Subjective impressions of the new fitness tracker from Xiaomi.
I have been using Mi Band 2 for a little more than a week, and I hasten to share my thoughts on updating the line of popular trackers. I want to make a reservation right away that the device was bought in China, my friend assured that it was the original, during the time of using it, there was no doubt about it. I was alarmed by the fact that the module was in the box and was not inserted into the corresponding slot, perhaps the seller was checking the device. Of course, such a purchase is risky, so far everything is in order with my Mi Band, but my friend is extremely unhappy with his own: the gadget is completely discharged in a little over a day. So you may run out of trouble and save or overpay a small amount and buy Mi Band 2 in Russia, so that you can return money / exchange goods in case of a malfunction. So far, we are trying to understand the reasons for the malfunctioning, we will test with other devices, but our friend most likely came across a defective copy. And it is with this that it is worth starting a conversation about the changes that have affected the Mi Band 2.
If you believe the information from the network, then towards the end of the summer the packaging of Mi Band 2 has changed, now the device comes in a white glossy box, similar in size to the yellowish cardboard package that has become a business card. A box of a new sample came to me. Do not be afraid of this, this is the official packaging. In terms of configuration, nothing has changed: a capsule, a strap, an instruction in Chinese and a charging cable. The latter has increased in size compared to previous generations, so I advise you not to lose it, it will not work to charge Mi Band 2 through the cable from the first generation.
The popularity of the tracker has led to some interest among scammers. On the network you can find replicas that differ in functionality, price and are at least dangerous to use. Numerous photos of burnt wrists are proof of this. So how do you determine the originality of Mi Band 2? There is an opinion on the network that only an authentic tracker is synchronized with the original application, but it seems to me that Chinese craftsmen are quite capable of bypassing this 'barrier', as well as the method of checking by MAC address suggested by some users. Some fakes do not have an embossed Mi logo next to the sensor, but you still have to open the packaging to check its presence. Doubting users when buying in a store are advised to try to connect the module with a smartphone without opening the package, vibration from the box will at least confirm the possibility of establishing a connection.
The visual changes in Mi Band 2 are obvious, namely: the presence of OLED – a display with a diagonal of 0.42 inches and the increased size of the capsule (and accordingly the strap, which has become longer). The holes on the bracelet have become noticeably smaller in diameter, now it is not so easy to fasten it with one hand. It is worth noting that straps from previous generations of Mi Band are also not compatible with the new version.
Under the display is an anodized touch key with a relief that resembles polished steel or the glare on a CD in terms of the play of light. The same texture is applied to the clasp of the bracelet, which has become flatter compared to previous generations. Apparently, such a texture solution is not limited to Mi Band 2, it can also be found in other products of the company, for example, in the Piston 3 headphones. According to the tactile sensations, new materials are more pleasant, the fastener does not interfere so much when typing on a laptop, and black The glossy glass of the display looks more strict. The glass sometimes collects unwanted particles of clothing, hair, etc., but I do not see a problem with that.
The main functional innovations are tied to the display, which now displays information about the time, number of steps taken and distance while running, calories burned, heart rate and the remaining percentage of the module's charge. The updated application has an item where you can customize the displayed information by removing unnecessary items. The display can be activated in two ways – by turning the wrist towards yourself (optionally, scrolling through the information by repeated movements of the wrist is configured) or by pressing a button. Also, Mi Fit has a 'do not disturb' mode, where you can turn off receiving notifications during sleep or for a user-defined period of time, and there is also an option 'inactivity notification' in the menu, after activating which the Mi Band will receive a notification in case user inactivity for an hour. Detailed instructions for setting up and using Mi Band 2 can be found here.
The Mi Band 2 has a 70 mAh battery, you can fully charge it in 3-4 hours, I can't say for sure, I left the tracker discharged from the box to charge overnight. A few words about charge consumption. My use case is as follows: synchronization with a smartphone several times a day, mainly in order to show colleagues / friends what the device can do (the rest of the time Bluetooth is turned off), a dozen or two clicks on the button, display is turned on time and number of steps, display rotation activation is disabled. In this mode, the charge is almost not wasted, only on the fourth day I noticed a decrease in the charge by one percent, I am sure that 100% would have lasted a couple more days if I had not synchronized with the smartphone so often. In such a scenario of use, in my opinion, it is quite easy to reach an indicator of 30 days from a single charge, despite the declared 20. Of course, it is wrong to expect the performance of previous generations from Mi Band 2, the display, although small, but consumes the battery more actively.
Did I like the updated Mi Band? Of course, new materials and functional features do their job, even if I don't use all the opportunities. Not to say that the average price for Mi Band 2 in Russia is now in an acceptable range for me, but it is quite possible to buy it for two thousand and a few kopecks (Moscow, self-pickup), I would give this amount for a gadget if my friend did not give it, for which many thanks to him. Due to the difficulty of determining originality, I advise you to carefully consider the first two or three days with the device and not delay the return / exchange.
Mi Band 2 will be a good gift for a birthday or the upcoming New Year holidays, and quite versatile, especially if you choose an alternative leather or metal strap. The exterior of the new tracker is closer to me, it turned out to be a seemingly unremarkable black bracelet with useful functionality, the previous generations visually stood out due to the silvery color of the module. Again, there is a risk of getting a marriage, so before buying it is better to familiarize yourself with the information about the seller, read customer reviews.
Specifications:
- Category – fitness tracker
- Dimensions: 15.7 x 40.3 x 10.5mm
- Strap length – 15.5 – 21 cm
- Weight with strap – 19 grams
- Module material – plastic, aluminum alloy
- Strap material – TPSiV (combination of thermoplastic urethane and silicone), aluminum alloy
- Display: OLED, 0.42 ″, monochrome, non-touch, glossy glass with anti-scratch and anti-fingerprint glass
- Battery Li-Pol 70 mAh
- Compatibility: Bluetooth 4.0 BLE, Android 4.3+, iOS 7.0+ (iPhone 4S and newer), official support Windows Phone not declared, but there is a third party client
- Optional: heart rate monitor, ADI military grade three-axis accelerometer, redesigned distance and heart rate reading algorithms, IP67 protection category (dustproof, waterproof: withstands short-term immersion to a depth of 1 m), operating temperature range from -20 to 70 degrees