Autonomy, price, convenience, high-quality tracking of sleep time and heart rate

Minuses

Lies step by step, no display

Review

Xiaomi line Mi Band captivated me from the very first model. All three generations of the bracelet were used, each of which pleased me in its own way. The M.Video assortment includes only an intermediate “esque”, but there is something to be said about it, despite the subsequent release of a more advanced version. 1S is a chic accessory for those who want to bring a little order into their lives. First, 1S monitors sleep. The bracelet extremely accurately determines the moment of falling asleep, thanks to which you receive information specifically about your sleep. 1S still considers endless rolling from side to side to be activity and these minutes (and sometimes hours) do not count towards the duration of sleep. And this information can really change your life for the better. Empirically, I have determined that the standard seven hours of sleep is sorely lacking for me. I added an additional 30-40 minutes and that’s it, I’m a different person, whose energy charge dries up only at the end of the day. About the “smart” alarm clock. After the release of one of the Mi app updates (I give it 3 points), it was gone. Fortunately, there is a replacement - Tools & Mi Band (Android), in which the smart alarm clock is not missing, and there is one extremely important function, without which the Mi Band 1S would not be ideal for me. We are talking about the “Take a nap” function. You turn it on, lie down, and after 20-30 minutes the bracelet wakes you up with vibration. A very convenient option if you don’t get enough sleep, or just want to reboot your brain during your lunch break. In other words, sleep tracking on the Mi Band 1S is the main feature for me. Secondly, step counting. The Mi Band 1S counts steps just like any other Mi Band model, average. Yes, it’s not even good, since the bracelet is lying, apparently due to hand movements. The difference with Samsung Health at the end of the day is more than 1000 steps, so I recommend that all future Mi Band owners increase their daily step goal requirements. That is, if you want to walk 10,000 steps a day, set a goal of 11,000 - you won’t go wrong. Thirdly, a heart rate monitor. I bought the 1S mostly because of the strong bracelet (the difference with the original model is heaven and earth), not because of the heart rate monitor. However, the last one pleased me. The pulse is measured very accurately - compared with two others. If you plan to use the Mi Band 1S, for example, in a fitness club, to maintain a smooth, high heart rate, the bracelet will cope with the task with a bang. And about the little things. The design of Mi Band 1S is pleasant, and attracts attention with its unusualness. The strap, as I already said, is very durable, but you should handle it more carefully. They can send you a terrible “original” strap from China that will last a minimum amount of time (tested by experience). The operating time of the bracelet is huge, almost a month. It is reliably protected from water, but again I don’t recommend washing in it, just to be safe. Is it worth buying Mi Band 1S in 2017? Yes and no. When you start using the Mi Band 1S, you will very soon realize that something is missing from it. You also realize that you check your statistics on your smartphone too often. Both of these problems are solved by Mi Band 2 with a small, but still display. Which, by the way, also turns a fitness bracelet into an excellent watch. However, if such disadvantages do not bother you, then Mi Band 1S is definitely your choice.

Xiaomi Mi Band 1S Pulse is one of the best gadgets among all wearable electronics from Xiaomi. Visually, it is almost no different from the first generation of devices, and in terms of functionality it completely replicates the regular Mi Band, but with a heart rate monitor. Everything included with the gadget is the same - a simple cardboard box, instructions and a charging cable.

Great designMiBand 1S

The tracker looks the same - a polycarbonate capsule covered with a magnesium panel, 3 LEDs on the front part (single-color, white). On the back there is a place for a pulse sensor window, which glows green when scanning. The dimensions of the capsule have not changed, but because of the window for the heart rate monitor, it does not fit the same bracelets, although it has a similar mounting method.

The strap itself has become more rigid - now losing the capsule will not be as easy. In fact, you can insert a new capsule into an old bracelet, but the pulse may then be measured incorrectly. You cannot attach an old capsule to a new bracelet - it can easily jump out.

FunctionalMiBand 1SPulse

Fitness tracker works with proprietary application Mi Fit - it is recognized as one of the best of its kind. The gadget can count distance, measure sleep time and sleep phases, and turn on a smart alarm clock. The capsule itself has memory, so data can be synchronized with a smartphone periodically. The pedometer and sleep mode have been improved here, now the indicators have become more accurate, although still not ideal.

The bracelet takes heart rate measurements in 3 modes - manual, running mode (periodically) and automatically (for sleep). At the same time, its functionality is tied to the application - in unofficial utilities there may be more possibilities.

Features 1SPulse fromXiaomi:

• the gadget has become even more convenient and practical;
• a heart rate monitor has appeared that takes measurements manually or automatically;
• a smarter alarm clock that more accurately selects your wake-up time;
• redesigned pedometer, which has less error;
• complete moisture protection.

General characteristics

Design and appearance

Multimedia capabilities

Connection

Additional functionality

Nutrition

January 27, 2017

Initially, smart bracelets were intended to help people lead a healthy lifestyle. However, the emergence of fitness bracelets with displays and their invasion of the segment smart watch The situation got a bit confusing. Does such a gadget need a screen or is it better to do without it? What did smart bracelets lose when they received a display? Let's try to understand these issues by comparing three models from the same manufacturer: Xiaomi Mi Band, Xiaomi Mi Band 1s and Xiaomi Mi Band 2.

Equipment

Constantly taking aim at its strongest competitor, Xiaomi often repeats its basic design decisions. Therefore, fitness bracelets are supplied in small cardboard boxes of natural color with the manufacturer’s logo neatly applied. Inside there are no frills: the bracelet itself, its charger and a short user manual.

The gadget is transported in a disassembled state: the module is removed from the strap. The charger, as for the vast majority of small devices, comes without a power supply. It has a bracelet connector at one end and a USB plug at the other. The connectors of Mi Band and Mi Band 1s are almost the same, while those of Mi Band 2 are slightly larger.

Design

The older generation of the gadget belongs to the category of classic fitness bracelets. This is a sports accessory without a display that does not functionally conflict with a wristwatch.

The first model of the bracelet has the following dimensions: 9x14x36 mm. The maximum length with strap can reach 230 mm. Mi Band 1s is slightly thicker: 9.9 x 13.6 x 37 mm, which is explained by the addition of an optical heart rate sensor to its design.

The main unit protrudes slightly above the silicone strap, revealing a nice brushed metal top surface with three LED indicators. On the side of the block there are two contacts for charging, which are hidden in the working position inside the strap. Stylish, beautiful, comfortable. But there is still a feeling of slight incompleteness - the aluminum plate clearly begs for some kind of addition, and the tracker could use some protection from scratches.

The Mi Band 2 bracelet does not have such a problem: on top it has a monochrome OLED display with a diagonal of 0.42 inches and touch button. The dimensions of the device have increased slightly in comparison with its predecessors: 10.5x15.7x40.3 mm (length with strap can reach 235 mm), but this is justified by targeting a slightly different target audience. In combination with such a gadget, an expensive watch, even if it is on the other hand, will be clearly superfluous, which can also be considered a marketing weakness of such devices.

The mounting socket for the main module of Mi Band 2 is made with protruding edges - additional protection display from damage and loss. Therefore, the capsule is inserted only from the inside, and not from the outside, like in first-generation gadgets. The heart rate monitor also received a small (1.5 mm high) fairing on the inside of the module.

The bracelet display, which is dark when turned off, turns on when you touch a button or suddenly move (turn) your hand. An interesting design move that also saves battery power. The image, as befits an OLED matrix, is bright and contrasty, easily readable even under the scorching sun.

Functional

Conventionally, the functions of all three fitness bracelets can be divided into two groups. The first includes a step counter, sleep monitoring, a smart alarm clock, a calorie counter and a heart rate monitor (for Mi Band 1S and Mi Band 2), that is, everything necessary for a person leading a sports lifestyle. The second can combine functions that serve the smartphone: notifications about incoming calls and messages, smart unlocking, notifications from applications.

Statistics collection and all computational work are performed on a smartphone or tablet paired via Bluetooth connection. To do this, install the appropriate application from the online store on it. After installing the program and entering your biometric data (needed to calculate calorie burning and individual recommendations), you can configure the notifications. For example, it is useful to delay the vibration signal for an incoming call a little if the smartphone is always at hand.

Here you can connect other smart devices that you have in the house to the bracelet. Xiaomi's number is increasing every day, and some combinations are simply amazing. For example, a fitness bracelet can inform a smartphone that the owner has fallen asleep (the sleep tracker has worked), after which the smartphone will send the corresponding command to the player or lamp - the devices will turn off to give you a restful sleep. Xiaomi also has smart sneakers, scales and much more.

In addition to viewing current indicators (number of steps taken, heart rate, general activity), the application can track progress towards achieving a given goal, for example, the desired weight. You can also set a reminder about prolonged inactivity. This feature will be very useful for anyone leading a sedentary lifestyle.

The appearance of a display in the second generation Mi Band had a positive effect on its functionality. In addition to the current time, the gadget shows on the screen the number of steps taken or heart rate readings. Moreover, it does this in offline mode, when the connection with the smartphone is interrupted. The data is not lost - during the next synchronization, it is transferred to the device and added to the common database. So now you can collect statistics during, for example, outdoor games, where there is no place for a fragile mobile phone.

Note that you should be careful with an alarm clock that tracks the desired sleep phase for awakening. If the bracelet is not recharged in time and it turns off at night (after a warning vibration signal), you can easily sleep through the rise. Therefore, for greater reliability, it is still better to duplicate the alarm clock on your smartphone in the usual way.

Note that the main smart functions are found in paired devices. Therefore, the difference between Mi Band and Mi Band 2 is felt only when moving away from the smartphone.

Ergonomics and autonomy

The big advantage of all Xiaomi fitness bracelets is their autonomy. The manufacturer claims 30 days of operation on a single charge for the first generation Mi Band and 20 days for models with a display. In addition to ergonomic considerations, this mode helps to collect more accurate statistics with a minimum number of interruptions.

The undoubted disadvantages of the devices include their own rather than standard charger, which is slightly different for all three models. If the connector breaks or the cable is lost, you will have to order exactly the same one from the dealer. But we are already accustomed to standard connectors and chargers, sold on every corner.

IP67 rating on all three models means they're dust-resistant and can be left on even in the shower. So, if you really want, you can get full round-the-clock control of your performance. The silicone strap is made of hypoallergenic material - it does not irritate the skin and does not interfere with everyday activities.

The current control of gadgets is based on an extremely small number of touch elements, therefore it is as simple and intuitive as possible. The most difficult (but not too difficult) is setting up applications. However, Xiaomi’s minimalist style also affects the program interfaces - all options are found and selected in a couple of clicks.

Bottom line

It’s still not worth talking about the absolute advantage of Xiaomi Mi Band 2 over first-generation models. Yes, the appearance of a display on the fitness bracelet, improvement of its basic functionality and a full-fledged offline mode make the later modification of the gadget very attractive. But not all users will be ready to give up wristwatch for the sake of a high-tech device. And for them it is more comfortable to use a less flashy version of the tracker without a screen. In addition, the price for the appearance of the display is one and a half times less time battery life, and this is also a serious argument in favor of the first models.

Everyone, having soberly weighed all the pros and cons, is able to do right choice. You can purchase it in our store.

Hi all! I present to your attention a review of new version Xiaomi Mi Band 1s with a heart rate sensor, I was one of the first to receive it, so the review will be after a month of use. Anyone interested is welcome.
p/s not point 18

IN this moment There are three versions of the miband in nature

Just miband - the first tracker released in 2014, color LEDs, 41 mAh battery. Official price: 79 yuan, discontinued.
Mi band 1a - colored LEDs are replaced with white ones, the battery capacity is slightly increased to 45 mAh, the official price is 69 yuan.
Mi band 1s - white LEDs and battery like 1a, added heart rate sensor, official price 99 yuan.

I bought a new miband even before the official start of sales, for 26 dollars, but after there was a terrible shortage of it inside China, all sellers raised prices by 40 bucks. By the way, the hype still continues, although it has subsided, now prices are around 25-30 dollars.

I bought this tracker, like many other xiaomi things in one on Ali. The goods are always in stock, shipped quickly, packaged well. So guys with comments, “I know that there are a couple of bucks and three cents cheaper,” you can leave these links for yourself, I know everything perfectly well, by the way, there are a couple of them bucks, there's a whole thread on 4pda, they're still waiting, you can do it yourself

I bought the miband together with headphones, I already wrote a review. So everything came the same way as there
.

The box is exactly the same as from the old versions. The only difference is that there is another piece of paper with a description of the device.

The box itself is very durable, but for even greater confidence there is protection in the form of black polyurethane foam on the back of the lid.

The module itself is located inside

Cable/charging (the one below from 1s, above from the old one)

Instructions

The capsule itself has changed slightly, due to the addition of a heart rate sensor, the module has become a couple of mm thicker. In another, everything is the same

The charging cable has also changed. Now there is a recess in it and the wire has become flat, so the old cradle will not fit. I tried to charge from the old one, contact was lost all the time, so it’s easier to kill the battery than to charge the miband.

The strap has also changed, now it is made of denser plastic, it also seemed rougher, it fits perfectly on the hand and does not cause any discomfort.
It so happened that in a year I killed two black bracelets, I hope this one will live longer than half a year. By the way, old bracelets are fully compatible with 1s.

Dead black strap.

Also note, some people don’t know for some reason. There are two versions of the application for Android. From the market and from
Both have Russian language. The version with goolge play is compatible with Google fit, there is no support for smart scales and sneakers... The version from the Chinese market is not compatible with google fit, it has built-in Chinese services and also has a running mode with baidu maps, which do not work in Russia.

All previous functionality is retained, namely:

• Pedometer
• Sleep tracker
• Smart alarm clock
• Notification of incoming calls
• Calorie counter
• Smart Unlock
• Notifications from applications and SMS

I don’t see much point in describing the old functionality of the application, so those who are not familiar can read my first miband, which I wrote more than a year ago.

Actually, that’s why it all started, but it started only because of one thing. A heart rate sensor has been added. To tell the truth, the thing is ambiguous. It seems that it exists and measures the pulse correctly (the control test was the old fashioned way, finger on the artery and off you go) But now it’s nothing more than a toy, and now I’ll tell you why.

Currently measuring heart rate in google version play was added only on December 17th. At the moment the functionality looks something like this.

A page with the measurement history and a “pulse measurement” button, that’s all. To measure the current pulse, as everyone already understood, you just need to press the button, the following message appears and
The measurement takes place within 10-12 seconds.

After this, you will have access to the result of so many beats per minute, and comments on what a normal heart rate is and the ideal heart rate for training.

The green LEDs also flash during measurement.

That's it in the version for google play The heart rate sensor is running out, by the way, an application for iOS with the same functionality. Also, heart rate measurements are not included in Google Fit. Steps and sleep are fine. Same as the owner smart scale, I’m not very comfortable using this version, since I can’t link these scales so that they appear in my application.

In the version from the Xiaomi market, everything is more interesting. In addition to the fact that there is a manual heart rate measurement, there is also a “running mode”. I’ll tell you about it in more detail.

If the charge remains less than 10%, it will not be possible to track your pulse.

In the application, we press the running button, they show us a picture like this.

Okay, we got it, we’re not fools, we pulled it tighter. We also have access to settings

Automatically detects when you stop running.
Vibrate if the running speed is lower than the one you choose
Measuring heart rate while running
Heart rate notification. The girl in Chinese voices, apparently, what the pulse is at the moment.
Vibrate twice if the pulse exceeds the maximum value you choose.

Press start and let's run

On the screen we see the current heart rate, distance, time, number of steps and current pace. People who run can see all their stats in real time. The data is quite interesting. I don’t run, and I turned on this mode when I went to play football. I played for an hour and a half, all this time the miband blinked like a Christmas tree. I played football, picked up my phone, the application asked me to record my progress, of course I agreed. I got home and wanted to see what my maximum heart rate and pace were, but it turned out that the application gives an error if I try to open the history. That's how things are.

Also in the settings there is the ability to track your heart rate to more accurately determine the phases of sleep and trigger a smart alarm clock. As I understand it, it works like this: in the evening until the very morning, the miband simply turns on the heart rate monitor at regular intervals. It is not possible to view this data, which is a shame. I hope that with the next updates there will be access to this data.

Considering the Chinese experience in creating problems and eliminating them, I think they will fix everything. And I hope they don’t create new ones. Look at the shoals with fonts running over each other, by the way, miui fan sites and guys from 4pda have much better translations. As for the functionality of the Google Play version, full support will most likely be added only after the start of mi band sales in other countries except China.

The lifespan of the new miband is much shorter than previous versions. This case, as you understand, is all connected with the same heart rate monitor, I have activated the function of monitoring my heart rate every night and notification of calls. The charge lasts for 14 days, the last miband lasted about a month. You can, of course, turn this off and it will discharge like the old versions, but I don’t see the point in that.

As I already said, if all the bugs are fixed and new functionality is added, then this is very interesting thing, I would not recommend throwing out the old miband and rushing to buy a new one. Wait until he dies after a long and happy life and then buy 1s. But for people who were stopped from buying a tracker because it did not have a heart rate monitor, I would recommend this device, by the time the gadget arrives to you, it will already be next year and most likely all the jambs will be fixed, as I already said, the subject calculates the heart rate correctly. Also, competitors are much more expensive, and the battery lasts for less time. Thank you for your attention, happy holidays everyone!