Jawbone Up…or is it down?

When Jawbone released the Up in 2011, I was VERY interested in the device. It tracks your “movements” and translates them to “steps”. It also tracks your sleep and if you want to take pictures of your meals, you can track how you feel afterwards.

I’ve always wanted a way to measure my sleep, other than just how I feel the next day, but I’ve not be able to find something that wasn’t too invasive and yet had decent reviews.

In mid November I decided to take the plunge and pick-up an Up. I was quite impressed with the step tracking and even more-so the sleep tracking.  Then, about a week in the band stopped tracking my sleep.  I’d put the band into sleep mode and after between 30 minutes and 3 hours it would kick out of sleep mode and not track the rest of my sleep.  I called Jawbone support and they sent me out a replacement that I had in 3 business days.

That was just after Thanksgiving. Since then my replacement Up has been working great….well, until yesterday. The night of March 3rd, I went to put the band into sleep mode and noticed that there was no blinking LED.  I pressed again, and nothing.  I held the button, nothing…no response.  I had just charged my band on Friday at the office, there was no reason that battery should be dead.  I had an online chat with Jawbone support, and after a few, obviously scripted, questions they decided that it would be best to replace the band.

This will be my 3rd band in 4 months. My wife had wanted an Up band, but after seeing 2 devices fail she’s not sure she can even trust one.  Of course, she couldn’t get one now if she wanted…Jawbone has pulled the device off their site, and is awaiting the release of the second version of the band.  I can only hope that the new band coming out will be more stable and durable than their first version. I really like what the Up can do….when it’s not down.