Hands On with the new Microsoft Band 2 Charging Stand

I found it very strange that a couple of websites wrote about the appearance of this new Band v2 accessory over the weekend because I had been in my local Microsoft Store about 10 days earlier in search for this and was pointed straight to the website for it.

I headed home after that and immediately ordered one and it just landed on my doorstep today with an early morning delivery.

You might recall that the first version of Microsoft Band did not have a commercially produced charging stand but an entrepreneur with a 3D printer designed and sold a $15 option that worked extremely well.

Well it appears along with the upgrade in appearance and functionality that Microsoft Band 2 delivers it also gets a polished third party charging stand by a company called Loyalstar.

The Band Stand ​​ (H/T to @MikeTalonNYC) cost $19.99 from the online Microsoft Store, it is not available in brick and mortar stores currently, and integrates with your charging cable that you received with the Band. You can buy a spare Band 2 charging cable the Microsoft Store for $19.99 as well. I like having the spare for when I travel.

The stand does not require any instructions, although they are provided on the packaging, you just mount the magnetic charging port to the back of the stand and then place the wire in the groove provided that leads out of the back of the stand.

When you are ready to charge your Band just attach the charging part of the clasp to the magnetic charging port on the stand and then slide the other half of the clasp into the retaining device at the top of the stand. This will leave the Band's display facing outwards.

Once installed it makes for a perfect clock stand at your desk which is where my Band now resides when I am working during the day. It has a non-skid base so it remains in place and it looks very sharp and right at home on the desk.

You can order the Microsoft Band 2 Charging Stand directly from the Microsoft Store.

But, wait...there's probably more so be sure to follow me on Twitter and Google+.