Up by Jawbone is back and yes, it works. “2.9 Million Hours of Testing ”
Jawbone has released the reinvented “UP 2”. This redesigned bracelet will revolutionize the way we approach our fitness goals.Let’s go ahead and get down to the brass tax.
I like to call this a high tech “life tracker.” By using what is called an “accelerometer”, (Wiki: Accelerometer) it is able to track motions and certain movements throughout the day. Similar to way your iPhone or Android device knows which way the flip the screen based on how you hold it or you’re able to play racing games by simply rotating your device in a certain fashion. Jawbone calls their version “MotionX.” With this technology, the Jawbone UP 2 is able to provide 24/7 activity tracking.
This tracks your every move down to the distance, calories burned, active time, and activity intensity. So I ask the question for all of us, what if my activity isn’t a movement i.e. weight training? I spent 4 years in the Marines and while the majority of my career was running, I spent 7 of those months hitting the weights every day in Afghanistan, that’s what we do. Jawbone gives examples of these workouts as Cycling, Yoga and Non-Step-Based. How do I log that progress? Jawbone has included options within the APP that allow you to input data such as the duration and effort level.
When combined with the “stopwatch mode” and the ability to “tag” the start and end of your training, the UP bracelet is able to give you credit and estimated caloric burn for your session. This is just one of many features included in the new UP bracelet.
“The Quick Run Down”
UP 2 has increased the flexibility, durability and overall appearance. For all you tech nerds out there, myself included, here’s the nitty gritty straight from Jawbone themselves: “UP is wrapped in a medical-grade, hypoallergenic rubber. It is smooth and flexible, and completely latex-free. Inside, UP contains sophisticated technology, so it’s best to treat your band with care.”
It’s available in 8 different colors: Onyx, Mint Green, Light Grey, Blue, Navy Blue, Red, Orange and Hunter Green. The bands come in small, medium and large. Jawbone recommends going with the larger if you’re on the fence. The largest of the three weighing in at 23 grams.
The UP bracelet will hold a charge for 10 days and fully recharges by USB (included) in 80 minutes. Unlike the competition, the UP by Jawbone is completely water resistant (Shower Proof). This allows you to wear the bracelet 24/7/365. The bracelet tracks the data, compiles data based on those results, and intelligently comes up with ways to improve your life.
It connects to your iOS device using a 3.5mm headphone input (Android coming soon) located on the end of the bracelet. Swimmers beware! “Your band is rain, splash, sweat, and shower-resistant, but we recommend taking it off before swimming.” –Jawbone FAQ
“Features”
You’re going to want to read these.
Because the UP bracelet comes with some many features, I’m going to list them and provide a brief summary of each.
Sleep and Nap Tracking – Monitors the hours you sleep. Light vs deep and waking moments. This allows the device to eventually provide improvements to your sleeping cycle. For example, based on data input, the UP bracelet can provide you with certain foods or daily activities to avoid in order to get a better nights sleep. Pretty nifty I think. Just the opposite, it can be used to show foods or different workout programs that improve your quality of sleep.
Insight Engine – This is the intelligence behind the UP bracelet. Over time the bracelet is able to analyze enough data to come up with life improving hints. This helps you to find small improvements in your day-to-day activities, most of which you were probably unaware of.
Mood Tracking – This is more to due with the APP. This feature lets you input your moods throughout the day and discovers connections that may affect the way you feel.
Food and Drink Tracking – Jawbone has left this feature up to the user. You have the ability to capture all the ingredients from a nutritional label, search the UP gallery/Database for a list of food items, or create your own items using inputs such as calories, fats, proteins, and carbohydrates you ate.
Smart Alarm – After setting your alarm, the bracelet recognizes when you fall asleep, analyzes light vs deep sleep patterns and wakes you with a gentle vibration.
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