Tom's Hardware: Microsoft Smartband Coming In October With 11 Sensors

New submitter TuxHiggs (2691251) writes "Last month, Forbes wrote that Microsoft was preparing a cross-platform smartwatch with the ability to continuously track your heart rate and sync the data to your devices. A trusted source with knowledge of the development has verified some of that information and provided Tom's Hardware with additional details about the device. The source confirmed previous rumors that the device is cross-platform compatible, and added there would be open APIs as well. The source also confirmed that the display is on the inside of the wrist as opposed to the outside. Design-wise, Microsoft has gone with a slim band design that is said to resemble a thinner, flatter version of the Nike Fuelband. While details about the hardware are scant, the source did reveal that there are 11 sensors under the hood and a mix of chips, including some from TI and Atmel. Finally, the release for this device is apparently set for October."

Comments

Can my dick wear that

[Anonymous Coward]

will be smartest dick around. hope BSOD doesn't come too early, reboot takes long.

It looks like...

[Rashdot]

Smartwatch: "It looks like your heart has stopped. Would you like me to:"

- stop recording to save power?

- use a backup?

Re: It looks like...

[Anonymous Coward]

More like
"I detected your heart stopped. Would you like to active the defibrillator?"
{Yes} {No} {Cancel}
YES
"Are you sure you want to allow this action?"
{yes} {cancel}
YES
"Administrator password required for this action"
{........}
"The defibrillator function is used for the first time. Installation of device drivers required"
"Would you like to install the drivers now?"
{Yes} {No} {Later}
YES
"Need to download system files. Reboot required. Download now?"
{Yes} {No} {Later}
YES
"Download failed. Try again?"
{Yes} {Cancel}
YES
"Download complete. Install now?"
{Yes} {No}
YES
"Are you sure you want to allow this action?"
{Yes} {No} {Cancel}
YES
"Installation complete. Reboot now? All unsaved data will be lost"
{yes} {cancel}
YES
"Rebooting"
"WindowsWatch wasn't shutdown properly the last time. Starting in save mode. All drivers disabled".
{Reboot}
"You heart still doesn't beat. Do you want to active the defibrillator?"
{Yes} {No} {Cancel}
YES
"Starting the defibrillator. Please read the EULA and click on agree"
{43 pages of EULA later}
{AGREE}

--- BSOD ---

Meanwhile the patient has died.

It'd be good if they skipped the fads.

[Anonymous Coward]

Time and time again these Apple-inspired technologies have proven to just be temporary fads.

When it comes to Apple, their success is never about the devices themselves. Their success derives from the fact that they're basically a modern-day religion for a lot of people. Apple's customers buy Apple products as a status symbol, rather than something that's actually useful to them.

The personal audio player fad went bust. The large form factor tablet fad went bust. The small form factor tablet fad went bust. The netbook fad went bust. The media center fad went bust.

This "fitness monitoring device" fad will go bust, too.

Google, Samsung and Microsoft would all be better off avoiding these fads. They don't have the quasi-religious status that Apple has, and it'll save them the time and money wasted on producing one-generation-only products that end up failing in the marketplace because they're damn near useless for anyone who isn't buying them just for a fruit-shaped logo on the back.

Re:It'd be good if they skipped the fads.

[K. S. Kyosuke]

Bullshit. We've known that iPads would come one day all the way since 1968, and since most everyone needs a phone, it only makes sense to make a smaller version of the same for phone-y applications. These are not fads, that's logical development.