Damage:
- R1 900 for UP24 (wireless)
- R1 499 for Jawbone UP (not wireless)
- Data to download the app
What you need to know:
- It works in conjunction with the UP app on your phone
- Suitable for Android as well as iPhone
What we think you should know:
The band is your fitness guard dog, your mum away from home, your big sister making sure that you stay on course. I am an UP addict at the moment and I am not at all into fitness. I like to keep fit, but there’s so much more to this wristband. For starters, it’s pretty. It is not chunky like the other ones on the market and it is easily mistaken for a bangle. I have a black one, because black goes with everything, but you can get it in various colours.
If you get the UP24, which is wireless, make sure that you have the latest OS on your phone, otherwise it will not work. For this reason, I opted for the Jawbone UP, as it is compatible with all smartphones. The only difference between the two is that I need to plug mine into the earphone jack on my phone to update my stats. Easy peasy, no fuss at all.
The UP24 is much more than a fitness band that merely measures how many steps you take. It is smart, really smart. It analyses your entire life. Not only does it measure the amount of steps that you take, but you can log activities like cycling, whether stationary or not; weightlifting, running, crossfit, yoga and even hiking. Added to this you can also log your food and drinks so that you can keep track of your calorie intake and burn.
When you are inactive for too long, the band vibrates signalling that you need to go for a walk to get some exercise. This happens to me quite often when I sit behind my laptop or when I am in long meetings. When this happens, I generally make a quick round of the office or shout at it “I’ll go when I can, MUM!”
This is all great, but my favourite is that you can add people to your ‘team’. This made me very competitive as I can see my team mates’ activities and vice versa. I don’t want to be seen as lazy, now do I? Jawbone UP and UP24 also analyse your sleep patterns and when I didn’t get my eight hours of sleep earlier this week it gave me a curfew with a countdown clock! It really is like having someone around who has your best interests at heart. It makes sure to update your team mates too so that they can encourage you to stick to your goals.
I’m not into the fitness craze, but I might get into it now. I love my UP and when I see someone else with one, I feel like we’re part of a little fitness gang.
So rad:
- It motivates in a nice way to keep fit and get enough sleep to live a healthy and productive life
- The Jawbone UP and UP24 only need charging once every 10 days and charges within an hour or two
- If you are with Discovery Vitality, you can link your band so that you get points
So sad:
- You have to take it off while it’s charging or when you’re in the shower – boohoo.
