The wearable gadget market continues to heat up, with Jawbone's Up wristband finally getting an Australian launch.
Offering similar functionality to the FitBit Zip and FitBit Flex step trackers, the JawBone Up uses accelerometers within the wristband's body to count the number of steps taken during the day, as well as tracking the quality and quantity of sleep during the night.
Recently re-engineered to fix the problems plaguing the original version, the Up is both water resistant and shock resistant, capable of being worn in the shower or dropped to the floor without breaking.
Available in three sizes and a variety of eight different colours, the Up will be released through Apple Stores, Telstra and Optus stores in April for $149.99.
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With no display on the Up save for two tiny LED lights, accessing your information is done by syncing the Up to a smartphone via the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Initially the Up app was only available to iOS users, but Jawbone has recently launched a dedicated Android app, meaning the vast majority of smartphone users can now use the Up to its fullest.
in addition to displaying steps and sleep, the Up application also allows users to track their food intake, set their mood, share their activities to Facebook and Twitter and comment on friend's Up usage.
It also offers "Insights", which are tips to get the most out of the Up based on your usage history.
For those that enjoy their snooze button, the app also lets you set a silent, vibrating alarm that wakes users up at the most opportune time based on their quality of sleep. Power nappers can also use the up to make sure they get just the right amount of shut-eye without oversleeping.
