Sony’s lifelogging SmartBand is not the most visually-arresting wearable on the market, but it comes with its own retinue of tricks, including a very-capable app that does more than just count steps.
The Japanese behemoth debuted the SmartBand at CES in January, and six months later it is available for $99.99 at Sony Stores and Rogers locations throughout Canada, with the former offering a deal of sorts with the purchase of a handset on a 2-year plan. But we’ll get to that.
What makes the SmartBand so…smart? Like the FitBit Flex, the Core sensor inside the band is actually removable, and Sony plans on selling a line of modular accessories to fit users’ various needs. At the moment, though, the Core sensor ships just with the band, in two sizes, small and large and one colour, black.
The sensor has an accelerometer to count steps, yes, but when paired with an Android phone it also works as an alarm and security bracelet, letting you know when your phone moves a certain distance from the sensor; and with the Lifelog app, Sony attempts to pull more information from your phone, such as location and music preferences, to gain a greater perspective on one’s overall lifestyle outside of fitness.
Rogers has a special deal on right now, in addition to a limited edition Brazil 2014 colour band, where you can purchase the $99.99 bracelet for $24.99 with the purchase of a new Android device on a 2-year plan. The eligible devices are Android 4.4 native: Sony Xperia Z1, LG G2, Nexus 5, HTC One M8, Samsung Galaxy S4, S5, and Note 3.
See also: Sony SmartBand hands-on from CES
[source]Sony[/source]
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