Here’s what to expect if you want to purchase the device

Oct 30, 2014 10:26 GMT  ·  By

Today, Microsoft launched the new Band device that’s pretty much the company’s first step in the wearables market, and the device is available right now for those living in the United States.

Currently sold in limited quantities, the Microsoft Band comes with a band made of what’s being called thermal plastic elastometer, which should fit any wrist without any impact on comfort. The band is, however, available in three different sizes, so there shouldn’t be any issue in fitting the device correctly on your wrist.

The whole device weighs only 60 grams and features 64 MB of internal storage, which should be enough for collected data, such as heart activity or fitness information.

The phone has only two physical buttons, but also boasts a touch-enabled TFT display that measures 0.43" x 1.30" (11 mm x 33 mm) and an ARM Cortex M4 MCU processors.

A total of 10 different sensors

Microsoft’s new Band comes with a total of 10 different sensors, including one for keeping an eye on heart rate, ambient light, skin temperature, UV level, and GPS.

As far as the battery is concerned, Microsoft implemented two of them to make sure that the device can be used for two days per charge. According to the company itself, the device comes with two 100 mAh lithium-ion batteries that can be recharged in approximately 1.5 hours.

The device can be used with the majority of smartphone platforms on the market, including iPhones and Android handsets, but it’s pretty obvious that only when pairing it with a Windows Phone you can enjoy features such as Cortana.

Operating temperatures

If you plan to climb Mt. Everest wearing a Microsoft Band, this won’t be possible, because the device only works between the following temperature ranges: 14° to 104°F (-10° to 40°C). At the same time, it does provide water resistance capabilities, so it’s sweat and splash resistant, but there’s no doubt that the touch-capable screen still needs extra care to make sure that you don’t break it.

“The Microsoft Band is designed for indoor/outdoor use. Microsoft Band will be okay if exposed to sweat during a workout, but it's recommended to dry the smart band with a clean, soft cloth after your run/workout. The Microsoft Band is not waterproof and should not be immersed in liquid for any period of time,” the company says.

Overall, the Microsoft Band has really decent technical specs, and you can check them out in the box after the jump, but the $199 (150 euro) price tag still seems to be a little bit too high for this kind of device.

Microsoft Band Technical Specs