Microsoft to stop support for Band apps and services, offers refund for hardware

Microsoft discontinued the Microsoft Band over two years ago. Now, the company plans to kill off the Microsoft Health Dashboard apps and services by May 31st. All these backend services will lose support and apps will be taken out of the Microsoft Store, Google Play, and Apple's App Store. Existing Band users can export their data before the end of May. Services powered by the cloud will stop working by June. But the fitness tracker can still record daily steps, workouts, heart rate, activities, sleep, and work as an alarm. However, if you reset the device, Microsoft says it will be "impossible to set up the device again."

Some Microsoft Band owners are eligible for a refund. Active users who synced data from a Band to the Health Dashboard between December 1, 2018, and March 1, 2019, can apply for a refund on their hardware. Microsoft is offering US$79.99 refund for Band 1 owners, and $175 for Band 2 devices. If your Microsoft Band is under warranty, the same refund values will be available.

Source: Microsoft

Say goodbye to the Microsoft Band

It looks like Microsoft’s attempt at releasing a fitness tracker has reached its end. ZDNet reports the Microsoft Band 2 has been pulled from Microsoft’s online store. The Verge adds that the wearable device isn’t available on Best Buy either and while it’s still on Amazon, the online retailer is just selling its remaining inventory. The Band’s software development kit has also been removed online. And there are reports that the team working on the Band has been dissolved already. One more telling sign is the renaming of Microsoft’s smartphone health app to Microsoft Band, meaning it’s moving beyond just working for said wearable. Microsoft has said earlier this month that its remains “deeply committed to supporting our customers and exploring the wearables space.” Microsoft does have things like HoloLens still in existence. It’s just you shouldn’t be expecting a Microsoft Band 3 to show up anytime soon.

Microsoft Band is now more widely available in the US

Just in time to cash in on the pre Apple Watch madness, Microsoft announced that it is making its cross-platform wearable, the Microsoft Band, more easily available from its own Microsoft retail stores as well as various other resellers. US residents can now get the Microsoft Band at Best Buy, Amazon.com and Target and the company has promised to ramp up availability of their once scarce wearable.

Microsoft Band is Redmond's take on a modern wearable. it focuses mostly on health tracking but also has the ability to send notifications and its unique form factor does allow for an unprecedented number of sensors including a UV sensor that can alert users to when they should apply more sunblock. No word of availability outside of the US and UK so we're likely not going to see this in Canada for a while. 

Source: Thurrott.com

The Apple Beat: Last Mover Advantage in the wearables game may pay off in the long run

By Gadjo Cardenas Sevilla 

Even as a pre-production prototype, the Apple Watch is the most interesting wearable/smartwatch I've had the chance to try, many devices shipping right now don't even come close. 

At first glance, it seems that Apple might have missed the opportunity of shipping its Apple Watch in time for the holidays, the truth is they just gained a huge advantage over the competition.

Click to read more ...