Microsoft Band Smart Watch Works With iOS, Android And Windows

You Can Now Wear Windows On Your Wrist. Yay?
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Microsoft has unveiled the Band, a $199 smart wearable fitness tracker that'll work with iOS, Android and Windows Phone.

Resembling an Xbox-themed Galaxy Gear Fit, the Band has been designed as your all-in-one notification centre for your phone as well as being a fully-fledged personal trainer.

With sensors dotted throughout the device it can track heart rate, steps, calorie burn, and sleep quality. Then, using the Microsoft Health app it'll compile all the data into one place, echoing the functions of both Apple Health and Google Fit.

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Of course where Microsoft has the advantage is that its app is available on all the major platforms.

The Band is also a notification centre for your phone, showing you incoming calls, emails, messages as well as calendar alerts and social media updates.

If you have Windows Phone 8.1 then it'll come with Cortana functionality built-in letting you give the Band voice commands.

Microsoft has already started working with third-party apps so the Band will launch with Starbucks compatibility letting you pay with your Starbucks card straight from the Band. Rather than having to get your phone out the Band will simply show the barcode instead.

If you're hoping to get your hands on this there's some bad news. At the moment Microsoft is only launching the Band in the US and in very limited numbers so to be honest, even if you did happen to live across the pond, the likelihood is you might not get one anyway.