Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has decided to throw its hat into the wearables arena with their own smartwatch/fitness band called the Microsoft Band — no it isn’t a new music group made of Microsoft executives. Microsoft doesn’t specifically call the Microsoft Band a fitness band, but the repeated focus on fitness and health across this product’s features makes it clear that’s Microsoft’s focus and that productivity comes second.  This is most evident in Microsoft’s launching of Microsoft Health, which is a platform to help users of the Microsoft Band to track their fitness and health all in one app, which also happens to work on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

The company has also already gotten themselves partnered up with Runkeeper, Gold’s Gym and MyFitnessPal in order to give you the best guided fitness experience possible.

In terms of hardware, the Microsoft Band appears to be right up there with their competitors featuring a 1.4″ LCD with a 320 x 106 resolution and 48 hours of battery life, without GPS enabled. It also comes jam packed with more sensors than virtually any other device out there. It features an optical heart rate sensor, a 3-axis accelerometer and gyro, a gyrometer, a GPS sensor, an ambient light sensor, a skin temperature sensor, a UV sensor, a capacitive sensor (display), a galvanic skin response sensor and a microphone. It also features Bluetooth 4.0 (LE) which is what allows for the 2-day battery life. This is all powered by dual 100 mAh batteries, which is why the band cannot be adjusted too much in terms of size. As a result, the watch will come in three sizes and you need to figure out which one fits the thickness of your wrist best.

The Microsoft Band also has a ton of other features which include the 24-hour heart rate monitor, run tracker, step tracker, calorie tracker and sleep tracker. It also has guided workouts and goal setting for the fitness conscious person that takes working out seriously.

There are also tons of alerts and notifications that are also available on the Microsoft Band, which include text messaging, calls, calendar, email and smart notifications for certain apps. There is also — shockingly — a watch mode where you can actually use it as a watch.

The Microsoft Band unsurprisingly also has Facebook and Twitter integration, allowing you to stay up to date on all your social media without needing to take out your phone. There’s also Cortana integration for Windows Phone 8.1 users, allowing you to take notes and set reminders using the Microsoft Band.

As if all of that wasn’t enough, the Microsoft Band also has weather, finance, and a timer/stopwatch functionality, which is admittedly expected of almost any wearable nowadays. The interesting tie-up that Microsoft did make, however, was with Starbucks to allow you to integrate your Starbucks card into the Microsoft Band, adding their own Seattle touch to this device and possibly pleasing a lot of caffeine addicted users.

The $199 Microsoft Band can already be purchased online via Microsoft Store or in person at any Microsoft Store. Be aware that there are three different sizes and that you should get yourself sized before buying one.

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Despite a chilly reception thus far from the market, companies are still trying to enter the fitness tracking space. The latest contender is Lenovo (HKG: 0992), which had its up-and-coming smartband leaked onto its own website this weekend and was spotted first by Gizmodo.

Lenovo’s ” Smartband SW-B100″  has the usual set of features one might expect from a fitness tracking wearable. It will track calories, steps, and the user’s sleep cycle. It’s not powered by Android Wear, so the only functionality the device has with your phone is the ability to display phone calls, text messages, and calendar appointments. Reportedly it does have a feature that allows it to act as an authenticator — either the single step or part of a two-step system — that unlocks a user’s PC.

The accidently leaked page didn’t have anything on pricing or availability, so it’s not known then the device will be released or for how much. A release outside of Asia is uncertain.

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From the legendary movie ‘Grand Prix’ in 1966 to controversial Breaking Bad TV series, TAG Heuer watches are presented as objects of desire. Today’s ad campaigns feature select number of actors, race drivers, F1 teams, pilots and the like, all touting the precision brought by TAG Heuer. Yet, the most precise watch you can buy is one of digital, not the analogue kind. Secondly, there is not one, but two generations of people that are growing up using a mobile phone to check for time, reducing the need for watches in its entirety.

Not even a week after Apple’s event, Reuters passed the comments made by Jean-Claude Biver, founder of Hublot and current head of watchmaking for LVMH (Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy) . His statement “We want to launch a smartwatch at TAG Heuer, but it must not copy the Apple Watch.” confirmed that the LVMH concern will make a smartwatch using the TAG Heuer brand. We believe this will not be just one product but a ‘platform’ which guarantees its reappearance in multiple watches not just in TAG Heuer, but across LVMH brands. Furthermore, the company is also pushing its electronics team to create another six-figure smartphone to rival Vertu.

Today, most avid watch buyers are ones that grew up in 1980s, with Casio G-Shock and Swatch creating a generation of buyers that are in their 30s and 40s – going for the collectable editions with prices measured from thousands even hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Generation growing up today would probably skip on watches entirely, until we start seeing wearable devices such as FitBit followed by Pebble, LG and Samsung smartwatches, and now Apple entered the frame with its Watch (does the lack of ‘I’ means Apple’s 2015 phone will simply be called – Apple Phone? Apple Pad?). All of the smartwatch/wearable device push from the manufacturers is bringing horologie back into fashion, and if you are a smart manufacturer (pun intended) – you will have to react.

We don’t expect the smartwatch to make appearance before annual watch gathering in Baselworld (March 19-26, 2015) while the new smartphone is planned to make an appearance at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona (March 2-5, 2015).

All in all, luxury giant LVMH is reacting. The question is, how long until every other watch vendor starts following? We can only hope they won’t engage into a race to the bottom, like the standard consumer electronic companies.

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Anyone that uses most wearable tech knows that the first generation of most wearables is generally very functional but not very aesthetically pleasing. That could be easily exemplified with Google and their Google Glass which now has nice looking frames and no longer makes people resemble cyborgs. Google worked with DvF or Diane Von Furstenberg to improve the overall aesthetics of their wearable technology and it really does help a lot. So, it seems as no surprise that another ‘bland’ looking product like the Fitbit, which is still popular, would get the designer treatment as well. So, here is Tory Burch for Fitbit with a new designer Fitbit Bracelet, Necklace and fitbit ‘sleeves’ for your standard Fitbit.

The above is a metal hinged bracelet by Tory Burch which retails for $195.00, Below is a fret pendant (necklace) that is also by Tory Burch for Fitbit.

In addition to the bracelet and necklace, Tory Burch has also created some more affordable alternatives with their own pattern. These are designed to function a lot like the current Fitbit, but they don’t look as bland and is more attractive for women looking to wear a Fitbit but don’t want to spend $200 on a pendant or bracelet. Either way, these are much more fashionable alternatives that should enable wearables to break into a market where people refuse to wear the current crop of wearables because, frankly, they’re ugly.

Tory Burch for Fitbit

As you can see, Tory Burch is helping Fitbit realize their vision of becoming a more fashionable brand, hopefully there will be more designers that Fitbit will work with in the future, because as it stands right now Tory Burch is a women’s only brand. And while that is good as a start, there are still a lot of Fitbit wearers that are men and I’m sure many of them wouldn’t mind a more fashionable wearable device than the piece of rubber and plastic on their wrist.

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