Microsoft Launched its health platform called Microsoft Health this week along with a dedicated fitness band called Microsoft Band. While the nomenclature is very straightforward and predictable, the things Microsoft is trying to achieve with this duo is not so simple. Much like Google Fit and Apple’s HealthKit, Microsoft Health focuses on aggregating Health data but the fact that it’s platform independent makes all the difference. Read on to find out more about the platform and the fitness band’s pricing & specifications.
Microsoft Health
Microsoft Health is a cloud based service which collects data like steps, calories, heart rate and other data from different sources and it is analysed by Microsoft’s Intelligence Engine which will produce insights and analysis like which exercise is the most efficient or what meals of the day gave the maximum energy boost. This is in particular more important than having a mere figure (you can’t really deduce anything from that number unless you’re a health professional).
Microsoft Band
Microsoft Band is, well a fitness band which consists of 10 different sensors for tracking sleep, counting steps, heart rate monitoring and more. It also comes loaded with various guided workouts designed by fitness professionals. Apart from this, the band functions as a smart watch and smart assistant (Cortana – If you’re connected to a Windows Phone 8.1 device)
Specifications of the device include:
- Thermal plastic elastometer with fit clasp
- 1.4″ TFT display
- 48 hours battery life from 1.5 hours charging time
- Dual 100 mAh Battery
- Heart Rate Sensor, Accelerometer, Gyroscopic Sensor, GPS, Ambient Light Sensor
- Skin Temperature Sensor, UV, Capacitive Sensor
- Galvanic Skin Response, Microphone, Haptic Vibration Motor
- Bluetooth 4.0 LE
- Dust and Splash resistance
- Windows Phone 8.1, iOS 7.1+, Android 4.3+ Support
The Microsoft Band is available starting October 30th for $199 from the Microsoft Store. There’s no word on the Band’s launch in India as of now.
