In addition to new smartphones (including a phablet model) and a new tablet, Huawei on Sunday also announced its first ever wearable device, a smart band that will offer various fitness-related features and connect to both Android and iOS devices. However, the TalkBand B1 will also pack wireless calling support – as its name suggests – as the display area of the band can actually be removed and utilized as a Bluetooth earpiece.
The TalkBand B1 has a 1.4-inch flexible OLED display, Bluetooth 4.1 support, NFC support, and a 90mAh battery that lasts for six days and charges in two hours using an USB connector. The gadget supports devices running Android 2.3 or later, or iOS 5.0 or later and can track steps taken, miles covered, calories burned, activity time and progress as well as sleep duration and quality.
The TalkBand B1 will launch in China this March, and in Japan, Middle East, Russia and Western Europe starting with the second quarter of the year. Pricing details for this Bluetooth headset / smart band have not been unveiled yet.
The full press release follows below.
Huawei Exceeds the Limits of What’s Possible with HUAWEI MediaPad X1 at MWC 2014
Huawei also unveils its first wearable and new MediaPad phablet for a truly connected lifeBARCELONA, Spain, Feb. 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ — Huawei today unveiled two new additions to its MediaPad range of devices and its first wearable device at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2014. With HUAWEI MediaPad X1, the world’s slimmest 7-inch LTE Cat4-enabled all-in-one phablet, HUAWEI TalkBand B1, the perfect hybrid ‘talk and track’ companion, and HUAWEI MediaPad M1, the 8-inch entertainment powerhouse, Huawei makes a life without boundaries possible for more people.
“We’re excited to unveil our new 4G LTE-enabled MediaPads which, together with HUAWEI TalkBand B1, deliver the essential pillars of happiness – health, connection to family, contact with friends and access to work – without boundaries,” said Richard Yu, CEO, Huawei Consumer Business Group. “Huawei’s culture of innovation places us in prime position to develop devices that bring people the benefits and joy of technology through 4G LTE connectivity.”
HUAWEI MediaPad X1
HUAWEI MediaPad X1 combines the functionality of a smartphone and tablet in a full aluminum alloy unibody, providing outstanding comfort and ease of use at only 239g and 7.18mm thin. Its 7-inch 1200 x 1920 FHD LTPS touch display features a 80% screen-to-body ratio.
Powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and running on Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, its ultra-long lasting 5000 mAh battery provides 21 days of standby time, over five full days of continuous use and reverse charging.
MediaPad X1 features an advanced 13MP Sony Exmor R BSI rear-facing camera and panoramic shooting. Its 5MP front-facing camera with Huawei’s proprietary self-focus tips, preview screen, 10-level auto-facial enhancement and voice-activated hands-free capture is perfect for taking the best ‘selfies’. The ‘Voice Photo’ function takes a photo accompanied by a 10-second audio clip that can be shared via Facebook and WeChat.HUAWEI TalkBand B1
HUAWEI TalkBand B1 features wireless calling with a Bluetooth™ 4.1 earpiece, up to seven hours of calls and 1.4-inch flexible OLED display. It supports Android 2.3+ and iOS 5.0+ compatible devices, and syncs effortlessly via NFC.
TalkBand B1 wirelessly tracks activity time and progress, including steps taken, miles covered and calories burned. It intelligently records sleep duration and quality, while the smart alarm and nap functions assist rest.
Weighing just 26g and only 14.6mm thin, TalkBand B1 features a bendable curve design with a removable 9.4g earpiece. The 90 mAh battery lasts for six days and charges in two hours using the USB connector.
HUAWEI MediaPad M1
HUAWEI MediaPad M1 features an 8-inch 800 x 1280 HD IPS multi-touch capacitive screen with Huawei SWS technology, dual front-facing speakers and microphones for an enhanced audiovisual experience. Powered by a 1.6 GHz quad-core processor and 4800 mAh capacity battery, it supports 8 hours of video playing on a single charge.
Ultra-slim at 7.9mm, MediaPad M1’s 329g sleek aluminum body slips easily into pockets or purses. The 1MP front-facing and 5MP rear-facing auto-focus cameras enable easy snapping and photo sharing.
The LTE Cat4-enabled MediaPad X1 and M1 download work files in seconds and 1GB movies in one minute with speeds of up to 150 Mbps. In-built WiFi routers and 2.4/5G dual mode WiFi support with voice call and SMS capabilities provide on-the-spot connection. The AirSharing function enables screen sharing and the transfer of images via cloud photo sharing. MediaPads X1 and M1 feature the latest intuitive interface, Emotion UI 2.0, with customizable homescreens, enhanced ‘Standard’ and ‘Simplicity’ UIs and over 1,000 diverse themes.
Availability
HUAWEI MediaPad X1 is available in China, Russia, Western Europe, the Middle East, Japan and Latin America from March 2014.
HUAWEI TalkBand B1 is available in China from March 2014, and in Japan, the Middle East, Russia and Western Europe from Q2 2014.
HUAWEI MediaPad M1 is available from Q1 2014 in Europe, Russia, the Middle East, China, Japan, Asia Pacific, Australia and Latin America.
