Got your Microsoft Band today? Here are 10 apps for your Microsoft Band

Today the Microsoft Band launched in the UK after launching last year in the US. I imported my Microsoft Band into the UK last October so I have had plenty of time to try some of the great 3^rd party apps for the Microsoft Band.

Here are 10 of the best 3^rd party apps for the Microsoft Band for Windows Phone and Android (you can find more on our Microsoft Band page)

Band Sensor Monitor

This is a great 3^rd party app for Windows Phone that shows real time data from the Microsoft Band.

The app has a UI that looks very much like the Microsoft Band app and gives you real time access to the sensors of the Microsoft Band:

• Heart Rate frequency (Bpm)
• Skin temperature (F°)
• Galvanic Skin Response (KOhm)
• Ultra Violet index (UV)
• Ambient Light Sensor (Lux)
• Movement sensor
• Step sensor
• Battery sensor

As well as the real time information it also displays historical information in the form of a line graph from the sensors. You can also remotely monitor a Band via the web. If you have a Microsoft Band you should check out the app. The app costs £1.29 from the Windows Phone Store and there is a limited trial version available if you want to give it a try.

Pimp My Band

With this app you can have a new background image on the Band so you are not restricted to the 12 standard image from the Microsoft app. You can pick any image from your Windows Phone and then it automatically picks a suitable colour palette to go with the picture. You can select your own choice of background and accent colour so you can customize the look and feel of your Band.

The app is free from the Windows Phone Store and available for Android from the Google Play Store.

Band Camera Control

One of the great things about the Microsoft Band is its ability to use Cortana to communicate with the phone. A new app takes advantage voice commands enabling you to remotely trigger the camera app on your phone. From the Microsoft Band you can say to Cortana “Camera take a photo” or “Camera take a photo in 10 seconds” and then your phone will take the snaps. So you have hands free photo taking with the Band.

A nice little apps that cost £0.79 from the Windows Phone Store.

Send2Band

Send2Band is a Windows Phone and Android app than then enables you to send messages to the Microsoft Band. Using the share feature in Windows Phone you can send notes from apps including OneNote, Twitter and then they show up on the Band via a new Notes tile. You also create new notes on the app and send them to the Band. Useful if you an address that you want to keep handy and not have to open up your phone to check, or it could be a shopping list or link you want reminding of.

The app costs £0.79 from the Windows Phone Store and the Google Play Store.

Find My Band

This app helps you find your Microsoft Band if you have misplaced it.

The Find my Band app for Windows Phone works by vibrating the band and flashing the green light on the back to help you locate your errant device. The Band needs a Bluetooth connection to your phone so you are going to have to be fairly nearby for it to work but I can see it being very handy if you have misplaced it.

The app is free from the Window Phone Store.

Wheres My Phone

If you have misplaced your phone you can now use your Microsoft Band to locate it. Rather than having to go to a browser and using Find My Phone on WindowsPhone.com (or ask someone to ring it) you can now say “Band Where is my Phone” and it will play an alert tone on your phone even if the volume is down and vibrate the device as well. You can pick from a selection of sounds or have it play a song from your collection.

It’s very simple and works really well, currently English, French, Italian, German, Spanish and Catalan language are supported and if your language isn’t supported you can asked the developer it included it.

The app is free from the Windows Phone Store.

How about a couple of flash light apps?

MS Band Light

Is a simple app that adds a Flash Light tile to the Microsoft Band that lights up the Band’s display so you can use it as a torch. This is also a free app from the Google Play Store.

Torch for Band is a very simple app, it just adds an icon to the Band and when you press it the Band lights up, very handy in an emergency.

The app is free from the Windows Phone Store.

Band Companion

Band Companion app is free and then you pay for which ever features you want to use. One of the features is you can view the battery status of the band on the device as it adds the battery percentage to the lock screen, something the Band doesn’t do. This component costs £1.29 which is pretty expensive for one feature but it’s the only app I know that does this.

You can use the app as a remote shutter for the Windows Phone camera, you get the shot ready on the phone and then use the action button the Band to trigger the shutter. This component is free and it works pretty well. Another feature is the ability to send notes to the Microsoft Band, unlike some other apps it doesn’t need its own tile taking up space on the Band. You can send notes to the SMS, Mail or Notification tiles. This feature costs 79p.

You can find the app in the Windows Phone Store.

The final app is a bit of fun, you can use your Microsoft Band to play air guitar!

JamBand turns your Microsoft Band into an air guitar using the Band’s accelerometer and lets you strum away with either electric guitar, acoustic guitar or Banjo sounds coming from your Windows Phone.

A nice fun additional to your Microsoft Band apps collection. The app is free from the Windows Phone Store.

Band Pro

I know this makes app 11 but I really should mention Band Pro a great app for customising the wallpaper on your Band. Band Pro is a 99p app from the Windows Phone Store that you can use to layer images and colours to create a Band background which you can then send down to your Microsoft Band. It has a whole range of logos available and you can use your own images as well.

The app costs 99p from the Windows Phone Store.