January has been and gone and that means those that opted to get healthy, but weren’t serious about it, have now mostly given up and retreated back to their old, bad habits.
But if you’re not one of those people and you’re committed to fitness and being active, chances are you’ve given some thought to acquiring a fitness tracker.
Most phones these days do some sort of fitness tracking, but a bespoke tracker like the Jawbone Up3 brings a lot more functionality to the table. They make tracking easier and more accurate, pack in lots of detailed analytics, and allow you a greater degree of control when logging your activity.
So… is the Jawbone Up3 fit for purpose? Let’s find out shall we.
Jawbone Up3 Review: Design
Subtle. Understated. Smart – the Jawbone Up3 is all of these things. It looks like a leather bangle and won’t stand out too much when you’re dressing to impress. Especially if you go for the black model.
The Jawbone Up3 is ideal for those of you looking for a stealth fitness tracker, something that can be worn and used without any real fuss. I like this about the Jawbone Up3, as I don’t like a lot of business happening on my wrist.
The band itself is slim and will sit comfortably above or below your watch. The Jawbone Up3 is only splash resistant, though, so be careful taking it swimming or in the shower. The clasp is durable and, once fastened, stays put which is handy for those that like running long distances on tough terrain.
There’s not really much else to say about the way it looks; it is what it is – nothing more nothing less. The Jawbone Up3 is lightweight (29g) and, in my opinion, is nicer looking than its nearest FitBit rival.
The Jawbone Up3 is designed to fit wrists ranging from 140mm to 190mm but if you want to take advantage of its heart monitoring features you’ll need to make sure its tight, as contact-pressure is required.
Jawbone Up3 Review: Features
The latest update for the Jawbone Up3 has fixed a bunch of issues that plagued the device at launch. It can now switch seamlessly between activity mode and sleeping mode as well as take constant heart readings throughout the day in order to give you accurate data about when you’re most active.
There is no display on the Jawbone Up3, so you’re reliant on your smartphone to view data and logs. This isn’t too much of an issue, however, as the device is designed to simply work in the background and keep out of the way.
Where the Jawbone Up3 really shines, though, is in its wide support for a host of third party applications. It’s also compatible with both iOS and Android. You can link it with Runkeeper, for instance, to track and log your runs and a host of other fitness applications, which is a really nice touch.
The big star of the show, however, is Smart Coach.
Smart Coach basically makes lots of suggestions about how to improve your overall health and the best ways and approaches for achieving your goals. It will, for instance, tell you the best time to go to bed and the best time to wake up; offer up tips on your running routes and progress, as well as frequent insights on improvements you’re making.
The quality of the data and the level of consistency across the iOS and Android apps is great and, after using the Jawbone Up3 for a couple of weeks, I really started enjoying Smart Coach. Like, I actually got lots of value from it, even if it was just a motivational quote that helped me man-up and go for a run when feeling a little lazy.
Jawbone Up3 Review: Battery
Battery life is pretty solid. But that’s to be expected on a device that doesn’t have a display. I consistently got around 7-8 days of uptime before it required a charge.
Jawbone Up3 Review: Verdict
If you’re looking for a sleek, subtle, feature-rich fitness tracker, the Jawbone Up3 comes highly recommended. Jawbone’s platform is superb, working seamlessly across Android and iOS.
I love the fact that it integrates third party applications and Smart Coach is a brilliant USP for the platform. The only potential downside to the Jawbone Up3 is that its a little pricy at £130 – but then you do get what you pay for these days.
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