Should I still buy a Band 2 or wait for the Band 3?

[George Ponder]

If there is a Band 3, it will likely be released for the Holidays. As low as the Band 2 is priced these days, I'd take the leap now.

 

[slickxsparkie]

I've dealt with 2 replacements for the band 2 (covered through Microsoft) because they stopped charging. It also doesn't work flawlessly on windows 10 mobile with Cortana voice to text not working, and also typing on the band to the phone doesn't work either. I haven't updated my phone to fast ring for fear my band disconnects. But I heard it has connection/pairing issues with the new update. I would wait for band 3, but even then, I'd wait to see if they fixed the kinks. When it worked on my Lumia 920, it worked great! Not so much 950xL, but even that still needs a lot of work

 

[Jazmac]

I disagree. At $175 it is a good deal. The Band does more than the other trackers (UV, golf courses, integration with Cortana) and will have more integration with a WP than any other tracker. I run, walk, lift free weights, jump rope, bike as well. I sit a fair amount of time at the computer, even though that's not my job. I believe the materials work just fine, as long as you have an appropriately sized Band.

It will at some point but it doesn't today, and for what it can do today, which is when the money will be spent, it doesn't. Anything else is navel gazing and wishful thinking. Again, I wanted like anything to like the Band for a long time but after 2 failed attempts, it simply costs me too much to engage in my fantasy of "all Microsoft all the time". So I had to more on from this health/fitness solution.
Its painful but that doing the same thing expecting a different result makes me a fool and my momma didn't raise no fool.
Maybe you have a budget for it but I cannot afford these expenditures especially when I know Microsoft and I both know how weak these materials are.

One thing they should do with Band 3 is make the bands replaceable. Because the bracelets are worthless.

 

[Issac72]

Anything else is navel gazing and wishful thinking.

Well, color me wishful but so far, the Band2 is outperforming the Polar a360 and Fitbit Blaze... and by a long shot. Moreover, I'm an Apple fan, so I can't even use some of the features on Band2. But there's so much to love about this product... hardware and software. I'm bloody impressed. For now.

 

[Erik Read]

As a prior owner of the Band and current owner of Band 2 I would suggest a completely different brand/device. My first band lasted about 5 months before the band started separating from the clasp and a number of sensors started failing. I sent it in for warranty support and it was sent back because I abused it. I am a casual runner and a software engineer. I most certainly did not abuse it. I got the Band 2 for Christmas and, up until this last weekend, was pleased with it. This weekend it started shutting down for no apparent reason. I noticed that when it powered up, if I touched the clasps together it would power off. Anyway, trying the service request again but I have lost faith in that process.
The bands are cheaply made and I can't imagine anyone that is more than a casual workout person being able to use the device for any length of time.

 

[11B1P]

Maybe you have a budget for it but I cannot afford these expenditures especially when I know Microsoft and I both know how weak these materials are.

No, my budget doesn't allow for multiple replacements. I just find it odd that our workouts are very similar in nature, and I have not had one issue with the quality of the band material. I wear mine all day, every day. It is my watch as well as fitness tracker. My job doesn't require a lot of desk work, but I do sit at the computer some. I still think the issues are improperly sized Bands. Do you have to overly tighten yours to get a good fit? Example, you're wearing a large and you're having to tighten it to the max to get it to fit? I wore a medium on B1, but had to drop to a small for B2.

 

[Jazmac]

No, my budget doesn't allow for multiple replacements. I just find it odd that our workouts are very similar in nature, and I have not had one issue with the quality of the band material. I wear mine all day, every day. It is my watch as well as fitness tracker. My job doesn't require a lot of desk work, but I do sit at the computer some. I still think the issues are improperly sized Bands. Do you have to overly tighten yours to get a good fit? Example, you're wearing a large and you're having to tighten it to the max to get it to fit? I wore a medium on B1, but had to drop to a small for B2.

I have a large band and it fits OK on my wrist. The first Band I had the clasp simply broke away from the band itself. Very odd that the weakest point of the band was where it clasp actually attaches to the band. Here is a re-post of my Band.


Needless to say, that one was returned to Microsoft for a replacement. But if you look closer, you can see the fatigue in the band where the material seems to be coming away from the metal braclet that surrounds the wrist. This is my first band.
The replacement Band, just like the first one looks great and worked great for a few months. In fact it still works but as I said, the fatigue in the materials became apparent at around the 6 month mark and even though it works, it looks far too ratty to wear in public. See below:



I have the older Fitbit band, I also have one called UP from Jawbone. I've had them for years. My Jawbone lives the same life as I do and to this day looks great. Fitbit has those replaceable bands and I think those have to be changed occasionally "by design". But Fitbit bands are cheap enough for that. A 200 dollar wearable that uses less than quality materials designed for wear, including standing up to lotions, oils and body sweat, isn't something I am prepared financially for. If yours is holding up, all the best.

BTW, how long have you had your Band?

 

[pmartineau]

Hi,

I bought my Band 1 a few months before Band 2 releases. I knew the band 1 build quality was problematic for some users so I took care of mine and did not see big problem. But a training Band should be built to go through every tough situation. Band 1 and 2 could not go through tough days.
The problem with Band 1 is the lack of new features. No love for Band 1 user. Development money is on band 2 only. I think they used the same special OS. Band 3 is rumor to use windows 10…So new application development could be for Band 3 only. Your Band 2 would still work but maybe no new application for you.

Band 1 needs more software development. The battery of my band 1 is now less than 24 hours when I used it to get time and get a few notifications a day. I cannot go through 1 hour training without the band shut down (GPS off).
Basically, I cannot trust it when I need it.

I want to buy a Band 2 but I don’t want to be in the same boat in a half a year.

 

[QuietNine]

I'm thinking of getting a Band 2 to help with gym life.
Do you think I should buy the 2 now or wait for the 3? Any ideas about the release date of Band 3 and what it will pack?

Thanks!

I owned the Band 1 for a year, and have been through two Band 2's. MS gave me a new one when the first started powering off randomly and only turning back on when plugged in, despite good battery levels.

I say buy it. It is a TOOL. You are buying it to either track your progress or motivate progress in the gym. If this will help you get off the couch, don't wait around for the next Band 3 which could be any time between 10/2016 - 4/2017. This is your couch potato life we're trying to change here, and procrastination is the enemy.

I loved my Band 1, but the screen wasn't scratch resistant and after about 10 months the rubber over the two metal bumps (batteries? see Jazmac's picture) started to peel off. It is on the inside so no one looking at it on my wrist would notice. I like to think of it as battle scars for a year of hard workouts but certainly its not optimal.

For my band 2, other than the shut-off problem and MS completely taking care of it (didn't even need a receipt) it's been fantastic. The battery life is not as amazing as the Band 1, but its still much better than most of the competition (band 1 lasted about two days for me with exercise, a little longer without). For a feature breakdown...

Steps: There are some complaints about it not being as generous for step counting as fitbit or band 1, but lets be real: steps are only a measure of steps. Walking does nothing to improve fitness and doesn't contribute anything significant to calories burned or raised heart rate. That the Band 2 might not be the most generous counter for a stat that measures nothing shouldn't matter to anyone who even remotely wants to take their health seriously.

Distance: distance traveled when using the run app is generally within 0.0-0.02miles of what the treadmill claims I ran, so very accurate without relying on the GPS. It's hard to give a comparison to how it does on the road as I don't often run on the track. You can set it to buzz at clicks(Km) or milemarkers so you know when to glance down for your splits.

Calories: The calories burned estimate is arguably the most important feature of the watch. Set a calorie target in MS health and work towards beating that target every day. This is the most meaningful metric for those looking to lose or gain weight through exercise.

Cycling and Weights: These apps are primarily for stopwatch and current heart rate, and they do that just fine. You can always look down and tell when your heart is low enough for the next set or see how close you are to max while pedaling up a hill. Not as accurate as polar or garmin body straps, but the point is you dont have to wear one of those cumbersome things.

Guided workouts: If you're in to crossfit and WODs, this is as good as it gets on a watch. That said, I'm not sure thats really a selling point, as phone companion apps for this stuff are much better in terms of journaling exersize or giving prompts, whether its traditional lifting or crossfit circuits. Its probably nice to have this option for people whose circuits are too intense to stop in the middle of things to write down weight/reps.

Sleep: Unlike the Band 1, I really don't think the Band 2 has the battery to be used all day in watch-mode AND be used for 2 hours as a fitness tracker AND track sleep all night. So I can't comment, because I recharge mine at night. Besides, it would be on the arm that goes under the girlfriends pillow, so the circulation is so low it would probably just tell me I died every night.

Messaging / calls: Messages are handled great on the Band 2's big screen, and the keyboard is surprisingly functional, as is dictating a response for Cortana to send on your behalf. What I like best about messaging on the watch is that it is faster than looking at the phone or letting Cortana read a text over car stereo, which lets me ignore things that aren't worth my immediate attention without wondering what they were.

Music / Alarms / Reminders / Calendar: Music controls on the wrist are nice to have if you wear a phone in an armband while running, but some headsets have pretty good controls too so. The vibrating alarm idea is the edge of useful territory to me. It's nice to have haptic watch feedback if you need a quiet reminder and your phone is within bluetooth range but not "out". But thats just a QoL thing.

Construction: Solid. The polyurethane strap can get a little marked up over time like anything else, and really ought to be replaceable. It's comfortable to wear, the screen looks good, and with a screen protector its stayed scratch free through heavy use, including weights, cycling, running, rock climbing (the latter is 2-3 times a week). It has held up fine on rainy days (although touch screens get less responsive when wet). Avoid sandy beaches, I had some sand get stuck under the buttons of the Band 1 and it was annoying as hell.

Future: I fully expect this device to be totally abandoned when Band 3 comes out. Why? Because WP7, WP 8.1 and W10M. They are necessary improvements but also bridges burned each time until a forward-capable platform is forged, which we have finally arrived at on the phone side. Band 2 is a big leap forward in hardware but the software is not forward-capable for an ecosystem the same way Apple Watch or Androidwear is. Apple Watch, capability wise, is what smart watches should strive to surpass (even if its 6 hour battery life and crappy bubble UI bog it down, it is a full platform in a way that Band isn't).
MS claims Band is your "second watch" and it seems to directly compete with Fitbit more than anything, but this is really a trojan horse effort to win early mindshare and not be left behind in the wearable space. As Androidwear OEM's and Apple improve their hardware to catch up with Fitbit and MS in the fitness space, MS must make another big generational leap (or two) with Band to keep up with those players on the software side. It will happen, it may be more than one iteration away, but with each iteration the last will be completely left behind in terrible MS fashion until they get to a point where they have a true OS platform on the wrist like their competition.

Versus the competition: While Apple watch is arguably the best software in the smart/fitness watch game, despite crappy bubble UI, the 6 hrs of battery life, no watch mode and iPhone-only pairing are deal breakers for most. Androidwear is solid all the way around but no OEM has stepped up to make a good fitness tracker with it yet. In fact, you could argue this is grossly negligent on Samsung's part, who shipped their own custom-garbage OS on the GearFit instead of Android. Fitbit is the only real competition for MS in fitness wearables, but the Band2 beats out everything they have including the new Blaze (which essentially has feature parity with Band but has a lousy first-gen design). So, right now, Band 2 is the best fitness wearable out there.

I don't expect it to stay that way though, as sooner or later some Android OEM will make a good sports watch, Apple will solve their battery problem, and Fitbit will make design improvements to the Blaze. MS really has to keep moving forward to stay a contender on the wrist. But tomorrow is not today, and when all companies are improving, its customers that win. All I really want to see is local music storage on my Band so i can leave the phone at home when I run.

 

[11B1P]

I have a large band and it fits OK on my wrist. The first Band I had the clasp simply broke away from the band itself. Very odd that the weakest point of the band was where it clasp actually attaches to the band. Here is a re-post of my Band.
View attachment 125264

Needless to say, that one was returned to Microsoft for a replacement. But if you look closer, you can see the fatigue in the band where the material seems to be coming away from the metal braclet that surrounds the wrist. This is my first band.
The replacement Band, just like the first one looks great and worked great for a few months. In fact it still works but as I said, the fatigue in the materials became apparent at around the 6 month mark and even though it works, it looks far too ratty to wear in public. See below:

View attachment 125265

I have the older Fitbit band, I also have one called UP from Jawbone. I've had them for years. My Jawbone lives the same life as I do and to this day looks great. Fitbit has those replaceable bands and I think those have to be changed occasionally "by design". But Fitbit bands are cheap enough for that. A 200 dollar wearable that uses less than quality materials designed for wear, including standing up to lotions, oils and body sweat, isn't something I am prepared financially for. If yours is holding up, all the best.

BTW, how long have you had your Band?

We got our B2 just before Christmas. You stated "standing up to lotions, etc". Maybe that is the factor? I don't use any type of lotion around my wrist.

Looking at your photos, dude those look terrible. Other than the normal surface scratching on my B1, it had none of those tears when we traded them in.

 

[JediTWang]

Maybe has a skin condition e.g. exma (CBF'd googlng the spelling), hence the lotions?

 

[11B1P]

The vibrating alarm idea is the edge of useful territory to me. It's nice to have haptic watch feedback if you need a quiet reminder and your phone is within bluetooth range but not "out". But thats just a QoL thing.

Say what? The alarm on the Band will function totally independent of the phone. You do not need your phone to be "within" BT range for the alarm to work.

 

[Jazmac]

Maybe has a skin condition e.g. exma (CBF'd googlng the spelling), hence the lotions?

Haha. I live in the desert and in this very sunny and arid climate, you must protect the skin. SPF based lotions in full effect. Otherwise, my skin is fine, probably better than your skin. But as I've been saying, Microsoft DID NOT THOROUGHLY test the materials they are using before they hit the market with this Band. Please quit defending faulty materials. Microsoft didn't even do that since they accepted responsibility and replaced it. Its new to the market as are most of these wearables. Occasionally, they get it wrong. Remember the Microsoft Kin?

 

[QuietNine]

Say what? The alarm on the Band will function totally independent of the phone. You do not need your phone to be "within" BT range for the alarm to work.

i grouped a couple things in that section together because they are similar. what i was saying is: if you set a reminder with cortana, or have an appointment in outlook calendar, or have an alarm on your phone, it will pass the alert to your watch as long as you are within bluetooth range. i do this a lot when im cooking, i just tell cortana to remind me in X-minutes, and my watch buzzes with the alarm to check on food.

yes, you can use the "alarm app" directly on the watch to be completely independent of the phone if you wish to as well. i prefer not to do it that way because i like my alerts to sync across devices, but everyone has their own preferences and use cases.

 

[11B1P]

or have an appointment in outlook calendar, it will pass the alert to your watch as long as you are within bluetooth range.

In 8.1, this incorrect. It may different for W10.

I do this alot. I have multiple appointments for my meals/snacks/workout for the day. I leave my phone in my vehicle when I go into work. I use my Band to remind me when it's time to eat or take my supplements.

 

[JediTWang]

probably better than your skin. Please quit defending faulty materials.

Ah, I was just responding to the prior poster asking if maybe lotion was a factor, no need to get personal, I wasn't defending anything:

We got our B2 just before Christmas. You stated "standing up to lotions, etc". Maybe that is the factor? I don't use any type of lotion around my wrist. Looking at your photos, dude those look terrible. Other than the normal surface scratching on my B1, it had none of those tears when we traded them in.

 

[Capn]

I don't understand these type of questions "Should I buy [current version] of product or wait for a [future version]?" What happens when the Band 3 comes out, do you then hesitate and wait for Band 4?

I had the Band 1 and am currently sporting the Band 2. I liked both of them. Like the Band 2 more so with the better feel it has on my wrist. I wear my band 23/7 and have no issues with any tearing or any other defects of the product itself.

There are some improvements that need to be made, but that is typical of ALL products. I wish there was more functionality between my Band and my phone (non-Windows Phone). I am more than happy with it, though.

It's technology, there will always be something new, shinier, better in due time. That shouldn't restrict you from buying something that you will enjoy NOW.

 

[hemanlive]

Even I am not a fan of waiting for a new model unless you are pretty sure that it is 'just around the corner' and you pretty much know the details about the new model.
As for the band, I think in terms of pure play functionality there is nothing better than it. Fitbit, Jawbone etc. do fall short on one or two areas but not the band. However, for a person like me, it hate to have two different devices on my wrist. Even though the band will tell me time, I really want a smartwatch and not a fitness band. So I don't intend on buying band 2 or 3 or whatever. My favorite device woudl have been the apple watch, but I am not a apple fan and its way too expensive for me. So I just hope that either MS comes up with one or Fitbit drops the prices of Surge here in India. Till such time, I will wait at the banks watching from a distance, rather than taking a plunge. It is 'good to have' device for me, so..

 

[ricardocr]

As a prior owner of the Band and current owner of Band 2 I would suggest a completely different brand/device. My first band lasted about 5 months before the band started separating from the clasp and a number of sensors started failing. I sent it in for warranty support and it was sent back because I abused it. I am a casual runner and a software engineer. I most certainly did not abuse it. I got the Band 2 for Christmas and, up until this last weekend, was pleased with it. This weekend it started shutting down for no apparent reason. I noticed that when it powered up, if I touched the clasps together it would power off. Anyway, trying the service request again but I have lost faith in that process.
The bands are cheaply made and I can't imagine anyone that is more than a casual workout person being able to use the device for any length of time.

i had that issue, you may be using it too tight, it should be able to move freely, the dying battery is because it got stretched and one of the battery connectors for loos

 

[insight3fl]

Suntan lotion is a known culprit to many plastic products. I know most of you are familiar with the "lifetime guaranteed" and nearly indestructible "Tervis Tumblers" insulated glasses (prolific here and made here in Florida). The only thing that damages them more than how suntan lotion etches their surface is a sledge hammer. I don't know what the chemical is in Suntan Lotion, but it wreaks havoc on plastics and rubber materials. It has destroyed many of my expensive BT earpieces as well