Review of Jawbone UP2 - a device that makes you feel almost like an athlete. Jawbone UP: Initial setup and charging

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The new Jawbone fitness tracker includes all the essential benefits. The Jawbone UP2 represents the mid-niche segment of the company's new range, but will undoubtedly suit most buyers.

Jawbone UP 2 is a basic fitness tracker that is used during periods of physical activity and sleep and is worn like a bracelet to help you progress with your daily fitness goals.

Choosing between the company's flagship Jawbone UP3 with its general bio-sensors and the budget Jawbone UP Move, the new tracker is a direct replacement for the ubiquitous UP24, which can now be put into storage.

On this moment This feature set is standard in a crowded market, but is Jawbone's new offering actually worth your money? We'll test it to answer this question.

Jawbone UP2: Design and Features

The Jawbone UP24 design by The Yves Behar is one of the favorite activity brands in the huge range bright colors and in a subtle design.

Its successor comes in only two colors: silver (more of a feminine option), and black, which is more likely to be preferred by men. The surface of the device is textured. The strap is equipped with a clip.

There are also a lot of disorders related to connectivity. If you're the designer who came up with this, here's our advice: If you can't get the strap to fit the dark, go back to the drawing board.

In terms of features, there are three of them. The first is the daily activity mode, which tracks your steps, calories burned and any other activity bursts. The second is sleep pattern, which records the time you fall asleep and the quality of your sleep. And the third is a stopwatch, which you set manually when you want to go outside to do exercises. Sleep mode also has a smart alarm function that will gradually guide you into the light part of your sleep, creating the impression of a brighter morning.

Not in UP2 physical buttons or - although you can switch between modes by clicking on top part devices. However, unlike its competitors, the device doesn't have a display to show you how close you are to your target. To do this, you'll need to turn to the all-new Jawbone UP on your smartphone, which is currently available for iOS and Android.

While the Jawbone UP2 isn't waterproof, which leaves it behind the Misfit Shine for swimmers, it's splash-resistant.

Overall, it's a full range of basic functions that stops short at heart rate tracking. This means the picture of your health will be less accurate, but for those who want to make sure they get enough sleep and exercise, it's more than enough. And what's more, unlike the improved sensors on the Jawbone UP3, these ones actually seem to work.

Jawbone UP2: Activity Tracking

As a step counter, the Jawbone UP2 is extremely accurate. It can be put on a par with Fitbit Charge HR and Apple Watch, which we also tested without finding any particular differences. As befits an accelerometer, it roughly counts your steps. It won't be completely accurate anywhere, but these devices are designed to general leadership to your activity and we have not had any problems with this.

As you walk from day to day, Jawbone UP2 will monitor your activity and calorie burn, time spent in actin and passive modes and distance. This is a very comprehensive amount of data and certainly as good as any tracker on the market.

Another nice feature is that any burst of activity can be labeled with an exercise number, from walking to Zumba. While the Jawbone sports device can't touch any device via heart rate tracking or GPS - this means you can take a more comprehensive record of your fitness with a corresponding prediction of the number of calories burned.

The only complaint we have is the quality of the recorded active minutes. After an hour of walking, the Jawbone UP2 only logged a few minutes of active time in the app that we can flag.

Now it's time to look at the stopwatch function. When you are about to begin physical activity, you start a stopwatch that will record your active sessions. This great idea, but it has two drawbacks. First, you have to log into the app to start a session, which is annoying. Secondly, if you stop the activity, the session will also be stopped. We tried this on a four-hour walk and the session stopped when we sat down to grab a snack. It would be much more convenient to start and stop the session yourself.

Jawbone UP2: Sleep Tracking

Sleep tracking also works well, a rare phrase to grace the pages of Wareable. Deep sleep is counted much worse than average by other trackers we've used, but we may have slept poorly. We'll never know.

What we can say for sure is that sleep was consistently recorded at the correct length, and waking moments were recorded with greater accuracy than many competitors.

When you wake up, you can see a detailed graph of your sleep, showing light, depth, and wake cycles. And overall, the results are much more detailed than the FitBit Charge, which suffers from a lack of detail.

However, there is one drawback - you have to activate sleep mode manually when you get into bed, which seems a bit archaic. But there is a nice side - you can forget about it, the application itself will push you to set your bedtime and wake-up time for the next day and will establish a connection between all the data. We're sure Jawbone could develop technology to auto-sleep if they wanted to.

Overall, the Jawbone UP2 is a very competent fitness tracker that will suit casual fitness enthusiasts. Runners and cyclists will want more detail, but those who want to hit their daily goals and take classes will find the Jawbone UP2 very comfortable, only slightly improved by the Fitbit Charge HR's heart rate tracking.

Jawbone UP2 App

With Jawbone ending its partnership with Fullpower Technologies and their MotionX platform, UP2 has a shiny new app. Updated application Jawbone UP is the same one you'll use with the UP Move and UP3 and is common to all devices.

The app is really simple and easy to use. It's customized by default based on your daily stats, your sleep, and your goals. You can go back in time using the forward and back buttons, and notifications will appear at the bottom.

This could be training in specific sports, or ideas from a “smart coach”. Smart Trainer is one of Jawbone's big innovations in the new app, which promises to provide new ideas for your workouts. The system works with a certain approach. It compares your average results by week and gives you essential training tips.

Jawbone UP2: Battery and Charging

The Jawbone UP2 charges via its own cable, which attaches magnetically to the back, or via USB on your laptop or PC. It's an adequate system that means you'll have to carry a charger with you everywhere, otherwise choosing the UP2 is pointless.

The battery will last an impressive seven days, which puts it ahead of the FitBit - but a far cry from the Misfit Shine, whose charge lasts six months.

However, someone in Jawbone needs to be seated in a corner because the design of the charging cable makes it very difficult to access the laptop. This is really very stupid.

Source - Wareable.com
Translation - Yulia Zenkina;p>

The Jawbone UP2 was the first wearable gadget I ever owned. Honestly, I was looking forward to it. Firstly, UP2 is a bracelet from the company's latest series. The only cooler ones are UP3 and UP4, the main difference of which is the presence of a heartbeat sensor. Secondly, the symbiosis of sports and technology is interesting, and I couldn’t wait to learn everything about UP2 and be able to talk about it.

The Jawbone UP2 has been reviewed by many. So I decided to use a different format. You can find on the Internet the specifications of the bracelet and how it fits on your hand, but in this review I concentrated on what made the device memorable and what moments surprised me. Both in a good and a bad way.

First day - emotions

Having received the device in the mail, I, of course, immediately put it on my hand. I didn’t think to download the app in advance, so for the first few hours I could just admire the gadget. And there is something to admire. The UP2 is stylish and looks like a classic bracelet. The subtle graphic on the top adds a few more style points.

Running to the nearest cafe, I immediately connected to Wi-Fi and began downloading the iPhone application. Here the first questions began - the rating of the application in App Store just over two stars. After downloading the application, I found out that for different versions Jawbone they are different and you can only tell them apart by reading the description. I had to delete the downloaded application and download another version.

After launching the application you are asked to select suitable version bracelet and connect it to charger. There were problems with this, since the charging is connected to the USB port, and if you have a laptop that is on the table, you will not be able to charge the UP2, since it must hang down. I didn’t understand this solution for a long time until it dawned on me that in the US and other countries there are USB ports in sockets, so it’s unlikely that users see this as the same problem.

However, the creators of the bracelet had to understand that some users will charge the UP2 from a laptop and the fact that to do this it needs to be moved to the edge of the table is a huge disadvantage.

After connecting the bracelet and playing with it for an hour, I started working. And since my work is text, almost instantly I noticed another drawback - the bracelet clasp makes an unpleasant grinding noise when it comes into contact with the MacBook body. I'm not sure they'll scratch each other, but if you don't like the sound of glass scratching or someone shuffling their feet on concrete, you won't like this sound either.

Iron elements on the back of the bracelet

Day two - drum chaos

I was most interested in the smart alarm function and what it would be like to be woken up by vibration. Studying reviews on foreign resources, I read many complaints about the vibration not being strong enough compared to previous versions. Perhaps I am an inexperienced user, but the vibration is strong enough to wake me up. And the sleep phase calculation works - I woke up quickly and didn't feel tired. Waking up from vibration is much more pleasant than from sounds.

An unpleasant surprise awaited me when I sat down at the drum kit. I knew that Jawbone counted the number of steps taken by the characteristic movement of the arms when walking, and I understood that by playing the drums I was “finding” an extra thousand steps. But everything turned out worse. At quick game The bracelet starts to go crazy, vibrates non-stop and starts flashing all the lights. Alas, this gadget is contraindicated for drummers.

Third day - first failure

On the third day, I decided to trust the bracelet 100% and turned off the alarm on my iPhone, leaving only smart alarm clock Jawbone. It was a mistake.

My appointment with the dentist at nine o'clock in the morning had to be rescheduled to the next day. At half past midnight, the bracelet lost connection with the application, and therefore the alarm did not work. I discovered this when I woke up three hours after my desired time. During a week of use (and this did not make me happy), the bracelet lost connection four times, and I did not find any pattern.

Additionally, the app is bad at detecting when I'm exercising. Jawbone took my walk with friends from the metro to the pub as a workout. I couldn't deny myself the pleasure of confirming this.

Days four and five - sleep experiment

I was haunted by the smart alarm function. I had read a lot of information on this subject and knew that by waking up during REM sleep and evening out the pattern, you could reduce your sleep time to about five hours. I spent the fourth and fifth days experimenting with sleep. I went to bed at twelve at night and woke up at six in the morning from the vibration of the bracelet.

It is worth saying that the experiment ended successfully. Waking up was relatively easy, and I felt like I was sleeping as usual throughout the day.

Smart Alarm has become the most cool feature Jawbone. No matter what they tell you, the phases of sleep work, and you quickly get used to waking up from vibration, like anything pleasant. And I don’t want to switch to a regular alarm clock again.

Day six - steps and training

Even before I got acquainted with UP2, I was sure that step counting was absolutely unnecessary for people leading active image life. Yes, seeing the statistics in the app, you subconsciously want to walk an extra thousand steps. Moreover, a couple of times I even went out and walked the missing number of steps. However, on the days of running training, the norm of steps was completed in the morning.

The first screenshot shows a normal day with a walk, the second shows the middle of a running workout in the morning. An hour later, the norm of steps had already been completed and most of the functionality of the bracelet lost its meaning.

It's another matter if you lead a sedentary lifestyle. Then, in addition to the incentive to go out and walk, for example, during your lunch break, Jawbone can remind you that you have been sitting too long. Apple Watch does the same.

The app contains health tips that I stopped paying attention to the next day. We already know that you shouldn’t drink coffee before bed, and it’s better to limit your sugar consumption. In addition, Jawbone is incredibly slow on the iPhone 5. Overall, the application turned out to be bad. Much worse than a bracelet. By the end of the week, I simply didn’t want to go into it, since I knew that setting the alarm would be accompanied by brakes and crashes. And swear words.

Day seven - exploration of remaining functions

On the last day, I decided to try all the functions that I had not gotten around to. There are a few left: reminders and a stopwatch.

Reminders are very cool. The application cannot be used as a task manager, but, nevertheless, the bracelet becomes a modern analogue of the cross that we drew with a pen on our wrist. Every day there are tasks that you immediately remember when you feel the vibration. The bracelet will also remind you to go to bed. Moreover, it will adapt to your sleep patterns every day.

The stopwatch seemed useless to me for the reason that it can only be started and turned off from the application. No matter how much I pressed the bracelet, the stopwatch did not turn off. This makes the function rather useless.

Bottom line

First of all, I remember the UP2 as a beautiful accessory. For those who lead a sedentary lifestyle, it will add a little activity. But you shouldn’t expect it to radically change your lifestyle.

Alarm function, reminders, automatic workout tracking, connection with popular fitness applications and long work from one charge (7 days) is cool, but the advantages of UP2 are broken by its disadvantages:

Intermittent loss of connection.
Poor design: a clasp that scratches the laptop, inconvenient charging.
Bad app.

Jawbone UP2 is a stylish, long-lasting and almost smart bracelet. If you lack motivation to exercise, it will help you expend a little more energy. But be prepared for the fact that you will have to spend energy not only on walks, but also on quickly getting ready with swear words when Jawbone loses connection at night and you oversleep on your way to work.

Jawbone is one of the pioneers in the development of fitness bracelets, the first of which it released back in 2012. Despite the innovation of its devices, they have been criticized over the past three years for their poor design. And while Jawbone invested in buying startups to improve its service, without particularly developing the hardware, the market for wearable electronics simply exploded. appeared on it a large number of new players who often offer quality, but at the same time more affordable bracelets than Jawbone. However, this year, hoping to regain lost ground, the company released a whole line of new fitness bracelets. We've got the junior model of the Jawbone UP2 series for review, let's see what it's capable of.

Contents of delivery

Jawbone UP2 comes in a compact transparent package, inside which you can find the bracelet itself, as well as a USB cable with a magnetic head for recharging.

Design and construction

Externally, Jawbone UP2 is noticeably different from previous models company, it not only became smaller, but also received a slightly different body shape. And all thanks to the fact that the UP2 electronics are hidden in one module located in the central part of the bracelet.

Jawbone offers two device colors to choose from: black, which came to us for review, and gray.

The UP2 looks simple, there is nothing special in the appearance of the bracelet, you can find a lot of similar models on the market. More interesting design Jawbone left UP3 and UP4 for the older models of the line. Therefore, there is little design as such in the UP2; the only noticeable element is a small textured pattern on the outside of the bracelet.

On the one hand, such a device can be seen as an accessory that can complement the owner's style, but on the other hand, in fact, there is nothing wrong with the fact that it does not attract attention to itself.

Ease of use

The most important change in terms of usability of the Jawbone UP2 is that the band is adjustable in size. In the past, Jawbone had three bracelet sizes: small, medium and large. In the Jawbone UP2, the strap size is adjusted by moving the clasp from 140 to 190 mm, so you can choose it so as not to feel discomfort.

You can barely feel the Jawbone UP2 on your hand; it weighs only 25 grams.

The fastening of the strap to the hand in UP2 has become more reliable; it is implemented using two teeth, one of which clings to the second, and all this is secured with an additional loop.

Thus, the bracelet should not fly off the hand, for example, while playing contact sports. But it also has good fastening reverse side, fastening it yourself is not so easy, but at least until you get used to it.

Connection

Jawbone UP2 bracelet connects to Android or iOS smartphone through bluetooth protocol 4.0, but it is not very convenient that for this the device must be connected to charging. The pairing process itself is quick, and there are no problems with synchronization in the future.

Functionality

In terms of capabilities, compared to the previous generation Jawbone bracelets, UP2 practically nothing has changed. The main task of the device is to collect data on the user’s physical activity, as well as information about the quality of his sleep and the products consumed.

Accordingly, the main screen of the UP2 application displays three columns: sleep, steps and nutrition. On these three pillars, according to the developers from Jawbone, the road to more healthy image life.

The bracelet tracks sleep using an accelerometer, which allows you to track how calmly a person sleeps and how often he wakes up. Based on the phases of sleep, the smart alarm clock in UP2 can wake up the user in the lightest phase, according to its calculations. To do this, in the application settings you need to select not only the alarm time, but also an interval of 10, 20 or 30 minutes before it. Accordingly, depending on the sleep phase, if you set the alarm for 7:30 and set an interval of, for example, 30 minutes, it can be activated from 7:00 to 7:30.

In addition to sleep tracking, the accelerometer in Jawbone UP2 is also responsible for the pedometer function. Thus, the bracelet can determine how many steps the user has taken, as well as what distance he has walked. In order for the UP2 to detect a run or other sport activity, you must first activate the stopwatch. It will count the time spent on the activity, and the bracelet will interpret it as more intense physical exercise.

If the user has a desire to lose weight through proper nutrition, then Jawbone UP2 can help here too. Today, the Jawbone application for fitness bracelets is perhaps the only one in its class that can form a complete picture of calorie consumption and consumption. The application is able to break down the entered food into proteins, fats, carbohydrates, omega-3, fiber, salt, cholesterol and other indicators. The product database collected by Jawbone, although focused more on the American market, is so huge that you can even find several variants of borscht in it. In addition, the user can add his own products to the database.

Among other interesting features, it is worth highlighting the ability to create reminders, for example, to go to bed earlier. The bracelet will signal this by vibration. Based on the analysis of data on physical activity and sleep duration, Jawbone UP2 itself can remind the user to take an additional 2000 steps, or to go to bed an hour earlier than usual.

In general, one of the “chips” of the bracelet is precisely to not only collect, but also provide the user with useful information, which could help improve his well-being. As a result, the Jawbone UP app publishes new tips on how to eat better, sleep better and move more, and also periodically finds useful articles on health.

In order for the user to remember to move more, the bracelet can remind him to get up and walk.

Overall, the functionality of the Jawbone UP2 differs only slightly from the previous generation models. But it can be expanded thanks to the integration of the Jawbone UP application with third party programs and services, for example, RunKeeper for tracking running.

And just look at the opportunity to connect to IFTTT, which allows you to integrate UP2 into a smart home system.

This, for example, could allow the lights in a room to be turned off as soon as the user activates sleep mode on the bracelet, or the radio to be turned on when an alarm goes off.

Control

Unlike previous versions of Jawbone fitness bracelets, the UP2 does not have mechanical keys. Control is carried out by tapping on the body and pressing it for a long time. For example, to activate sleep tracking, you need to tap the bracelet a couple of times until the indicator lights up, and then press the case and wait a little.

The controls are not implemented very well; sometimes, in order to switch modes, you have to knock on the device’s body for too long.

Autonomy

The battery built into Jawbone UP2 has a capacity of only 38 mAh, but it will be enough for 6-7 days battery life devices, depending on the frequency of synchronization with the smartphone. Charging the bracelet occurs via a magnetic cable via USB and takes approximately 60 minutes.

Eventually

Jawbone continues to exploit in UP2 the ideas laid down in its first fitness bracelets. And although functional new model, not least thanks to integration with third-party applications and smart work with data, it can still give a head start to competitors, in terms of price it loses to them. Therefore, if you just need a pedometer or a smart alarm clock, then it is better to look at more affordable models. But if you want a little more from a fitness bracelet, for example support third party applications for sports, or the same integration with IFTTT, then take a closer look at Jawbone UP2, or even better,

Learn how to do the initial setup and Jawbone charging U.P.

In the last article we told you how to remove it from the box without the help of scissors, teeth and other sharp objects, and now we will tell you how to charge it and configure it correctly.

In fact, there is absolutely nothing complicated in these actions, especially with regard to the initial setup - the application is completely Russified, and after activating the bracelet, you will find a very detailed and visual tutorial that will introduce you to how to use the device.

Jawbone UP works in conjunction with a native application that must be downloaded from iTunes Store. To do this you will need an Apple ID. If you don’t have one yet, read our article on how to create one. It talks about creating a Ukrainian Apple ID, but you can create an American or Russian account in the same way - the Jawbone UP application is available in all these stores.

After installing the application, remove the cap and insert the 3.5 mm plug of the bracelet into the headphone jack. Launch the application, and then simply follow the instructions. During the process, you will have to indicate your gender, height, date of birth and weight (it should be specified as accurately as possible). The app will then tell you that people with your data typically move this much and sleep this much.

Based on these data, the program will set an average daily scale of recommended sleep time and activity. The latter, however, is slightly overpriced compared to the average. This is understandable; the purpose of the bracelet is to encourage you to move more.

An important point is user registration. To the one you specified mailing address Registration confirmation will arrive. It will arrive right away, so if it doesn't appear in your Inbox, check your Spam folder. There were no problems with Gmail, but there are always exceptions.

All statistics are tied specifically to your profile, so even by connecting Jawbone UP to another device, but logging in with your username and password, you will have access to your indicators.

Well, it's time to try the bracelet in action! It is always on, the main thing is that the battery does not run out (we will return to this later), but it has two main operating modes: activity and sleep.

In the first, it counts the number of steps taken and keeps track of exercises, and in the second, it analyzes the duration and phases of sleep. As the initial tutorial will tell you, the first mode is activated by simply pressing a single button, the second - by holding it down.

WHAT IS THIS?

Jawbone UP2 is designed to collect information about your activity during the day, as well as the quality of your sleep at night. The fitness tracker has several modes that are responsible for recognizing steps, recording the number of special exercises, calculating the number of calories or the time required to rest from training. During the day, Jawbone UP2 collects data not only on the number of steps, but also on other types of loads. These include strength exercises, an exercise bike, and cardio exercises. A separate function of the application monitors your diet and mood. A smart alarm clock will wake you up with unobtrusive vibration only during REM sleep, which means you will wake up well rested. Jawbone UP2 will track your micro-movements during sleep and give recommendations to improve the quality of your rest. The UP2 communicates with the smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0, and all information collected by the sensors is displayed in the companion application available in Google Play and App Store. In addition to boring statistics “for yourself,” the application offers competitive...

WHAT IS THIS?

Jawbone UP2 is designed to collect information about your activity during the day, as well as the quality of your sleep at night. The fitness tracker has several modes that are responsible for recognizing steps, recording the number of special exercises, calculating the number of calories or the time required to rest from training. During the day, Jawbone UP2 collects data not only on the number of steps, but also on other types of loads. These include strength exercises, an exercise bike, and cardio exercises. A separate function of the application monitors your diet and mood. A smart alarm clock will wake you up with unobtrusive vibration only during REM sleep, which means you will wake up well rested. Jawbone UP2 will track your micro-movements during sleep and give recommendations to improve the quality of your rest. The UP2 communicates with the smartphone via Bluetooth 4.0, and all information collected by the sensors is displayed in the companion application available on Google Play and the App Store. In addition to boring statistics “for yourself,” the application offers competitions among friends lasting an hour, a day or a week. One 1.5-2 hour charge gives Jawbone UP2 the ability to work up to 10 days.

DESIGN.

The company's designers created a fundamentally new bracelet design, responding to the wishes of users. Now the device has special clamps that press the edge of the bracelet to the body. This solution will allow you to wear your gadget without fear of losing it. The design of the device uses the same soft hypoallergenic plastic, which gives Jawbone UP2 additional protection from water, as well as shocks and falls from heights. The insert is a textured aluminum plate.

HOW IT WORKS?

The first activation requires connection to charging cable and computer. Lights will start flashing on the bracelet body and the proprietary application will tell you how to connect UP2 with your smartphone by just touching touchpad on the front side of the case. Switching between “Sport” and “Sleep” modes in UP2 is done using double taps on the front surface of the bracelet, where the indicators are located. Having studied you a little, the bracelet will begin to understand the mode that you adhere to, which will help wake you up exactly at the moment when it is most favorable. If you work in an office, you'll love the Idle Alert feature: every time you sit or lie idle for longer than a specified period of time, the bracelet will remind you that it's time to walk a little. Stands out separately Smart function Coach. Over time, UP2 learns about you and automatically tracks the time you spend running, cycling, playing tennis, or playing any other sport. You can also set a goal for yourself in your phone app, and Smart Coach will start giving you tips on how to achieve it. Constant wearing promotes long term life from one charge is up to 7 days, and protection from splashes and showers, but in no case from immersion in water or staying in baths or saunas.

Characteristics:

The simplest way to calculate your activity and calories burned.
Automatically records the number of hours of sleep and quality of sleep.
Tracks food, drinks, calories, nutrients and a variety of other components.
UP provides personalized advice to help you make healthier choices every day.
The bracelet is splash-proof and has a display with LED indicator, acceleration sensor.
The battery charge lasts up to 7 days.
Compatibility: iPhone 4s+; Android 4.3+.