Microsoft did a great job with the boxing of the Microsoft Band it looks professional just like the Surface boxing.
The first impression of the device is, “Wow, this isn’t a cheap plastic band.” To start the pairing of the device, plug it into USB power.
Download the appropriate application for your phone. Mine was the Microsoft Health app for Windows Phone 8.1 (Lumia 920).
The syncing seemed to work but then the band would disconnect from the Windows Phone.
When I started the Microsoft Health app it asked me to download the Windows Phone Preview to enable the newer Bluetooth options. Side note this update also includes some great features for the Start screen allowing better grouping of applications
This took me right to the phone update to download and install the update. This took some time to download the update and then install it. I am guessing at least a half an hour. After the phone reboots I got worried as it sat at a picture of 2 gears for a very long time, another half hour. But it eventually took off and started showing a completion line at the bottom. Bottom Line, Be Patient!!!
Once the software is installed you can change the applications that show on the tiles and drag and drop them to be in the right order that you want them to appear. If the application has the edit button next to it you can change some of the options. For example, you can make a VIP list for the email tile so you only get notifications for a list of up to 10 people.
To change the order, press the icon of the band in the upper right hand corner of the screen.
The Microsoft Band is very comfortable on my wrist and feels just like a watch. Some reviews say that you are aware that it is on your wrist, and I feel that a bit, but I do with normal watches as well and this doesn’t bother me at all. The weight of it is perfect, lighter than normal watches that I’d wear. It is commutable wearing the Band on the top of the write or on the bottom. I have had it on the bottom of the wrist most of the day. Microsoft is handing out a Zagg screen cover in some stores. I bought just a cheap iPhone 4/5 screen cover and put it over the screen until I can go back to the store and pick one up.
I haven’t noticed that the Band picking up erroneous steps for just driving around in my SUV, something that the Polar and FitBit bands did do. The resting heartbeat is fun to watch as I type right now it is at 75 while it was over 105 during a engaged conference call earlier today.
The band is still showing a full charge after 8 hours, more than I can say about my Lumia 920. My phone was dying fast today with Bluetooth on so that might be a bigger concern than the Band’s battery.
I am anxious for the Band to interface with Microsoft Health & FitNesse or HealthVault. I am not much or a runner so some of the other built in apps might not do it for me quite yet. I did hook it up to MyFitNessPal, but haven’t quite learned how to integrate with it from the Band. I thought I saw an advertisement where a person was speaking into the Band, “I ate a candy bar” and it logged the food? I’ll need to find that and show an example if that is really possible.
Last step for tonight, check out how the sleep tracking works. More tomorrow.
