Microsoft Band

Microsoft Band

Microsoft Band is a fitness tracker and smartwatch developed by Microsoft. It tracks steps, heart rate, calories burned, and sleep quality. The Band has GPS, email/text notifications, Cortana integration, and other smartwatch features.
fitness health tracking smartwatch

Microsoft Band: Fitness Tracker & Smartwatch

Microsoft Band tracks steps, heart rate, calories burned, sleep quality, GPS, email/text notifications, Cortana integration, and other smartwatch features.

What is Microsoft Band?

Microsoft Band is a fitness tracker and smartwatch originally developed and manufactured by Microsoft. First released in 2014, it tracks a variety of health metrics including steps taken, heart rate, calories burned, and sleep quality. It also has features more commonly associated with smartwatches.

The Microsoft Band has built-in GPS which allows it to accurately track pace, distance, and routes for running and cycling without needing to carry a smartphone. It can connect to both iOS and Android devices to deliver notifications for emails, texts, social media, and calendars. The Band enables users to preview notifications and take various actions like dismissing or responding to texts.

Integration with Microsoft's Cortana digital assistant allows Band users to set reminders, take notes, and get answers to basic questions directly from their wrist. Other smart features of the Band include a UV monitor to help avoid sunburns, vibration alerts for calls and alarms, and compatibility with services like Facebook, Twitter, Starbucks, and more.

The Microsoft Band line has been discontinued since 2016 after the release of two generation of devices. However, the Band helped pioneer features that have become commonplace on the fitness trackers and smartwatches of today.

Microsoft Band Features

Features

  1. Tracks steps, distance, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep quality
  2. GPS for mapping outdoor workouts
  3. Smartwatch capabilities like email/text/call notifications, calendar alerts
  4. Integrates with Cortana voice assistant
  5. Customizable tile-based UI to display info and apps on band screen
  6. Works with iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices

Pricing

  • One-time Purchase

Pros

Accurate fitness and sleep tracking

Good battery life

Comfortable, adjustable design

Works across major mobile platforms

Integrates well with Microsoft ecosystem and Cortana

Cons

App selection is limited

Screen is small and low resolution

Not waterproof

Microsoft stopped supporting and updating it

Official Links


The Best Microsoft Band Alternatives

Top Sport & Health and Fitness Trackers and other similar apps like Microsoft Band


Fitbit icon

Fitbit

Fitbit is one of the most popular brands of fitness trackers and smartwatches. Fitbit devices track a wide range of health and fitness metrics including steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, heart rate, sleep stages and quality, and more.Fitbit trackers are wearable devices that come in wristband and watch form...
Fitbit image
Wear OS icon

Wear OS

Wear OS by Google is an operating system designed specifically for smartwatches and other wearable devices. It is developed by Google and works seamlessly with both Android and iOS smartphones.Some key features and capabilities of Wear OS include:View phone notifications like texts, emails, and social media updates directly on your...
Wear OS image
Zepp Life icon

Zepp Life

Zepp Life is a health and fitness app created by Huami, a company that also makes Zepp branded smartwatches and fitness trackers. The app syncs with these devices to provide detailed tracking of the user's activity, sleep, stress levels, and more.Some key features of Zepp Life include:Activity Tracking - Steps,...
Zepp Life image
LifeSum icon

LifeSum

LifeSum is a comprehensive personal finance software program designed to help individuals and families manage all aspects of their financial lives. It includes powerful features to track income, spending, investments, budgets, transactions, goals, and more in one centralized location.With LifeSum, users can:Create and monitor budgets: Set up budgets for all...
LifeSum image
Activity (Apple Watch companion) icon

Activity (Apple Watch companion)

The Activity app is a pre-installed health and fitness tracking app on the Apple Watch. It is designed to monitor and encourage physical activity throughout the day by tracking movement, exercise sessions, and how often the wearer stands up. Core metrics tracked include:Active Calories - Calories burned through movement and...
Activity (Apple Watch companion) image
Polar Flow icon

Polar Flow

Polar Flow is a fitness tracking and analytics platform developed by Polar Electro for use with their line of smartwatches, fitness trackers, and heart rate sensors. The Polar Flow mobile app and web service connect with compatible Polar devices to collect and display fitness and activity data.Key features of Polar...
Polar Flow image
HeadUp Labs icon

HeadUp Labs

HeadUp Labs is an innovative software company that has developed live avatar assistants powered by artificial intelligence. Their technology creates hyper-realistic digital humans that can have natural conversations and effectively handle a wide range of customer service scenarios.The main value proposition of HeadUp Labs is improving customer experience through the...
Digifit icon

Digifit

Digifit is a web and mobile fitness app designed to provide personalized workout plans and training programs for all fitness levels. It offers customized workouts tailored to the user's goals whether that is building strength and muscle, losing weight, general health, or training for a sport.Key features of Digifit include:Professionally...
Digifit image
Tictrac icon

Tictrac

Tictrac is a habit building and goal tracking application designed to help users develop and maintain healthy routines. The app allows users to track habits like exercise, nutrition, sleep, and more by checking them off each day. It then provides progress reports to keep users motivated.Some key features of Tictrac...
Tictrac image
Lifelog icon

Lifelog

Lifelog is a personal analytics application developed by Sony Mobile. It was designed to automatically track aspects of the user's life, including steps taken, photos taken, internet usage, location history, and more. The goal of Lifelog was to help users quantify their lives and gain insights about their daily activities...
Lifelog image
EatHealthy Tracker icon

EatHealthy Tracker

EatHealthy Tracker is a user-friendly health and fitness app designed to help people improve their eating habits and meet their diet and nutrition goals. With an extensive food database containing over 5 million items, EatHealthy Tracker makes it simple to accurately log meals and snacks to track your daily and...
EatHealthy Tracker image
Lefft icon

Lefft

Lefft is a free and open-source note taking application designed specifically for Windows. It provides a fast, clean, and intuitive interface for capturing thoughts, ideas, to-do lists, and more.Some key features of Lefft include:Clean and distraction-free interface - The app is designed to let you focus on your notes without...