What is data to business, health & fitness is to you. It is no wonder that all vendors are in a rush to provide you with 'health and fitness' related resources and help. Of course there have been a plethora of devices that you wrap around your wrist to keep you informed of your 'fitness'.
Microsoft Band stands out among them with many outstanding features as it has incorporated many more sensors to watch and monitor you.
Although health is central; you have many other things to take care of like business, friends, family and your social contacts. Microsoft has made it a point to take care of all these in its Microsoft Band.
In reality the wrist wrap-arounds gather all the intelligence from your body and send it out to your phone, I mean the Smart phone, be it iPhone, Android, or Windows Phone(mPhone-my abbreviation). Microsoft is cross-platform and that means it can communicate with all these phones.
To use a Microsoft Band you do not need to go and buy a Windows Phone, your iPhone or Android is OK.
Let me first of list out the activity related features taken directly from Microsoft site:
24-hour heart rate monitor: Gives you a better understanding of your calorie burn, sleep patterns, and peak and resting heart rate so you can perform at your best.
Run: Whether you’re on the treadmill at the gym or outdoors in the rain or sun, you can view your run summary on your band with personalized metrics in the phone app including pace splits and heart rate.
Steps tracker: Set a goal and track your progress. Microsoft Band calculates the calories you’ve burned and the distance you’ve traveled each day.
Built-in GPS: Measures the distance you’ve run and tracks your pace and route. Save your favorites to retrace your steps and challenge yourself later.
Calorie tracking: Count the calories you burn each day. View daily or weekly stats, set goals, and receive a virtual "high-five" when you reach them.
Sleep tracking: When activated, Microsoft Band tracks the length and quality of your sleep. Analyze the sleep charts in your app to gain insights about your slumber.
Guided Workouts: Fun and challenging workouts from fitness partners like Gold's Gym, Shape, and Men's Fitness with exercise prompts on the band and much more in the app.
Goal setting: Challenge yourself by setting daily step and calorie goals. Microsoft Band notifies you when you meet them so that you can stay motivated.
UV monitor: Get a quick read of the UV Index while you’re out and about.
Here is a list of many other things you can do with this Band.
Text Messaging: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/calls
Calls: incoming call and voicemail notifications
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/calendar
Calendar: Syncing with your phone
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/email
Email: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/smart notifications
Smart notifications: Customize your notificationshttp://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/watch mode
Watch mode: Only interested in timehttp://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/facebook
Facebook & Facebook Messenger: Your know what these are
Twitter: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/twitter
Cortana: The great personal assistant who can find what you want as she listens to you
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/cortana
Real-time weather wth 5 day forecast: no problem
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/weather
Finance: Create portfolio and watch ticker tape
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/finance
Starbucks:Easy coffee drinking experiencehttp://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/starbucks
Timer and stop-Watch: that too (Swim or dive)http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/timer and stopwatch
Don't want to get disturbed:OK
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/not disturb mode
Personalize colors and designs: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/personalization
Great dispaly: http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/display
Bluetooth: Ok with 4.0http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/bluetooth 4.0
Well this is really impressive list. What you do not see here is the great Windows Technology and the over hanging Microsoft Azure Cloud services ready to take you to the next level.
Great battery life and a price that cannot be beat.
Don't miss the videos on this site:
http://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-band/en-us#
Missing items:
Glucose monitor
spy camera
mosquito repellent
pet trainer
I encourage you to add....
Mahalo
