We’ve seen wrist bands that show support for various causes, notably the famous yellow wrist band for Livestrong. But now Jawbone, an innovator of products and services for the mobile lifestyle, has unveiled a very different kind of wrist band. This is the Jawbone UP, a new system that works with an app for the iPhone and iPod Touch that can track daily activities including sleep patterns and eating habits. All this is geared to help the wearer reach a healthier life.
Jawbone breaks this down into three simple categories including Measure, Engage and Act. The wrist band features a motion accelerator, called the MotionX engine, which is used to sense and track movement. The wrist brand is durable and water-resistant and thus can be used worn while sleeping as well as showering, and it has a battery life for up to 10 days of monitoring.
The UP wristband features a sophisticated motion-tracking engine, and yet still has a chic sense of style so gym attire isn’t required. It is also designed to offer comfort, so users won’t seem like they’re shackled to a fitness monitor either.
Functionality includes the ability to measure daily activities including steps taken, calories burned, distance traveled, pace, and it can even track active versus inactive time throughout the day. During sleep it can track hours slept, time to fall asleep, phases of sleep (deep versus light) and overall sleep quality, as well as help wake a user up at the best moment in a natural sleep cycle. UP can also be used to track what a user eats, when they’re eating and how they feel after eating via a photo journal, so users can determine how different meals affect their body.
The wrist band can further encourage users to be active, both through reminders when one has been inactive for longer periods of time, as well as through health challenges. That’s quite a bit more than just showing support with a colored wrist band.
The UP band is available now in three sizes (small, medium and large) and seven colors (Dark Black, Dark Brown, Dark Red, Bright White, Bright Silver, Bright Red, Bright Blue) for $99.99, while the iPhone and iPod Touch app is available for free download.