The new Microsoft Band 2 receives more positive reviews than its predecessor. The first Microsoft Band was impressive when it showed in 2014.
It was a smart device, not just a simple time-tracker or step-counter. It had a colorful touchscreen display, GPS, guided workouts and heart rate monitors. Just like its contemporary smartwatches, it had lots of rooms for perfection, such as a better performance software and new features.
In this era of elegant Surface devices, Microsoft also has an elegant $249 Microsoft Band, boasting an enhanced design, smarter new sensors that can detect UV exposure and floors climbed, as well as a dashboard for Microsoft Health where personal workouts can be created.
It is a hybrid fitness device of smartwatch features, and in the second smartwatch, the company knew what it needed to fix, said Ars Technica in its Microsoft Band 2 review.
From a rigid, difficult to wear and angular device, Microsoft Band 2 becomes an all-curved designed, soft-touch and flexible device. The main module that houses the 320x128 pixel AMOLED display curves and shapes naturally to fit the wrist as the silicon-like band hugs the arms comfortably. On the edge of the display are the power button and "Action" button that gives options on the screen while the clasp retains the pinch-and-slide mechanism.
The clasp measures almost half an inch from top to bottom when closed but the Band is difficult to secure with a single hand especially for a preferred tightness; and it looks weird wearing it with the clasp at the top of the wrist, and the display at the bottom.
The purpose is that the clasp's pinch part is where the UV sensor is which advises the wearer when to put on sunscreen as it measures the amount of sunlight. Underside the slider area of the clasp holds galvanic skin sensors that measure the skin's electrical resistance during exercise.
Aside from fitness tracker basics like tri-axis accelerometer, barometer and gyrometer, the Band has ambient light, capacitive sensors, microphone, skin temperature, GPS and a continuous optical heart rate monitor.
Though it has reasons, the clasp is the somewhat ugly part of the Band, that is bulky and difficult to secure. The Band supports only one guided workout at a time, so one must download each to complete. According to Engadget's Microsoft Band 2 review, the battery-hungry GPS can take ages to find the wearer, which is unfortunate if one wants to start the workout already. Social media is limited to Twitter and Facebook.
Then it has an enhanced design, with more than a hundred awesome guided workouts and building a personal workout is more awesome when the Band becomes like a personal trainer. The battery is solid and will last more than two days without GPS use. Third party selection is getting better, according to Engadget, and though the Band is not perfect yet, it is heading in the right direction.
