Jawbone’s followup to its popular UP fitness wristband has finally entered the Australian market. Priced at $179, the UP24 adds a handful of improvements to its predecessor including a sturdier wristband, automated data updates and Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity. But is it an essential upgrade? Here are our first impressions.
For those who are new to the whole fitness computing craze, the Jawbone UP24 is a motion-sensing wristband that tracks everything from your sleeping patterns to the number of steps you walk per day. This data is then fed back to the user’s phone via personalised updates that attempt to improve day-to-day living. In other words, it attempts to be a personal trainer as well as a fitness tracker.
What’s new?
The UP24’s main claim to fame is its improved connectivity. The previous UP required users to physically plug their wristband into their phones to transfer fitness data. Thanks to the addition of Bluetooth, it’s now possible to connect wirelessly to compatible iPhone and Android handsets. This allows the UP24 to make periodic, automatic updates when your phone is within range — very convenient.
Jawbone has also updated the UP app to coincide with the release of the new wristband. When we looked at the first Jawbone Up, we commented on how game-like the app was — all those colourful health and well-being gauges made us feel like characters from The Sims. This “gamification” has been ramped up for the UP24, with a renewed focus on personal milestones and challenges.
For example, the Today I Will feature encourages uses to take on specific commitments relating to either sleep, movement, or water intake. If the user opts into the challenge, they need to reach the projected goal in 24 hours. The app also sends you celebratory messages when you reach certain streaks and milestones: they’re basically Xbox 360 Achievements for the fitness set.
iOS users also get some additional goodies, including tailored fitness reminders and detailed assessments of your steps and sleep over multiple weeks. Naturally, the software is also compatible with Jawbone’s new Coffee UP app, which you can read about here.
All of the new features are compatible with both the UP and UP24 — so if you have the old wristband, make sure you update the app!
Design
The Jawbone UP24’s design will be instantly familiar to fans of the original UP: it retains the same distinctive “functional jewellery” aesthetic as before, albeit with a lightly thicker wristband (they had to fit the Bluetooth in somewhere). Curiously, the range of colours has also been scaled back to a choice between black and orange.
Jawbone has also tweaked the positioning of the control button which previously suffered from wear-and-tear issues. Otherwise, the company has taken an ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ approach to the new gadget’s design.
First impressions
I’ve been wearing the Jawbone UP24 for the past few weeks and so far I’ve been pretty happy with it. The data automation is obviously a huge plus — if you want a fresh update, you simple swipe your finger across the notification icon.
It’s not perfect however: one significant drawback to the new wristband is the omission of a 3.5mm jack. In other words, you can’t physically plug the device into your phone, which is obviously problematic if your Bluetooth connection happens to play up.
Also, despite poessessing girlishly narrow wrists, the band left slightly painful indentations on my skin. However, I suspect this has more to do with dodgy table manners (i.e. — I tend to rest my arms on the edge of the desk).
Like its predecessor, the UP24 requires the user to manually switch the band into Sleep mode before heading into bed. This is easy to forget, which means your sleeping patterns won’t be tracked. We’re not sure how Jawbone could rectify this issue, but it remains an annoyance. (On the plus side, it’s now possible to manually key in an approximation of the data yourself, which is better than nothing.)
The UP24 is available now from most Australian retailers for an RRP of $179. It is currently only available for iOS and Android (4.3 and higher). The company is actively looking into Windows Phone but has yet to announce any concrete plans.
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Compatible devices:
- iPhone 4s and newer
- iPod touch 5th Gen and newer
- iPad 3rd Gen and newer
- iPad mini and newer
- Select Android Devices (Android 4.3 and later)
Are you a Jawbone UP user? What do you think of the new upgrade? Are there any rival fitness trackers which you feel do a better job? Share your opinions in the comments section below.
Comments
10 responses to “Jawbone UP24: Will These New Features Entice You To Upgrade?”
I was all pumped to buy an UP24 last year. I really wanted to track some of this data, and it seemed the way to go. i emailed Jawbone last year, and early this year about when i could get one, they wouldn’t commit to a date, but suggested i just get a normal UP, which is only missing the bluetooth. I resolved to wait.
Then today i find out that it has finally arrived on our shores, but…… now i cant bring myself to buy one. My reasoning?
Apple.
I want to know what Apple is working on. All signs point to a similar thing, and being that I am firmly entrenched in the Apple ecosphere, it seems more logical to wait now.
If only Jawbone had been quicker getting it to Australia, they would have had me, now they may have to wait.
Awww *pouts* I saw this and went OOOH AWESOME… I tried a Dick Smith, Apple, Harvey Norman AND Rebel Sport…
Noone had any stock tho JB said they had been due it since 11th March but no stores had any stock at this time 🙁
Its good to see that they have finally put in BT as that was pretty crappy having to plug it in to sync every time however I dont think there are enough changes to warrant an upgrade for me
To the author – you are incorrect on the sleep logging. The app now allows you to record your sleep afterwards, you do not need to hit the button. When you go to log sleep you will see your sleep chart and can change the times to correctly show your sleep.
Isn’t that what I said?
$179 and it doesn’t even display the time?! So I’d have to wear it and a watch? Very disappointing.
@chrisjager How would this go with the standard button-up business shirt? Will it sit right (like a watch)? Will it look out of place in a corporate environment?
The style is a little too “bro” like for my tastes — it’s like the wristband equivalent of a tribal tattoo. That said, it’s narrow enough to be worn under the sleeve and out of sight.
Cheers
I think this is the best version yet for my use. This is why. I have eliminated the Nike Fuelband SE and LG ones, cause they were terrible, or couldn’t track sleep. The Jawbone probably had the best app, the Vivofit was the most accurate for activity but only basic for sleep, but with the activity estimates it seems to be very close to the accurate Vivofit, which was important for me. But sleep, I need something for that. Fitbit often over estimates things, but the social side of it is very strong and a lot of people use it, but the way you have to tap it to change modes and the watch like band, put me off. For Gymnastics and Weightlifting (Olympic and Powerlifting), the Jawbone is superior cause it doesn’t close off, which could damage bands (you can often get new ones anyway). Plus I have huge wrists and even the large one sticks up a bit when I use it. its good when you get up and down doing burpees and cleans with barbells or squats that you cannot damage it and there is enough tension to keep it on. Has never yet fallen off.
I have bad skin, and so far it has not irritated it at all.
My only criticism is the food stuff, I think that it should be a lot better and faster.
The exercises should include Crossfit or a wider amount of sports.
Bodyfat % should be available for those that can measure it accurately.
Under a dress shirt it could get caught as mine sticks up a bit where they join at the ends. Fitbit is better and more stylish in this aspect.
Charging is fast. Really fast. You can charge it under an hour, I hook it to an external battery, not the computer.