Microsoft's Wearable ‘Band’ With Cortana Integration Is Priced At $199

With the fad around wearable gadgets skyrocketing, Microsoft does not want to be left out. There are many smartwatches ruling the market with Pebble, Martian, I'm Watch, Cookoo and Sony leading the pack. But Microsoft is not part of the rat-race to make an impact in the smartwatches department. Instead, the company has built a sleek fitness and health tracker. Reportedly, the wearable device is dubbed as "Microsoft Band."

This Band is similar to Samsung Gear Fit gadget but the design seems to be minimalistic. Also, the tracker has a regular flat display and not the trendy curved display. Evidently, this Band is not a rumoured product because the company confirmed the existence of such a device by posting several apps in Apple App Store, Google Play Store and obviously in Windows Phone Store. All the uploaded apps are companion apps for the new gadget, according to Phone Arena.

The Apple iOS app is named as Microsoft Band Sync, whereas the Windows Phone and Android apps are called Microsoft Health. Based on the available reports, the Microsoft Band will be capable of providing up to 24 hours of heart rate monitoring and automatic activity counting. Adding cherry on top, the device can be paired with Microsoft's digital personal assistant Cortana on Windows Phone-based compatible handsets/other devices.

According to Windows Phone site, the Band should be able to keep track of not just heart rate and steps, but also calorie burn and sleep quality. It also supports Guided Workouts. Plus, the Band can be used to preview emails, get calendar alerts, take notes and set reminders with the help of Band owners' voice commands via Cortana personal assistant.

In addition, the Microsoft Band can be personalised and will get new updates as and when it become available. It is worth noting that, a mobile app will also be released for compatible Android-based phones and iPhones. Speaking of price, this fitness brand will set the buyers back by $199, however, Microsoft has not announced the availability details yet. Interested readers can check out the umpteen screenshots of the pairing app and the Band from Phone Arena.

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