Updated on 03-01-2016 by Andy Boxall: Added in new U.K. price reduction
Interestingly, the $75 reduction comes days after a promotion where the Band 2 was offered for $200, which won’t please anyone who took the plunge then. It’s available only for a limited time though, so make the decision quickly if you want one, because when March 26 comes around the special $175 price will no longer be valid.
It’s a similar story in the U.K. Until the end of February, Microsoft sold the Band 2 for £170, £30 cheaper than usual. On March 1, the Band 2 was reduced again to £150, £50 cheaper than the regular price. Again, it’s for a limited time, but you’ve still got the whole of the month to make up your mind.
What do you get? An IP68-rated (that’s water and dust resistance) band with a huge array of sensors from an accelerometer, gyro, and barometer to a heart-rate sensor, along with a UV sensor and a V02 monitor. Information is shown on a slightly curved AMOLED screen mounted to the silicone band that’s a considerable stylistic improvement over the first.
The feature list goes on with GPS and sleep tracking, basic app compatibility, and even the ability to make wireless payments in certain stores. Starbucks is one, for example. Don’t expect much more than two-days battery life from the Band 2, particularly if you use the GPS feature hard.
If you’re after a Band 2, then it may even pay to wait a while. The way Microsoft seems to be discounting the Band 2 at the moment indicates when the latest $175 promotion expires, it’ll reappear at $150 or less anyway.
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