Click to Skip Ad
Closing in...

Microsoft smartwatch is official… but it’s more of an affordable fitness band

Published Oct 30th, 2014 6:50AM EDT
Microsoft Band Specs, Price and Release Date
Image: Microsoft Corporation

If you buy through a BGR link, we may earn an affiliate commission, helping support our expert product labs.

Just as previously rumored, Microsoft is also interested in the wearable space, and the company just launched a smart device for your wrist that’s supposed to offer health-related features at an affordable price. The Microsoft Band is not a smartwatch, but rather a fitness… well, band, that’s supposed to let users track workout data.

FROM EARLIER: Microsoft just stuck a dagger into Google Drive and Dropbox

The Microsoft Band is powered by Microsoft’s Health app, which lets users track heart rate, steps, calorie burn and sleep quality. Furthermore, the band offers notifications, such as incoming calls, texts, emails, calendar alerts, social updates and others, “right on your wrist,” just like other similar devices.

The device comes with “cutting-edge” technology, Microsoft says, such as built-in GPS and 24-hour heart rate monitoring.

Specs include a 1.4-inch 320 x 106 color touchscreen display, GPS, Bluetooth 4.0 LE, dual 100mAh batteries (offer up to 48 hours of normal use and are fully charged in 1.5 hours), magnetic USB connector, and dust-and water-resistance. The Microsoft Band is packed with sensors, including an optical heart rate sensor, skin temperature sensor, UV sensor, galvanic skin response sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, Gyrometer, GPS, ambient light sensor and capacitive sensor.

The fitness band comes with Windows Phone, iOS and Android companion apps, and can take Cortana-powered voice commands when paired with a Windows Phone handset.

The Microsoft Band costs just $199, and will be available for sale on the company’s website starting with Thursday.

A promo video showing the Microsoft Band in action follow below, with more details about Microsoft’s first wearable device available at the source link.

Chris Smith Senior Writer

Chris Smith has been covering consumer electronics ever since the iPhone revolutionized the industry in 2008. When he’s not writing about the most recent tech news for BGR, he brings his entertainment expertise to Marvel’s Cinematic Universe and other blockbuster franchises.

Outside of work, you’ll catch him streaming almost every new movie and TV show release as soon as it's available.