8 Reasons This Fitness Band Is Awesome

The latest craze in the tech world is wearable technology. One of the most common ones that companies are racing to put out, and improve are devices that go on your wrist. It seems like there are 2 basic categories – a smartwatch to check emails, texts and alerts, and fitness bands to keep track of steps, calories and more.

Microsoft Band received.

That’s why I’m excited about the Microsoft Band. It is promoted as a fitness band, but it also goes way beyond just that, it also has several traits to make it, in my opinion a hybrid of a fitness band and a smartwatch. Check our our Microsoft Band review.

When you first pick up the Microsoft Band you notice that it is a solid band, I like it because there is some weight to it, it actually feels like a heavier watch when you pick it up. It fits around your wrist pretty well and you can wear it like a normal watch or on the inside of your wrist. After wearing it a couple of days, I actually decided it was more comfortable for me to wear it on the inside of my wrist.

The Microsoft Band is full of sensors, it actually is amazing how many sensors and overall tech were able to be crammed into the Microsoft Band, there is just an incredible amount of data that can be collected from this device. A lot of the data can be displayed on its 1.4” screen, but when it syncs with your phone and uploads everything to Microsoft Health is when you really get some in-depth info.

Here are some of my top highlights of what you can do with this super Band:

• Guided Workouts – you can select your workout from many organized choices from other users and from Gold’s Gym as well. Your Microsoft Band will keep the time and keep you moving from one exercise to the other based on the workout. This is awesome, I love how it keeps you going, there is no time to sit around and talk, b/c your personal trainer is on your wrist!
• Fitness Trackers – The Microsoft Band keeps track of your steps, total distance, calories burnt, your heart-rate during activity and resting, your GPS location for joggers and bikers, and more. There is so much data that the Microsoft Band gathers, and it puts all of it to use in the Microsoft Health app and site. All lot is available on your wrist, and more is available online.
  
• Sleep Tracker – Do you ever wonder how long it takes you to fall asleep, or how many times you wake up in the middle of the night? Well wonder no more, the Microsoft Band keeps track of it all, and you can view it all on your mobile device or computer.
• Plays Well With Others – The Microsoft Band has incredible functionality with Windows Phones, but it also is able to work with Apple’s iOS and Android as well. With a Windows Phone, your Microsoft Band is able to do more in regards to responding to texts, scheduling and a couple of more things, but there is still plenty it can do with iPhones and Android phones. The extra things for a Windows Phone are more of a bonus in my opinion because so much is available with the other platforms.
• Quick Updates – Leave your phone in your pocket because the Microsoft Band can tell you who is calling or texting while you are in your meeting. It can even read texts to you in a very unique way, one word at a time, very quickly.
• Works With Other Apps – The Microsoft Band is compatible and works with RunKeeper, myfitnesspal, Gold’s Gym, HealthVault, mapmyfitness and even Starbucks!
• Tech Overload – This is a good thing, Microsoft managed to get a heart rate monitor, GPS monitor, UV monitor, accelerometer & more.
• Microsoft Health – I know I mentioned this earlier, but it deserves another mention. There is so much information that can be gathered to help you live a healthier life. Microsoft Health will tell you how to improve. You can see your required recovery time after a workout, sleep patterns and more. This is really the neatest thing, and it is still growing. I imaging in a couple of years that Microsoft will be able to predict and help with preventable solutions many ailments that come up for those who are on it and using their fitness band, this is going to be exciting.

Overall I was very impressed with the Microsoft Band, it is the first one from Microsoft, so it is not perfect, but it is close. You can wash your hands and splash water on the Band with no concern, but showering is not recommended, a waterproof model needs to be in the works – I hope. Also, the battery life leaves you wanting more. This Band can do a lot, but it needs to be recharged after 2 days of use, and the battery goes a bit quicker when you are using the GPS function too.

The Microsoft Band is priced at $199 and is worth the investment, many fitness trackers that can do less than half of what the Microsoft Band can do are in the same price range. I suggest you get in now and get a sneak peek of what the future is going to be like with Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health.

What would you do with your Microsoft Band?