Does Xiaomi Mi Band justify the concept of fitness tracker?

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi recently forayed into wearable gadget market by launching the fitness tracker band Mi Band at a compelling price of Rs 999. Let's check out the key features and specifications of the device-

Design:
There is a core, hypoallergenic band and the proprietary charger neatly packed into the box. Once charged, the core goes into the rubber band that can be strapped around the wrist.

The built quality of the rubber strap is rather nice and doesn't feel cheap or flimsy. It is comfortable to wear and weighs only 13 gram.

Functionality:

The primary function is to keep count of your footsteps, track the walking distance, measure the calories burnt and examine the sleep pattern.

There is some additional functionality to the band as it can also be used to keep count while jumping rope or doing sit-ups. Other than the fitness features, there is an alarm and incoming call notification too.

As the band doesn't have a display, all the activity can be tracked only using the Mi Fit application, which is available on Android and iOS smartphones.

It works on Bluetooth 4.0 and can be paired with Android smartphones running Android KitKat and Apple iPhone 4s onwards that have iOS7 on board.

Performance:

Once paired over Bluetooth 4.0, the band syncs the data with the app. Neat and simple, the app showcases physical activity not just in steps but also in distance covered and calories burnt, which is easy to read.

It can also be used as a wake-up alarm - it vibrates lightly to wake you up. There is an option of an early bird alarm too that wakes up 30 minutes before the set alarm time.

Battery:

Battery is the big plus-point of Mi Band. It can stay active for weeks on a single charge, eliminating the hassle of charging one more gadget daily.