Fitness bands are neat. They can keep track of how many steps you take, how many calories you have burned, and how well you sleep at night. You can make a note of the physical progress you’re making (or not making), and set goals for your future self to meet and exceed. Your future self is fit, right? Maybe, maybe not. All aside, a fitness band can help you keep track of your fitness goals. The biggest downside is that many of the bands are a little bit pricey. The popular Nike FuelBand starts at around U.S. $100 depending on the model. If you have the change to spare and you know exactly what band you are looking for, then that’s great! You have plenty of options to choose from. For those that don’t want to spend that much on a piece of wrist equipment, or are not sure if a fitness band would be useful to you, then there’s Xiaomi Mi Band, the only $13 fitness band.
Xiaomi is a Chinese brand that produces quality electronics for the fraction of the price of its popular, competitor brands. Although not available for purchase in the United States, Xiaimi’s Mi Band is a contender in the fitness band market. It can count your steps, track your sleeping patterns, and is water resistant. The fitness band’s compatibility is limited to Xiaomi’s Mi4 Smartphone, and when paired, the two have some amazing features to offer. Focusing on the Mi Fitness Band, you can unlock the phone by waving your personalized band over your personal phone. Other features include automatically syncing the band to the Android application designed specifically for the Mi Band.
Although Xiaomi has made little strides in the American and European market, the company just may be a force to reckon with in tech future. A fitness band as inexpensive as the Mi Band is bound to turn some heads and raise questions that wonder why popular fitness bands are as expensive as they are. If the point of these bands are functionality and efficiency, do they really need to be decked out with LED displays and rose gold aesthetic features? Let the consumer demand and purchase.