Jawbone today released new ROM updates to its UP 2, 3, and 4 fitness trackers to enable them to track sleep and resting heart rate. Previously, customers had to tap their devices to put them into sleep mode; the update will figure out when you're sleeping tap-free. Also, the Up3 and Up4 bands will now measure not just resting heart rate, but passive heart rate -- your typical … [Read more...]
Jawbone Announces UP4, including Amex NFC Payments
Jawbone, which is just now getting its long-delayed UP3 fitness tracker to market, is already talking about the next version, the UP4. The major differenceis apparently the addition of an NFC chip that will link the device to your American Express card and use it for contactless credit card payments. Jawbone says the UP4 will be available this summer, but no pricing was … [Read more...]
Jawbone To Ship UP3 Fitness Tracker April 20, Not As Waterproof As Hoped
Jawbone's UP3 fitness tracker was supposed to ship before the end of 2014. It didn't make it, and its web site had been citing delivery intervals of "6-7 weeks" since then. The company has now announced that initial shipment of back orders will start April 20, with the expectation that all pre-orders will be fulfilled by mid-May. No word about wider retail distribution. The … [Read more...]
Fortune Magazine Takes a Tough Look at Jawbone
Fortune Magazine has a well-reported and cold-eyed look at Jawbone, maker of (among other things) the upcoming UP3 fitness band. It describes the company as a 16-year-old startup that skates from one rapidly commoditized success to another -- Bluetooth headsets, wireless speakers, and now fitness bands. The picture it paints is of an innovative company that hasn't quite figured … [Read more...]
The Ass of a Jawbone: UP3 Misses Christmas
We saw a lot of wearables products promising a holiday delivery. Here's a big one that missed: Jawbone won't ship its $180 Up3 fitness band until after Christmas. Ouch. Bloomberg has a lot of background about Jawbone and its position among venture capitalists (but doesn't mention that Fitbit far outsells it). When the UP3 was announced in November, the company said it would … [Read more...]
Jawbone Releases the $50 Move and the $180 UP3
As leaked yesterday, Jawbone today released two new fitness trackers: the Move and the UP3. The $50 Move is a low-end step and sleep tracker very similar to the Misfit: a metal disc that fits into either a clip or an extra-cost strap. Its user interface is a set of small LEDs that come alive when you press the disc. It's powered by a watch battery, and comes in five colors. … [Read more...]