Quite unexpectedly, I went and bought Xiaomi Mi Band 4. It became interesting.
For three years, every second Russian has praised “bands” and almost puts them on a par with the Apple Watch.
This, of course, is complete nonsense. If the Apple Watch is a shiny German tractor, then the Mi Band 4 is a two-wheeled car with a plow. It gets tangled, buries itself in the ground, and you have to constantly pull it out of the dirt with your hands. Wheels sometimes fall off. But she does her job.
For those who are wondering where to spend two thousand rubles, I have collected short notes and impressions from several days of wearing the Mi Band 4.
I happened to have a version with NFC, it’s a “serious” one, thanks to one “trusted” store, which I’ve already written about here twice. But that’s not the point, let’s talk about the main thing.
The bracelet is long, tall and inconspicuous
There were worse things than just a boring black bracelet.
It's the same height and thickness as a 44mm version of the Apple Watch, but half as wide. Thin strap, almost zero value as an accessory - this thing doesn't attract attention at all, you can wear it with anything and no one will care about it. “Killing” against a wall with a careless movement is also more difficult, and not as offensive as AW.
Mi Band 4 is not the worst option that you can put on your hand. But, of course, it looks “soviet” compared to normal smartwatches and especially the Apple Watch.
Applications for Xiaomi Band on Android
Some popular applications are not available for iPhone owners; they can only be used by owners of phones with the Android operating system.
Notify&Fitness for Mi Band
The basic version is free, but you have to pay for advanced PRO features. The application is compatible with official software and allows you to configure the notification format, language, and flash the firmware.
Additional options include synchronization with Google Fit, use of widgets, and anti-duplication protection. To work, you must first install Mi Fit and set up synchronization.
Mi Bandage
The application is free, but there is paid content. To work, you need to have Mi Fit installed. The utility allows you to set an alarm clock, timer, stopwatch, and with its help you can listen to music on your smartphone.
The program is distinguished by high accuracy of tracking parameters of heart rate, number of steps and sleep duration, and the ability to present them in graphical form.
Mi Band Maps
The application pairs with Google Maps and, after plotting a route on the map, allows you to track the direction of movement, distance and time to the final destination. This is convenient because there is no need to hold a smartphone in your hands. The program is paid, but inexpensive.
The display is color and terrible
Real visibility in the light.
Mi Band 4 finally got a color display instead of black and white, and it was OLED. That's where the positives end. The resolution is scanty, the screen size is simply ridiculous.
And if you haven't noticed from the beautiful renderings, the display itself doesn't take up the entire front panel. At the bottom it is “eaten off” by the touch button for activating the screen. So, depending on the lighting of the case, Band 4 can look either normal or terrible, like a Chinese craft (which, in fact, it is).
The quality of the screen is at an understandably low level, a three. The brightness is not very high, but in the sun you can somehow recognize the text. The viewing angles are excellent, and the color rendition is so-so, good enough for a bracelet.
Synchronization with iPhone is tolerable, you can get used to it
The accuracy of the heart rate monitor is lower than that of the Apple Watch. But sometimes their results are the same
Shows notifications from apps and messages (including iMessage). The name of the sender or caller is visible. In general, everything that comes to the iPhone will appear on the Mi Band. Push notifications are delivered to the bracelet only half a second slower than the Apple Watch.
A strange drawback of the bracelet: there is no “curtain” of notifications . None at all. If you missed the “push” or accidentally hid it, you won’t be able to view it a second time; you’ll have to take out your iPhone.
Activity data like steps and heart rate is recorded in Health on iOS without any problems. At least for me. I’ve read so many reviews to the contrary that I can’t do without this clarification.
There is no way to call Siri, nor can you answer incoming calls, even though the version with NFC has a microphone. There are also no quick replies to messages, so you can’t do without a smartphone.
Controlling the music player on an iPhone works at a basic level: you can't start playing when the Music app is closed, but you can switch tracks if something is already playing. There is no access to the Media Library or playlists. You can't change the volume level either.
If you set an alarm clock in the Clock app on your iPhone, the bracelet will not react to it in any way , there will not even be any vibration. You need to set alarms in the Mi Fit application, make no mistake.
There are many different pitfalls, at least write a separate post about them. But in general, the bracelet will work as an ultra-budget wrist screen for notifications from an iPhone. Yes, even AW Series 0 in this format will be more useful, but this is expected.
How to download mi fit to iPhone?
There is no official option to download the application through the App Store. Despite this, there are various options and workarounds you can use. Before describing them, it is worth considering the main functionality of the software.
The main task of the program is to collect information on the user’s activity and personal data. If you download the utility to your iPhone, the information received will be automatically transferred to your phone. Information from the tracker will go to the phone’s built-in Health application. At the same time, the following functionality can be noted:
- Pedometer;
- Sleep period tracking function;
- Notifications for incoming messages and calls;
- Analysis of completed workouts - route, time and pace;
- Reflection of calories burned.
The data obtained on the work completed and goals achieved can be shared on social networks.
The font is disgusting
For the moire on the AW5 screen, we thank Deep Fusion in the iPhone 11 Pro.
Russian text in Mi Band 4 is like 15 years ago, when fonts suddenly crashed in Windows, or like dialers of those times without normal localization. The fonts are so ugly that you can only get used to them with a weakened sense of beauty (and self-esteem).
The emphasis is on maximum utility and information content, so as many as 80 crooked and chopped up characters are crammed onto a tiny screen (1 inch!). Thank you for at least making them readable. Third-party “packs” and hacks don’t help the situation much.
In short, there are simply no decent Russian fonts for MB4. After them, looking at Apple typography and notifications from the Apple Watch is like taking a shower.
Works for a very long time
The main strength of the Mi Band 4 is its enormous battery life. It is not measured in hours, as, say, with the Apple Watch 5, not even in days, but in weeks.
The version with NFC (gray import) works for up to 15 days, and without NFC it works for as long as 20 days . A huge number, incredibly rare for wearable gadgets. Do not charge the bracelet for two weeks, miracles. And it won’t just hang on your hand, but will work, show notifications, measure your pulse, and so on.
Charging takes a measly 2 hours, and again you can wear it for two weeks without taking it off. It is clear that all this is not without reason: the bracelet will not replicate even a tenth of the functionality of the Apple Watch. But no one demands this from him.
Which models do not support mi fit to iPhone?
The Russian-language version of the application can be used on smartphones up to model 5. There are no apps for iPhone 6 and 6s. Even if you install the software on accessible phones, the work will be disrupted at first.
The interface is not fully adapted and may be slightly slow. There is a possibility that after the next update of the utility, the comfort of using it will return.
Users often have problems downloading mi fit on iPhone 5c. The selected program is not installed. To bypass such a failure, you will need to perform the following manipulations:
- In the Google search bar you should write AppStudio Project.
- You need to go to the archives tab. Find and activate iTunes.
- OS is selected.
- iTunes version 12.6.3 is being downloaded. But before this, you will need to install previously downloaded software through the elements located on the control panel and software changes.
- If you previously used an outdated iTunes utility, the iTunes Library.itl error will be displayed. It needs to be eliminated through the Music folder.
- After downloading iTunes, you need to check for its presence in the programs section and launch it. If the software is not in the list of utilities, you need to click on the edit tab and check the box next to the programs item.
- Authorization is carried out via a PC under your own account.
- Mi fit is driven into the window.
- The download process starts.
After completing these steps, you should go to the App Store. The utility starts. If the user does everything correctly, the tracker program will not conflict with iPhones 4, 4s and 5c. At the end of the steps, all that remains is to establish the compatibility of the smartphone with the watch.
Charging is terribly inconvenient
The creators of Mi Band do not like it when a person feels good and comfortable. There is no other way to explain the stupidest (there is no other way to say it) charging system, which the fourth generation in a row has not been able to figure out.
Mi Band is charged from a small docking station. How to install a bracelet in it? Do you think it's enough to just attach it like AW? Nothing like this. You need to remove the entire bracelet (it is tight) and put the tracker inside the dock. And don’t forget to press the module harder on top, otherwise it won’t fit.
I can imagine how much hatred there would be on the Internet if you had to remove the strap for every Apple Watch charge. It’s good that MB4 works for a long time, and you can only push it into the dock a couple of times a month. This, however, does not negate the curvature of the system and the lack of thoughtful usability.
Forget about NFC, it's better without it
The global version of Mi Band 4 is released without an NFC module and microphone. This is not scary, because both features will not bring any real usefulness to Russians who are not ready to dance with a tambourine near forums for the sake of the dubiously necessary AliPay and an NFC tag repeater.
In addition, the model without NFC has a more capacious battery. So, all other things being equal, the global version will be better than the Chinese one.
But buying a Chinese model is not dangerous. By installing the latest version of Mi Fit from the App Store, you will receive full Russian localization and the same functions. Just remember that the “seryak” in Russia will not be serviced under warranty, or then negotiate privately with the seller.
I ordered from a well-known online store, received the Chinese version with NFC and have not yet found any problems with it.
What to install on iOS
For users of iPhone phones based on the iOS platform, there are also several special programs for using the tracker. There are significantly fewer applications available, but they work well with the device.
Mi Fit (for all generations of fitness bracelets)
An original utility from the Xiaomi programming team, which has all the standard functions for monitoring physical data, organizing training, connecting a notification system for the latest versions of trackers. The program is focused on the first synchronization of a fitness device with a smartphone. Users have access to both a free list of functions and some extensions for a separate price.
There is only one drawback - the software does not have a Russian translation, like a similar version for Android.
Mi Heart Rate (for the third version of bracelets)
A convenient program that allows you not only to configure all the basic capabilities of the Mi Band 3 tracker, but also to make a high-quality Russian flashing. The application can be called an improved analogue of the original Xiaomi utility for the Russian-speaking population.
Attention! To download the translation you will need to pay approximately $3.
Mi Band Master (for versions 2 and 3)
In addition to standard features, the application will allow you to control music on your phone (buttons for changing tracks, playback settings, etc.). There is only one negative point (temporary) - the utility is currently in the process of approval by App Store services, and therefore is temporarily unavailable to users. Estimated cost: $2.
The app is required and buggy
The official rating of Mi Fit, the proprietary application through which all Xiaomi fitness gadgets work, is 2.3 stars. This is, of course, an accident (no).
Experienced Mi Band owners never install new firmware or even updates to the companion application without reading 3-5 forums with reviews from the first venturers. They can be understood.
Features may disappear or stop working without warning. Bugs appear in almost every new release. You can also catch a “brick” during the next update.
Therefore, around the Mi Band there is a good community of straightforward developers who create custom firmware and “forks” of the Mi Fit application with additional functions and fixed “jambs”.
There is no other way, because at Xiaomi it is customary not to fix problems, but to quickly release a new generation of devices and completely forget about the old one.
The current revision of the iOS program allegedly breaks notifications. Everything is fine with me, but this is not an indicator.
It is impossible to ignore the problems, because the bracelet settings are only available in the application . If it's buggy or doesn't work, then it's a shame.
Considering the frequency of fresh, juicy bugs appearing in Mi Fit, I recommend having some kind of Android smartphone available during the day. On it you can freely download and install the previous version of the application.
There is one more important important detail: training and heart rate data is transferred to Health on iOS only when you open the Mi Fit app. So open it often. And hope that it will work after the next update.
Main conclusions
Programs for Mi Band fitness trackers allow users to significantly expand the capabilities of the device and make the bracelet more convenient. Using special software for your smartphone you can:
- view, save, share data on physical indicators and activity in the form of graphs and diagrams;
- configure the necessary notifications and smartphone unlocking;
- regulate music playback;
- change the interface language, firmware version, etc.
Custom programs not only make it easier to work with fitness data, but also save it for comprehensive statistics in the future. For convenience, it is possible to install several tools at once to operate the fitness bracelet.
