Huawei's TalkBand B2 is a fitness tracker that you can wear to the office

BARCELONA — The stunning Huawei Watch was the star of the Chinese manufacturer's Mobile World Congress press event here on Sunday, but it also unveiled two other wearables: the TalkBand B2 wristband and TalkBand N1, Bluetooth earbuds that monitor your movements and speak to you.

While the names are a bit clunky and far from sexy, both devices itself are sleek and even elegant as far as fitness tracking technology goes. That's because the TalkBand B2 is meant for business professionals who don't want to wear a sporty wristband in the boardroom.

The TalkBand B2, which comes in black, silver or gold, is the followup to Huawei's B1 fitness tracker. It syncs up with devices running Android 4.0 and iPhones with iOS 7 or above, and just like the previous model, monitors a user's movements and sleep cycles. The updated version comes with more features and an advanced Bluetooth connectivity.

The core of the device can pop out of the wristband and be used as a Bluetooth earpiece, allowing users to take calls hands-free while driving, jogging or typing.

Under the hood, a 6-axis sensor knows and records your movements and your duration of light and deep sleep.

A built-in dual-microphone can be used as a Bluetooth device to make phone calls or play music. When a user's smartphone isn't nearby, the TalkBand B2 can page it via vibrations or ringtone alerts.

The lightweight product is made of aluminum and comes in two wristband styles (leather and eco-friendly TPU material), as well as various colors. The battery life lasts up to five days, according to Huawei, and it supports continuous call time up to six hours. (It can last up to 12 days in standby mode.)

The TalkBand B2, which will launch in April, will cost €169 (about $189) for black and silver; it will cost €199 (about $222) for the gold version.

These Bluetooth earbuds also track your activity. They can store up to 1,000 songs from within the device, thanks to 4BG of local storage, as well as make calls and monitor steps taken and distance traveled. It can also tell you the phone numbers of incoming calls via voice notification (think: "Hey, Sam, your mom is calling.") It can also tell you when you've achived a fitness goal, such as running 6,000 steps.

The TalkBand N1, which will be available in silver, grey and red, is dustproof and waterproof, meaning it can handle your sweat. It's made of TPU, a soft rubber material, and contains tiny magnets within the earbuds, letting you use it as a necklace accessory.

The TalkBand N1 will cost €119 (about $133) and will be available by the end of May.

Posted by : Gizmeon