Microsoft Band 2 Review: a massive hardware improvement

The original Microsoft Band released last year wasn’t meant to sell too well. It was really just an experiment to see if people would want a sensor-packed high-end health tracking wearable with a few smart-watch functions. You know, something a bit more than a Fitbit, but not as complicated and involved as an app-driven smart-watch. Microsoft had already done their SPOT smart-watch thing back in 2004 and it’s still unclear if enough has changed to make it a viable product category. It turns out the ...

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Microsoft Band review: don’t call it a smartwatch

The “Microsoft Band” came as a bit of a surprise when it was unveiled late last month. There weren’t any leaked pictures of the device and all we knew about it came from the Windows Store, where the Microsoft Health software appeared the night before the new wrist band went on sale in Microsoft Stores nationwide. The Band is mainly geared towards fitness tracking, though it does have quite a few “smartwatch” ...

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How many different health platforms does Microsoft need?

Last week Microsoft released a new health service along with a fitness tracker called the Microsoft Band. Microsoft Health is the name of the service that goes along with it, and that’s meant as a new platform for centralizing all of your health and fitness related information. Currently the software runs on Windows Phone 8.1, Google’s Android, and Apple’s iOS so that consumers can enjoy the benefits of platform agnosticism. The new platform is also meant to be very open to both app developers and ...

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Microsoft Band unboxing and first impressions (Video)

Microsoft surprised us all a bit by going official with its Band fitness tracker on Thursday, but we’ve now got one in hand and are ready to share with you the unboxing experience and our first impressions on the hardware, and Microsoft Health as well.To get a proper look at the Microsoft Band unboxing experience, you know where to go – but let’s talk launch-day promotions. By paying the $199 for the Band, you’ll also get a $5 Starbucks gift card (as part of the Starbucks/Microsoft Health partnership), and one free month of RunKeeper Elite, both things that can help you ...

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Microsoft Band goes official alongside new Health service

It seems this is the year wearables finally take flight – Apple has one, Samsung has a bunch, LG has a couple, Pebble has two, Motorola has one, and the list goes on and on. Microsoft has given us a jolt this evening with the unexpected announcement of a new fitness tracker, the Microsoft Band, along with a wellness monitoring service dubbed Microsoft Health.The device has ten sensors to measure things such as heart rate and the ultraviolet index, along with stress levels and more. It can also last 48 hours with just one charge. Both of these things haven’t quite been matched by ...

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