Through the Microsoft Health Dashboard, Microsoft provides integration with some of the top fitness services including MapMyFitness, Strava, LoseIt!, RunKeeper, and others. These integrations are valuable, considering Microsoft Health was pretty late to the game and most fitness freaks were already using something else. The connections allow Band owners to continue using their favorite fitness service and still take advantage of Microsoft’s excellent hardware. But, for most of these, the social features of the service are only available as a premium or elite, paid subscription.
A new service has popped-up, called inKin. I joined today to test it out and so far looks like it might be a worthy service. The goal is to socialize your fitness activity and to generate competition between friends. And, as we know, competition is a good thing when it comes to fitness motivation. inKin support some several of the more popular devices like those from fitbit, misfit, and Jawbone, but it ALSO supports the Microsoft Band!
The company also has an app for Android and iOS, called Moves, but has recently promised that a Windows Phone version is also on the way.
Clarification: I received an email from one of the co-founders of inKin. Zara clarified that the Moves app is not actually developed and owned by inKin, but is an independent pedometer that the service supports - for those without an actual tracking device. Interesting, too, is that Zara indicated that Moves is now owned by Facebook.
Sign-up and setup for the service is almost too easy – and it’s free. Drop out here to participate: https://www.inkin.com
Once you sign-up and confirm your email address, you’ll be able to modify your profile settings and add your Microsoft Band as your device. I added mine and in a few seconds (after agreeing inKin could access my Microsoft Health data) my Band data was already available.
Some additional cool features I’ve found already are “contests” (motivational group activities) and “duels” (choose an opponent and start a 24 hour head-to-head challenge).
Feel free to find me an add me as a friend and we’ll push through 2016 together.
