Fitness tracker Xiaomi mi band

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

I think that even in remote villages, everyone has heard of fitness trackers. On Lifehacker, you could read many articles about devices from Jawbone, Fitbit, Misfit and others. But many are discouraged from buying by the price, which for most trackers is at least $ 100. We bring you an overview of the cheapest fitness tracker. Its price is only $ 15! And the quality did not suffer.

Why do you and me need him

I have to get up at 6 a.m. twice a week. It's very early and quite difficult for me. And here, very successfully, I came across information about a device that can wake up in REM sleep. And the sensations should be such as if he himself woke up. Seeing the price of the device, I, without hesitation, ordered it myself.

I'll talk about a rather difficult purchase later. Actually, as well as whether the device helped me or not.

In addition to a smart alarm, the device has other functions: it can notify you about a call to your mobile, count steps, how many you have run, how many calories you burned. And all this works without recharging for a whole month. Now about all this in more detail.

Package

Xiaomi Mi Band (which is the name of the device) will come to you in a beautiful cardboard box packed in transparent plastic.

All that is on the box is a logo on the front and a sticker with technical information in Chinese. For a device from China at this price, the box is really very nice and neatly made. And it looks good.

Completion and appearance

When you open the box, the device will look at you completely ready to work. The module itself is already inserted into the bracelet. You just have to get it out of the box and put it on your hand. In addition to the bracelet with the module, in the box you will find a charging cable and instructions in Chinese. You need to be careful with the cable, because you just won't find the second one.

About the material of the bracelet, I can only say that it is a thermoplastic silicone vulcanizate. Whatever it means. It is pleasant to the touch and very elastic. The clasp is metal, it is fastened quite tightly. But it unfastens if you pull hard on the pocket. I think the bracelet will wear out pretty quickly. After all, this is a device that is used 24 hours a day. That is why I immediately ordered additional bracelets for $ 2. The length of the bracelet is about 23 centimeters. This is worth considering for people with large wrists.

Now about the module. It is made of metal and plastic. According to the documentation, it is dustproof and waterproof. According to the IP 67 standard, it is designed for short-term diving to a depth of more than 1 meter. That is, you can wash your hands calmly. But I would suggest wiping it thoroughly with a dry towel or napkin after contact with water. For the third day in a row, I forget to take off the bracelet before the shower. I wiped the module and the bracelet itself - everything is in order, everything works.

There are three diodes on the module, the color of which you can choose in the application. There is the Mi logo on the back. The bracelet on the hand looks very stylish. Especially in black or blue. The first couple of days you admire the bracelet, then you get used to it and simply forget about it.

Application

Application development costs account for the lion's share of the price of such devices. After all, quite complex algorithms are used for calculations. So, in a $ 15 device, the app is also of good quality. And it is improving very quickly. I've had the fitness tracker for a week now. During this time, the application was updated three times and the module firmware was updated twice. Do not be intimidated by the word "firmware" - everything changes automatically, your participation is not required.

But there is a good application only for Android. To connect to the module, you need a smartphone with Android 4.3 or higher. It is important that your smartphone has Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy. For Apple phones there is a beta version of the application, specifically for iPhone 4S and higher on iOS 7.1 and higher. You can read about her at.

First, you need to create an account in the application. When registering, you will need to enter a phone number starting with 00380 (for Ukraine). But when authorizing, you already need to enter +380. Many people get confused at this step. After authorization, the application will ask a couple of questions about you and your body. These are weight, height and gender.

Now, in the application settings, you can specify how many steps you want to take per day. Bet more. So I could not even imagine that I walk more than 7.5 kilometers a day. You can also choose the color of the indicators: blue, orange, green or red. It is imperative to indicate on which hand you are wearing the device.

If you have a need, you can turn on the vibration of the bracelet in the settings for an incoming call. It is very, very convenient. For example, in the library I sit in headphones and do not hear the vibration of the phone, and the smart bracelet notifies me about it. After the last update, a new item appeared in the settings - notification indication. This feature does not work on my Nexus 5 running Android 5.0.

For fans of social networks, the application has the opportunity to share your achievements with friends and subscribers. Of the useful social networks, only Facebook is there so far. All the rest are Chinese. I think at least Twitter will appear in the near future.

Smart alarm clock and sleep

All night long, the bracelet records how you sleep. Keeps track of which phase of sleep you are in. The tracker distinguishes between deep sleep, REM sleep and awakening. If you wake up in the middle of the night and go for a drink of water, the application will record this. Or even if you just reach for the phone on the nightstand. How accurately the tracker determines the phases of sleep, I can not say. On the last night, he very clearly determined when I fell asleep, when I woke up for 10 minutes and when I started to sleep restlessly.

Now about the alarm clock. You can enable two types of alarms in the app. The first type is simple. The bracelet vibrates five times at a certain time. The vibration is quite noticeable. If you don't wake up, the bracelet will vibrate again after a while. The second type of alarm is smart. You choose some time, and the tracker half an hour before that will track when you are in REM sleep. And at that moment he vibrates three times.

On the first night, the bracelet could not wake me up. I slept very soundly and did not feel the vibration at all. And they complained that the alarm clock does not wake up. Of the seven nights, the first was the only one when the bracelet didn't wake me up. Now I set four alarms at once: two smart ones at 6:00 and 6:05, the usual one at 6:10, and also an alarm clock from the Puzzle Alarm on my phone just in case.

Has it become easy to wake up? Yes, it has become much easier to wake up. I had to get up very early twice this week. And there were no problems. Feelings are much cooler compared to how I woke up without a bracelet. I was not boiled and my head was not heavy. But the desire to lie in bed has not gone anywhere. Now I am trying to determine how much sleep I need per day. Hopefully, before the New Year, it will be possible to establish this amount of sleep and go to bed at the right time. As a result, I will always get enough sleep. I can say that the bracelet teaches this well.

Pedometer

On the first day, when I started wearing the bracelet, I saw the result - more than 8 thousand steps per day. Did not believe. I thought that 2-3 times was exaggerated, and began to count. The application indicates information about the distance traveled. And this distance is true. The error is 30–40 meters per kilometer. One step on average turns out to be 70 centimeters, which is also true. So I can say that the bracelet counts at least approximately correctly. Can trust.

If you want to see how much you've gone through today, you have two options. The first one is to open the phone, wait for synchronization and see a clear number of steps taken. The second is to make a gesture as if you are looking at a watch on your hand (if you are lucky and can do it quickly). And then the bracelet will start flashing. One blinking indicator means that you have not yet passed and 1/3 of the planned. Two flashing diodes - 1/3 has already been passed, and you are approaching 2/3 of the target. When you reach your goal, the bracelet will delight you with vibration and winking.

Interesting features

The bracelet can help you count your jumps and crunches (abdominal exercises). Support for other types of exercise is expected. One of the first functions the developer promises to add is cycling recognition. This will allow this type of activity to be counted in physical activity.

If you lose your bracelet in your apartment, the app will help you find it. But for this you need to create complete silence in the room and select the Find band function in the settings. Then the device will vibrate.

Autonomy

There is no display in this device. Only three LEDs. Plus the tracker needs to vibrate. In fact, the battery power is not consumed for anything else. The battery capacity is 41 mAh. Thanks to all this, the device is able to live without recharging for up to 30 days.

But the manufacturer promises it. But what about in practice? I have been wearing this device for a week now. During this time, the battery was discharged by 12%. This is when you take into account three alarms and the included vibration for calls. The tracker will be enough for at least two weeks for sure. I think that it will not be difficult to put it on charge 1-2 times a month.

The main thing is to charge exclusively from a computer or laptop. There have been cases when the device was charged directly from an outlet or from portable batteries, as a result, the module burned out. If this happens to you, try to wait until the device is completely discharged. Then put it back on charge - this time from the computer.

Buying a device

The Xiaomi Mi Band can be purchased for approximately $ 13. But it will be one of the hardest purchases of your life. On the official website, an open sale starts every Tuesday at 12 noon. The number of devices that are sold is strictly limited. Before the purchase, 3-4 days in advance, you need to make a pre-order. Or rather, get in line. And on Tuesday to sit and quickly-quickly press the "Buy" button. In general, there is little chance. Plus, everything is in Chinese.

There is a second method. It is $ 10 more expensive. These are sellers on. Everything is simple and clear there. We found the cheapest option, checked the seller and ordered. I ordered on the website. With four additional bracelets and slightly improved shipping, the purchase cost $ 34. Delivery to Germany took about 20 days.

Impressions and conclusions

I am happy with the device. It really fulfills the function for which I bought it. The tracker wakes me up at the perfect time for me. Now it is not particularly difficult to get up early in the morning, gradually I go out on a schedule that will allow me to get enough sleep. And all this thanks to the imperceptible bracelet on his arm.

Of the advantages of the bracelet for myself, I would also note the vibration when you call. I use this function 100%. It would be nice if the bracelet learned to vibrate when notifications were made. For example, incoming mail, SMS, tweets, etc. And this can already be implemented using third-party applications. You can find them on the website. By the way, I strongly advise you to read the bracelet topic on the forum.

The bracelet motivates to walk more. And this will have a positive effect on your health. You can still compete with friends, who will go more in a day. Your body will thank you for this.

For me, the conclusion is unambiguous. Xiaomi Mi Band can and should be bought. The device does not cost as much money as similar gadgets from other companies. And the tracker will become a good helper for you in your sports (and not only) life.