[NewsPoster]

Microsoft has unveiled its second-generation fitness wearable at its Windows 10 devices event today, using the same name as its predecessor. The Microsoft Band refines the physical design of the original fitness tracker from last year with a 320x128 curved AMOLED display, combined with a thermal plastic elastomer silicone vulcanate band, with Microsoft adding a few other features and functions to the iOS, Android, and Windows Phone-compatible device.

Able to offer up to 48 hours of normal use with an average charging time of 1.5 hours, the Gorilla Glass 3-protected tracker houses a continuous optical heart rate monitor, barometer, and GPS, along with sensors to measure movement, ambient light, skin temperature, UV light, and galvanic skin response. This allows it to track calories burned, exercises performed, and the quality of the user's sleep like the first model, but it also records floors climbed.

The band also connects to Cortana, Microsoft's virtual assistant. While smartwatch-style notifications from a connected smartphone can be brought up on the display, Cortana can be invoked from the band for dictation of responses to text messages and for the setting of reminders. The Bluetooth 4.0 LE connectivity also allows the Band to feed back fitness data to companion apps for analysis, providing the user with extra coaching and help with achieving wellness goals via Microsoft Health.

Shipping on October 30, the new Microsoft Band will cost $250.

Update: An earlier version of this story suggested Cortana support was new for this version, but it was included in the original. MacNN regrets the error.

[threecleartones]

Cortana support is not new to this second Microsoft Band, the original Band had it too.

[Malcolm Owen]

Thanks for spotting the error, it has been corrected.

[jpellino]

"Microsoft Health"? *shudders*

[Charles Martin]

Microsoft Health -- you feel great for a while, but then you get a virus and crash for seemingly no reason. #dropsmic