Huawei gets fit with its first wristband

By AJ Dellinger February 23, 2014

huawei talkband news screen shot 2014 02 23 at 9 26 56 am — Image used with permission by copyright holder

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Huawei spent much of its time at its Mobile World Congress 2014 conference talking about how it wants to expand its grip on the smartphone market. Aside from adding phones and tablets to its lineup, Huawei had some unconventional offerings to show off as well. This included Huawei’s entry into wearable technology, the TalkBand.

As seen in leaked pictures yesterday, the TalkBand takes parts of all the other smartbands you know and melds them together into one offering. With a look that bears a striking resemblance to a Nike FuelBand, the TalkBand is capable of providing fitness information. This includes keeping track of your steps and calories and acting as a sleep monitor. It’s IP7 water resistant, meaning you can wear it in the shower as well.

But the real interesting part of the TalkBand is its ability to take phone calls like the Galaxy Gear. Users will be able to pop the TalkBand out of the wristband, make or take a call, then place the device back into its holster. The TalkBand features dual microphones to enable your conversation and offers 7 hours of talk time or 2 weeks of standby. Connectivity between the TalkBand and mobile devices can be done via NFC pairing or Bluetooth 4.1.

The TalkBand features a 1.4-inch OLED screen that provides feedback and information, defaulting to showing the time like a standard watch. With no touchscreen, all control over the TalkBand takes place via mobile app on your phone or tablet. The display is nestled in a flexible strap that will be available in six colors. The strap itself serves as a USB connector, making the battery easy to charge.

Huawei promises the TalkBand will work not just with its own devices but with the iPhone, Windows Phone, and Android devices. But it doesn’t work with them yet – an update will come in the future. No date or timeframe for availability was mentioned, but the TalkBand will retail for 100 EUR, or around $135 USD.

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AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…

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