Lenovo announced two 64-bit mobile phones this afternoon (the P90 and the Vibe X2 Pro) but this is CES 2015, so it’s not enough to show up with two smartphones. You have to bring your wearables game, too.
To that end, Lenovo has the Vibe Band VB10, a fitness band with an e-ink display, 7-day battery life, and always-on Bluetooth. It’s waterproof and can display up to 150 characters, so notifications from apps like Twitter, WeChat, Facebook, and SMS are supported (it can also show notifications related to calls). Beyond activity tracking and notifications, it doesn’t sound like the VB10 will be able to do much else.
In that way, Lenovo’s new fitness band is one of many new devices that focuses on long battery life and style as opposed to oodles of functionality. Android Wear was huge in the second half of last year, but Omate, Polar, AlcatelOne Touch, Mira, and others have opted for more simple devices that do just a couple of things on a much longer charge cycle.
It also looks incredibly stylish. Available in three colours (white, gold, and black), the VB10 has a leather (or leather-look) band with a metallic buckle and rivets to match the frame around the display. It definitely looks like a device you’d wear every day as opposed to just at the gym.
Our biggest question is whether this device will be sold in Canada when it becomes available in April. The branding suggests no (Lenovo’s Vibe line of phones aren’t available in Canada) but it’s a lot easier to bring a fitness tracker to market than a line of smartphones, so we won’t rule it out just yet. Stay tuned for hands- on impressions.
MobileSyrup may earn a commission from purchases made via our links, which helps fund the journalism we provide free on our website. These links do not influence our editorial content. Support us here.
