Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet: description, instructions, reviews. Xiaomi Mi Band review

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Nothing attracts the attention of buyers in the electronics market like inexpensive gadgets, endowed with rich functionality. The reader will become acquainted with one of such devices in this article: smart bracelet Band designed to diversify the leisure time of a person who prefers active image life. Reviews, instructions, reviews and recommendations from professionals will allow the buyer to understand that it is simply impossible to live without such a device at the present time.

Fun gadget

Before we begin the review and technical characteristics of the device, you need to understand what a smart device actually is. Xiaomi bracelet Mi Band, what is it? At first glance, the gadget looks a lot like a silicone Power Balance bracelet, worn on the wrist instead of a watch. It is this similarity that repels many potential buyers from the device when they first meet it.

In fact, it plays the role of a wrist strap, and the functionality is provided by a small device that has a built-in computer and many sensors. The gadget is positioned on the market as a pedometer capable of measuring the distance traveled and mathematically calculating calories burned.

First meeting

The Chinese miracle, to the surprise of many buyers, comes in decent packaging made of thick cardboard. True, the description on back side is unlikely to help the user find out about the content, since all the inscriptions consist of hieroglyphs. The equipment is standard for all devices of this type: the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet, setup instructions in the form of pictures, a silicone bracelet and USB cable for charging.

Many users will definitely have questions about the instruction manual, because even a child can handle the button clasp on the bracelet (almost all the attention is paid to it in the instructions). But there’s not a word in the book about how to set up the gadget. True, there is a QR code that takes up one page. So the Chinese are hinting that all explanations are available in encrypted form somewhere on the Internet.

Gadget assembly and first impressions

The silicone strap has a very pleasant tactile sensation and will definitely not cause irritation when touched even by people with allergies, as do cheap plastic watches brought from the Land of the Rising Sun. There are no complaints about the metal body of the computer. It is made of matte metal and has no sharp corners (from the outside it looks like a flat tablet).

Assembling the Xiaomi Mi Band Black smart bracelet is quite simple. On the strap itself there is a special groove in the form of a frame into which you need to insert a metal gadget. For ease of installation, you can stretch the edges of the silicone case to the sides. Many buyers are confused by the process of constantly assembling and disassembling the bracelet (after all, in order to recharge the gadget, it must be removed from the silicone case). But many owners in their reviews assure that the elastic bracelet is very durable and does not spontaneously stretch during use.

Device Specifications

The external attractiveness of Chinese products sometimes does not meet the technical specifications for many devices, fortunately the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet does not have this negative. An overview of the gadget's functionality will delight even the most demanding buyer.

The device is equipped with an economical 3-axis accelerometer ADXL362, which is installed in all expensive Android smartphones.
Built-in lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 41 mAh provides guaranteed operation without recharging for up to 30 days.
The weight of the gadget itself is 5 grams (plus the strap weighs 8 grams).
The device supports channel operation Bluetooth versions 4.0 and 4.1
Moisture protection according to the IP67 standard allows you not to remove the gadget from your hand during water procedures.

Linking to a smartphone

The gadget is controlled and configured via Bluetooth using a special Mi Fit application, which does not include optical disk smart bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band. How to connect a gadget to a smartphone is the most popular question among potential buyers. Here it is better to start with the fact that management software is available for only two operating systems: iOS and Android 4.3.

Immediately after launch, the application will ask the owner for health and age data. For the program to work fully, the user needs to create an account on the Xiaomi website and go through authorization (menu on English language). Once all actions are completed, the smartphone will automatically contact the smart bracelet. The blinking of all indicators on the gadget will indicate an authorization request. To confirm, the user must touch the surface of the device with a finger.

Pedometer functionality

Built-in accelerometer in mobile device no one can be surprised anymore. However, not every gadget is able to distinguish between walking and running. Limiting the speed of movement, measuring the distance traveled, calculating calories burned - by all useful to the user The Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet has functions. Reviews from the owners of the gadget boil down to the fact that the device can measure the pulse, however, no one has been able to obtain data on the heartbeat.

In addition to an informative table and graphs on the smartphone display, the owner of the gadget can receive data directly from the gadget itself. Three LED indicator are controlled by the phone software and show the device owner the percentage of the path traveled (one third, two thirds, completion of the path). This looks quite strange at first, but later the owner quickly gets used to this solution, because putting your hand to your eyes is much easier than taking the smartphone out of your pocket.

Sleep phases

Another function of the smart bracelet clearly leads owners to believe that the gadget has a heart rate monitor, but the manufacturer assures that the accelerometer monitors sleep functions in the device. According to the developer's idea, it is based on the position of the hand during sleep smart fitness The Xiaomi Mi Band bracelet monitors the condition of the body. The user does not need to press any buttons; the sensor independently determines when the body falls asleep and wakes up.

The result of determining the sleep phases for the user will be a graph with time division and indication of periods of deep sleep. By taking several measurements and comparing the resulting graphs, you can find out the favorable time for waking up. This topic in Lately a lot of attention is paid, because scientists have found that it is the correct exit from the sleep phase that determines a person’s mood for the whole day.

Notification system

The Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is equipped with vibration. Judging by the reviews of the owners, this function is the most popular in this gadget. Firstly, the alarm for incoming calls and messages is very convenient when you set your smartphone to silent mode. It is impossible to miss an important call with certain program settings. Naturally, vibration on the wrist can wake you up from sleep, which is very convenient in the morning when you don’t want to lift the whole house sound signals alarm clock And if we take into account that the function of controlling sleep phases is interconnected with the warning system, then getting up in the morning has a more favorable effect on the health of the body as a whole.

A nice addition is a large number of reminder programs that sync with the Mi Fit app. No important event will be missed. The only negative that the owners of the gadget report in their reviews is the inoperability popular programs for communication (Skype, Viber, WhatsAp) with a smart bracelet on the native firmware of the smartphone.

Maintaining statistics and drawing graphs

Smart is interesting to many buyers due to its ability to synchronize with a mobile device (smartphone or tablet). Naturally, such a relationship attracts the attention of those who like to keep reports and observe their own training results. Proprietary software can not only provide a report on the completed workout, but also keep exercise logs and build graphs to visualize effectiveness.

However, for those who want to lose weight, many fitness trainers recommend using combination software (available online only for Android platforms), which, in addition to physical activity, also takes into account the intake of calories into the body. This solution will allow you to see with your own eyes the complete picture of human metabolism. To understand all the nuances of the program, it is recommended to first study the recommendations and instructions of the developers software.

Marketing ploy?

The manufacturer states that training and weight loss are the priority functions that the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is positioning on the market. Reviews from many owners claim that the gadget does this job perfectly. After all, the Mi Fit software menu provides for the presence of several training programs (walking, running, squats and abs). The accelerometer counts, and the smart program calculates the calories burned. Visually everything looks functional.

However, owners have many questions for the manufacturer regarding the calculations themselves, because, logically, energy consumption directly depends on body temperature and heart rate. Therefore, many coaches believe that this gadget has nothing to do with sports. The only one useful feature in a fitness device it is an alert system. You can set up a stopwatch, Tabata counter, or reminder that will notify the user by vibrating the gadget on the wrist.

Positive feedback from owners

First of all, the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet attracts buyers with its appearance. A beautiful gadget of the 21st century evokes the admiration of everyone around you. about calls and an effective alarm clock on the wrist were liked by all users. At first, many owners could not get used to the LED display (the lack of a display on a smart bracelet is still confusing). But, having figured out the device, users discovered a lot of software on the Internet for setting up and managing this wonderful gadget.

It turns out that the indication of the three LEDs can be customized according to the user’s wishes, up to individual notifications about incoming calls in the form of Morse code (we are talking about applications for Android). An important factor for many buyers is the cost of the device on the domestic market (1,500 rubles). As many owners note, they received the gadget as a gift from loved ones.

Weaknesses of the product

You can find fault with any device on the mobile market; for example, many potential buyers are not satisfied that the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is black. It doesn’t look good with a white smartphone; the manufacturer should have thought about this before presenting it on the market. There are also complaints about the function of determining sleep phases - an accidental awakening before the alarm goes off is regarded by the gadget as wakefulness, and it no longer wants to monitor sleep.

As many professionals note in their reviews, the device does not correctly calculate calories burned. When compared with a professional heart rate monitor, the differences are about 10-15%. Naturally, this figure is unacceptable for many people who want to lose excess weight. The brightness of the LED display cannot be reduced; some owners are annoyed by this (in reviews, many users advise painting the light bulbs with black nail polish).

Finally

Many potential buyers will certainly ask themselves the question when they see the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet on the market: “What is this - a toy, an alarm clock or a fitness trainer?” It’s difficult to say for sure, because everything depends only on the needs of the user himself. Need a beautiful and modern gadget- this means the bracelet is intended for entertainment. The need for effective sleep and timely rise in the morning will assign the device the status of an alarm clock. And training monitoring will definitely turn the gadget into a wonderful fitness trainer. Each buyer independently decides what he wants end result need to. The main thing is that the manufacturer pleased everyone by introducing a universal device to the market.

Buy only if you live in China and have some luck. The point is how Xiaomi works. It does not have its own production, so relatively small batches of all its devices, after appearing in the company’s only official online store, are immediately bought up and resold on markets - offline and online. Right now, on online flea markets, a bracelet can be bought for an average of $25-30, including the cost of delivery to Russia, and our copy was purchased two weeks ago for 150 yuan at a market in Shenzhen. On the one hand, this is almost twice the official price - 79 yuan, but on the other hand, there is no agonizing wait, and compared to the cost of fitness trackers from other well-known companies, this is in any case a very, very attractive offer. If we also remember that their hardware is mostly identical - a three-axis accelerometer, a little memory, wireless module, a vibration motor (and not everyone has one) and a battery.

Why then do they cost hundreds of dollars? The answer is, in general, simple. The bracelet itself just collects information from the sensors and transmits it to the program in the smartphone, or even directly to the cloud, where records like “at such and such a millisecond, the acceleration along the XYZ axes is such and such” are converted into steps, kilometers, understandable to the user and calories. The cost of developing precise algorithms and software in general can far exceed the cost of creating and releasing the device itself (all those touching calculations of the cost of the hardware of the new iPhone immediately come to mind).

In the case of Mi Band, the most important limitation is that it works exclusively with Android version 4.3 or older. Only 4.4+ is officially supported, but there is an opinion that this is due to only a relatively small proportion of devices with Android 4.3 on board. However, it was in this version of the OS that support for the Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy API appeared, which is required for the Mi Band to operate. Some users on the Internet say that they were able to “pair” the bracelet normally with devices that have suitable version OS, but with only Bluetooth 3.0+HS modules. Although this is the exception rather than the rule. However, it is possible that there is hardware support for the required standard, but there is no suitable driver.

But there is no compatibility with iOS yet, although the company promises to soon release an application for this platform. well and Windows users Phone seems to be the least fortunate of all. In addition, Xiaomi is apparently not going to open an API for the Mi Band in the near future, so you will only have to use the official application. So how is Xiaomi going to make money then, if apart from the price, at first glance, the Mi Band has no special advantages? It’s unlikely to be on the sale of the trackers themselves. Let's carefully assume that the company decided to do without preludes in the spirit of: “Oh, look what unique device to improve your life" - but plans to quickly sell at least some significant volume devices and safely sell inherently unique information about where and how people sleep and move. How engage in unrestrained activities and other manufacturers of fitness and sleep trackers. Well, either it's just beautiful way increase brand popularity. Let’s not guess; it’s better to quickly move on to a description of what the Xiaomi Mi Band is and can do right now.

The Mi Band is packaged in a traditional Xiaomi faceless box made of “eco-friendly” cardboard. The kit includes the tracker itself, a strap for it, a charging cradle and instructions in Chinese. The tracker body has dimensions of 36x14x9 mm and weighs only 5 grams. The top cover is made of magnesium alloy, and the rest of the body is made of black polycarbonate. At one end there are two gold-plated contacts for charging the device, and the case itself is quite sealed and complies with the IP67 standard - that is, it is completely protected from dust and is ready to survive short-term dives to shallow depths without loss. In general, you can wash your hands or dishes without removing the bracelet, but you should probably refrain from prolonged water procedures. There are three small LEDs under the top cover. Their brightness is low, so on a sunny day it is very difficult to see which of them are burning. Each LED can glow green, blue and orange - or the color that a weak solution of potassium permanganate has and which the developers mistakenly called red. Some claim that the device also has a touch sensor on the board.

The choice of strap color is still sad. Officially, orange, pink, turquoise, green and blue will be available, but for now it’s easier to find black on sale. Cheerful Chinese, of course, have already begun accepting orders for sets of multi-colored straps, and at the market they also offered “any color” for 200 yuan. To be honest, it’s kind of scary to buy them - you never know what kind of crap the basement craftsmen made a strap out of. At best, it will quickly fall apart, at worst, it can cause allergies and damage the skin. The original strap is made of thermoplastic silicone elastomer TPSiV manufactured by Dow Corning, which is completely safe for the skin - it was created specifically for attaching wearable devices. I must admit that the strap is very pleasant to the touch and does not rub the skin, but due to its softness, even after a week of use, it has rubbed off here and there. The total length of the strap is 230 mm, but the permissible girth ranges from 157 to 205 mm. Suitable for both women's and children's hands, but theoretically it may not fit on a large man's wrist. In theory, the fastening should be reliable, but once during testing the bracelet spontaneously unfastened. So there was a desire to purchase a strap not only of a different color and design, but also with a different type of clasp.

In general, of course, the topic is rich - you can come up with a great variety of different straps. Xiaomi itself plans to expand its collection of all kinds of add-ons for the Mi Band in the future. As for the color of the tracker itself, it appears to only be available in black, in case anyone was concerned. Still, its plastic back is not visible.

The tracker is held very securely in the strap, and there is no need to worry about wear and tear of the recess where it is inserted - you will have to take it out once a month or less. According to official specifications, one charge of the built-in Li-Po battery with a capacity of 42 mAh is enough for at least 30 days of operation - and this is true. In practice, 1-2% of the battery charge is consumed per day. To replenish the battery, the kit includes a proprietary adapter that connects to USB port. Interestingly, the Mi Band is always on and there is no way to turn it off. High battery life is achieved due to the ultra-efficient accelerometer and Bluetooth 4.0/4.1 LE module. In addition to the indicators mentioned above, the Xiaomi Mi Band has a small but very peppy vibration motor. There are no additional sensors in it, but a big plus is the fact that the bracelet is very light and you can hardly feel it on your hand. Working temperature— from -20 °C to +70 °C.

Fitness tracker Xiaomi Mi Band
Sensors	Three-axis accelerometer
Connection	Bluetooth 4.0/4.1 LE
Notifications	3 x indicators, vibration motor
LED color	Blue, green, orange, pink
Materials	Magnesium alloy + polycarbonate
Protection	Splash and dust resistant - IP67 standard
Working temperature	-20 to +70 °C
Case color	Black bottom; Metal cover
Dimensions	36x14x9 mm
Weight	5 g
Compatibility	Android 4.4 (actually 4.3+) and Bluetooth 4.0 LE
Battery	Built-in, Li-Po 41 mAh
Autonomous operation	from 30 days
Functions	Pedometer, distance and calories burned, sleep monitoring, smart alarm clock, call notifications; unlocking tablet/smartphone (only for MIUI OS)
Social media support	WeChat (Moments), Sina Weibo, QQ (Space)
Equipment	Tracker + bracelet + charging adapter + instructions
Price	$13 (79 CNY)
Bracelet
Color	Black, orange, pink, turquoise, green, blue
Material	Silicone elastomer TPSiV Dow Corning + aluminum
total length	230 mm
Adjustable length	157-205 mm
Width	13 mm
Weight	9 g

⇡ Opportunities. Testing

Latest version official application available in Mi Market. The application has only Chinese and English interfaces, and to activate the latter you will have to change the regional settings on your phone or tablet so that the main language is English. In some places there will still be no translation from Chinese, and the text alignment is poor in some places. However, enthusiasts have already made Russified versions of the application.

For the program to work, you need access to the Internet and a Mi account, which is better to register directly on the website rather than in the application. All statistics will be stored there. To “pair” the tracker, you need to bring it as close to the phone as possible. Apparently, by measuring the Bluetooth signal level, a connection is made with the desired bracelet (if there are several of them in the room), as well as the function of unlocking the smartphone without entering a password, which is available only to users of MIUI v6 firmware. And no NFC, which is required by all other manufacturers of similar devices! In the settings, you must indicate your gender, height, weight and age, and also select the hand on which the bracelet will be worn. When you connect for the first time, the application will update the tracker firmware.

In the settings you can also choose the color of the indicators and enable synchronization with WeChat. When you start the bracelet search function, it will vibrate and flash its LEDs. Exactly the same thing happens if the notification option is enabled. incoming call. You can set a delay for it in the range from 3 to 20 seconds - if there is no answer to the call during the selected period of time, then a notification is sent to the bracelet. True, for its operation it requires running application+ You should not move further than a few meters from the phone. In fact, it is only useful when you are moving in some noisy place and do not notice either the regular ringtone or the phone’s vibration alert. There are no other notifications about mail, SMS, Skype and the like - and they are unlikely to appear. Finally, in the application settings, the most important thing is set - the daily minimum steps taken in the range from 2,000 to 30,000. The application recommends the minimum time for daily walks and the number of steps, and also collects statistics and encourages the user with various messages.

However, permanent connection A tracker to the phone via Bluetooth is not required. If the application is not running, the device stores the information in memory and synchronizes the data the next time it is connected. The memory lasts for at least a day. The tracker itself determines periods of activity, but if you want, for example, to go for a short run, you can launch the application and watch your progress in real time. How well does the tracker count steps and distance? Well, overall not bad. To take into account the step, at least a small wave of the hand and a slight movement up and down are required. Movements on stairs are poorly measured - one step is often counted as two or three steps. Naturally, there are other false alarms, but for a cheap, unprofessional device this is quite forgivable. For the current day, you can view hourly activity statistics, and all current notifications and congratulations on records, which are displayed in a list at the bottom of the main screen, will disappear the next day

Sports, fitness, health - this is a trend today, so it is not surprising why a smart fitness bracelet has gained such popularity, barely having time to hit the shelves of online stores. Let us take a look at this miracle of Chinese industry and figure it out for ourselves, is this really, if not irreplaceable, then at least a useful thing, or just another fashionable toy?

Appearance of the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet

The box is made in the corporate minimalist style - rough gray cardboard that is indestructible during delivery with a logo on the top cover

and technical specifications on the back insert

We have no interest in looking at hieroglyphs, so I immediately opened the treasured box and appeared before my eyes...

The packaging of the device is very interesting. The product itself is immediately presented in that form. how it will look later inserted into the bracelet. Let's open the box further

and take out the contents. The kit includes:

Smart bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band - has a waterproof case (IP67)
Black silicone strap with metal rivet
Charger
Instructions

Everything is very pleasant to the touch, including the fitness tracker itself, covered in matte metal. When worn, it inevitably touches various pieces of furniture, but these contacts do not affect its appearance in any way. The strap is made of soft-touch silicone. There are enough holes to fit even the skinniest hand. The fastening is made in the form of a regular metal “rivet” made of the same material as the smart part of the gadget.

The slot for the head unit on the strap fits very tightly, so to insert it into place you need to put some effort into stretching the strap - the device fits like a glove.

In order to charge, you need to remove the device from the strap and insert the contacts into the included charging dock - unfortunately, it is impossible to charge the bracelet without removing it. There is also no power supply included - you will have to use the one from your mobile phone.

In general, as regards appearance, everything is done very well and gives the impression of a high-quality device that you won’t have to hide under your shirt from your friends. At the same time, the device is very light and does not remind you of itself when worn.

How to connect Xiaomi Mi Band

Now let's figure out how to connect this Xiaomi Band to the phone and make it work. First of all, you need to download an application called “Mi Fit” - you can get it either from the search in mobile store applications, or by scanning the QR code from the instructions. There is a version of Mi Fit iOS and Android.

After installation, the program will immediately ask you for permission to receive data about your health and activities.

We give it these permissions and launch the program. Before you start working, you need to start account Xiaomi or log in to an existing one. If you are the owner of a phone from this company or MIUI firmware for Android, but most likely you already have it - remember and log in.

And finally, the last stage of connection - from the menu Xiaomi devices select Mi Band and wait until the smartphone connects with the bracelet - Bluetooth must be turned on on the phone.

If detection is successful, the LEDs on your fitness tracker will blink - touch them with your finger to confirm the connection.

But that’s not all - later, when setting up call alerts, the device will once again ask you to “pair” with the phone.

Working with a bracelet

When working with the official application, I noted the five most useful functions for myself. I focus specifically on the “official” program, since there is a custom version for Android, in which there are much more possibilities for interacting with the bracelet. So, three of them are immediately presented in the main window of the program. First of all, this is a pedometer. Based on the entered data on height, age and weight, the tracker counts steps and converts them into kilometers traveled and calories burned. At the same time, it adequately distinguishes walking from running, which is displayed in the final statistics

By and large, there is nothing new here for iPhone users, since it has a built-in similar program that measures steps. The only thing is that we don’t carry our phone with us everywhere, but the bracelet is always on our hand and won’t miss a single move. If you bring the bracelet to your face, the LEDs will light up, signaling the extent to which you have completed the step plan for the day assigned upon registration.

The second function is sleep phase tracking. This feature uses an accelerometer that monitors the position of your hand and determines when you are sleeping soundly and when you are not. At the same time, you don’t need to specifically switch it - the tracker itself recognizes when you fall asleep. All this information is displayed in a graph and paints an overall picture of your night time. It is worth noting that there are inaccuracies in the work - for example, when you woke up early in the morning and then went to bed again, the tracker thinks that you did not go to bed again and takes into account only the first part of your sleep in the statistics.

Another option that is displayed on the main screen is physical activity. Here you can track changes in your weight, for example in combination with the use of smart Xiaomi scales.

If all the previous tips will be of interest only to avid losers and athletes, then more daily functions, which are useful to everyone, are hidden in the settings menu. For example, an alarm clock. It has two operating modes. The first is the classic one, when you set the time to wake up, adjust its frequency, and at the appointed time you will wake up from a slight vibration on your wrist, without waking up others with a loud sound.

The second, more interesting mode is the setting to trigger during the phase of light sleep, the most favorable for awakening, which precedes the set time.

Another one useful setting— notification of incoming calls to the phone. If it lies somewhere far away, or is in silent mode, then you will always know about a call by vibration. In this case, you can set the time after which the smart bracelet will vibrate after the call starts. To be honest, I really only used the alarm clock and vibration notification - the rest was just for curiosity, nothing more.

Here it’s worth remembering about a third-party application - after all, you can configure it to inform you not only about calls, but also about notifications from many different mobile applications, such as WhatsAp or Skype. Let's hope that in the next update official version these opportunities will also appear.

In general, the bracelet, at its low cost, provides a lot of goodies that are not sufficient for a professional athlete, but can be useful for most users in daily monitoring of their health, while providing several more useful functions for interacting with the phone.

After a week of use

After using the smart bracelet, or as it is also called, for a week, Xiaomi fitness tracker The first generation Mi Band came to the conclusion that in reality it’s just fashionable garbage. Apart from a vibration alarm clock, it does not contain any useful functions. Android owners are still lucky with the notification from various applications, but I have an iPhone, and it only provides notifications about phone calls. Pedometers are found in many smartphones, so my verdict is that they are waiting for the start of sales of the second generation with a built-in heart rate monitor.

Fitness tracker:

Accelerometer: ADXL362
Bluetooth module: Dialog DA14580, supports Bluetooth 4.0 and 4.1
Battery: Li-Po 41 mAh
Weight: 5 grams
Material: Aluminum + Plastic

Strap:

Weight: 8.5 grams
Material: Thermoplastic Silicone Vulcanize (TPSiV)
Size: 230mm
Adjustable length: 157-205mm

Functions:

Pedometer
Amount of distance traveled
Number of calories burned
Sleep tracker
Smart Alarm Clock, wakes you up in light sleep (Non-REM/N2)
Unlocking your phone using a bracelet (MIUI v6)
Vibrate for incoming call (from 3 sec.)
Setting achievements as the number of steps completed
30 days battery life
Waterproof IP67

Phone requirements:

Android 4.3+ (Bluetooth 4.0 low energy capability supported in Android 4.3 API)
Bluetooth 4.0 (Main protocol for communication with the bracelet)

This time I ordered Mi Band not on my favorite AliExpress, but in the GearBest store, because unlike trading platform the online store gives guarantees of authenticity of gadgets, but to be honest, lately I have become somehow too lazy to check the honesty of sellers on Ali. If you are not an expert in ordering on the Internet, then you can buy it from us - in the Player

Prices for Xiaomi Mi Band on AliExpress
Save up to 30% on online purchases

The Chinese company Xiaomi is known throughout the world for its great smartphones. In fact, it produces a variety of other equipment, from televisions to drones, but most of them are not sold outside of Asia. Today we are reviewing the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 bracelet.

One of the few exceptions is the inexpensive Mi Band fitness tracker, whose price and design appealed to customers.

Fitness tracker Xiaomi Mi Band 2 - Reviews

Now Xiaomi Mi Band 2 has appeared, a worthy continuation in the line, which retains all the previous functions and adds new ones, as well as a new design. Usually such changes mean a significant increase in price, but Xiaomi did not take this route.

We tested the Mi Band 2 for several weeks to find out: did the new features make the tracker better, or deprive it of its convenient simplicity?

Design and comfort of Xiaomi Mi Band 2

Mi Band 2 is similar in many ways to the original Mi Band. The main module is inserted into a thin silicone strap, but it can be removed and inserted into another - to your liking. Once the module is in place, it will not go anywhere; it is more securely fixed than in the first Mi Band.

Putting the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 on your hand will be easier and faster than the Jawbone UP2, and at the same time it is much more compact than the Fitbit Charge HR, which is not inferior in functionality. Thus, Band 2 is ideal for any hand size.

You can put it on, turn it on, and then forget it, it’s so invisible on your hand. The fitness bracelet is designed to be worn comfortably 24 hours a day, monitoring activity and heart rate, so it will not cause discomfort day or night.

Mi Band 2 protection class is IP67, i.e. The bracelet is completely resistant to dust and you can even dive underwater in it, not to mention going to the shower or getting caught in the rain.

Overall, the size and lightness make the Xiaomi gadget one of the most convenient fitness bracelets. To use all the functions of a fitness tracker, it is advisable to wear it constantly, so comfort and lightness mean a lot here.

Display and heart rate monitor

Most noticeable new feature Xiaomi Mi Band 2 is the display. Despite its small size, the screen is quite bright, and the image from it is easily visible both in a dark room and in bright sunlight.

The information visible on the display can be customized using the official Mi app. Thanks to this, you can quickly find out the number of steps, heart rate, calories lost, distance traveled and battery status.

The screen is protected by a panel that is resistant to scratches and fingerprints. During the entire testing period, Band 2, which was worn on the wrist, was never significantly stained or scratched. By comparison, the Fitbit Charge's display was much more worn out after just a week of use.

Mi app

The official app is compatible with Android and iOS, so you can use Mi Band 2 with most smartphones.

Mi collects data and collates it into graphs, one for the number of steps and other physical activity, the other for sleep. Statistics for the day, week or month are also available.

Separately, you can view training data: time spent, distance traveled, calories burned, and so on. In addition, through the Mi application you can find out how much you slept in general and the separate time of the deep and shallow sleep phases.

You can create tasks every day. So you can set yourself a goal to walk a certain number of steps, but there is no way to track the effectiveness of a specific exercise or workout as a whole.

The positive side is the minimalism and convenience of the application. It's easy to use and provides useful information. But Mi completely lacks conclusions or recommendations that would come from the collected data. In this regard, this fitness tracker is significantly inferior to competitors that have such functions.

If you only need sleep and heart rate indicators, it is enough, but still, many fitness bracelets help you achieve your goal, recommend and motivate. Xiaomi Mi Band 2 only gives you part of the data for independent analysis and motivation.

Accuracy measurement and battery charge of Xiaomi Mi Band

When testing the accuracy of determining the number of steps taken, Mi Band 2 was worn simultaneously with Fitbit Charge for several days. The difference in indicators was huge: Fitbit showed 14,500 steps, Mi Band - 9,600. Between Jawbone UP2 and the gadget from Xiaomi difference was no more than 100 steps.

The heart rate sensor always showed almost the same as Apple Watch, the differences were a few beats per minute.

One of the best things about the first Mi Band was its long-lasting battery, and although the Mi Band 2 is technologically much more sophisticated, its battery is rated to last 20 days on a single charge. Moreover, our testing showed that after 20 days of using this fitness tracker, the battery charge was 49%. This is an excellent result for any gadget.

To charge, the main module must be removed from the belt and connected to the network via a special USB cable. The fact that the device cannot be charged using any other cable is quite inconvenient, but given the endurance of the battery, this is unlikely to be a serious problem.

Bottom line

The requirements for fitness trackers are changing. Now, in addition to simply measuring heart rate and the number of steps taken, it is desirable that they systematize information, guide the user, and provide many other features.

The first version of Mi Band showed only basic data, the second is a more multifunctional gadget, which means the company made the right conclusions. Unfortunately, this is still not enough.

pros

bright screen;
lightness and compactness;
heart rate monitor;
Android and iOS support;
long lasting battery.

Minuses

lack of conclusions from the collected data;
Charges only from a proprietary device.

Since the Mi Band 2 costs less than $40, it doesn't have much competition. Misfit Flash, but he doesn't have special screen heart rate. And if you're willing to spend more and want more advanced fitness tracker features, we recommend purchasing the Garmin Vivosmart.

The Xiaomi Mi Band 2 is an ideal choice for those who only care about steps taken and time spent sleeping, but it will likely disappoint avid fitness fans who won't get much motivation from their fitness tracker.

Fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 2 – video review

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Anyone who cares about their own health and wants to keep their body in good shape can buy a Xiaomi fitness bracelet today. In addition, a smart device is an opportunity not to miss a call or respond to an incoming message in a timely manner!

Sports gadgets from the popular Chinese brand are not expensive, but at the same time they managed to compete with more expensive ones. The manufacturer offers several options for devices - with a display, without a screen, with a heart rate monitor and without it - the buyer can choose one that fits perfectly into his everyday style! Sports watches work in conjunction with a proprietary application, which the manufacturer offers to download to your mobile device. The peculiarity of smart gadgets is their capacious batteries, which allow you to forget about charging for a period of 20 to 30 days!

Stylish design

Fitness bracelets are delivered in boxes designed in the direction of minimalism - there are no design frills here, but the packaging inspires confidence thanks to high-quality materials. Devices usually come with a charging cable and detailed instructions.

Popular Mi models are made in the form of a capsule, which has small dimensions. One of the options is equipped with LEDs and a special sensor that collects information, the second is equipped with a bright screen with a round touch button. The capsule is inserted into a silicone strap. The rigid fixation is reliable, so the tracker will not fall out of the bracelet even with high user activity.

The bracelets of the devices are made of durable medical silicone, which has hypoallergenic properties, so people prone to allergies can wear it. The strap is designed to fit any size wrist and is perfect for everyone.

Overall, smart bracelets have attractive designs. If necessary, the black silicone strap can be replaced with a similar one in a different shade. The market also offers accessories made of genuine leather, metal, and options for wearing a gadget around the neck.

Specifications

The fitness bracelet is an undemanding device to use and is easy to manage. So, if you choose the option with a display, then it is controlled using a sensitive touch button. Monochrome screen significantly increases the period of operation, and during this period the user will find only important information. For example, you can see the distance traveled, see the nature of the incoming notification on mobile phone, find out the number of calories burned, etc. The application offers great opportunities - here the owner of the gadget can set a goal, manage application alerts, set alarms and much more. Buy smart watch It's worth it if you want to get a small, easy-to-use, stylish accessory that will be useful everywhere - on vacation and at work!

The Mi Band bracelet is equipped with a heart rate monitor that allows you to measure your heart rate - this is important when playing sports, as well as for people suffering from diseases that require constant monitoring heart rate.

Another useful feature of a gadget with a display is the presence of an accelerometer, which makes it possible to view the time by waving your hand. Built-in technologies skillfully track sleep phases, displaying the received information on the smartphone display!

Smart Watch from Xiaomi company– inexpensive and functional devices, capable of improving the quality of life of its owner. The manufacturer does not stop there, regularly adding new functions to the equipment software - updates come in automatic mode, and you can install them using a proprietary application!