y agoWould 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.
- slackstation 12y agoWhy the fuck is Starbucks a launch partner for a fitness band? What could interest could they possibly have in my health other than undermining it?
- DiabloD3 12y agoIts no different than NFC swiping with the iWatch, Starbucks just happens to be the first major vendor supporting Microsoft's variant.
- phatfish 12y agoBecause Starbucks is packed with the sort of hipsters that syphon as much data as possible about their personal lives to the databases of multinational corps, obviously! It really is easier than anyone could have imagined to get people to part with data. Smart phones provide a genuine quality of life improvement, but unless you are a professional athlete is the privacy cost really worth the gain of seeing your heart rate at the gym? It seems for Hacker News it is a resounding yes...
- itsravi 12y agoI have an espresso before running or working out and Starbucks turns out to be cheapest and most convenient. Granted, I never have any of their blended offerings which they're known for.
- lectrick 12y agomicrosoft is always the "me too" company
- jongalloway2 12y agohttp://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-04/microsoft-made-a-pretty-good-smartwatch-back-in-2004 http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-04/microsoft-ma...
- lectrick 12y agook, good point. :) I VAGUELY remember that watch...
- Hytosys 12y agoAwkward, cliché, and yet still effective advertisement video. The work-out and skydiving bits were neat, but the graduation text message bit and the "keep your head up" catchphrase (you look down to see the watch) made me feel stubbornly aware and annoyed at the problems that this device still causes; the disconnect with reality. Also, I don't know that anyone looks back at the time they got a Facebook message while holding their newborn ("the small moments you never forget"). I'm not sure of the problems to these alleged solutions, but I suppose time will tell.
- 72deluxe 12y agoHaha that's a very good point. "the small moments FACEBOOK NEVER FORGETS" should be the tagline.
- satheeshKR 12y agonice
- webXL 12y agoBesides the landscape content not being oriented to your eyes when your forearm is across your body, a la Samsung Gear Fit, this looks very nice. The orientation obviously depends on how you wear it (the screen on the top or bottom of your wrist), as others have pointed out. I don't know how big of an issue that is with limited content, but it drives me nuts when a touch device isn't oriented the way I want (in bed primarily). They could give the user options to lock the orientation one way or another or detect how the user is wearing it somehow, but my money would be Microsoft to figure that out much faster than Samsung. As a Pebble owner, and potential Apple Watch buyer, this seems to have the best of all smart-watch worlds technology-wise. Cross-platform is huge. Battery-life, reliable software, comfort and style (in order of importance) will make or break this.
- ezxs 12y agoThis could be an iPod moment for Microsoft.
- AdamTReineke 12y agoThat's a bold statement, care to expand? Why isn't this just another fitness band? (From a current MS employee to an [ex?] MS employee.)
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- psbp 12y agoMaybe he means that MS has made an attractive device that supports its competitor's (more popular) platforms?
- jafingi 12y agoAm I the only one who thinks the screen orientation is totally off? When you have it on your wrist, you cannot look at it without having your arm in a totally awkward position.
- ambrop7 12y agoHow much of the advertised functionality does it have if you don't want to turn your data over to Microsoft?
- mrmondo 12y agoBit late to the game aren't they?
- DavidWanjiru 12y agoCan 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?
- lloeki 12y agoECG (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.
- znowi 12y agoThis will be perfect for PRISM
- basicallydan 12y agoThe video is actually pretty good. There's a lot of build-up but they do show the product working in a realistic manner to wrap it all up at the end, with, "Keep your phone in your pocket".
- darklajid 12y ago- 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.
- darthg0d 12y agoThere is an order online link just below the 'Find Store'. Check it out.
- darklajid 12y agoRight. If you click that you're allowed to select your US state to ship to. Did you check that? It's entirely possible that I miss some hidden 'enable international shipping' incantation here, but I doubt that at this point. The checkout form doesn't seem to include any of that and the very MS store front page lists the band as 'US only', just as I stated above. Why? I .. fail to come up with an answer for that. I was prepared to hand over $200 right away, now I'm disgruntled and couldn't care less about another thing that might be available here in 3 month from now, maybe.
- zizzer 12y agoLook on the bright side, if you wouldn't be interested in it in another 3 months then you just saved yourself $200 by not buying it immediately.
- darthg0d 12y agoI guess even the online purchase is restricted to US. Did not check that. My bad. On the bright side, I'm sure it will be internationally available in a few months.
- vijaykiran 12y agoLooks like online ordering is also US only for now.
- phreeza 12y agoThere are many services that offer forwarding of such orders. They charge a fee of course.
- slackgentoo 12y agoBackground story from Microsoft: http://news.microsoft.com/features/microsofts-new-cloud-powered-wearable-keeps-fitness-and-productivity-insights-a-glance-away/ http://news.microsoft.com/features/microsofts-new-cloud-powe... Interesting that MSR also helped developing activity recognition algorithms for the device.
- nullz 12y agoAs a comparison, worth noting that the watch does not have GPS without the paired phone. So if you wanted to go out for a run and track the course, you would need to bring the phone.
- skc 12y agoIf this thing catches on they will end up with a literal treasure trove of useful data that can be mined for some pretty mind bogglingly accurate stats on some aspects of our health. I like this sort of thing but I can also understand why some people might feel a bit uneasy about so much data gathering.
- SideburnsOfDoom 12y agoNot just health - also location, activity levels (meaning a reasonable guess at to if you're awake) etc. This is basically a tracking bracelet. Also "can be mined" is putting it mildly. Apple, Microsoft and google are all NSA partners. If the data's there, the incentive is to utilise it....
- crocowhile 12y agoThose are all pretty much data that are available already to whoever is accessing your smartphone. Google has been tracking activity and location for years now https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0 https://maps.google.com/locationhistory/b/0
- SideburnsOfDoom 12y agoI'm not disagreeing with you; but this is not an argument in favour of going further down this road by using a bracelet instead.
- jezfromfuture 12y agowhere fit bit and apple tread microsoft will eventually follow.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- somberi 12y agoQuoting an article from The Economist.com: "... Strikingly, one-third of users discard their devices after six months, according to research by Endeavour Partners, a consultancy. Some industry insiders speculate that the true number may be much higher than that. ...The novelty of being able to track your steps, calories or other metrics is appealing at first, but swiftly wears off. ..." Full article - http://goo.gl/hR5LxJ http://goo.gl/hR5LxJ
- ethomson 12y agoTo 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 expensive than this. I'm very excited about this. (Though, disclaimer, I work for Microsoft.)
- netcan 12y agoStill, the proof is in the eating. Battery life still is an issue and will remain so for the next while. Daily charging means it isn't really 24 hours and it also puts a hurdle on for use. My ipad is often dead in a backpack someplace because it's not as essential (to me) as my phone or laptop. Daily charging is like a daily price and a value hurdle this band needs to jump.
- joosters 12y agoBut I think this makes it more difficult for the device to succeed. The market for simple fitbit-style pedometers is fairly small, so the market for more expensive devices must be even smaller?
- ethomson 12y agoPresumably this would be able to play in both markets. That said, I can't comprehend this market around wanting to wear an ugly piece of plastic on your wrist all day, every day, just to convince oneself that they're getting more exercise than they actually are. I think that once a person reaches puberty they should be forced to give up watches with cartoon characters or LCD screens. I suppose a Quartz is acceptable on the weekends.
- 72deluxe 12y agoIt looks great; the only problem is that I'd have to be active and fit to use it so looks like I won't be getting one; I type this from my armchair.
- MrDosu 12y agoThe watch is dead, long live the watch... This money grabbing gadgetarianism is getting silly.
- netcan 12y agoIt's an interesting time. People are incredibly interested and open to technology and that is an opportunity. HN probably has a thousand joking references to calculator watches of the 90s, how goofy they looked and how they marked you as chronically uncool. There's something to that. Sensibilities have changed and there is an expectation that gadgets will evolve and unlock all sorts of cool magic. People are so open to this stuff today. My reading of these bands/watches/wearables is that they're still exploring. They're not getting enough data passively and they aren't really working to the point where they're a permanent addition our lives. Basically, not good enough yet. Maybe they need 10X better battery life. Maybe they need better sensors or somesuch. Maybe it's a killer app they need. I just see around me people buying one, playing with it for weeks or months and then not using it anymore. Either way, device makers are being tossed a soft ball by consumers. They're willing to buy and try them and help explore. I hope this means they'll get someplace useful. But, people are ultimately fickle and these need to start delivering fast. I hope this isn't a misfire, too early to really achieve something.
- BasDirks 12y agoThe pictures promoting the product only feature very healthy, attractive 30-somethings. Is this intentional or simply and oversight?
- k_bx 12y agoI wonder if some day someone would release a watch (or bracelet) that is able to have a sim-card and receive SMS. In a world of pin-code based authorizations and fast-dying-battery smartphones this looks like a thing I would own.
- akst 12y agoI think will.i.am actually released something this... > Puls will require its own SIM card and mobile connection, but can completely replace a phone... http://www.dezeen.com/2014/10/20/will-i-am-zaha-hadid-puls-smartwatch-cuff/ http://www.dezeen.com/2014/10/20/will-i-am-zaha-hadid-puls-s...
- richev 12y ago"Only available in the US" - unless you arrange for a friend in the States to get one for you ship it to you. However, it looks like the accompanying Windows Phone Microsoft Health app is not available if you're outside of the US. (not sure if this also applies to the Android and iPhone apps as well) Workaround anyone?
- mparlane 12y agoAPK for android.
- richev 12y agoFound a workaround for Windows Phone: In settings, go to region and change Country/Region to United States. Restart phone, go to Store, and you'll see Microsoft Health in there. After installing you can change your regional settings back to your own country and the app is still available on your phone.
- kmfrk 12y agoI see a lot of stories about people in retirement homes running away without anyone being able to find them. This looks like a decent tool for the job. Decent GPS trackers are hard to find and recommend.
- rrobbins04 12y agoSad. Even from just the website and the logo, you can tell that microsoft never understood the internet.
- acd 12y agoThe funny thing is that Microsoft has always been good at creating good hardware but never at masking great software except Office.
- akimc 12y agoI'm not a big Microsoft fan, but I think this device isn't that bad especially for the fact that it is working on Android, iPhone & Windows Phone. I'm a bit thrilled to see it live in action ! It is fun to see wearable becoming more and more present with big tech firm too.
- outside1234 12y agoThis is the first thing I have excited enough to buy from Microsoft on launch day since Windows 95.
- hxw 12y agoHow is an integrated GPS cutting edge? Polar has had watches with GPS for a while now..
- cujo 12y agoTake out the windows phone specific stuff and I'm fairly certain there isn't a device on the market with this feature set anywhere near this price point.
- bane 12y agoThis looks fantastic. I was really disappointed with all the possible directions Apple could go with their smartwatch, they just iterated on a design Samsung's been out with for a few years now. This is actually a good rethink, looks like a good v1 device, isn't overpriced, has basically the functionality you'd want and works cross platform. Absolutely fantastic.
- zenbane 12y agoLoL
- cyanbane 12y agoI wonder what considerations were taking for wearing this device while using a mouse. Most people are right handed, so this device on your right would certainly need to have a hearty outside surface I would think. It has been noted that "in front of computer" time may be "charging" time due to minor activity, but I have always thought (for me at least on the computer/mouse 5+ hours a day) an opposite hand device would be hard sell with people who use mice with that hand.
- jader201 12y agoI thought most people wear their watch on the opposite wrist?
- cyanbane 12y agoThey do (right hand users), watch on left hand (opposite), use mouse with right hand. This device would be on the right hand for those people - the same that they move the mouse with. My question is, will it interfere with using a mouse?
- jader201 12y agoI'm confused then. Why would one wear this and a watch?
- cyanbane 12y agoGood question. The initial UI displays time. I picked one up today and have been wearing it on my normal "watch" hand. That being said I have been wearing it so that the UI is on the inside of my wrist. Definitely feels more natural when sing the UI.
- perseusprime 12y agoI actually think it is a great idea because I don't want to stop wearing my stainless steel watch on the only premium part - wrist. Most right handed people wear their watch on their left hand and it is a hard habit to break. In that way, it is good that I can wear this band on my left hand.
- aercolino 12y agoNice, it could work as a wrist band lie detector too.
- brettkc 12y agoLooks like this is what Nike Fuelband should have become.
- deleted 12y ago[deleted]
- girmad 12y agoThat's very Yahoo purple.
- peterclary 12y agoIt makes me think of a high-tech hospital wrist tag, so not particularly appealing on first glance.
- nilkn 12y agoWhile so many competitors are scrambling to make smartwatches that can't competently track your fitness and can't competently replace your phone, this Band has all the sensors necessary to be a legitimate fitness tracker, the form factor will ensure it's more accurate, and it also can function as a useful proxy to your phone. While it may not have all the features of the Apple Watch, it seems to have all of the most useful ones, like delivering important notifications straight to your wrist. And it's cross-platform! It seems to me that Microsoft has found the two areas where wearables really excel -- quantified self and notifications -- and focused on these features above all else. It's not high fashion, although the band form factor is hard to be offended by, especially if you have the screen facing down. It doesn't take photos, but why would you take photos with your watch? This is not unlike the iPod, which focused on storage space and an extremely simple interface above all else.
- boh 12y agoJust tried the band. I wanted to want it but I wasn't into it. Wearables in general have some ways to go aesthetically. Every band/watch I've tried so far has fairly unflattering proportions (which is totally understandable given the hardware). Wearables would ideally disappear into the fabric of your life but so far they're mostly big plastic chunks you strap to your arm. I definitely like where things are going, but they haven't gotten there yet.
- resu 12y agoGalvanic skin response is listed as one of the sensors, but there's no mention of it in the marketing material. Anyone know if it'll be able to measure exertion via sweat?
- cyanbane 12y agoI went and picked one of these up at lunch from local Microsoft Store/Kiosk. No line, walked right up. Sales person was very informative, helped with wrist sizing. Came with some small swag (Starbucks gift card, water bottle, etc). There were two other people at the store - one looking at Surface another started looking at Band as I was leaving, I noticed they were looking at mine as I tried it on. Not hard to purchase one, no line. I walked by the Apple Store on the way out and there were people queued up outside to get in, probably about 10-12 deep. It was a sign of the times, as someone who purchases products from (and develops for) both camps, I am really happy to see the competition. Happy to see MS embrace iOS devices with their new tech and happy to see Apple allow MS apps in the app store. Its not all pats on the backs between Apple and MS, but the competition benefits all us and is great to see. Plus, some cool gear is coming out of it.
- ssully 12y agoI would be really interested to hear any feedback you have on the device
- iamartnez 12y agoI picked one up today. Impressions so far: - Comfortable. - Looks nice, I like wearing it. Doesn't feel flashy. - Does what it says it will. No buggy surprises. - Scroll performance isn't very good. - UI feels right otherwise. Nothing annoyed me. - Complementary iPhone app is well done. - Doesn't feel flimsy. Feels sturdy without feeling bulky. - Setup is simple. No complaints so far. If you desire the features it offers I'd say it's definitely worth buying. I'm impressed.
- cyanbane 12y agoBeen wearing it since lunch, don't really notice it all that much however I usually wear a watch. I didn't opt for the opposite hand. It has time as a large numerical on the initial UI display, so felt it could take place of my watch. I do use it with the screen on the inside of my wrist, so when I want to look at device I hold up my arm, palm towards me. Feels a lot more natural than wearing it and viewing the UI "as a watch". Went for a run, tracked the run well. I forgot to set the device to record for a run, but it did track my steps, mileage, etc pretty well (compared it to Moves App on iOS). Getting texts and phone call alerts on it is pretty nice, actually. I have phone off to side charging and this is a good alert system (I'm using iOS as phone). I wish they had a button press configuration that allowed for a "flashlight" like app to display all white-light on LCD. Would almost feel magical/wizardry when taking the dog out to pee. Will try sleep (one the main reason I bought) tonight. I use "Sleep Cycle" app on iOS (I sometimes have problems sleeping) so will be interesting to compare Band vs that app's morning results.
- hardwaresofton 12y agoThis is probably said pretty rarely on the internet as a whole (and even more rarely here), but way to go microsoft for knocking it out of the park and creating a great product. Bravo for committing to cross-platform support also, thanks for putting user value above locking people in (in hopes they'll buy other MS things)
- lziz 12y agofriends with the engineer behind the sensor tech inside it. if you have any questions i'd be happy to forward them to him
- nnd 12y agomore like a product question, but... UV sensor looks more like a gimmick, rather than something which could be somewhat useful. What's the reason for having this?
- ilaksh 12y agoI want a device with the band form factor that actually has real phone calling and receiving functions. There is at least one smart band or smart watch out there that does that. This doesn't. The smart watches out there are big and flashy, like most watches for men. I am a heterosexual male, but I find the large watch faces to be immodest. I certainly do want to show off with a watch, but in a more subtle way. And I am not a really big person so the large watch faces don't fit my anatomy that well. So I actually want my smart watch to look like a smart band and act like a real smart phone (to the degree that is possible).
- PeterisP 12y agoIs it just me or the advertised pictures look as something that I wouldn't want to put on my hands even if I had bought it? I.e., visibly bigger than the wrists of those models and hanging loose, which is uncomfortable, and a rather long (much longer than most watches) flat segment in a spot where any comfortable wristband should be with a curved inside. OK, seeing isn't touching, we'll have to wait for the wearer reviews for that.
- mahyarm 12y agoTwo things that I'm missing: - How do you charge the thing? - Is the sleep tracking automatic or do you have to press a button to start it?
- nfmangano 12y agoI have one on my wrist right now, and from the limited amount that I've played with it: - There's a magnetic connector (like mac boks) that hooks up to USB. It doesn't come with a wall connector, just USB, which is a bit weird. - It does indeed look like you need to press a button to start tracking sleep.
- mahyarm 12y agoA big thing about sleep tracking for me is it being automatic. When I'm about to fall asleep, I'm often too sleepy to remember to press that button. It why I ditched my fitbit. Other fitness trackers have automatic sleep tracking, even it's only heuristic based. For example misfit just has the formula of 'if not moving much for a large chunk of time in between these user configurable hours, mark that as sleep time'. That is a huge improvement. The basis band seems to have a more advanced automatic sleep tracking algo. You guys would be probably interested looking into it.
- _lce0 12y agoman, their site took ages to load!!
- ha292 12y agoPrediction: no one will be talking about it past June 2015.
- ggchappell 12y agoSomething I can't quite tell from the site: how big are the characters on the display? This kind of device might get a good reception among, say, men in their 50s. But presbyopia[1] presents some challenges that younger engineers & designers might not think about. If a guy has reading glasses, but (as is likely) doesn't wear them while exercising, then a Band with small characters is pretty much a non-starter for him, even though it looks perfectly readable to a 30-year-old. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Presbyopia
- itsravi 12y agoI spent about 8 hours using this today. Some notes. + It does feel heavy at first, but I got used to it pretty quickly. + I plugged it in to charge and it seemed to be stuck at 80%. This may be because of the port I was using so I can't lay blame on Band. + The charging mechanism is solid and feels great. + I keep wanting to swipe the screen to turn it on (you need to press the "home" button). + I went for a 1.5 mi run. It took *4 minutes* to lock in GPS. This is in a fairly populated area, but the I was kind of in the woods. My iPhone has zero issues locking into GPS. + It mirrors all my notifications from my iPhone which I love. + After running, I went straight to Starbucks and tried to pay with the band but failed because the screen does not respond to sweaty fingers. This is partly my fault. + Haven't detected any UV yet. + HR locking is quick.
- jimueller 12y agoYour phone can't lock to GPS faster because it can use cell towers to narrow down your position first. The Band should lock more quickly now that it has a general idea of where you are. I have a Garmin GPS watch, and the initial lock does take a long time.
- itsravi 12y agoThanks, you are correct. I tried again a few hours later from home (about 50 miles away from my initial test) and it locked within 30 seconds. Edit: I've had it plugged into my MBP to charge for about 35 minutes and it still said 80%. After turning it completely off and back on fixed this (now says 100%). Edit2: I really wish I could play music via bluetooth with this.
- ygra 12y agoThe very first GPS lock for a device in a new area takes a while because it has to download the satellite positions first. After that (if you haven't moved too far away in the meantime) subsequent GPS fixes should be much faster. (Quoting Wikipedia: »in order to obtain an accurate satellite location from this transmitted message the receiver must demodulate the message from each satellite it includes in its solution for 18 to 30 seconds. In order to collect all the transmitted almanacs the receiver must demodulate the message for 732 to 750 seconds or 12 1/2 minutes.«)
- nnd 12y agoI just got it. First impressions: * the UI is a bit laggy * voice commands work only with windows phones * it's pretty awkward to use, one has to twist his hand to be able to use the touch display * step measurement has a high lag, an it seems to be inaccurate I like the design of the watch though, but I wouldn't say it fits perfectly for me.
- Encosia 12y agoIt's sold out online now: http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/productID.308308800#buy-product http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msusa/en_US/pdp/productI... I wonder how many that was.
- lhl 12y agoI ordered online but canceled and just swung by my local (West LA) store in the morning to pick one up. I called late last night to ask about stock and was told they couldn't tell me anything about future products (even though the website/online orders were up and a couple hours later they were advertising a "fitness launch event" in the store the next). When I dropped by the store, it was predictably empty (and it took some time to flag down someone to help me, which never happens at the Apple Store), but I got a chance to make sure on my sizing and picked up the device. I set my Band up in front of the store (took about 10 minutes) and have been wearing it all day. Everything seems to work pretty well so far, although I haven't stressed tested it...
- Encosia 12y agoI'm planning to do the same soon. There are three Microsoft stores here in the Atlanta area. I'd just rather do just about anything other than fight traffic to get to one.
- chiph 12y agoI stopped by the local store after work: All three sizes were sold out. I was able to try on their demo units and pick my size -- on the online store medium was available in December, but small and large were still in stock (at that time). I'd say they have a hit.
- nulterm 12y agoI wonder if it would be usable for navigation. I guess it would be impractical because it lacks a compass?
- maxerickson 12y agoI think most handheld navigation aids infer direction of travel from position information. An electronic compass gives the orientation of the device, who knows how it is being held. I guess they use a compass when it's available, like for trying to display a map oriented to compass north, but I don't think it is dependable as algorithmic input. Something mounted in a vehicle can directly factor the compass data into directions though (just saying that to emphasize that I'm talking about handheld stuff above).
- rubython 12y agofinally a microsoft product that works well with other players in the ecosystem
- tuxguy 12y agoTo me, MSFT's efforts to become a centralized hub for fitness& health data, is the more exciting bit of news. [0] With machine learning & cloud pieces in place, MS health could potentially be HUGE ! Health care data is all over the place, & if msft can become a central repository for all/a significant portion of fitness/health data, it will be really valuable. from [1], "There's just one problem. "Most of these things are individual islands," Mehdi says — there are a million options, but they're all siloed to a single platform, app, or gadget. "You'll use device X or Y, some stuff is in the cloud, but we think that there's kind of a next step that's coming, which is the ability to unify all that data and democratize it, and then add some real value on top. And that's where we see the ability to kind of get to that next level."" 0. http://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2014/10/29/introducing-microsoft-health/ http://blogs.microsoft.com/blog/2014/10/29/introducing-micro... 1. http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-band-hub-for-fitness-data http://www.theverge.com/2014/10/29/7118533/microsoft-health-...
- perfunctory 12y ago"Life is made up of moments. How many do we miss? Tied to our desks." Yeah, Microsoft band will rescue you from your desk.
- jeffmk 12y agoSomewhat tangental to the actual story here, but is there some way to make something like Microsoft Band, Fitbit, Jawbone Up, or Nike+ FuelBand self-contained to your own server? I'd love to use one of these devices, but I abhor the idea of my very personal movement/biometric data to be in the hands of a third party. If this data could be contained to my own server, I'd be all over it.
- enthdegree 12y agoMicrosoft Band Wagon
- stevebot 12y agoYou had me at "Works with Windows Phone 8.1 update, iOS 7.1, 8 and Android 4.3-4.4 phones, with Bluetooth" If that's true, this is pretty awesome. Funny I had to read the small print to even find this feature of the band. Sucks that Apple Watch + Android Watch are not cross platform.
- lafar6502 12y agoHey, this makes sense!