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Microsoft Unveils $199 'Microsoft Band' Fitness Wearable

Just took a look at this up close on the Microsoft website, it's pretty cool and works with iPhone, Android and Microsoft phones...however, I don't think it looks or will feel great. Sort of a hard plastic outer shell with what looks like padding on the inside to make it snug or fit. On their own photos, it looks awkward on people's wrists.

But I do like that the info is facing down so you just turn up your wrist and it seems to have some nice features, just not designed well. I think this is what many Fan Boys were hoping for from Apple, but more apple-esque.
 
This looks like a geek device. Number of sensors, battery life, that's all irrelevant. Your average person (non-techie) will not wear this every day as a watch substitute. It looks cheap and unfashionable. Yes, they might take it jogging, but would they buy it for $200? Who knows. Seems pricey for that.
 
petsounds said:
This looks like a geek device. Number of sensors, battery life, that's all irrelevant. Your average person (non-techie) will not wear this every day as a watch substitute. It looks cheap and unfashionable. Yes, they might take it jogging, but would they buy it for $200? Who knows. Seems pricey for that.
Click to expand...

Agree. I think it's very cool in some of the things it does, but like Microsoft usually does, they lacked big time in design so not sure this will sell as Apple's Watch will be the "fashion" must-have of early 2015 and this band will be for more sports enthusiasts and such. But not bad, I might go see one in person tomorrow myself.
 
petsounds said:
This looks like a geek device. Number of sensors, battery life, that's all irrelevant. Your average person (non-techie) will not wear this every day as a watch substitute. It looks cheap and unfashionable. Yes, they might take it jogging, but would they buy it for $200? Who knows. Seems pricey for that.
Click to expand...

Will people pay $249 for the Fitbit Surge? That thing is still rockin' a monochrome display.

This thing has friggen Cortana.

$199 is a steal.

However because of the name 'Microsoft' it will languish and not even sell a million by end of year.
 
Robstevo said:
Competition is the only reason why the iPhone 6 is as good as it is

NFC
Big screens
Widgets
Mobile payment systems
Third party key boards
Even the look and feel of iOS

All this is as good as it it because the competition is snapping at apples feet and forcing them to improve, implement more features etc

Having as many good wearables in the wild as possible will only improve the Apple watch, when the competition release a smart watch that can last a week, Apple will be forced to develop a watch that will be better than that or people will go to the competition
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That's all well and good, but I wish there were more than three competitors. Same old Same old Microsoft Google Apple Google Microsoft Microsoft, Apple Google Google Apple. Blech.

I have only the faintest hope that Jolla or Mozilla do something wonderful someday.

Or maybe there's something new out there....
 
petsounds said:
This looks like a geek device. Number of sensors, battery life, that's all irrelevant. Your average person (non-techie) will not wear this every day as a watch substitute. It looks cheap and unfashionable. Yes, they might take it jogging, but would they buy it for $200? Who knows. Seems pricey for that.
Click to expand...

Will they buy an 18K gold Apple watch and go jogging to use it's health tracking?
 
This is way closer to what I wanted the apple watch to be than the actual apple watch ... hooray for sleep tracking, for which the apple watch is too clunky and it has to spend the night with the charger anyways .. nice low key ..

me like .. will surely keep an eye out on that how it can be integrated into an otherwise apple only environment ...
 
The best looking wearable that I've seen other than the Apple watch is the Samsung Gear Fit (the band, not the bulk watch). Unfortunately it is Samsung. And they locked it so it isn't just exclusive to Android, it is exclusive only to Galaxy devices.
 
Did anyone really think Apple's first wearable would be a cheap(er) rubber/plastic fitness band? Everybody is making fitness bands these days...heck Acer has a fitness band. I could see this Microsoft band giving Fitbit some competition.
 
I'll give MS one thing for interface design...

It's the simplest thing u can get....

No one can stuff this thing up even if they tried.
 
roland.g said:
The best looking wearable that I've seen other than the Apple watch is the Samsung Gear Fit (the band, not the bulk watch). Unfortunately it is Samsung. And they locked it so it isn't just exclusive to Android, it is exclusive only to Galaxy devices.
Click to expand...

Honestly I don't know why a person would wear an Apple Watch for fashion instead of a Rolex, Longines, Movado, etc....

I like that MS went orthogonal to the whole 'fashion' thing and went for the best smart band + best Health repository on the planet instead.
 
Depending on the return policy I might buy one to see if it works for my needs. Looks like it has some promise, and the fact that there is an iOS app gives it some promise.

Ironic that MS will probably sell many more of these to iOS users than Windows Phone users...

Now where do I wear it? I have a nice dress watch on one wrist, and a RoadID on the other. I can put it on the watch wrist, but not if I want to wear it 24/7.
 
Someone on The Verge said this device is "splash proof" so I'm assuming that means it's NOT waterproof, which is kind of interesting for a device that appears to be a fitness band more than anything else.
 
I just checked it out on the MS website. I think it looks pretty good. They are shooting for a mid-point between an entry level fit band for $100 (e.g. fitbit flex or charge) and a full fledged smart watch (e.g. :apple:watch) for $350 plus.

Actually, i kind of like this middle ground at $199;

Activity tracker
Heart rate sensor
GPS
email notification
text messages
caller ID
calendar
sleep tracker
watch
2 days of Battery life

If I need anymore functionality, I'll just take my phone out of my pocket like I do now.
 
This looks like a much better wrist device than the apple watch. I've got a zillion Apple products, but I'm no lemming. When someone makes a better product than Apple I'm totally ready to say so.
 
This price point is what Apple watch SHOULD of been at. Plus, apple watch should of had these types of sensors.

If I am going to wear something like this, it needs to last more than 24 hours per charge and have sensors like this MS watch.

This is what the apple watch should of been, (strictly speaking sensors and battery).

I mean, who's gonna squint at a picture when your phone is in your pocket...
 
Rogifan said:
Someone on The Verge said this device is "splash proof" so I'm assuming that means it's NOT waterproof, which is kind of interesting for a device that appears to be a fitness band more than anything else.
Click to expand...

It says splash proof on the Microsoft site, so it's not submersible. Are the other bands waterproof so you could wear them swimming? Personally I would like it to waterproof.
 
wilhoitm said:
That long battery life is because it doesn't do anything! If this is the best that the new Microsoft CEO can do it is laughable! Microsoft is so bad a Marketing it is not even funny! LOL! Who is their Ad agency?
Click to expand...

Yes, Satya Nadella designed this watch all by himself in the 8 months since he took over...

Really? Don't be so thick headed. Also, what does this have to do with marketing?
 
There's a lot more to this than just the band. Microsoft is going after the market as a whole by trying to position themselves as the data mart for everything fitness-related. It is an insanely ambitious strategy.

Many are going to draw instant comparisons against the :apple:Watch and Moto360, but it really isn't about that at all.

Kind of fascinating.
 
Tankmaze said:
48 hours on a single charge huh, that's seems better than the apple watch
Click to expand...

It WILL be better than the Apple Watch... because it will provide such a lukewarm value, that folks won't use it as much... hence, longer battery life.

Microsoft... the "me too" company...
 
WissMAN said:
This price point is what Apple watch SHOULD of been at. Plus, apple watch should of had these types of sensors.

If I am going to wear something like this, it needs to last more than 24 hours per charge and have sensors like this MS watch.

This is what the apple watch should of been, (strictly speaking sensors and battery).

I mean, who's gonna squint at a picture when your phone is in your pocket...
Click to expand...

It seems that the Apple watch is more of a fashion piece or jewelry at this point. The MS Band isn't in that category, it's more of a tool.
 
well my money will be either on MS or fitbit, the apple watch was a pure disappointment to me, considering all the rumors about numerous sensors it was suppose to have.

now the competition gives me all this and even for less money!
 
Iconoclysm said:
Yes, Satya Nadella designed this watch all by himself in the 8 months since he took over...

Really? Don't be so thick headed. Also, what does this have to do with marketing?
Click to expand...

No, they designed it since Apple announced their watch 5 weeks ago. It went from a blank sheet of paper to the store shelves in 5 weeks. Nadella is amazing! :D
 
Hope it comes in Brown ;)

I think its aimed at a different market to the apple watch, I won't be getting either as i haven't worn a watch in 20 years and see nothing here to change that.
 
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