Before any of you start drooling at the prospects of the Microsoft Band’s new tour, this is not the Gates/Ballmer/Nadella reunion gig at Brixton, but the long awaited release of Microsoft’s fitness Band. Disappointing I know.
Announced yesterday, somewhat out of the blue, the Microsoft Band is available for pre-order with delivery stated as the 15th of April. For those unfamiliar, the MS Band has repeatedly sold out whenever new stock has been released in the States, and this is the first time it’ll be available overseas. It works with Windows Phone, Android and iOS, though functionality seems a little more limited on the latter. It comes in three different wrist sizes and retails for £169. The MS Band has the usual array of fitness paraphernalia, including heart rate monitor, pedometer etc. Unlike most other fitness bands though, it also keeps you up to date with notifications and alerts, it allows interaction with Cortana and the ability to respond to SMS messages using the (tiny) touchscreen keyboard. More details of the Band are available on Microsoft’s website.
The Band can be pre-ordered from a number of places, including:
It’s interesting to note that the scheduled release date is 9 days before the launch of the Apple Watch. Coincidental timing? I think not, nor is the fact that it is significantly cheaper than the beginner Apple Watch. We’ll have a review online once it becomes available and we’ve had a good old play with it.