[NEWS] New firmware April 23

[gadgetrants]

Well, "calorie data" could refer to intake ..... I don't know how else you're going it get it without knowing HR or the "work" being done (think exercise machine).

Which reminds me .... The gym I work out at has Precore equipment, and they're tied into Preva.com. It would be nice to link up that cardo "run" to MS Health. Not only can the equipment sense HR electrically, they work with Polar chest straps. And they know the real "work" being done and not estimating it from HR. That's not data I'd dismiss casually.

Well, it's past noon MS time, where is it? [tapping foot impatiently]

Argh...I'm sure you're right. I read "calories" in my nearsighted way!

Tying to gym equipment...wow, what a super idea.

I also updated the OP to include Microsoft's original blog post yesterday from their general manager of new devices marketing with the uber-cool sound-bites.

-Matt

 

[DroidUser42]

Don't feel too bad. If they did mean "intake" that would be a major new function and shouldn't have been buried in the announcement.

 

[defante]

Strava syncing is now available in the connected apps.

 

[gadgetrants]

The app may need to be approved by Google Play and Apple's App Store. It might be a case where a firmware won't update until the app is updated.

I seem to recall you can also pull it down by connecting to the PC and running the sync app, or did I just dream that up?

EDIT: nvm, I made it up. :eck:

https://forums.windowscentral.com/e...nstall-update%2Fupdate-history&token=sVUsioNc

When there?s a firmware update for your Microsoft Band, it?s downloaded to your phone first. You?ll get a message in the Microsoft Health app on your phone telling you that the firmware update is available. Tap Update now to send the update to your band.

Well, our WinPhone brethren can still give us hope!

-Matt

 

[jlangner]

I've been kicking myself all day trying to figure out why I read the news as a "firmware update" when I was sure I'd seen it...somewhere...turns out...NOW I remember where I saw it:

View attachment 103047

Guess it was a case of subliminal suggestion! LOL I wonder where that update...in whatever form...is hiding?

-Matt

Even if no mention in post, article did say an update today

"Microsoft has announced plans to add more tracking features on the Microsoft Band wearable fitness device, starting with an update on Thursday, April 23. "

 

[bockersjv]

Well Strava has now appeared in the connected apps, without the need for any updates. Not surprising as the connected apps goes to a web page.

Great news though for us Strava users.

 

[gadgetrants]

RE: calories, here's a sign that if you wish for something hard enough you might actually get it:

Microsoft Health and Band: New Cycling Partnerships, Health Insights, Strong Updates - Conversations: The Microsoft Devices blog

We are excited to announce that in the coming weeks, customers can track daily steps and calorie burn inside of the Microsoft Health app using the sensors contained in many Android Phones, iPhones and Windows Phones.* Even without a fitness tracking wearable device, customers can just download the Microsoft Health application to their phone and get stepping!

*Step tracking capabilities are supported via apps on:

• iOS: iPhone 5s and later
• Android: Android 4.4+ with support for Step Counter API
• Windows Phone: Lumia devices with Sensor Core V1+ and Cyan FW

How cool that they listed Android Phones (with a capital P no less!) first...or hmm, maybe it's just alphabetical order. I *do* wonder how they plan to estimate calorie burn without a Band and without a HR estimate. The only thing I can think of is that you'd have to put your finger on the camera from time to time to let the app estimate HR.

Well it's a moot point anyway for us Band owners. But you know what? What's cool about that is that I'll go off on a run (or something) and tell the Band I'm running while I won't tell the phone anything -- it'll be interesting to see how much "knowing" I'm running will cause the Band to produce a different estimate from the phone (by that, I mean how much the algorithms differ based on presumed activity). Guess I need to get me to a physiology lab to know for sure.

-Matt

 

[DrFix82]

I also understood that update was related to firmware too. By now, except for strava integration, I can't see anything new.

 

[Cornelius Smith II]

Nice, I didn't notice that Strava was already up there on the Connect With Apps page until it was mentioned here. Connected now.

 

[rockstarzzz]

In hindsight that makes sense, especially given the minor recent update. I've been checking my Android app for updates every 15 minutes, but nothing so far! LOL

AH, that reminds me: rockstarzzz, should I PM you with a revised thread title?

​-Matt

Yeah sure, let me know what you want the thread title to be edited to and I'll do it!

 

[gadgetrants]

Yeah sure, let me know what you want the thread title to be edited to and I'll do it!

Thanks! I'll PM you once we figure out what's happening!

​-Matt

 

[defante]

How cool that they listed Android Phones (with a capital P no less!) first...or hmm, maybe it's just alphabetical order. I *do* wonder how they plan to estimate calorie burn without a Band and without a HR estimate. The only thing I can think of is that you'd have to put your finger on the camera from time to time to let the app estimate HR.

Well it's a moot point anyway for us Band owners. But you know what? What's cool about that is that I'll go off on a run (or something) and tell the Band I'm running while I won't tell the phone anything -- it'll be interesting to see how much "knowing" I'm running will cause the Band to produce a different estimate from the phone (by that, I mean how much the algorithms differ based on presumed activity). Guess I need to get me to a physiology lab to know for sure.

-Matt

I would guess it would just be an estimate like some of the other trackers out there. My old Fitbit Flex was just a glorified pedometer, but the app showed calorie burns for recorded activities.

 

[poit57]

I *do* wonder how they plan to estimate calorie burn without a Band and without a HR estimate.

I went for a jog yesterday. I used the running mode of my Band with GPS on as well as using the Adidas miCoach app to track the GPS of my phone.

My phone's GPS is not very precise, showing a lot of zigzagging. Yesterday was actually one of the better days as it tracked 2.21 miles compared to my Band's 2.15 miles. The miCoach app estimates calories based on time and distance (and maybe pace as well). To my surprise, both the Band and the miCoach app recorded that I burned 300 calories.

The calories are not always that close, but there are formulas for various activites that are used to estimate calories burned without heart rate. It probably isn't as accurate as using a heart rate, but it could at least give the user a baseline to compare their own numbers and measure progress.

 

[Daniel Heinrich]

How do I get the new FW? The Band PC Suite didn't receive anyone when I connect my Band.

 

[bockersjv]

How do I get the new FW? The Band PC Suite didn't receive anyone when I connect my Band.

There is no new firmware. The title of this thread is misleading. The changes were to the connected apps page on the Microsoft Health App page. The app remains unchanged too.

Looks like the Health app may get some update on the 27th though.

 

[DroidUser42]

Starting on April 23, Microsoft Band customers will be able to wear their device during rides and compare performance or share routes with other riders using these apps.

Pffffft. That's IT?

 

[pallentx]

Pffffft. That's IT?

Kind of a big deal to me. I haven't bought one yet - been waiting to see if this gets added. I'm primarily a cyclist. I rarely run.
I will be getting one now. So, this had made at least one sale. Do any other wearables sync with Strava?

 

[gadgetrants]

How do I get the new FW? The Band PC Suite didn't receive anyone when I connect my Band.

It's not clear at this point. I tend agree with bockersjv that a misunderstanding occurred somewhere, probably in the windowscentral news post that I read first. The article *does* have "Firmware Update" in the tagline (see post #18 above), but I suspect that the author of that report may have misread the blog/announcement from Microsoft. For now most of the updates seem to be focused on the Health phone app and the Health Web Dashboard.

In any case, check out post #24 above for a comment on updating. AFAIK, the *only* way to update the Band is through receiving the file on your phone, which then syncs it to the Band. I couldn't find a comparable way of doing it through the MS Band Sync app.

​-Matt

 

[Nate Silver]

Kind of a big deal to me. I haven't bought one yet - been waiting to see if this gets added. I'm primarily a cyclist. I rarely run.
I will be getting one now. So, this had made at least one sale. Do any other wearables sync with Strava?

Any Garmin device will sync with Strava, Endomondo, Training Peaks, etc., through something like https://tapiriik.com/ . Basis won't sync with anything, unless they changed something in the last few weeks. Fitbit syncs with some other apps...don't remember which, there's probably a list on their site somewhere. Not sure about the Jawbone products, I've never used them.

 

[DroidUser42]

Kind of a big deal to me. I haven't bought one yet - been waiting to see if this gets added. I'm primarily a cyclist. I rarely run.
I will be getting one now. So, this had made at least one sale. Do any other wearables sync with Strava?

You might want to check and see which way the sync goes - it appears to sync Strava to MS Health. I'm not sure as it goes the other way around. The Band had the cycling tile added previously. So I think the main thing this gives is to import data from bicycle-mounted devices into MS Health.

I'm not sure what that brings to the table, but I would expect to see MS wanting to add more devices. Their game plan is the back-end, not hardware sales. I'd think the way to win that game is to suck up any and all data that can be had. (Hey, MS, what about weight scales???)

So while this may benefit some users, I think it falls short of benefiting most users. Hence the "Pffffft."