The Mi band was developed to keep an accurate track of the wearer’s physical activities but you will need these 8 apps to bring out the best in the Mi band.
Fitness bands like this one made by Xiaomi are essential because the world we live in is getting caught up in many health challenges.
For instance, it has become exceptionally easy for people to lean towards sedentary lifestyles without realizing it. Most people only get to figure out that they have been making wrong health choices once these choices begin to reflect upon their health negatively.
Therefore, different software, programs and applications have been developed to curtail these problems. These tools monitor our activities, observe our heart rate, check how many calories we burn and deliver the results daily, weekly, and monthly.
That way, it becomes easy for anyone to quickly realize when they are derailing off the path of good health and general wellness.
Devices like Mi bands do a fine job at this, but not without the help of other applications. So below are 8 apps to bring out the best in the Mi band.
8 Apps to Bring Out the Best in the Mi Band
Most of these apps are provided by third-party companies and used in tandem with whatever version of the Mi band you are using for improvements.
Another benefit of using these apps is automation. They allow you to customize their use with your Mi band to access whatever you want automatically.
- Gadgetbridge
One of the first things you will notice about this app is how it works smoothly with the latest versions of Mi and other wearable bands from different companies.
It is an excellent alternative to the popular Mi-Fit but considered even better as it is very definitive.
It allows you to manage every function from one place, including tracking your activities and sleep and setting up alarms and notifications. You can even search for your bracelet using this app.
The best part is that Gadgetbridge is open-source software and is completely free to use.
- Mi Fit
This is a major product developed by the same company that makes the Mi band and is the official app for the wearable.
It, therefore, allows for easy synchronization and configuration of the bracelet with your mobile devices.
This app enables you access to the health and activities registered on the band and automatically generates charts and reports based on the information it collects.
You can also configure notifications; change the type of dial design and any other setting of the Mi band through the Mi Fit application.
- Notify & Fitness
The use of this app is popular with many Mi band users, but it is not supported with the most recent version.
But for earlier versions, Notify & Fitness can provide many functions that you may not find on the official Mi band, Mi Fit.
These include customizing notifications, setting alarms with customizable patterns of vibrations.
You can also use this app to collect detailed information about your heart rate, calorie counter, and even sleeping pattern and rate. Then it can use this data to create a detailed graph that gives you a better understanding of all parameters.
- Tools and Mi Band
This was formerly known as Mi Tools and is a paid app that cost about $4 to use. However, once the payment is settled, Tools and Mi band can easily pose an alternative to Mi-Fit’s companion app.
With it, you can access valuable features such as setting customized reminders, alarms, and event notifications for WhatsApp messages and incoming calls.
It also provides advanced monitoring functions for daily activities and allows you to view a configurable graph of your heart.
- Sleep in Android
You can configure this with any Mi band to monitor your sleeping time and pattern on Android.
Out of the 8 apps to bring out the best in the Mi band, this one stands out not only for its unique function but also for its automation.
The app helps to monitor your sleep, calculate when you have slept for 7 hours, then wake you up, generate important and detailed graphs, and finally offer suggestions that can help suggestions that can help you improve your sleeping pattern.
- WatchFace
This was designed to work more specifically with version 6 of the Xiaomi Mi band and offers a variety of spheres that you can choose from to make using this wearable more enjoyable.
This app has one of the extensive collections of watch faces which you can easily select from or opt to make a customized one for yourself.
- Selfie Tape
This app is one of the best out of the 8 Apps to bring out the best in the Mi band because it gives you the chance to control your camera remotely.
You can configure this application with different camera software, including Open Camera, Night Selfie Camera, etc., to take photos from a distance.
You can also link it with your band and then use the band to make workout or travel videos easily.
- Tasker
An intelligent combination of Tasker, Notify & Fitness, and your Mi band offer you one of the smoothest automation processes on an Android device.
Tasker has features known as actions and intents that function uniquely. For instance, you will need to add “com.mc.miband*” from the Action list to trigger an intent.
And to trigger an action when your alarm rings, you will need to add the event “com.mc.miband.smartAlarmRun” from the same Action list.
These features may be unavailable until you have purchased the paid version, but they make the band more fruitful once you have that sorted.
Does MI band 4 Support iOS?
While learning about the 8 apps to bring out the best in the Mi band, it is also good to find out whether or not the band you have is compatible with the mobile devices you use.
This is because linking your wearable to your smartphone is how you get the most enjoyable experience.
The Mi band 4 comes equipped with Bluetooth 5 and is compatible with iOS 9.0 and above iPhones. You can also download the Mi Fit app from Apple App Store easily and move to link and customize the band to taste on your iPhone.
Linking your band to your phone will automatically change the language and data on the band to the same language and date as your iPhone. And the following steps are how to link Mi band to any iOS device:
- Go to App Store, search for the Mi Fit app, download it, then run the application and log in
- Log in can be made with your Facebook or Google details or with your Xiaomi account if you have any
- After that, click the plus (+) sign located at the upper right corner to add a wearable bracelet
- If there are other bracelets tied to that account, this is when you will see them and unlink them if you want to
- Click on “Bracelet” and click accept on the prompt that warns you that the device will collect data about your sleeping and heart rates.
- Next, bring the band close to your phone, placing the phone just above the band then shaking to establish a connection.
- Once the bracelet is found by the phone, a quick prompt urging you to accept or decline will be displayed on your bracelet screen.
- Click on the “Accept” button on the band for a successful linkage
Is There A Better App That Mi Fit?
Mi Fit is the official app designed by Xiaomi to function with Mi band. However, due to its many deficiencies (as we will see in great detail shortly), there are now several apps out there that can stand as better alternatives for Mi Fit.
The most popular alternative is Gadgetbridge which is both open-source and free. It is also more versatile in its functionalities.
Other great alternatives include Fitbit, Notify & Fitness by Mi band, Notify & Fitness by Amazfit, and Activity or Apple Watch Companion.
However, these options are often not free and require regular subscriptions. Regardless of this, they still offer better services than Mi Fit.
For instance, let us consider the many different ways that the Fitbit brand is better than Mi Fit.
Price
Inarguably, Xiaomi makes some of the cheapest devices, Mi Fit included, making Mi Fit easily more affordable than its alternative Fitbit. This may sound attractive to anyone who considers pricing the first criterion for using a device. However, it also means limitations in features and other benefits.
Comfort and Style
Fitbit watches come in the best lightweight, making them exceptionally comfortable to wear at all times, including during workouts.
These watches also come in different styles, designs, and colors. The straps can also be easily switched to suit a preferred out. All these make it more fashionable than Mi Fit.
Battery Life
Xiaomi boosts that Mi Fit comes with a battery that lasts for 20 days which should make it better than Fitbit, whose battery can only last for 10 days.
However, studies have proven that Fitbit has a more reliable battery life which means their battery life often tend to last longer in the long run.
Tracking Capability
Both watches function mainly to track different activities, but they differ in how accurately they do. For instance, counting is known to be more generous with the Fitbit watch, and it even provides better feedback on your daily activities.
Also, Fitbit is more sophisticated than Mi Fit and covers a broader range of sporting activities. This means there is almost no sport you will engage in that Fitbit cannot account for and track your performance.
App Performance
The above points may highlight which brand is better. But since we are talking about better app alternatives, we need to examine how both apps perform.
The Mi Fit app helps to track performance and offers the option to share the best achievements on social media. However, it is often slow and may take a long time to sync with the device you are using. The app also takes longer to update the information gathered.
On the other hand, the Fitbit app is more detailed and allows you to see a better picture of all your activities as it can also easily turn stats into charts and graphs.
Syncing your performance and sharing on social media is also straightforward. Even better, the Fitbit app also doubles as a social network, so it is possible to connect with your friends and keep an eye on their performances as well.
Are Smart Bands Harmful?
Wearable bracelets started to become very popular in 2019, yet the question of whether they pose any significant health risks have been bothering people for much longer.
These questions inspired studies that showed that smart bands emit low-frequency radiation just as our smartphones do. These emissions mainly occur when trying to connect the band to a mobile device.
We get exposed to this low-level radiation the way we do when we handle our phones daily, come close to powerlines and electrical appliances.
Yet none of these radiations has been indicted for causing any serious health challenge even though long term exposure can have some adverse effects.
Summarily, smart bands are not harmful as they emit radiation that is often too low to cause cancer. Howbeit, moderation to this exposure is highly advised.
This is because the National Cancer Institute has warned that the body part that absorbs the most non-ionizing radiation can often end up with certain health issues.
While this study was done with mobile phones, it is safe to assume that bracelets would be similar as they emit similar radiation. The problem with smart bands could accumulate on the wrists (if it happens) and cause issues such as infertility, especially when you use a clip-on tracker instead of a simple tracker worn on the wrist.
These simple tips to help you reduce exposure to this radiation:
- Always turn off the Bluetooth on the band when it is not in use
- Always disconnect from your smartphone when pairing them isn’t necessary—then allocate a designated period to sync any data, usually in the mornings or evenings.
- You can also choose to wear your bracelets only during exercises, except if you monitor your steps the entire day.
- If you feel your band overheating, quickly remove and call the support center for advice and repair immediately
- Do not wear bracelets to sleep if you already have great sleeping habit But if you need to wear it for other reasons, ensure to keep your band away from your head.
Conclusion
Once you purchase a Mi band, you can choose to commence using it as it is, or you can choose to download and install some or all of these 8 apps to bring out the best in the Mi band.
The officially Xiaomi application, Mi Fit, is also amongst the 8 apps you will need to have, but it can be easily replaced by a better alternative as described above.
Other brands of tracking devices such as Fitbit do a better job than Mi band. We have considered all this so that you can know and make the best decision for your general health.
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