As a result of Huawei’s first attempt to conquer the world of wearable electronics, a truly rare device has appeared that can be rarely seen on the market. TalkBand B1, which was first demonstrated in February 2014, is a fitness tracker that can connect to your phone. However, instead of just displaying call information, the device actually performs the functions of a Bluetooth headset. Huawei TalkBand B1 is priced at $ 166.
Two in one
The gadget is very similar to the FitBit family or even the Sony SmartBand. In fact, this is a plastic strap that houses the main unit, which tracks the distance traveled and sleep. The difference from other similar devices is that the gadget's core, removed from the bracelet, becomes a full-featured Bluetooth-headset.
Huawei TalkBand B1 Design Review
The fitness tracker strap is made of hypoallergenic materials and is resistant to sweat and ultraviolet radiation to prevent it from fading. Large (16–20 cm) and small (13.5–17 cm) sizes are available. The degree of protection of the Huawei TalkBand B1 from dust and water is ip57, which means the ability to immerse 1 m under water for up to 30 minutes. Although it allows you to swim, it is better to limit yourself to a shower. There are only two buttons on B1: a switch is located on the side, which also serves as an interface switch, and on the bracelet there is a button that pushes the earphone out when necessary.
The detachable part has a slightly curved 1.4-inch screen. It is not touch sensitive and simple to the extreme, but its OLED technology provides good readability in daylight. By default, the display does not display anything. Using the side button, you can display the current time and battery level. Each subsequent press causes the number of steps taken, sleep time, calories burned and returns back to the clock. In addition, the gadget displays caller data on an incoming call.
The earphone is slightly larger than most other Bluetooth headsets, but these devices do not have a screen. Although few users are fans of blue, B1 is quite comfortable to wear, and the bracelet is quite securely attached to the hand. Nevertheless, left-handed people will probably need to check the device before buying, since the button placement and display orientation are best suited to be worn on the right hand. In general, Huawei TalkBand B1 owners praise the reviews for a rather neat design.
Battery life
A 95 mAh battery, according to Huawei, provides 6 days of battery life, although long conversations quickly reduce this time to naught - the gadget lasts 7 hours as a headset. The Huawei TalkBand B1 fitness bracelet compares favorably with charging or connecting to the docking station does not require the use of a special cable. With the headset installed, you can simply fold the end of the strap to open the charging system and simply plug it into any USB port or charger. The battery is fully restored in 2 hours.
Functionality
The user can specify the gadget to give a signal in case of inactivity of its owner, set the norm of steps and set a smart alarm clock. Like other similar fitness trackers, the Huawei TalkBand B1, when the sleep cycle goes into a shallow phase, vibrates for a while to wake its owner. For example, you can set an alarm at 7 in the morning with a ten-minute window. To signal, from 6:50 the tracker will wait for a way out of deep sleep. In addition, TalkBand has one little realized feature of a smart alarm clock - it can wake a person who is about to fall asleep. This will delight students, gamers, truck drivers and TV lovers.
Bluetooth headset
The Huawei TalkBand B1 Black smart bracelet has two different functions - a Bluetooth headset and a fitness tracker. The device becomes a headphone when removed from the strap. At the same time, the headset connects to the phone and changes the function of a single module button - it allows you to pick up the phone or end a conversation. Volume control is not provided. In terms of communication and voice quality, the B1 is a reliable device. According to the reviews of the owners who used it both indoors and outdoors, his sound is clear, at the other end of the communication line his voice is heard clearly, albeit with a slight metallic echo. You can answer the call if you remove B1 from the bracelet. This is accompanied by a slightly strange sensation, but the device functions well, even if you have to dig a bit to find and remove the headphone. Bluetooth is not suitable for some users. The kit includes silicone nozzles in three sizes, but none of them fit. According to them, it seems to them that the device is about to fall out of their ears. This does not happen, but you have to constantly worry about the safety of the headphone.
Fitness tracker
According to some user reviews, they were disappointed that the Huawei TalkBand B1 application does not allow you to track the performance of individual exercises. But those of them who were just looking for a reliable pedometer do not see a problem in this. Recorders of steps and duration of sleep work exactly, but the relatively large size of B1 means that it is not very comfortable to wear at night. In addition, since you cannot specify the time to fall asleep, the device takes into account any period of inactivity as a dream - if you remove it during work at the table, the gadget will record the sleep period in the middle of the day. If the fitness tracker is worn while running or other rather strenuous activity, then the bracelet quickly causes profuse sweating. Although TalkBand is waterproof, like the Sony SmartBand, water can penetrate the gap around the main unit, so owners quickly stop showering with it.
Although B1 can be worn as a watch, the need to press a button to see the time is uncomfortable. At the same time, the gadget has all the necessary sensors so that the display turns on when the bracelet is brought to the eyes. It is implemented in modern smart watches. Of course, this is only a fitness tracker, but if its main screen is a watch, then such a desire does not seem excessive.
Huawei TalkBand B1: TalkBand app user guide
With regard to the TalkBand application, Huawei seems to have headed for a tough anti-fool policy - the user interface is nowhere simpler. First you need to enter your gender, age, height and weight, necessary for calculating calories burned. The default interface allows you to monitor the number of steps taken and the duration of sleep. Clicking on any of the indicators displays the hourly breakdown during the day. Or you can compare sleep and steps throughout the week or month.
The data collected by Huawei TalkBand B1 Blue is synchronized with a Bluetooth-connected smartphone using the Huawei TalkBand application installed on it, which is available for devices running Android and iOS. There is no possibility of automatic data loading (probably for reasons of energy saving). Synchronization is performed when you open the application or force update. The main screen of the program contains information about how the sleep went and current fitness information. If you swipe it left with your finger, you can return to the history of data collected day after day, or by touching any measurements (number of steps, distance, calories, sleep), filter the information by the selected parameter. You can look at beautiful simple graphs for a day, a week or a month. The application settings are minimal - you need to enter personal data, set the daily rate of steps, turn the reminder on or off and, if necessary, set the alarm parameters. The application definitely does not do in-depth analysis and does not produce mountains of useful information, but it works without problems and allows you to access data at any time.
Conclusion
The Huawei TalkBand B1 is not exactly a “jack of all trades” bracelet, but the device is getting closer to that. Trying to perform two different functions, the manufacturing company proved to be competent in both, but in none of them was at its best. This, of course, is a reasonable concept, ideal for those who want to have a Bluetooth headset without having to wear it constantly. But you can find better headphones and trackers. So, unless there is an urgent need for a device that combines them, it's best to wait for the next generation TalkBand.