Smartbands are the next big thing. And the current signs to denote that are very clear in modern day.
Following the launch of Mi 4i, the Chinese handset maker Xiaomi also launched the Mi Band at its global smartphone launch event in New Delhi. Initially, Mi Band was first launched in the Chinese market last year.
Priced at Rs. 999, Xiaomi Mi Band can be registered through company’s official website mi.com and will be available from May 5, 2015.
Xiaomi may have garnered quite the popularity with its range of smartphones, but now the company has decided to enter the upcoming smartband scene with the uber cheap Xiaomi Mi Band.
The smartband scene is yet to boom into existence the way it wants to, but the way it’s coming up in the modern day context is pretty amazing. And hence we see so many companies coming up to the front with their own smartband offerings.
Xiaomi’s entry into the new smartband market holds a lot of promise, to say the least. While the market is still in its nascent stages, to arrive in it with such low price standards is nothing less than banging on war drums against all others harboring hopes to make an impact.
But while the pricing of the band is as less as ever, what are the apparent features that makes it such a great offering among all else in the market? Is it only its low price factor, or is there even more to it?
We recently spent a bit of time with the new smartband from Xiaomi and we liked what we saw in the device. Here’s our exclusive hands on for the Mi Band smartband.
To begin with, the Mi Band from Xiaomi is quite light in weight. It’s a curved device that has a plethora of neon colors associated to it, just to make the device bright and appealing for users.
In terms of what we have seen until now, the Xiaomi Mi Band offers a minimalistic look, but with brilliant features. It has a simplistic display, that’s not dull at all. And as we mentioned before, interested users can grab this wearable fitness tracker in several colors, including blue, orange and bright pink.
This gadget comes water-resistant with an IP67 standard, so that you don’t have to worry about all those occasional spills or a light drizzle when in the open. And as expected, it does an array of useful things that are really impressive.
In fact, Xiaomi has even considered users who might not be that intimidated by the designing of the Mi Band. For them, Xiaomi will also be releasing other variations of the smartband, including a leather band that will give the smartband a much more high-end look.
The Mi band, it’s safe to say, is much more than a cheap device. At the first glance, the smartband may not look that big a deal with its designing, but in reality there’s more than it meets the eye.
The Mi Band sports a thumb-sized sensor that’s plugged into the band. And keep it mind that it does mean that the device can’t display any sort of metrics if you looking to get details after a heavy workout session.
But then again, the smartband looks perfect for a budget wearable device to just track the user’s steps or activity, and that’s justified by its $13 price tag. Apart from that, the Mi Band tracks all you data and syncs to the smartband’s Android app that has been developed by Xiaomi.
The smartband tracks your health metrics, while also keeping a check on your movements and sleeping patterns. You could even unlock a certain Android device with the smartband and set alarms according to your needs.
However, from what we have seen from the smartband until now, it seems, for the time being, it can only do the proximity security unlocking for Xiaomi smartphones. And this works out, provided you have the phone in the same hand as you are wearing the smartband.
For any wrist, the Mi Band sits quite well. That makes it easy to use and carry it wherever you want. And as we mentioned before, as the device is certified with an IP67 standard, it’s easy to carry off the smartband in light drizzles outside.
