What do Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Terminator 2 and the Microsoft Band 2 all have in common? Well, besides all having “two” in their names, they all signify a sequel that was better than it’s original version. Want to know more about the software companies second fitness-focused wearable? No? Well, too bad, here are five more things you didn’t know.
1. BAND 2 WON’T LOOK LIKE YOU’RE UNDER HOUSE ARREST
Microsoft fans will try to forget their first encounter with the Band. Last year entry into the fitness wearable market looked more like a house arrest ankle bracelet then a fashionable tech device. Thankfully, the Band 2 has made the necessary adjustments and now includes both substance and style.
2. MICROSOFT INTRODUCES NEW DISPLAY
Perhaps the most noticeable addition to the Microsoft Band 2 is the addition of a Curved AMOLED display. It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and takes away the need for the flat-faced rigid house that plagued the Band 1 last year. Not only does this make it more comfortable and convenient to wear, but is certainly more stylish as well.
3. MORE APPS ADDED
Another big chance from Microsoft is the addition of more third-party apps. The Band 2 now has Facebook, Twitter and Facebook Messenger capabilities. Compared to other wearables like Android Wear and Apple’s watchOS, the addition of these apps isn’t particularly groundbreaking. However, This wearable is first and foremost dedicated to fitness, and for that, it does the job well.
4. SENSORS GALORE
Microsoft Band 2 has an impressive 11 different sensors. This includes an optical heart rate sensor, gyro meter, three-axis accelerometer, GPS, ambient light sensor, skin temp sensor, UV sensor, galvanic skin response, capacitive sensor, microphone, and barometer. That is indeed a mouthful. Fortunately, the device comes with a handy instruction book to walk you through it all. To condense all these data, everything will feed right into the online dashboard. Using a series of beautiful charts, users can get a visual look at your health and fitness over a period of time.
5. COMPETE WITH YOUR FRIENDS HEALTH
Carrying over from the sensors, this wearable has a friendly, competitive edge involved. Using the analyzed data, you can choose to compare yourself against data collected from other device owners. You can pick the gender, age range and activity level to either see how you stack up to your friend the same age or the 70-year-old man across the street.
All in all, this band is a big step up from last year. It may not compete with FitBit or some of the other heavy hitters, but it’s an option worthy of consideration.
