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Turning on the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet and setting up Mi Fit. Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet: reviews, instructions, review

Pavel Gorodnitsky - about the pros and cons of a gadget that costs only a couple of thousand rubles and is sold in crazy quantities.

At the very end of spring, Xiaomi presented the long-awaited Mi Band 3 tracker. The initial reaction of fans was complete disappointment. Fans believed that the Chinese would integrate GPS and a color screen into the bracelet, but their hopes were not justified: if you look only at the characteristics, the third generation of the device is almost no different from the second. A little bigger screen, a little better battery life - that's all the progress. However, in the first three weeks, Xiaomi shipped a million new Mi Bands to stores - the demand was crazy.

The device also appeared in Russia almost immediately - it could be purchased in “gray” stores or ordered directly from China. Many of my friends have already acquired this device, and I tested it for several days. A summary of impressions is below.

The main thing is the price

Xiaomi acted very cunningly: it took advantage of the brand’s popularity, saved on production and set the lowest possible price tag. All this led to the fact that all competitors were washed away from the budget tracker market - only Mi Bands remained.

The third generation of the bracelet costs only $26. In Russia they ask for 2-2.5 thousand rubles for it if you contact “gray” sellers, and a little less than two thousand if you wait for a parcel from Asia. That is why, to the question: “Why do you need it?” Most people answer like this: “It’s so cheap, why not buy it. If I lose it, break it, or just get tired of it, I don’t mind.”

You need to understand two things. Firstly, if you want to save total money on a tracker from Xiaomi, it’s wiser to go with Mi Band 2 - it now costs about a thousand rubles. Secondly, it’s stupid to buy Mi Band 3 from official retailers - they want 4 thousand for it, and this is madness. A markup of almost 2.5 times is absolute chaos, be careful.

The screen is large, but not perfect

The main feature of the Mi Band 3 is a relatively large (for a bracelet) OLED screen. It is needed to show the time and display notifications. In principle, the display copes with missions, but there are nuances. The most unpleasant disadvantage is sunlight: it is clear that due to the very cheap matrix, the screen becomes critically blind under direct rays.

The second compromise is notifications: some bracelets without flashing do not have the Russian language, so carefully study the device before purchasing. However, support for the Cyrillic alphabet is still far from ideal - there is a huge distance between the letters, so it is inconvenient to read messages.

But still, the owners of Mi Band 3 note: if you properly configure the notifications themselves, the bracelet will vibrate only in the most important cases, and this is a useful option. For example, when a taxi arrives and you don’t want to take your smartphone out of your pocket again.

Heart rate monitor - the most pleasant surprise

The old Mi Band 2 has a heart rate monitor, but it is more like a random number generator - you can put two bracelets on two hands, and then get significantly different indicators.

Mi Band 3 also has an error, but it is tolerable - it will definitely be suitable for monitoring fat burning when you need to train in a certain heart rate zone (for example, 135-150 beats). Therefore, for simple cardio exercises, the third Band is definitely suitable, but if you need to monitor your heart rate every second, it is better to take something more expensive. And this is logical, because a decent heart rate monitor for 2 thousand rubles is already a holiday.

What to expect from the battery?

from side to side" does not kill Mi Band 3. Although it’s really better not to abuse diving.

What are the coolest features?

Health" (it is very beautiful). Although, unfortunately, many things (including the alarm clock) can only be configured in the proprietary Mi Fit app with its peculiar Asian interface.

What is missing?

Oh, for that kind of money it’s great!”, then only one burning question remains: where is NFC?

The version with the chip will appear only in September and will cost five dollars more than the usual ($31), but there is a good chance that it will be possible to pay using the bracelet only in China. That is, first Xiaomi says: “Pfft, we don’t put NFC in cheap smartphones, because we don’t pay that way,” and then it clamps down on the most useful chip for the rest of the world. It’s hard to follow the logic here - especially in China, however, they often pay using QR codes.

Should I buy or not?

As mentioned above, it’s best to think of the Mi Band 3 as an inconspicuous and ultra-affordable bracelet with a solid set of useful functions.

The tracker has little to do with real sports due to the low cost of the sensors - the data will still be approximate and will not be suitable for anyone except beginners and amateurs.

The Mi Band 3 cannot be called a stylish accessory either: the design is very simple and minimalistic. But the bracelet is definitely beautiful as a souvenir - the device can be presented to anyone. And this is its most win-win and universal application.

In recent years, the number of different accessories for smartphones has been increasing, and many manufacturers have already introduced new fitness bracelets to the general public. Xiaomi is no exception - over the years they have released two hits - Xiaomi Mi Band 1S Pulse and Xiaomi Mi Band 2. The advantages of each of the above bracelets are practicality, pleasant appearance, maximum functionality with many settings and a very affordable competitive price. Customize the gadget to your taste and use it with maximum comfort, because besides the clock, there are many other cool features that you will definitely include in your use!

By tradition, Xiaomi takes its bracelets very seriously, and especially their delivery set. When purchasing, you receive a neat gray cardboard box, after opening which you will see the “capsule” - the core of the device. Under the bracelet itself there is a rubber strap made of high-quality material, a USB cord for charging the bracelet (there is no cube included) and instructions for the fitness tracker. This is the kit that the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet comes with.

When you start the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S bracelet for the first time, we recommend that you recharge it, since most often the device comes to the buyer completely discharged, and only then fully launch it. To do this, remove the bracelet capsule and insert it into the charger with two shiny contacts inward. After this, connect the charger to the outlet through the “cube” from the smartphone or connect it to a laptop/PC - if everything is turned on correctly, the diodes on the bracelet will start blinking. In the future, it will be enough to charge the gadget approximately once a month - this is quite enough, because it can be turned on for quite a long time.

In the meantime, your mi band bracelet is charging, download and install the application for Android Mi Fit on your smartphone (if you need Russian, download and install) or for iOS (iPhone, iPad) https://itunes.apple.com/ru/app /mi-fit/id938688461?mt=8 – through it you will further interact with your fitness tracker. The user manual that was in the box will not be useful to you - configure the bracelet using these instructions.

Registration

An important point in setting up Mi Band is that if you have not set up Mi accounts before, you can do this through a browser or mobile application. In the first case, go to the official website and fill out the forms there, indicating your email address, date of birth and your country. And we recommend unchecking the box for sending messages from the Mi Store. Plus, some instructions write that you can use your mobile number instead of an e-mail address - to do this, click on the special item at the bottom of the page. After all the above steps have been completed, you will be prompted to enter your password twice and also enter a verification code. You can log into the system through the settings using your login and password.

But when launching the application and registering through it, it is better to use an email address rather than a phone number - for users from the CIS countries, registration through a mobile number has not yet been configured properly.

Xiaomi Mi Band: setup

And yet, the main question for users who have just bought a brand new Xiaomi accessory is the question “how to set up a fitness bracelet.” Setting it up is very simple:

  1. We activate the application using the registered login and password. The app will ask you to enter your gender, nickname, weight, height, date of birth and desired minimum number of steps per day. If you wish, you can change your personal data later.
  2. Connect the bracelet. Everything is very simple here - you need to connect and configure via Bluetooth wireless technology (turn it on on your smartphone), you just need to follow the recommendations specified in the application. First, select the device type, after which the application will ask you to press the bracelet - tap it lightly, this will be enough. If this manipulation has correctly configured the bracelet and everything is done correctly, a message will appear on the screen indicating that the device binding has been successfully completed.
  3. After successful connection, the bracelet's firmware will be updated, and for this operation to go smoothly, keep the tracker next to your smartphone. Once the firmware update is complete, you will see the open application interface on the phone display - now you can delve into the settings and activate the most interesting functions.

Mi Band Gestures

In the Mi Fit app itself, you can see three tabs called "Profile", "Activity" And "Notifications". In statistics you can view:

  • Number of steps taken and activity per day;
  • Statistics for any past period;
  • Grouping information by different time periods (day, week, month) and for the entire training course;
  • Information about the sleep of the bracelet owner: phases, duration of deep sleep, REM sleep, when there was awakening and much more;
  • Dynamics of changes in weight and differences in weight over different periods;
  • Body mass index, physique.

You can create multiple accounts, run them at different times, and view data from multiple users. In the achievement bar, you can see the number of steps taken per day and whether the initially set goal was achieved. Sort information by date, share achievements on social networks or send them via instant messengers.

Function "Run" in Mi Bend you can activate it when you turn on the GPS - wait until the icon for the number of active satellites turns green and start your activity. While you're running, Mi Fit will show basic information about your workout - if this feature is turned on, you'll see your speed, average pace and distance covered, calories burned, as well as your running trajectory. You can stop the countdown by long pressing "Pause".

In addition to viewing statistics through a smartphone, you can find out the statistics you are interested in with a special movement - as if you were looking at a wristwatch. This gesture will make the indicators flicker - if two of the three diodes are blinking, then you have already completed 2/3 of the daily norm, one - more than 30% has been completed, the bracelet does not light up at all - you have not yet completed even a third of the number of steps planned for the day.

When the set goal is reached, the vibration will turn on, and the bracelet will flash at this time. When you check the distance traveled with a gesture "viewing the time on the clock" and the two outermost diodes light up, which means you have reached the goal, and if all three are blinking, the goal has been exceeded.

Other functions

  • The included incoming call notification function is very convenient;
  • Alarm clock (activates even when the phone is discharged);
  • Alerts about notifications in applications on a smartphone or about SMS messages - even the most ignorant user can easily activate the function in the settings;
  • Dust- and partially waterproof (you can shower with the bracelet or briefly dive with it to a depth of one meter);
  • Pulse measurement.

The first version of the bracelet became famous for the poor quality of the strap, but more modern models now use the most durable alloy, and this significantly increases the wear resistance of the device.

I said that I should not have underestimated fitness bracelets, considering them completely wretched compared to smart watches. As it turned out, they are not at all wretched: at a cost an order of magnitude lower than “smart” watches, they perform almost all the same functions. And the fact that their display is not on all the time and, as a rule, is monochrome is all quite bearable, especially since fitness bracelets last from 14 to 30 days on a single charge, and most “smart” watches survive a maximum of a couple of days. (Well, except for a couple of other manufacturers.)

I have compiled a list of the most popular fitness bracelets on the market and am slowly studying and comparing them to understand which device can be called the best.

In today's review - a direct competitor and a kind of twin brother of the already reviewed Honor Band 3 - the Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet. (I gave the link to Ali, because for some reason on the English-language Xiaomi sites there is only Mi Band 2, but on the Spanish-language site there is already Mi Band 3.)

Specifications:

Display: 0.78", OLED, black and white, touch
Wireless connection: Bluetooth 4.0
Battery: 110 mAh (up to 20 days)
Dimensions: 17.9 x 46.9 x 12 mm
Weight: 20 g
Speaker/microphone: No
Definition of coordinates: No
Waterproof: IP68 (immersion up to 5 meters)
Monitoring: steps, running, calorie consumption, sleep
Price: 2.1-3 thousand rubles on Yandex.Market (about $26 on Ali, in Europe about €30)

Well, in general, it really is the twin brother of Honor Band 3. And there is also no NFC, which does not suit many users.

By the way, I read that there is a modification of this bracelet with NFC, but due to problems with protection against unauthorized access to the bracelet, this version for payment can only be used in China.

Contents of delivery

A white, unremarkable box. Neither the inscription “Fitness forever” for you, nor the call “Walk always, walk everywhere until the last days of the day.”

Inside: bracelet, strap, charging cradle, instructions in Chinese.

Appearance and features

There are some peculiarities here, that’s for sure. Unlike Honor Band 3, where the strap is attached to the bracelet body with four bolts, here the bracelet has a special groove on the body and is simply inserted into the strap. And it sits there quite tightly.

Strap. It snaps into place with a special protrusion with a cap, which must fit into the corresponding hole so that the bracelet fits snugly to the hand. The fastening here is more convenient than that of Honor Band 3, because there are two protrusions, and here there is one - it is easier to fasten, and it fits quite tightly on the hand.

Apparently, this was done so that the bracelet could be quickly rearranged into straps of different colors. They are sold individually in the desired color, and a whole set of various colors can also be purchased. Select for yourself individual straps of the desired colors.

At the bottom of the bracelet there is a sensor for measuring pulse.

There is a control button on the front of the bracelet, but it is just a small recess in the lower part of the case.

This bracelet with a strap is next to the watch.

There is a peculiar story with charging. Apparently, due to the design features, to insert it into the cradle, the bracelet must be pulled out of the strap. This is not very convenient, but, on the other hand, it is no more difficult than attaching the Honor Band 3 to your cradle.

In addition, this operation has to be performed once every 14-20 days, and not every other day, so this feature can be experienced very easily. But it’s pretty cool to choose a strap to match the color of your shirt or T-shirt and change the strap in just 5 seconds.

Device operation

When turned on, a symbol for connecting to a smartphone and some hieroglyphs appeared on the bracelet. And I read in reviews about all sorts of dances with a tambourine in order to make the smartphone understand the Cyrillic alphabet, but it was also reported that new firmware should already support Russian out of the box.

And so it turned out. I downloaded the Mi Fit application (available for Android and iPhone), with which the bracelet works, selected the language, the application detected and connected the bracelet - after that, both the application and the bracelet worked without problems in Russian, no dancing was required.

The display of the bracelet is monochrome; the screen turns on when you press a button (indentation) or with a hand gesture (this option is set in the application settings).

The time and date are displayed on the screen. Two more display options are also available.

By scrolling up or down, the following screens appear: steps, heart rate, weather, notifications, miscellaneous (which for some reason is called “details” here).

Some types of help topics have multiple screens that you can scroll through with a horizontal swipe.

Steps also contain distance, kilocalories and, for some reason, the battery charge of the bracelet (why they are in steps is completely unclear).

Heart Rate: Pressing the button measures your current heart rate. The device can also constantly monitor your heart rate, but this is enabled in the application.

Weather: today, tomorrow, the day after tomorrow.

Latest notifications you can scroll through.

Received SMS.

Miscellaneous. There is a stopwatch, turning off/on the sound on the smartphone, searching for the smartphone (it begins to emit a corresponding signal), changing the dial, system information.

The step dial looks like this.

And now about the operation of the Mi Fit application.

Main screen.

Full step statistics.

Activity for the last 30 days.

History of load shame.

Detailed sleep statistics. And how nice it is to see that I slept better than 72% of users.

Pulse and statistics.

The bracelet measures steps by default, and if there is any activity ahead, it can be tracked explicitly. The route is also tracked (by phone).

Settings.

Observations during operation and conclusions

The declared battery life of twenty days was quite true, but only if constant heart rate monitoring was turned off: in this case, the charge level decreased by 5% per day. With constant heart rate monitoring, consumption increases by about one and a half to two times, and the bracelet lasted about two weeks on a single charge.

Outdoors, the image on the display is visible if there is no direct sunlight. In direct sunlight it becomes completely blind - just like Honor Band 3.

There is a “smart” alarm clock here, but it’s just “smart” in quotes. As in all other cases (smart watches, fitness bracelets), a couple of times it can wake you up at a more or less appropriate time, but after the first time, when it wakes you up completely “from the flashlight”, you will use this excellent opportunity stop and go back to your regular alarm clock - at least there will be no surprises there.

There were no complaints about the performance of this bracelet. Notifications were done correctly (it vibrates), it was convenient to use. Counts steps, measures pulse, measures sleep quite accurately.

Compared to Honor Band 3, this is actually a twin brother, and it costs about the same. But I liked the ability to easily and quickly change straps, which the Honor Band 3 does not have.

Have you noticed how popular sports have become? Especially in order to engage in it, people buy special clothes, shoes, and accessories. Some are even looking for phones and media players that make their exercise run more enjoyable and comfortable. And there are many such examples. It has even gotten to the point that there is a special fitness bracelet that allows you to check how much physical exercise a person has done and how many calories he has burned.

The arrival of Xiaomi

In general, these bracelets became very popular at one time, winning a huge number of fans. However, due to their rarity (and, probably, for marketing effect), these gadgets were not so cheap - about 100-150 dollars per copy. Although the cost is low relative to other gadgets, not everyone can afford to buy such a “toy”. Especially if you take into account the residents of “third world” countries. What about those who also want to watch their calories?

The innovative Chinese gadget developer Xiaomi offered a solution. It launched its Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker at a revolutionary price of $25. This move undoubtedly became a landmark for the tracker market - and the company had massive sales around the world. It even got to the point that the bracelet was bought back before new batches of it were in the store. And all this is due to the high quality and low price of the new product.

Concept

In fact, the entire concept of the model is built on the basis of the accessibility and wide functionality of the device. After all, Xiaomi Mi Band (the review will prove this) can not only track the number of steps a person takes per day. In fact, we have a multi-purpose assistant that also “monitors” your mobile - synchronizing with it, receives alerts and signals about them; allows you to wake you up in the morning with vibrations that are invisible to others; monitors the quality and duration of sleep based on your hand movements. A small device that fits easily on your wrist and costs $25 can do all this!

Moreover, do not forget about the classic approach of Xiaomi, expressed in products like the Mi4 smartphone or the Mi Pad tablet - to make beautiful and high-quality devices that people will like. The same principle is 100% preserved in the fitness tracker, as evidenced by the design of the device. About him - further in the text.

Appearance

It would seem, how can you surprise a user with a bracelet? What should be present in the ergonomics of a device so that it “hooks” and makes working with it pleasant and comfortable?

Having developed the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker, the manufacturing company resorted to several interesting solutions, making it truly interesting in every sense. The “mind” of the bracelet is placed in a special metal core that has protection, which we will talk about in more detail a little later. This “electronic brain” is attached to a special strap made of material that is especially resistant to mechanical damage. Of course, it is adapted for long-term wear and has additional protection against sudden opening due to a special locking mechanism.

The strap can be changed if you want your Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker to look different - there are several color combinations on sale.

Assembly and kit

When purchasing a device, you receive it in a Xiaomi branded box. If you have already had a product from this company, then you know that the box is made of simple cardboard with the developer’s logo in the form of two letters - Mi.

Once you open the package, you will find the core, strap, charging cord and instructions. Of course, the charging cable is also suitable for connecting to a PC to monitor information from the tracker, set settings and reset data. At one end the cord has a USB output, while at the other there is a connector for connecting the core by placing it inside a special slot. In order to understand what we are talking about, we recommend looking at the photo.

There are no problems in starting to work with the gadget immediately after opening the box. As reviews describing the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker show, in some cases the model turns out to be discharged - so you need to put it on recharge. Read more about how the gadget consumes energy a little further.

Software

The “mind” of the bracelet is controlled using special software installed on your PC, as well as a smartphone or tablet. In the last two cases, this can be a mobile application on Android or iOS, through which the connection and further synchronization of the device will take place. In general, interaction between gadgets is possible thanks to Bluetooth technology.

The software has a user-friendly interface that even a child can understand. Here everything is arranged in the form of tabs that perform different tasks. Firstly, here you should indicate your physiological data - your gender, height, weight, etc. - so the bracelet can more accurately calculate your needs and characteristics during physical activity. Secondly, in the specified application you can view detailed statistics. This will show the number of steps you have taken and the distance you have moved during the day. This means that a person, using the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker, can set his own goals and “minimums” for physical labor. The gadget will “monitor” that you complete your tasks every day.

Nutrition

The energy source for the small metal box (the so-called “core” of the bracelet) is a miniature battery installed inside. You can't remove it - it's completely closed from the outside.

The small battery size does not mean that you will have to constantly charge your bracelet - no, nothing like that. In fact, the device is very economical - it consumes very little for all its functions.

As customer reviews describing the Xiaomi Mi Band fitness tracker show, on average the device runs out of charge every 1-1.5 months. You can find out that the bracelet needs to be connected to power through the corresponding light signals - three indicators are lit on the gadget, which can glow in different colors.

Protection

The developers of Xiaomi Mi Band (Black) claim that the bracelet can resist moisture and dust at a level that makes it comfortable to use in everyday life. In particular, if you wash your hands and a little moisture gets on your device, nothing will happen. But we do not recommend swimming with the tracker - with longer contact with water, the gadget may fail.

The core is reliably protected from falls and mechanical shocks by the massive strap surrounding it. It has a special recess in it to place the previously described box with filling.

When the Xiaomi Mi Band 1S (or version 1) is assembled, its connection to the rubber base looks very organic and pleasant - the best sign that the designers from China did their best.

Generations

It should be said that the gadget is supplied to the market in various versions, of which at the time of publication of the article there are two - the first generation of the tracker and the second (Xiaomi Mi Band 1S). The difference between them, of course, is in their functions. A newer version of the gadget can also read the heart rate of the person wearing the bracelet, and can also be used as a key to access a smartphone (valid only on Xiaomi models).

There are rumors that Xiaomi Mi Band 2, an even newer version, will also be available for sale. True, no one knows what capabilities this modification will have. Of course, when it enters the market, an incredible stir will arise around the gadget, which will again make the company famous.

True, for success, together with the new Xiaomi Mi Band 2, you will need to offer something truly worthy of the attention of all fans of electronic devices. This is also not easy to do.

Nothing attracts the attention of buyers in the electronics market more than inexpensive gadgets endowed with rich functionality. The reader will get acquainted with one of such devices in this article: the Band smart bracelet is designed to diversify the leisure time of a person who prefers an active lifestyle. Reviews, instructions, reviews and recommendations from professionals will allow the buyer to understand that it is simply impossible to live without such a device at the present time.

Fun gadget

Before we begin the review and the technical characteristics of the device, you need to understand what the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet actually is and what it is. At first glance, the gadget looks a lot like a silicone Power Balance bracelet, worn on the wrist instead of a watch. It is this similarity that repels many potential buyers from the device when they first meet it.

In fact, it plays the role of a wrist strap, and the functionality is provided by a small device that has a built-in computer and many sensors. The gadget is positioned on the market as a pedometer capable of measuring the distance traveled and mathematically calculating calories burned.

First meeting

The Chinese miracle, to the surprise of many buyers, comes in decent packaging made of thick cardboard. True, the description on the back is unlikely to help the user find out about the contents, since all the inscriptions consist of hieroglyphs. The equipment is standard for all devices of this type: a Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet, setup instructions in the form of pictures, a silicone bracelet and a USB cable for charging.

Many users will definitely have questions about the instruction manual, because even a child can handle the button clasp on the bracelet (almost all the attention is paid to it in the instructions). But there’s not a word in the book about how to set up the gadget. True, there is a QR code that takes up one page. So the Chinese are hinting that all explanations are available in encrypted form somewhere on the Internet.

Gadget assembly and first impressions

The silicone strap has a very pleasant tactile sensation and will definitely not cause irritation when touched even by people with allergies, as do cheap plastic watches brought from the Land of the Rising Sun. There are no complaints about the metal body of the computer. It is made of matte metal and has no sharp corners (from the outside it looks like a flat tablet).

Assembling the Xiaomi Mi Band Black smart bracelet is quite simple. On the strap itself there is a special groove in the form of a frame into which you need to insert a metal gadget. For ease of installation, you can stretch the edges of the silicone case to the sides. Many buyers are confused by the process of constantly assembling and disassembling the bracelet (after all, in order to recharge the gadget, it must be removed from the silicone case). But many owners in their reviews assure that the elastic bracelet is very durable and does not spontaneously stretch during use.

Device Specifications

The external attractiveness of Chinese products sometimes does not meet the technical specifications for many devices, fortunately the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet does not have this negative. An overview of the gadget's functionality will delight even the most demanding buyer.

  1. The device is equipped with an economical 3-axis accelerometer ADXL362, which is installed in all expensive Android smartphones.
  2. The built-in lithium-polymer battery with a capacity of 41 mAh ensures guaranteed operation without recharging for up to 30 days.
  3. The weight of the gadget itself is 5 grams (plus the strap weighs 8 grams).
  4. The device supports Bluetooth versions 4.0 and 4.1
  5. Moisture protection according to the IP67 standard allows you not to remove the gadget from your hand during water procedures.

Linking to a smartphone

The gadget is controlled and configured via Bluetooth using a special Mi Fit application, which does not include the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet on an optical disc. How to connect a gadget to a smartphone is the most popular question among potential buyers. It’s better to start with the fact that the management software is available for only two operating systems: iOS and Android 4.3.

Immediately after launch, the application will ask the owner for health and age data. For the program to function fully, the user must create an account on the Xiaomi website and go through authorization (the menu is in English). Once all actions are completed, the smartphone will automatically contact the smart bracelet. The blinking of all indicators on the gadget will indicate an authorization request. To confirm, the user must touch the surface of the device with a finger.

Pedometer functionality

A built-in accelerometer in a mobile device will no longer surprise anyone. However, not every gadget is able to distinguish between walking and running. Differentiating the speed of movement, measuring the distance traveled, calculating calories burned - the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet has all the functions useful to the user. Reviews from the owners of the gadget boil down to the fact that the device can measure the pulse, however, no one has been able to obtain data on the heartbeat.

In addition to an informative table and graphs on the smartphone display, the owner of the gadget can receive data directly from the gadget itself. Three LED indicators are controlled by the phone software and show the device owner the percentage of the path traveled (one third, two thirds, completion of the path). This looks quite strange at first, but later the owner quickly gets used to this solution, because putting your hand to your eyes is much easier than taking the smartphone out of your pocket.

Sleep phases

Another function of the smart bracelet clearly leads owners to believe that the gadget has a heart rate monitor, but the manufacturer assures that the accelerometer monitors sleep functions in the device. According to the developer’s idea, it is by the position of the hand during sleep that the Xiaomi Mi Band smart fitness bracelet monitors the state of the body. The user does not need to press any buttons; the sensor independently determines when the body falls asleep and wakes up.

The result of determining the sleep phases for the user will be a graph with time division and indication of periods of deep sleep. By taking several measurements and comparing the resulting graphs, you can find out the favorable time for waking up. This topic has recently received a lot of attention, because scientists have found that it is the correct exit from the sleep phase that determines a person’s mood for the whole day.

Notification system

The Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is equipped with vibration. Judging by the reviews of the owners, this function is the most popular in this gadget. Firstly, the alarm for incoming calls and messages is very convenient when you set your smartphone to silent mode. It is impossible to miss an important call with certain program settings. Naturally, vibration on the wrist can wake you up from sleep, which is very convenient in the morning when you don’t want to wake up the whole house with alarm sounds. And if we take into account that the function of controlling sleep phases is interconnected with the warning system, then getting up in the morning has a more favorable effect on the health of the body as a whole.

A nice addition is a large number of reminder programs that are synchronized with the Mi Fit application. No important event will be missed. The only negative reported by gadget owners in their reviews is the inability of popular communication programs (Skype, Viber, WhatsAp) with a smart bracelet on the smartphone’s native firmware.

Maintaining statistics and drawing graphs

Smart is interesting to many buyers due to its ability to synchronize with a mobile device (smartphone or tablet). Naturally, such a relationship attracts the attention of those who like to keep reports and observe their own training results. Proprietary software can not only provide a report on the completed workout, but also keep exercise logs and build graphs to visualize effectiveness.

However, for those who want to lose weight, many fitness trainers recommend using combined software (available on the Internet only for the Android platform), which, in addition to physical activity, also takes into account the intake of calories into the body. This solution will allow you to see with your own eyes the complete picture of human metabolism. To understand all the nuances of the program, it is recommended to first study the recommendations and instructions of the software developers.

Marketing ploy?

The manufacturer states that training and weight loss are the priority functions that the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is positioning on the market. Reviews from many owners claim that the gadget does this job perfectly. After all, the Mi Fit software menu provides for the presence of several training programs (walking, running, squats and abs). The accelerometer counts, and the smart program calculates the calories burned. Visually everything looks functional.

However, owners have many questions for the manufacturer regarding the calculations themselves, because, logically, energy consumption directly depends on body temperature and heart rate. Therefore, many coaches believe that this gadget has nothing to do with sports. The only useful feature in a fitness device is the alert system. You can set up a stopwatch, Tabata counter, or reminder that will notify the user by vibrating the gadget on the wrist.

Positive feedback from owners

First of all, the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet attracts buyers with its appearance. A beautiful gadget of the 21st century evokes the admiration of everyone around you. about calls and an effective alarm clock on the wrist were liked by all users. At first, many owners could not get used to the LED display (the lack of a display on a smart bracelet is still confusing). But, having figured out the device, users discovered a lot of software on the Internet for setting up and managing this wonderful gadget.

It turns out that the indication of the three LEDs can be customized according to the user’s wishes, up to individual notifications about incoming calls in the form of Morse code (we are talking about applications for Android). An important factor for many buyers is the cost of the device on the domestic market (1,500 rubles). As many owners note, they received the gadget as a gift from loved ones.

Weaknesses of the product

You can find fault with any device on the mobile market; for example, many potential buyers are not satisfied that the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet is black. It doesn’t look good with a white smartphone; the manufacturer should have thought about this before presenting it on the market. There are also complaints about the function of determining sleep phases - an accidental awakening before the alarm goes off is regarded by the gadget as wakefulness, and it no longer wants to monitor sleep.

As many professionals note in their reviews, the device does not correctly calculate calories burned. When compared with a professional heart rate monitor, the differences are about 10-15%. Naturally, this figure is unacceptable for many people who want to lose excess weight. The brightness of the LED display cannot be reduced; some owners are annoyed by this (in reviews, many users advise painting the light bulbs with black nail polish).

Finally

Many potential buyers will certainly ask themselves the question when they see the Xiaomi Mi Band smart bracelet on the market: “What is this - a toy, an alarm clock or a fitness trainer?” It’s difficult to say for sure, because everything depends only on the needs of the user himself. You need a beautiful and modern gadget - which means the bracelet is designed for entertainment. The need for effective sleep and timely rise in the morning will assign the device the status of an alarm clock. And training monitoring will definitely turn the gadget into a wonderful fitness trainer. Each buyer independently decides what he needs in the end result. The main thing is that the manufacturer pleased everyone by introducing a universal device to the market.