Xiaomi Mi Band review: fitness tracker worth $13. Fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band: description, instructions, reviews
Have you noticed how popular sports have become? Especially in order to engage in it, people buy special clothes, shoes, and accessories. Some are even looking for phones and media players that make their exercise run more enjoyable and comfortable. And there are many such examples. It has even gotten to the point that there is a special fitness bracelet that allows you to check how much physical exercise a person has done and how many calories he has burned.
The arrival of Xiaomi
In general, these bracelets became very popular in their time, winning great amount fans. However, due to their rarity (and, probably, for marketing effect), these gadgets were not so cheap - about 100-150 dollars per copy. Although the cost is low relative to other gadgets, not everyone can afford to buy such a “toy”. Especially if you take into account the residents of “third world” countries. What about those who also want to watch their calories?
The innovative Chinese gadget developer Xiaomi offered a solution. It launched its Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker at a revolutionary price of $25. This move undoubtedly became a landmark for the tracker market - and the company had massive sales around the world. It even got to the point that the bracelet was bought back before new batches of it were in the store. And all this is due to the high quality and low price of the new product.
Concept
In fact, the entire concept of the model is built on the basis of the accessibility and wide functionality of the device. After all, Xiaomi Mi Band (the review will prove this) can not only track the number of steps a person takes per day. In fact, we have a multi-purpose assistant that also “monitors” your mobile - synchronizing with it, receives alerts and signals about them; allows you to wake you up in the morning with vibrations that are invisible to others; monitors the quality and duration of sleep based on your hand movements. A small device that fits easily on your wrist and costs $25 can do all this!
Moreover, do not forget about the classic approach Xiaomi company, expressed in products like the Mi4 smartphone or the Mi Pad tablet - to make beautiful and high-quality devices that people will like. The same principle is 100% preserved in the fitness tracker, as evidenced by the design of the device. About him - further in the text.
Appearance
It would seem, how can you surprise a user with a bracelet? What should be present in the ergonomics of a device so that it “hooks” and makes working with it pleasant and comfortable?
Having developed the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker, the manufacturer resorted to several interesting solutions, making it truly interesting in every way. The “mind” of the bracelet is placed in a special metal core that has protection, which we will talk about in more detail a little later. This “electronic brain” is attached to a special strap made of material that is especially resistant to mechanical damage. Of course, it is adapted for long-term wear and has additional protection against sudden opening due to a special locking mechanism.
The strap can be changed if you want your Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker to look different - there are several color combinations on sale.
Assembly and kit
When purchasing a device, you receive it in a Xiaomi branded box. If you have already had a product from this company, then you know that the box is made of simple cardboard with the developer’s logo in the form of two letters - Mi.
Once you open the package, you will find the core, strap, charging cord and instructions. Of course, the charging cable is also suitable for connecting to a PC to monitor information from the tracker, set settings and reset data. At one end the cord has a USB output, while at the other there is a connector for connecting the core by placing it inside a special slot. In order to understand what we're talking about, we recommend looking at the photo.
There are no problems in starting to work with the gadget immediately after opening the box. As reviews describing the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker show, in some cases the model turns out to be discharged - so you need to put it on recharge. Read more about how the gadget consumes energy a little further.
Software
The “mind” of the bracelet is controlled using a special software installed on your PC, smartphone or tablet. In the last two cases, this can be a mobile application on Android or iOS, through which the connection and further synchronization of the device will take place. In general, the interaction of gadgets is possible thanks to Bluetooth technology.
The software has user-friendly interface, which even a child can understand. Here everything is arranged in the form of tabs that perform different tasks. Firstly, here you should indicate your physiological data - your gender, height, weight, etc. - so the bracelet can more accurately calculate your needs and characteristics during physical activity. Secondly, in the specified application you can view detailed statistics. This will show the number of steps you have taken and the distance you have moved during the day. This means that a person, using the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker, can set his own goals and “minimums” for physical labor. The gadget will “monitor” that you complete your tasks every day.
Nutrition
The energy source for a small metal box (the so-called “core” of the bracelet) is miniature battery, installed inside. You can't remove it - it's completely closed from the outside.
The small battery size does not mean that you will have to constantly charge your bracelet - no, nothing like that. In fact, the device is very economical - it consumes very little for all its functions.
As customer reviews describing the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker show, on average the device runs out of charge every 1-1.5 months. You can find out that the bracelet needs to be connected to power through the appropriate light signals- three indicators are lit on the gadget, which can glow in different colors.
Protection
The developers of Xiaomi Mi Band (Black) claim that the bracelet can resist moisture and dust at such a level as to make it comfortable to use in Everyday life. In particular, if you wash your hands and a little moisture gets on your device, nothing will happen. But we do not recommend swimming with the tracker - with longer contact with water, the gadget may fail.
The core is reliably protected from falls and mechanical shocks by the massive strap surrounding it. It has a special recess in it to place the previously described box with filling.
When the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S (or version 1) is assembled, its connection to the rubber base looks very organic and pleasant - the best sign that the designers from China did their best.
Generations
It should be said that the gadget is supplied to the market in different versions, of which there are two at the time of publication of the article - the first generation of the tracker and the second (Xiaomi Mi Band 1S). The difference between them, of course, is in their functions. More a new version The gadget can also read the heart rate of the person wearing the bracelet, and can also be used as a key to access a smartphone (valid only on Xiaomi models).
There are rumors that Xiaomi Mi Band 2, an even newer version, will also be available for sale. True, no one knows what capabilities this modification will have. Of course, when it enters the market, an incredible stir will arise around the gadget, which will again make the company famous.
True, to succeed with the new Xiaomi Mi Band 2 you will need to offer something really worth a look all fans electronic devices. This is also not easy to do.
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 as high official price- 79 yuan, but on the other hand, there is no tedious waiting, 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 versions 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 a smartphone unlocking function without entering a password, which is available only to users MIUI firmware v6. 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.
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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 incoming call notification option is enabled. 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 you set the most important thing - the daily minimum of steps taken in the range from 2,000 to 30,000. The application recommends minimum time daily walks and the number of steps, and also collects statistics and encourages the user with various messages.
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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 others false positives, however, for a cheap non-professional 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
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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 Xiaomi bracelet Mi Band 2.
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, worthy continuation in the line, which retained all the previous functions and added new ones, as well as changed the 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 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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Not long ago there was an article on the site about accessories Chinese company Xiaomi. This time I want to tell you about specific device– Mi Band fitness bracelet. Its main features are typical for Xiaomi products - low cost, pleasant dim design and general high quality execution. Oddly enough, even in yet another new segment for itself, Xiaomi is able to immediately surprise; at a price of 80 yuan (about 800 rubles, it was half that before) the Mi Band can do almost everything the same as much more expensive analogues.
In the box, in addition to the pedometer module and bracelet, there is a short cable for charging the Mi Band and a couple of paper instructions.
Externally, the pedometer is very simple - it is a small module weighing 5 grams, with an aluminum cover and a matte black plastic base. The case is waterproof and certified to the IP67 standard, and also allows operation at temperatures from -20 to 70 degrees.
The module is inserted into a silicone bracelet, the fastening is very reliable, and there is practically no chance that the module will fall out.
The bracelet is fixed on the hand using a simple fastener; it is reliable, but at the same time, it does not take up much space on the bracelet. Therefore, if you are choosing an accessory for measuring sleep cycles, the Mi Band is definitely worth considering, at least because of the convenient bracelet that does not remind you of yourself during sleep.
There are three LEDs on the module that can blink in different colors: orange, green, blue and purple (in the color selection menu it is called red). Light indicators Uninformative, unfortunately. Almost all they are good for is demonstrating the level of performance of your chosen load. If your daily goal is 10,000 steps, at about 3,500 the pedometer will blink one LED, indicating that a third of the task has been completed.
The pedometer also flashes during incoming call or when the alarm goes off, but at that moment you feel vibration, and the presence of a light indication is of no practical use.
Separately, I want to talk about the bracelet. As standard, you buy a Mi Band with a black silicone bracelet, and then you can buy additional bracelets for it, at this moment Colors available: yellow, orange, pink, light green, blue and blue. At the same time, as my experience shows, there may not be any bracelets available at all. I bought a pedometer at a company store in Beijing, and there were simply no colored bracelets, and only two colors were available for ordering online: yellow and blue.
Also during the presentation of the pedometer, the company demonstrated other options for bracelets, more fashionable ones. Leather bracelet and strap that wraps around the wrist several times. However, when these accessories will appear is still unknown, and knowing the speed of release of such things (look at the wooden covers for Xiaomi Mi4, they are still missing), you can’t count on a quick start of sales, it seems to me.
However, even with a black basic bracelet, the Xiaomi Mi Band looks great on the hand; it doesn’t look like a cheap trinket, but at the same time, it doesn’t stand out.
There are still few models in the list of supported smartphones, however, in fact, the pedometer works with all smartphones with Bluetooth 4.0 that support the LE profile.
For the pedometer to work, you need to download and install the program of the same name on your smartphone - Miband. Worry about what's in Google Play the application is displayed in Chinese, no need to, after the first launch it will be on your English language, and if this is not enough, you can download the Russified (unofficial) version from any site, it will also work without problems with the accessory.
Immediately after installation you need to basic setup your profile. There is a small drawback here, the fact is that for the program to work, you need to log in to it using a xiaomi account. You can register on the website xiaomi.com, everything will be in Chinese, but Google translator will help you. Setting up a profile means choosing gender, height, weight, date of birth and a couple of other parameters. After you complete it, you will be transferred to the main program window.
The pedometer is always on (if it’s charged), so you don’t need to press any buttons on the accessory to connect it to your phone; you just need to put the bracelet with the pedometer installed on your hand, turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and conduct an initial search in the program.
In terms of software, the capabilities of the Mi Band are very small if you compare the program with analogues for Jawbone UP or Fitbit pedometers, for example. The application “can” show the number of steps taken, as well as the total distance traveled, walking (jogging) time and the number of calories. You can view this data in detail for the current day and in general form for previous days, and also send the results to friends (share).
If you put a bracelet with a pedometer on your wrist before going to bed, it will count the stages of sleep, separating light sleep from deep sleep. Xiaomi does not say what algorithm is used to measure it; it probably takes into account the number of “twitches” of the hand with the bracelet on and, perhaps, some other factors. One way or another, the next morning you can see exactly how you slept. Nothing special, just a graph showing the stages of light and deep sleep. The program will not advise you anything (unlike Jawbone), but this data can also be shared.
In addition to counting steps and sleep phases, Mi Band can vibrate on your hand, acting as an alarm clock, and also vibrate when your smartphone receives an incoming call or new message. A convenient opportunity, indeed. Thanks to the positive vibrations of the bracelet, you can always wear your smartphone in silent mode and at the same time be guaranteed not to miss important calls.
Finally, Mi Band allows you to keep track of exercises done in certain activities. For now, squats and jumping rope are available in the program, but you can also vote for one of several other types of exercises to be added as soon as possible.
A daily used bracelet can last about 20-30 days on a single battery charge, depending on how active you are. If you spend most of the day in the office and at home, then the Mi Band’s operating time in step counting mode “a couple of hours a day” will be more than a month. My pedometer was only 20 percent discharged in two weeks. Perhaps this is not such a gigantic advantage over other pedometers, but, on the other hand, in the case of Mi Band we see where the savings went on the screen, buttons and additional features– in very good indicators battery life, this time. And also in the price, that's two.
IN official store Xiaomi and on the website the pedometer costs 79 yuan, in rubles it’s about 700-800 rubles. Even taking into account delivery and purchase on the website of some large Chinese online store, the cost of Xiaomi Mi Band will not exceed 1,500-2,000 rubles. For comparison, bracelets from Jawbone or Fitbit cost an average of 4,000-6,000 rubles, even the most inexpensive ones (noname) Chinese pedometers overall a little more expensive than the Mi Band. If you need a simple, practical and extremely inexpensive accessory for counting steps and distance taken, you should pay attention to the Xiaomi Mi Band. Lack of different useful features In terms of software, it is compensated by its low cost and impressive battery life.
(7
ratings, average: 4,57
out of 5)
Over the past few years, almost all the major players in the electronics market have introduced their own wearable gadgets. Among them there are many smart watch or high-quality sports devices, such as the modern model from Xiaomi. The advantage of the solution from Chinese brand is not only practical, excellent functionality, attractive appearance, but also very affordable price, which no other manufacturer can compete with today.
It is traditional for Xiaomi to take a responsible approach to the delivery package. The buyer receives a neat box made of ordinary gray cardboard. After opening it, the user immediately sees the core of the gadget. Below is a high-quality rubber strap, USB cable for charging (the charger itself is not included), as well as instructions for the Xiaomi fitness bracelet.
Before you turn on the Xiaomi fitness bracelet, you need to pre-charge it. To do this, one of the sides of the gadget contains two metal contacts that are placed in the charging socket (when the gadget is fully assembled, you first need to remove the cover). Then you need to connect USB plug to any power source (laptop or Charger smartphone).
While charging is taking place, you need to open the application store on your smartphone and install the proprietary application from it Mi Fit. The program is available on devices running operating systems iOS or Android. It’s better to throw away the standard user manual right away, because the instructions in Russian will help you set up the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet.
Registering a Xiaomi fitness bracelet
Before using the Xiaomi fitness bracelet, you need to register your own account, which is done through a browser or through mobile application. The first option involves filling out a form on the official website, indicating the country, address Email and date of birth. When filling it out, it is better to uncheck the box “Stay up to date with news and offers from the Mi store”, because this is an offer to send news written in Chinese.
Also, the branded fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band Black instructions suggest the possibility of using telephone number instead of email, for which there is a special item at the bottom of the page. After completing all the specified actions, the user will be prompted to enter a password, its confirmation and a verification code. Then you can log in to the system using your login (mail or phone) and the created password.
Additionally, it is possible to register through the application directly from its interface. Everything works here in a similar way, only when filling out the form it is better to initially use email address, because for users in Russia (CIS countries) the ability to register by phone number has not yet been adjusted.
Setting up a Xiaomi fitness bracelet
Next, you need to understand how to set up a Xiaomi fitness bracelet. To do this, you need to connect together the gadget itself, the application and the account you created earlier.
- go through authorization using the previously entered data;
- When prompted, enter your nickname, gender, full date of birth, height, current weight, minimum number of steps (goal for the day).
The sports bracelet will allow you to change all the data later.
How to connect a Xiaomi fitness bracelet
The next question concerns how to connect the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet. There is nothing complicated here - joining is carried out through wireless technology Bluetooth version 4.0
, and the user simply needs to follow the application’s recommendations. First, you need to select the type of device, and when you are asked to click on the gadget, you need to lightly tap it with your finger. A successful operation will be displayed as “Binding Complete.” In addition, according to the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S user manual, after a problem-free binding, the firmware update will begin. In this case, you need to keep the gadget next to your phone, and upon completion of the operation, the application interface will automatically be displayed to you.
Mi Band gestures
There are three separate tabs inside the Mi Fit app: "Activity", "Profile" And "Notifications". Statistics provides the ability to view the following information:
1.
Data on steps taken with a detailed display of activity for the current day.
2.
Statistics for previous periods.
3.
Possibility of grouping information by days, weeks, months and general course of classes.
There is also data about the user's sleep. The statistics are also detailed, including information for the current and previous days, as well as sleep phases, moments of awakening, duration of all phases, and so on.
In addition, Xiaomi Mi Band 1S Pulse, as the company manual indicates, allows you to see the dynamics of changes in your weight. BMI is also displayed here, the difference in weight compared to the previous mark. Their introduction allows you to calculate the physique index. All data can be switched between multiple users.
Usage running functions only possible after GPS activation. You just need to wait until the number of satellites icon turns green, after which you can press the “Start” button. During a run, the Mi Fit app will display basic information. Additionally, the program has a “Map” view that displays the running trajectory. If you need to stop the function, just long press the “Pause” button.
It is possible to view information about how much has been covered per day via a smartphone or by moving your hand (as if you were looking at the time). This gesture will cause the indicators to flicker:
- no glow – a third of the planned number of steps has not been achieved;
- one flashes – more than 30% passed;
- two flicker - more than 2/3 of the daily plan has been completed.
Having reached the goal, the user will feel a vibration accompanied by winking of the gadget. When checking the device with a gesture, the completed goal will be displayed by the glow of the extreme indicators, and three blinking lights, as stated in the official instructions for the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S Pulse fitness bracelet, demonstrate that the set task has been exceeded.
If you don’t have a Mi Band yet, the cheapest place to buy it is in China on Aliexpress - click on the link!
Additional device functions are represented by various notifications: notification about incoming call
, telephone alarm duplication, working even when the smartphone is discharged, as well as message notifications on your phone or in certain applications.
The gadget from Xiaomi is protected according to the IP67 standard, so the device is completely protected from dust and allows you to briefly dive with it to a depth of up to 1 meter. The first version of the gadget had a problem related to the quality of the strap, but for new batches a more durable alloy is used, which increased the overall wear resistance of the product.
