Microsoft Band Unveiled Ahead of Apple Watch

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Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) unveiled its first wearable device called Microsoft Band, which is integrated with ten health and fitness sensors such as heart rate, UV monitor, sleep tracker among others.

The Microsoft Band costs $199 and it is powered by Microsoft Health, a new platform from Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT), which offers a cloud service for consumers and consolidates health and fitness data from different gadget and mobile apps to create powerful insights.

The Microsoft Band seemed more focus on fitness tracking and it will be available ahead of the Apple Watch. The device is also compatible with Android, iOS and Windows Phones.

Microsoft Band hands-free access to the web

According to the software giant, the Microsoft Bank offers hands-free access to the web through Microsoft’s intelligent personal assistant—Cortana. Users will be able to check their e-mails, text messages, calendar, the weather and search for any information on the web.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) said the gadget is integrated with a cutting-edge continuous heart rate monitoring and provides a detailed calorie count and sleep quality measurements.

Zulfi Alam, GM of Personal Devices at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) stated, “Imagine you’ve set the goal that you want to get fit and lose weight as part of your exercise routine. Based on your burn rate and exercise over one week, we will soon be able to auto-suggest a customized workout plan for you. As you follow that plan – or if you don’t follow the plan – our technology will continue to adjust to give you the best outward-looking plan, like a real coach would do.”

According to him, Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) has big data analytics and machine learning to resolve fitness and productivity challenges. He emphasized that Microsoft Health and Microsoft Band will continue to add more capabilities.

Microsoft Band was designed to offer great flexibility

On the other hand, Morris, a senior industrial designer on the devices team at Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) emphasized that the Microsoft Band was designed to be useful and not intruding user’s life.

“We wanted to create something minimal and neutral. We weren’t aiming to replace your watch or make a fashion statement so much as make something that allows the user the greatest degree of flexibility to use the device to track their activity of choice,” said Morris.

Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ:MSFT) partnered with Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX) to allow users load gift card barcodes on Microsoft Band to buy coffee.

The company is offering a $5 gift card and two-week Gold’s gym trial for those who will purchase the Microsoft Band.

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