Is it worth it to get a Microsoft Band now!?

[gadgetrants]

All this watch and band stuff, IMO, is a fad that will be here today and gone tomorrow. I haven't worn a watch in 15 years and have no plans to do so anytime soon. Guess Im old school.

I think you're actually new school. :wink:

Worldandnation: Will cell phones replace watches? Time will tell

​-Matt

 

[Ejay Lozano]

I'm waiting on the 2nd gen. I'm not feeling the design on the current model...

 

[BenGutt]

I only bought the band to see what it was like, and to see if I can solve my poor sleep quality.

I regret not putting on the screen protector the second I got it, as it got scratched almost as soon as it was out of the box. Although now the protector is on I can't see any of the marks.

I've been gardening, caving and rock climbing and still haven't seen any further damage.

The band has told me I go to bed too late, and I'm now getting much better sleep. I like the fact you have to push the button to say "I'm going to sleep now", it seems to be working like an off switch for my brain as well....

Also I've never had any Bluetooth issues with my 1020.

 

[NBrookus]

Other than scratches on the bezel and me initially buying the wrong size, I haven't had any issues with the Band. My Bluetooth is fine, no problems with the app, nada. It may help that I also have a Windows Phone.

The band got scuffed up the other day, but by the next day it looked fine. I think the rubbery Band material may be self-healing to a certain extent. Or maybe skin oils just hide the scuffs. It's a plastic thing I wear every day on the end of my arm so it's exposed to all kinds of stuff -- I expect wear and dings to happen. My FitBit Flex was in mighty rough shape after a couple of years.

 

[CliveSinclair]

No, no, no, no, no.... not another 'should I buy now'... If you like it, buy it. You could go on the 'I'll wait for the next model' journey forever.

Do you have a mobile phone? How come? If you kept waiting, you would never have bought one.

 

[pallentx]

All this watch and band stuff, IMO, is a fad that will be here today and gone tomorrow. I haven't worn a watch in 15 years and have no plans to do so anytime soon. Guess Im old school.

I'm with you on the idea of a "smart watch" that tries to be a do-everything cellphone on your wrist with games and maps and photo albums, etc. Where I do see value is in wearables that focus on specific functions that a wearable does better than a cell phone. I bought the band pretty much exclusively for GPS to track my bike rides. I can leave the phone at home or take it, doesn't matter. The sleep tracking is also interesting and the notifications have proven more useful than I expected.

 

[BenGutt]

I'm with you on the idea of a "smart watch" that tries to be a do-everything cellphone on your wrist with games and maps and photo albums, etc. Where I do see value is in wearables that focus on specific functions that a wearable does better than a cell phone. I bought the band pretty much exclusively for GPS to track my bike rides. I can leave the phone at home or take it, doesn't matter. The sleep tracking is also interesting and the notifications have proven more useful than I expected.

Same page here, a wearable would need to have a pretty big screen in order for me to find photo's and using maps of any use. At which point a Lumia 435 and a bit of gaffer tape would be far more useful, and probably not much more awkward to wear, than the current sizes of "super watches".

 

[DrFix82]

I also own a Samsung Gear Fit, its only big lack is GPS.
Except from it, the screen, comfort, on board software etc. are better than band IMHO (paid 89€ vs 199$ of band).

Of course the ms health data anlysis in dashboard is awesome.

 

[wpn00b]

No, no, no, no, no.... not another 'should I buy now'... If you like it, buy it. You could go on the 'I'll wait for the next model' journey forever.

Do you have a mobile phone? How come? If you kept waiting, you would never have bought one.

The eternal struggle. I've held out on buying a Surface Pro 3, Band and Lumia Icon.

I now own the Icon and honestly feel content. Wish I had bought sooner.

Still hoping the Pro 4 comes out soon but could have used a tablet/laptop a while back.


OP, if you don't have anything yet, and you like the band, buy it. As for me, I'm using my fitbit flex for now as my fiancee and I are saving for the wedding and she let me buy the Icon haha, but otherwise I'd have the band after the Icon and all of its amazing recording capabilities eluded me due to holding out... Missed a few good concerts that I would have liked to capture.

I'm sleep deprived so if rambling, disregard

 

[Jcmg62]

The eternal sstruggle. I've held out on buying a Surface Pro 3, Band and Lumia Icon.

I now own the Icon and honestly feel content. Wish I had bought sooner.

Still hoping the Pro 4 comes out soon but could have used a tablet/labtop a while back.


OP, if you don't have anything yet, and you like the band, buy it. As for me, I'm using my fitbit flex for now as my fiancee and I are saving for the wedding and she let me buy the Icon haha, but otherwise I'd have the band after the Icon and all of its amazing recording capabilities eluded me due to holding out... Missed a few good concerts that I would have liked to capture.

I'm sleep deprived so if rambling, disregard

All very true words.

The reality of the technological world we live in is that something slightly bigger, better and faster is already in development even as you open your wallet and purchase the current piece of kit.

Whether its a phone, watch, fitness band, laptop, car, toaster or vacuum cleaner the rule is still the same....it's going to be eclipsed within a few months, maybe a year at most.

If we little people could get just half a glance at what's going on in Microsoft's labs right now we'd probably see a surface pro 5, hololens version 2 and at least half a dozen new wearable concepts built around the Band. Anyone of these could hit the market in the next 12 months....or they could all be killed off as crap ideas

But who cares!! Buy what you like, love what you buy and keep coming to this site to see what's around the corner