My Z News

The Jawbone Up debuted last year with big ambitions: A bracelet-like device that you’d wear all the time, tracking how much you move and how well you sleep. Paired with an app, the Up helps you recognize patterns in your habits, empowering you to improve your health.

One problem: It wasn’t built to withstand the punishment of being a wearable device. Unlike a cellphone that resides in your pocket or a bag, the Up wraps around your wrist, exposed to the world just as much as your skin is. Many users found it quickly malfunctioned, and Jawbone recalled the Up and issued refunds.

After nearly a year of revamping and beta testing, Jawbone is releasing Up 2.0. Although it looks exactly the same on the outside, the internals have been thoroughly changed, built to a new strength that goes way beyond industry standards, the company says.

For instance, Jawbone exposed the Up to various chemicals and solvents, tested it, then exposed it again and again. There were also many drop tests. In total, 2.9 million hours of testing went into the second version of the product, the company says.

Now the new Up is here, selling for $129.99, or $30 more than the original (those extra man-hours don’t pay for themselves). It comes in three sizes and eight different colors. You can get one, starting today, at Jawbone’s website, the Apple Store, Best Buy and AT&T stores. We’ll have a review after we’ve had a chance to check it out for a few days.

What do you think of the Up? And what would convince you to use it? Share your impressions in the comments.

Image courtesy of Jawbone

Read more: http://mashable.com/2012/11/13/jawbone-up-new/