Jawbone Up fitness bracelet makes leap to Android
The wearable computer tracks users' physical activity to determine calories burned, as well as evaluate sleep patterns when worn to bed.
The Jawbone Up fitness bracelet is ready to bulk up -- on users, that is
First launched in 2011, the bracelet was formerly available only on iOS devices -- most notably iPhones. But tonight a free Android app was added to the Google Play marketplace that allows the device to be used on devices running Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich or later devices.
Coupled with a 24/7 wearable computer, it tracks users' physical activity to estimate the number of calories burned throughout the day. Worn to bed, it will even measure and evaluate a user's sleep patterns.
Jawbone is also stretching the legs of the $129 device, expanding sales into Europe, Asia, and Australia, with availability in the Middle East coming next month. Meanwhile, the iOS version has been updated to support an additional 11 languages.
Jawbone unveiled a revamped version of its Up fitness solution last November, saying its bracelet had been significantly rebuilt from the inside out for increased strength and greater functionality. Apparently some users of the product, designed to be worn around the wrist to track activity and exercise, experienced glitches or failures due to wear and tear.