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If I was Garmin or Sunnto I would be afraid - Microsoft Band


Joobs

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Have a look at this, I would want to get one if I had the spare cash

 

I quote from the site:

 

"Don your running shoes or hop on your bike and the Band uses GPS to record the route you've run, biked, or hiked. There's a stopwatch and lap timer when you're on the track. You can set a target for the number of steps or calories you want to burn through in a day, or follow guided workouts set by experts the likes of Gold's Gym or Men's Health."

 

 

http://www.cnet.com/news/microsoft-band-is-a-windows-phone-fitness-tracker-that-works-with-android-and-iphone-too/

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More of a lifestyle watch than a sports watch.

 

Totally different market to Garmin and Sunto.

 

I dont see someone with a garmin 910 trading it in for this instead.

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Big thing missing here is it being waterproof. If I took this to the gym I would forget to take it off before I shower 9/10 times.

 

Cool for the everyday person but not a sports watch imo.

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With the number of times Microsoft products crash, I would be very nervous about using this anywhere near a bicycle?

Which century are you living in?

Sure there were some crashes in older windows - and Im talking early xp and back - but I have not seen a crash or bluescreen in years and I have well over 100 windows machines under my maintenance.

The old "microsoft products crash often" argument is lame, the macs that our wed dev division have way more problems than the windows machines.

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Which century are you living in?

Sure there were some crashes in older windows - and Im talking early xp and back - but I have not seen a crash or bluescreen in years and I have well over 100 windows machines under my maintenance.

The old "microsoft products crash often" argument is lame, the macs that our wed dev division have way more problems than the windows machines.

 

I agree - I'm a windows user and happy with the stability of late - although with 8.1 i have had at least 2 or 3 BSOD's  - so I would not dismiss them outright

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Hmm - i have been contemplating these bands for a bit - not much positive feedback on them yet. I even posted here and saw some very lukewarm results. 

 

I reckon these are all ho hum v 1 releases you are seeing. Wait until this market matures and you are going to see some crazy stuff coming out. Personally i don't think there is really much innovation here that you cant do with a Suunto etc.

 

So the question is if you can already do all this then why arent you doing it already? 

 

This is a cool gadget - don't get me wrong. I wanted one. But i have so many data points about my riding that i am already overwhelmed. 

 

Notice i say data points. I don't have much intelligence.

 

Bout 90% of this is just data that we are using to upload to FB/Strava etc to boast to our friends and others about what fit and out there people we are.

 

10% use the data and understand what it means.

 

You need more meaningful data and more intelligence - like an alarm that says something like " average BP over the last 30 days is x% above the average for the last 6 months - you may be stressed or ill. Take a day off work."

 

We are a long way from that.

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I agree - I'm a windows user and happy with the stability of late - although with 8.1 i have had at least 2 or 3 BSOD's  - so I would not dismiss them outright

You should try mac with the infinite beachball. The only difference with mac crashes is that it doesnt give feedback, just either reboots or the app disappears and you have to open it again.

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if you have to have your phone with you when doing the exercise then its a big fail

 

Agree. 

 

I have the Samsung Fit, and it's just a pointless step counter when you don't link it to your phone. The HR measure sensor works 2/10 times, you have to be as static as statue before it detects a hint of life.

 

Big convenience is you can see who is calling while out on the bike without scrambling for your phone in your back pocket...

 

I reckon this won't be much different than the Fit/Polar

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Hmm - i have been contemplating these bands for a bit - not much positive feedback on them yet. I even posted here and saw some very lukewarm results. 

 

I reckon these are all ho hum v 1 releases you are seeing. Wait until this market matures and you are going to see some crazy stuff coming out. Personally i don't think there is really much innovation here that you cant do with a Suunto etc.

 

So the question is if you can already do all this then why arent you doing it already? 

 

This is a cool gadget - don't get me wrong. I wanted one. But i have so many data points about my riding that i am already overwhelmed. 

 

Notice i say data points. I don't have much intelligence.

 

Bout 90% of this is just data that we are using to upload to FB/Strava etc to boast to our friends and others about what fit and out there people we are.

 

10% use the data and understand what it means.

 

You need more meaningful data and more intelligence - like an alarm that says something like " average BP over the last 30 days is x% above the average for the last 6 months - you may be stressed or ill. Take a day off work."

 

We are a long way from that.

Its like most metrics, you have to understand what they mean for you in order for them to be useful. My wife has a fitbit and she loves the thing, has been using it for a year now.

Its not so much about the measurements it provides as much as its about reminding her to be more active.

The new fitbit with integrated GPS is going to be quite interesting, they are taking the fight to the lower end GPS watches like the nike+, tomtom etc.

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Which century are you living in?

Sure there were some crashes in older windows - and Im talking early xp and back - but I have not seen a crash or bluescreen in years and I have well over 100 windows machines under my maintenance.

The old "microsoft products crash often" argument is lame, the macs that our wed dev division have way more problems than the windows machines.

 

Seriously, that is what you take out of that. Sorry I made a joke about Microsoft and perpetuated a stereotype -- but just as a matter of record my home computer, which is about two years old, has been crashing a lot recently (but I am not suggesting that is Microsoft's fault) -- but then two of the old Macs we have at home-work also crash about once a month (but the one is about 10 years old and the other about five -- I don't think the newer one has ever crashed). 

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