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Microsoft Band Opens Up with Developer SDK Previews

Microsoft released an SDK for developers who want to extend their Android and Windows Phone apps to support its Microsoft Band and Microsoft Health apps.

Microsoft has released a pair of software development kits for developers who want to extend Android and Windows Phone apps to support Microsoft Band and its Health apps. A version for iOS and iPhone apps is in the works.

Microsoft Band is the company's entry into a category of wearable computing devices worn on the wrist that can display information from a Bluetooth-connected device. Redmond magazine Editor in Chief Jeffrey Schwartz reviewed one for a short time, before returning it, mainly citing problems with Bluetooth synchronization with an iOS-based device that he was pairing with the Band.

SDKs are available for Windows Phone and Android, but as previews only. It supports Windows Phone 7 and 8.1, and Android 4.2; a version for Mac OS X 10.9 and iOS 8 will be made available on the Microsoft Band SDK Preview page later.

The kits take advantage of new features introduced into the device, as well as updates to the Microsoft Health app, which comes with a larger font and faster, customizable reading speed. For Windows Phone 8.1 users, the Band has been updated with a new Virtual Keyboard for replies generating from the Band. The Band also supports Cortana-enabled apps. More info on the Microsoft Health app is here.

More information and links to download the Android and Windows Phone SDKs are here.

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