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Got a nice package of on board sensors: Optical heart rate sensor 3-axis accelerometer/gyro GPS Ambient light sensor Skin temperature sensor UV sensor Mi

Got 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 ago
What 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 ago
    I imagine it's Windows CE. Is there any reason to suspect otherwise?
    - javert 12y ago
      Well, 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.
      - com2kid 12y ago
        Hi! Dev lead here. Obviously not an official MS response! We are using a single threaded lightweight runtime based around call backs. We are completely non-blocking on all IO (including all sensors), and our CPU spends the majority of its time in a very low power mode. Every microsecond of CPU time is accounted for and justified! I cannot wait until people look at our battery size in mAh.
        harshreality 12y ago
        That sounds cool! Can you disclose/admit what language it was written in? I'm very tempted to try this out instead of getting a fitbit (not at all impressed with the Apple or Android watches so far).
        omgtehlion 12y ago
        [not an MS employee] I bet on C or C++
        Corrado 12y ago
        > single threaded lightweight runtime based around call backs Sounds like Javascript to me, or maybe something like Erlang. I wonder if we'll be able to install apps on the device or just build external apps for cell phones. What about hooking it up to your desktop/laptop for notifications and stuff? I'm thinking there could be some cool features there.
        yourad_io 12y ago
        I'd rule out Erlang, if they wanted a functional language they'd probably go with F#, seeing how this is MS. I don't think this is enough info, even for an educated guess. What they're describing (single threaded/callbacks) could even be C/libevent, no? Edit: Also, > Every microsecond of CPU time is accounted for and justified! ...for me, this rules out any kind of VM contained language
        com2kid 12y ago
    - omgtehlion 12y ago
      Given that it is ARM CM4, this must be a custom firmware. add: and if they left JTAG/SWD pads exposed, then you could consider it “arduino on steroids” with some builtin sensors and GCC toolchain available ;)
ghshephard 12y ago
I looked several times for the battery life but couldn't find it. Actually, for me, the 2 day battery life is the killer feature - it means I'm almost certain to get a full 16 hours out of it - which is pretty damn hard to believe given it has a GPS radio in it. That's something the Apple Watch won't have - which means if you are going out for a run - Microsoft Band will be there for you, but you won't be able to track with the Apple Watch.
- lhl 12y ago
  The specs on the main page say "48 hours of normal use; advanced functionality like GPS use will impact battery performance." There's also a in the support section talking about extending battery life: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardware/battery-life-tips http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardwa...
rplnt 12y ago
Just curious, what is UV sensor good for? And I'd really like altimeter for this kind of device.
- molmalo 12y ago
  According to the site, "Get a quick read of the UV Index so you can decide to apply sunscreen before you hit the road."
  - joosters 12y ago
    Couldn't you just look up at the sky to answer this question?
    - k-mcgrady 12y ago
      As much as I agree with you the same thing is often said about weather apps. However the really accurate ones (e.g. Dark Sky) that can predict to the minute and give intensity are really useful. For example I was able to plan my lunch break using it yesterday so I was out of the office in the 30 mins of dry weather between rain showers. The the UV sensor you could probably work out what strength suncream you need and if people apply the correct strength maybe in the long term skin cancer rates will fall. Small change in behaviour due to better information, big improvement for society.
      - joosters 12y ago
        (Thanks for highlighting Dark Sky, that looks like an interesting app!) Don't your arguments (and app recommendations) point against a UV measure as being useful? If you want to know whether or not to put on sunscreen now, for a day out, knowing the current UV strength is no use since the conditions will be different later. That's where weather prediction comes in and makes your one little watchband UV datapoint useless. Looking up at the sky and observing weather conditions will always be better than that, and better weather prediction will beat looking up at the sky.
yitchelle 12y ago
The battery life is obviously dependent upon what services are enabled. For such a versatile device, MSFT should have a table for battery life for different usage cases. For example, for Joe the jogger who wants to use it a purely health gadget companion, he may not want the microphone, UV sensor and ambient light sensor on, but for Jane the office worker who wants to take her steps around the office and have some office notification, the GPS and gyro is turned off. These two use cases could have vastly different battery life.

iamshs 12y ago

What 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 ago
  I imagine it's Windows CE. Is there any reason to suspect otherwise?
  - javert 12y ago
    Well, 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.
    - com2kid 12y ago
      Hi! Dev lead here. Obviously not an official MS response! We are using a single threaded lightweight runtime based around call backs. We are completely non-blocking on all IO (including all sensors), and our CPU spends the majority of its time in a very low power mode. Every microsecond of CPU time is accounted for and justified! I cannot wait until people look at our battery size in mAh.
      - harshreality 12y ago
        That sounds cool! Can you disclose/admit what language it was written in? I'm very tempted to try this out instead of getting a fitbit (not at all impressed with the Apple or Android watches so far).
        omgtehlion 12y ago
        [not an MS employee] I bet on C or C++
        Corrado 12y ago
        > single threaded lightweight runtime based around call backs Sounds like Javascript to me, or maybe something like Erlang. I wonder if we'll be able to install apps on the device or just build external apps for cell phones. What about hooking it up to your desktop/laptop for notifications and stuff? I'm thinking there could be some cool features there.
        yourad_io 12y ago
        I'd rule out Erlang, if they wanted a functional language they'd probably go with F#, seeing how this is MS. I don't think this is enough info, even for an educated guess. What they're describing (single threaded/callbacks) could even be C/libevent, no? Edit: Also, > Every microsecond of CPU time is accounted for and justified! ...for me, this rules out any kind of VM contained language
        com2kid 12y ago
  - omgtehlion 12y ago
    Given that it is ARM CM4, this must be a custom firmware. add: and if they left JTAG/SWD pads exposed, then you could consider it “arduino on steroids” with some builtin sensors and GCC toolchain available ;)

ghshephard 12y ago

I looked several times for the battery life but couldn't find it. Actually, for me, the 2 day battery life is the killer feature - it means I'm almost certain to get a full 16 hours out of it - which is pretty damn hard to believe given it has a GPS radio in it. That's something the Apple Watch won't have - which means if you are going out for a run - Microsoft Band will be there for you, but you won't be able to track with the Apple Watch.

lhl 12y ago
The specs on the main page say "48 hours of normal use; advanced functionality like GPS use will impact battery performance." There's also a in the support section talking about extending battery life: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardware/battery-life-tips http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us/support/hardwa...

rplnt 12y ago

Just curious, what is UV sensor good for? And I'd really like altimeter for this kind of device.

molmalo 12y ago
According to the site, "Get a quick read of the UV Index so you can decide to apply sunscreen before you hit the road."
- joosters 12y ago
  Couldn't you just look up at the sky to answer this question?
  - k-mcgrady 12y ago
    As much as I agree with you the same thing is often said about weather apps. However the really accurate ones (e.g. Dark Sky) that can predict to the minute and give intensity are really useful. For example I was able to plan my lunch break using it yesterday so I was out of the office in the 30 mins of dry weather between rain showers. The the UV sensor you could probably work out what strength suncream you need and if people apply the correct strength maybe in the long term skin cancer rates will fall. Small change in behaviour due to better information, big improvement for society.
    - joosters 12y ago
      (Thanks for highlighting Dark Sky, that looks like an interesting app!) Don't your arguments (and app recommendations) point against a UV measure as being useful? If you want to know whether or not to put on sunscreen now, for a day out, knowing the current UV strength is no use since the conditions will be different later. That's where weather prediction comes in and makes your one little watchband UV datapoint useless. Looking up at the sky and observing weather conditions will always be better than that, and better weather prediction will beat looking up at the sky.

yitchelle 12y ago

The battery life is obviously dependent upon what services are enabled. For such a versatile device, MSFT should have a table for battery life for different usage cases. For example, for Joe the jogger who wants to use it a purely health gadget companion, he may not want the microphone, UV sensor and ambient light sensor on, but for Jane the office worker who wants to take her steps around the office and have some office notification, the GPS and gyro is turned off. These two use cases could have vastly different battery life.