Microsoft has today confirmed that its fitness tracker, the Microsoft Band, will be available in the UK from April 15 and will cost £169.99.
First launched in the US in October , the company said that as well as bringing it to Blighty, the band will be offered more widely within the US and from a greater range of retailers.
Potential UK purchasers can’t walk out of a shop with one just yet, but in a little under a month they will be able to. If you’re keen enough to pre-order the device in the UK, that will be possible from today (although it isn’t at the time of writing) either directly from Microsoft or via retailers like Amazon.
➤ Microsoft Health and Microsoft Band: The Next Step in Our Journey
This smartwatch helps you capture important moments in your life
Vienna-based firm What? is working on a radically different kind of smartwatch that focuses on sharing moments with people in your circle.
Pair the stylish new Monograph watch with your phone and hit the bold red button alongside its crown any time something notable happens in your life: discover a beautiful view on a hike, achieve a major milestone at work or kiss your partner for the first time. The dial will display a timestamp and the companion app will let you create a story to go with it, including text, images and video.
Once your story is ready, you can share it with your contacts through the app, and receive a notification when they add content to it as well.
It’s an intriguing idea that will likely only appeal to a tiny niche of watch wearers. While most smartwatches try to negate the need to whip out your phone, the Monograph encourages it.
Is it for you? That depends: are you the sort of person who shares moments from their life as it happens? And are you looking to do more of that? If so, this might be worth a look. For the rest, the need to push a button and use a separate app than their favorite social networks may prove to be an unnecessary hindrance.
So no, I can’t say I see a lot of people buying the Monograph – at least, not for its intended purpose. I do like the idea behind it, and I love the fact that if you share a moment with another watch owner, it’ll replicate the on-screen pattern on their dial.
But it seems like adoption of this concept will be hampered by the need for your contacts to also have the app installed in order to see your stories – and who’s going to do that, especially if they don’t also own a Monograph?
I’d love to get my hands on it for an altogether different reason: it’s gorgeous. The dial is distinctively designed, the case and lugs are beautifully styled, and I’ve always wanted a watch with a big red button. For $126 (early bird price), I’d be happy to give moment-sharing a go with a beautiful timepiece like this.
Plus, What? knows how to make watches. I’m reviewing the company’s Calendar timepiece right now, and it’s very well built. If the company can replicate that level of polish and durability on the Monograph, it’ll certainly have a winner on its hands, as far as crafting a solid watch is concerned.
There’s also an alternative design that features a radar-style watch face and a brass case, as well as a pocket watch edition. If the company’s project is successfully funded, its watches will ship in November. Head over to the Monograph Kickstarter campaign to learn more.
Using an EE Power Bar? Check if yours poses a fire risk
Quite unsurprisingly following the story of the exploding charger at the end of last month, network operator EE has issued a recall of a particular batch of its portable Power Bars.
According to the announcement, only batch E1-06 pose a fire safety risk and need to be returned. Bars from other batches aren’t affected, it added.
“It’s our intention to replace these chargers once we’ve completed our investigations; we’ll be in touch once these have been concluded. We’re really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause,” EE says.
If you’ve got an EE Power Bar, best check the little code on the side to see if you have one of the special potentially ‘fizzy’ models.
Until the investigation has been completed, the exchange program has been temporarily suspended.
Read next: PSA: Do not sleep with your EE Power Bar charging next to you, this one caught fire