Huawei’s fitness tracking Talkband B1 is simply good value

For better or worse, the B1 is a device for those who like to keep things simple. The accompanying smartphone app is on the more basic side compared with many of its peers, with no differentiation between various kinds of exercise.

Huawei’s Talkband B1 is the Chinese manufacturer’s first attempt to break into the lucrative wearable fitness tracker market, where it competes against the likes of Fitbit and Sony’s Smartband. CourteShow more

Huawei’s Talkband B1 is the Chinese manufacturer’s first attempt to break into the lucrative wearable fitness tracker market, where it competes against the likes of Fitbit and Sony’s Smartband.

For those not up to speed, the basic idea is that you wear a bracelet that counts the number of steps you take, records your sleeping patterns and, for more recent devices, monitors your heart rate. All of this data is then sent to your computer or smartphone, to tell you how healthy (or not) you are.

To stand out from the crowd, Huawei’s device offers a novel little twist.

With the touch of a button, the B1’s 1.4-inch screen detaches from its bracelet, and doubles up as a Bluetooth headset.

So is it any good?

For better or worse, the B1 is a device for those who like to keep things simple. The accompanying smartphone app (which took a few goes to synchronise properly) is on the more basic side compared with many of its peers, with no differentiation between various kinds of exercise.

Unlike more recent devices on the market, there’s no heart rate monitor, so it’s unlikely to appeal to hardcore fitness fanatics. That being said, its pedometer and sleep tracking functions are perfectly functional for those whose needs are simpler.

One area where the B1 scores points over its rivals is ease of charging; while many others require yet another cable to be inserted, Huawei’s device comes with a nifty USB plug built into its strap, designed in such a way that it’s hardly noticeable.

The device performs solidly as a Bluetooth headset. Fitting comfortably in the ear, it offers call quality almost indistinguishable from a normal phone call. It’s worth noting, however, that just as solid performance is available on cheaper, single function headsets.

The B1 has a recommended retail price of Dh499 in the UAE, with some retailers offering discounts. It’s nowhere near the most advanced device on the market, but if it’s a simple fitness tracking device you’re after, it represents good value for money.

q&a one step at a time

John Everington puts Huawei’s Talkband B1 through its paces:

Huawei’s device can tell me how many steps I take each day. How many steps is enough for me to be healthy?

The most common figure cited is 10,000 steps day, roughly equivalent to the US surgeon general’s recommendation of 30 minutes of exercise a day.

Oh dear. The B1 told me I only took 9,900 steps yesterday.

Not necessarily. A recent study (not including the B1) led by Mitesh Patel of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia found that some fitness trackers underestimated the number of steps taken by 1.5 per cent and in some cases overestimated them by 22.7 per cent.

Wow! Does that mean that measuring my steps is completely pointless?

Not at all; while some devices may not get the total number exactly right, experts say that measuring the number of steps means you’re more likely to pay attention to how much activity you’re doing. As the adage goes, you can’t manage what you don’t measure.

Fair enough; but unlike you, I’m an attractive, young, healthy and generally fit person. Do I really need to track every single step I take?

It’s a fair question, as many people like you have bought fitness bracelets only to put them in a drawer a few months later. Indeed some have argued that the biggest impact wearables can have is for the elderly, or those with chronic health conditions, rather than young and healthy people.

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