Wearable fitness tech has become wildly popular in the last few years. The process of measuring and recording progress when adhering to a regular exercise regime had been clinically demonstrated to improve both motivations and results.
As a result, there has been an explosion in the availability of high-tech tracking devices that are able to provide feedback on the user’s fitness level, calories burned, distance traveled, and many more health-related parameters.
The Mi Band is a new fitness wearable that offers an extremely broad range of information to its users.
Leveraging military-grade tracking technology, the Mi Band is able to provide detailed breakdowns of fitness records, sleep schedule data, and connect to a smartphone to sync with apps, unlock phones, alert users of incoming calls and more.
In this article, we’ll break down the design, construction and features of the Mi Band to help you decide whether it’s the right fitness wearable for you.
What is the Mi Band?
The Mi Band is the next generation of wearable fitness tech. There are many wearable fitness solutions available on the market today, but most only provide a basic level of integration and data resolution.
The Mi Band offers a level of design beyond that of your average wrist tracker, boasting a tougher, more useful, feature rich design.
Manufactured and distributed by Xiaomi, the leading technology solution company behind the Mi Note, Redmi 2 and Mi TV, the Mi Band is one of the cheapest fitness tracking wearables on the market, while also offering some of the most unique features.
Construction & Design
The Mi Band is built to last. The sensor suite of the Mi Band is contained within a durable aluminium frame, which attaches to the wrist via a comfortable, flexible, hypoallergenic silicone band.
Available in a range of colors, the Mi Band boasts a massive 30-day battery life, and is rated at IP67 water-resistant, meaning sweat from intense workout sessions or rain won’t damage the highly accurate sensor suite.
One of the most attractive features of the Mi Band is the robust, tough design. Drop tested to 1.2 meters and cold tested to temperatures of -20 degrees and 70 degrees celsius, the Mi Band is able to handle virtually any environment possible.
The outer layer of the Mi Band has also been tested to be corrosion proof against the natural oils and salts secreted by the skin during intensive physical activity, meaning the finish won’t degrade over time.
The hardware specs of the Mi Band are surprising, given the low cost of the device. Each Mi Band houses the entire sensor suite in a package just 36mm long and 14mm wide, with a low-profile depth of 9mm.
The surface of the Mi Band is an attractive aluminium alloy, with green, blue, red, and orange sensor lights.
A durable polycarbonate frame protects the back of the sensor suite from damage, and the whole unit weighs just 5 grams.
The 30-day capacity battery is powered by an ultra-thin 8mm lithium polymer battery with a capacity of 41 mAh, which drives a military-grade ADI accelerometer and a Dialog Bluetooth 4.0 chip. The band itself is adjustable between 157mm and 205mm, suitable for all wrist diameters.
Mi Band Features
The Mi Band offers a number of features not found in any other wearable fitness band on the market.
All of the fitness tracking features you’d expect are available through the Mi Band, such as activity level tracking, walking distance, calories burned, as well as a schedule tracker and fitness target tracker.
A built-in sleep tracker and alarm assists with maintaining a healthy sleep cycle, with sleep analytics available with helpful insights and health tips.
An interesting feature offered by the Mi Band is a proximity bluetooth phone unlock sensor. The Mi Band is able to communicate with your smartphone, allowing for seamless passcode-free unlocking when it knows you’re the one holding the device.
Incoming call alerts are also available via the Mi Band, sensing when an incoming call is not picked up within a certain customizable timeframe and notifying the user immediately.
Mi Band Pricing & Availability
The Mi Band is one of the most cost-effective fitness trackers available on the market. Priced at an almost-unbelievable $14.99 USD, far lower than most of the other fitness trackers on the market, the Mi Band is available at a highly attractive price point that will likely convert even the most loyal fitbit fans.
Compatible with both Android, iOS and Xiaomi Mi devices, the Mi Band is a quality fitness tracker that delivers excellent value for money.
