Surprise! Microsoft is making a successor to their very well received fitness band, the Microsoft Band. Interestingly enough, they’re going to call this one the Microsoft Band 2. Well, probably. Well, maybe. Microsoft does like to change their brands a lot.
At today’s keynote at Microsoft’s World Partner Conference, Microsoft COO Kevin Turner did say that they have the Microsoft Band 2 in the works. That’s all he said. We didn’t learn anything else except that it exists.
Source: Windows Central
By Rich W Woods
Just in case you’re in the U.S. and you were thinking that the big hardware launch would be in New York City, you were dead wrong. Expect to see all of that fancy new Windows 10 hardware on September 4 in Berlin.
Every year after Computex is IFA. If you’ll recall, IFA is where Microsoft launched the Nokia Lumia 730, 735, and 830 as well as where they announced Lumia Denim, so they’re no stranger to big news at IFA. Expect to see big news from other OEMs as well, as it’s usually time for Samsung to launch the next product in their Note line, Motorola to launch a new Moto X, Moto G, and Moto 360 (assuming they follow the same schedule as last year), and maybe even Sony will launch their second half flagship.
Continue reading New Windows 10 Hardware Coming at IFA on September 4
By Rich W Woods
I’ve used a lot of smart watches. I bought the Samsung Gear Live, the Moto 360, LG sent me the G Watch R to review, I recently bought the Apple Watch Sport, and of course, the Microsoft Band. The funny thing about smart watches is that people still have no idea as to why they would need one; however, once you have one, it seems like something you cannot live without.
Out of them all, the Microsoft Band is still my favorite. I made a quick video explaining why.
Continue reading Why the Microsoft Band is Still My Favorite Smart Watch
By Rich W Woods
I used a Microsoft Band with my iPhone 6 for months before the Apple Watch came out and I thoroughly enjoy it. While it might seem like the Microsoft Band is more limited in functionality, there are actually pros and cons to each. Check it out.
By Rich W Woods
This is something you’re either really happy about or something you’re really upset about. Over the last couple months, I have expanded my horizons. I went to Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, invited by Microsoft, and I realized how many Nokia fans their still were and how strong of a brand Nokia is outside of the United States. I also realized how bitter Nokia fans are with Microsoft.
There’s also the pure Windows Phone fans, the ones that just get mad that someone else has the nice things that they have.
That’s right. I’m talking about Cortana on iOS and Android. Ultimately, this is great for Microsoft. It strengthens their Microsoft Band platform, as those that use the Band with an iPhone or an Android fan will now have access to features previously only available on Windows Phone.
By Rich W Woods
The long awaited Microsoft Band SDK is now available. There are three different SDKs, one for iOS, one for Android, and one for Windows Phone, which is just a bit disappointing, as we saw so much at Build this week about being able to develop once and port it to all three platforms.
Who knows though? I honestly can’t say for certain that one doesn’t work with the other. But I digress. Go make some apps!
Oh, and the features:
By Rich W Woods
The Microsoft Band is really the fitness band/smart watch that just keeps getting better. I have to say, that is one thing I love about Microsoft products. They always manage to add new features that we didn’t even think possible through firmware and software updates.
The new features in question here are integration into the Strava and MapMyRide apps. This comes in the wake of the new cycling tile that Microsoft added to the Microsoft Band in February.
There are other new features as well that don’t necessarily need to come through the upcoming update to the Microsoft Band. There will be new insights on the Microsoft Health Web Dashboard, another addition they made alongside the cycling app back in February. But wait, there’s more.
By Rich W Woods
Last Summer, Google released Android Wear alongside two smart watches, the LG G Watch and the Samsung Gear Live. Since then, we have seen a plethora of Android Wear watches hit the market, including the coveted Moto 360.
Android Wear proved to be a very capable smart watch platform. Google decided to focus on voice commands. Users can install apps on the watch and there is no limit to what can be done. In fact, the original Android Wear smart watches have better specs than some low end smart phones, with 512 MB RAM, 4 GB storage, and a 1.2 GHz quad core Snapdragon 400 processor.
By Rich W Woods
Yesterday, Microsoft put in some work on the Microsoft Band and the corresponding Microsoft Health app. That’s right, the app that goes with the Microsoft Band is Microsoft Health, even though there is no other purpose for Microsoft Health other than to use it with a Microsoft Band.
Yesterday, Microsoft pushed out a firmware update to the Microsoft Band. I haven’t yet reported on it because I haven’t yet received the update, as I use it with an iPhone and the new Microsoft Health app isn’t available yet on iOS. Fucking Apple amirite?
Aside from updates to the Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health, they also released the Microsoft Health web app, even though it’s not even available as a Windows 8.1 app. I am very impressed with the Microsoft Health web app, although I do have some issues with it. Read on.
By Rich W Woods
When the Microsoft Band first came out, I didn’t buy it. After all, Microsoft didn’t want to send out any review units and it doesn’t really fit with the theme here. We usually focus on smart phone camera comparisons. Of course, we review anything else that comes our way but it just didn’t seem logical to review yet another smart phone watch, considering that I would have to buy it. After all, I have a Moto 360.
Of course, the Microsoft Band sold out in the first day that it was available. In the time that it was on back order, I grew excited about the Microsoft Band. In looking at it in the Microsoft Store, I saw that it had lots of cool features that the Moto 360 just doesn’t have.
Continue reading Microsoft Band Review: They Actually thought this Through