Sony SmartBand 2, we have tested it

The Sony SmartBand 2 is the new bracelet from the Japanese company to record your physical activity. A device that is committed to simplicity, since it lacks any type of touch screen or external LED indicator. In fact, it can easily go unnoticed . All the activity we carry out is recorded on the bracelet and is synchronized with our mobile or tablet through Bluetooth technology . The SmartBand 2 includes a pedometer to measure the number of steps we take, several sensors to record when we exercise while riding a bike or running, and a heart rate meter that can keep track of our pulse throughout the day. It can already be found on the market for a price of120 euros . We have had the opportunity to try this accessory for a few days, we will tell you what our impressions are.

Simple and very wearable design

There is no doubt that the SmartBand 2 immediately attracts attention… Because of its simplicity . This accessory uses a small central pad that is the machine itself and a rubber band where it is inserted, which is the one that is fixed to the wrist as if it were a watch. On the outside, it can perfectly pass for one of those rubber bracelets that were so successful a few months ago (although now it is not so common to see them on the street). The idea behind this accessory is that we can put it on and then "forget" its presence . And it is that the only interaction that the bracelet facilitates is its ability to vibrate every time we receive a notification or a call on our mobile. Another key that could not be missing in a team of this type is its certificationIP68 . The Sony SmartBand can be submerged up to three meters deep without danger of damage (and as long as the tablet is well covered by the band).

Its full dimensions are  40.7 x 15.3 x 9.5 mm and its weight reaches 25 grams . Users can get this bracelet in both black and white. In short, it is a very comfortable accessory to wear but not so much to put on, since sometimes you have to fight with its strap to make it fit where you want. To charge, simply remove the main unit from the strap and connect it to a MicroUSB cable such as a smartphone charger.

Mobile apps

As we said before, the use of this device does not make sense if it is not carried out together with a smartphone or tablet. The SmartBand 2 from Sony is capable of storing our data without the mobile device is nearby but to visualize the information we need to draw on the dedicated application. And this is where we must make another paragraph. The basic app to make use of our SmartBand is called SmartBand 2. This tool has a very simple interface and collects device data throughout the day. In addition to the steps that we have carried out in this time, we will also find the information related to our heart ratewith the last record, the hours of sleep and the estimated time of exercise both walking and running. This tool has an attractive design and colorful, but it is clear that if we use this bracelet with the interest of carrying out a physical activity lasting we will stay quite short (just the displayed data one day ).

Another option that we find interesting is to configure this bracelet to vibrate when receiving notifications, or its function as a remote control to play the music from an app on our smartphone (although as expected the control is very simple by using a single button to perform this feature). Finally, we have a smart alarm. We enter a time interval for the alarm and the bracelet measures the best time to wake up according to our sleep cycle.

To complete the functionality of the SmartBand 2, it is necessary to install a second application. There are two options. Use Google Fit or bet on Sony Lifelog. This second option is more complete and we find it very interesting. This app keeps a record of all the activity we carry out through our mobile, not only movement but also access to social networks, the camera, navigation ...The data on the SmartBand is synchronized directly and the record takes longer than a single day. In fact, the grace of this application is in a timeline in which icons appear that mark our activity. The animated character moves when we drag the timeline at those times of the day when we exercise. Apart from this interactive part, we can see the totals of our steps, calories burned, the average of our heart rate (and maximum and minimum) or the time of exercise (walking, cycling or running). But best of all, this monitoring can be carried out beyond the time of a day, which will give us much more play.

Now, there are several buts to be aware of. One of the most annoying is the one that has to do with the consumption of Lifelog's battery, which will shorten the time of use of our smartphone (sometimes even too much). But it must also be taken into account that the synchronization with the SmartBand is not always adequate and sometimes steps that do not appear in this registry escape . In fact, on occasion, steps are "lost"(which annoyed me a lot since I was so proud of my brand). Finally, a problem inherent to the smart bracelet is that it sometimes marks types of exercise that are not actually being carried out, although it is a problem that we have also seen in other devices with this type of physical activity record . In short, a very fun and curious tool but one that still lacks a development point.

Autonomy, price and opinions

According to official Sony data , this bracelet is capable of reaching two days of normal use. We have verified that this figure is very much in line with reality , since we took the smart bracelet on a press trip and it lasted a little over two days operating with remarkable activity. The Sony SmartBand 2 bracelet is now available on the market for a price of 120 euros. In short, an accessory very oriented to sports users and those who want to have a continuous record of their physical activity without leaving their smartphone. It is easy to forget that you are wearing this bracelet and that is precisely the goal of the Japanese company. Of course, it seems to us that its main app is quite lame.

Sony SmartBand 2

Design

software 

Power 

Memory

Connections

Autonomy

+ info

Price 120 euros