8/5/2023 0 Comments Microsoft band sleep tracker![]() It's lightweight and has great battery life, but with no screen or buttons you need to use the app to get data and change modes. In this informal test, we can think of this as the control device, as I know it's quite accurate when it comes to my sleep. I've written about using the Jawbone range for sleep challenges before. It never leaves my wrist (except for the odd battery charge) and I've found that it's pretty accurate when gauging my night's sleep. The Jawbone is my tried, tested and much-loved default tracker. I give the Band a 3.5/5 a great first effort, a worthy device and a must-have for any Windows Phone users wanton for a wearable, but it's not for everyone.As a glutton for both punishment and sleep data, I elected to test out five different devices that track sleep: When you get right down to it the band is a really nice piece of tech, and I would recommend it if you were looking for a good Smartwatch/Smartband hybrid, but take the time to get used to it before passing judgement. The Microsoft Band is a peculiar device, it excels in functionality but falls short in design, almost the opposite of the Windows RT Surface Tablets. If you're interested in getting one, there is an easy way now, without the need of resorting to eBay, by ordering through Currys.ie or PCWorld.ie. It was recently, and with little fanfare, released in the UK. Since the announcement of the Band, and the initial hype around it, things have gotten quieter with regards to Microsoft's wearable. I got into the habit of putting it on charge while having a shower in the mornings and it has yet run low. The Band has decent battery life for a wearable with an LCD screen, lasting well over a day with sleep tracking. The Band isn't waterproof, only splash-proof, so don't try swimming with it! The available apps for Android and iOS are limited at the moment, but not much is lost as the Band functions quite well by itself. The apps are simple and easy to use, launching them sets them to full screen with a back button to the left side. The large tile displays the time and, by pressing the action button on the side of the Band, you can scroll through your tracked steps, heart rate, distance traveled, etc., or you can tap on the tile and see all the information together. The watch screen displays one large tile with several other tiles beside it which can be seen by swiping through them. The interface is very like Windows Phone. It took a week for me to finally be able to wear it as tightly as is recommended without having to adjust it every few minutes. It's designed to be worn tightly with the flat display on the inside of the wrist. The device looks great, but for the first few days of wearing it, you really feel it. I don't have big wrists by any means, but a Large is just about enough to fit me. There are three to choose from large (49mm wrist height), medium (41mm wrist height) and small (39mm wrist height). I don't know if the designer of the band had ever seen the shape of a human wrist, but wrists aren't flat, they don't have a straight line across the inside of them. The design is where the band starts to fall a little flat, pun definitely intended. Microsoft Health Web Application Design & Interface The Band can display notifications from your phone which can be customised in the Microsoft Health app, and can even send a few pre-defined replies to text messages if you can't pick up your phone. ![]() What sets the Band apart from a lot of them is its functionality as a Smartwatch as well as an activity tracker. The pedometer is one of the most accurate I've used, and certainly up there on the level with FitBits and other trackers. The band includes a microphone, a pedometer, a heart-rate monitor, GPS and an activity tracker. They clearly wanted one that was as usable as possible. Microsoft certainly pulled out all the stops in this category for their first wearable. This review was carried out using a Microsoft Band and an Android Smartphone. The Band works with all three of the major phone OSes Android, iOS and Windows Phone 8.5. The Band was met with a few impressed looks, and a lot of skepticism. Microsoft decided to resolve this issue by throwing their hat into the race with the Microsoft Band, a fitness tracker/vaguely smartwatch-like wearable. Wearables for Windows Phones are few and far between, with only a handful, if even, devices compatible with the platform.
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