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Nest devices start talking to Google, washing machines and your car
Nest's Learning Thermostat and Protect smoke detector are now part of a much, much larger universe. The company has just launched a developer program that lets third-party apps and devices talk to Nest hardware, making it do things that aren't possible through official software. The initiative is kicking off with a whole host of partnerships in place, in many cases with feature updates either available now or due in the near future. Chamberlain's garage doors can now tell your Nest thermostat when you're home, while Mercedes-Benz lets you check the temperature on the road; Logitech's Harmony Ultimate remote can lower the heat in mid-movie, and Jawbone's Up24 fitness tracker can tell Nest when you wake up.
Jawbone's Up24 fitness tracker lands in the UK, Europe and Asia
If you've been eagerly waiting for Jawbone to bring its first wireless fitness tracker to your locale, today could be your lucky day. After a period of exclusivity in the US, the accessory maker has expanded sales of its Up24 wristband to 29 new markets (including the UK, China and Japan) letting customers enjoy low-energy Bluetooth support that Fitbit and others have been offering for more than a year. The launch is timely, given that Jawbone recently updated its Android app with wireless syncing and push notifications to get the most out of the rubberized wearable. As with all its products, Jawbone's making the Up24 available to buy on its local webstore, but the company is also enlisting the help of Apple and Amazon to manage sales. Prices start at £125 in the UK and €149.95 in Europe, but do make sure to check out the full list of confirmed markets after the break.
Jawbone updates its Android app with wireless syncing and push notifications (updated)
If you own a Jawbone fitness tracker, you may have read last week that the company made some changes to its app. Unfortunately for some of us, the updates were all for iOS only -- in fact, the company didn't even bother to mention Android that day. Turns out, Jawbone had a good reason: it was planning an update for the Android app that brings it more in line with its iOS counterpart. In particular, it now fully supports the wireless Up24 band, which is to say it syncs wirelessly and sends out push notifications (e.g., you're about to hit your daily step goal). In addition, the app includes most of the new features that were introduced on iOS last week -- things like sunrise/sunset times in the sleep graph and "Insight Reports," which establish a connection between things like how much sleep you got and what foods you're likely to crave the next day. So, even if you own an older Up band you'll want to head over to Google Play straight away. Update: An earlier version of this story reported that the Android app would be missing the new features that were just introduced on the iOS version last week. A Jawbone rep later said that the Android app would, in fact, include most of these features, with the exception of custom reminders.
Jawbone Up24 review: wireless syncing makes this Jawbone's best fitness tracker yet
Late last year, Jawbone faced a herculean task: regaining consumers' trust after widespread reports of brickage on the original Up fitness tracker. The outfit was able to right many of the wrongs that plagued the first edition, but there was still room for improvement. You still had to plug the Up into a smartphone to sync your collected data; sleep tracking left a lot to be desired; and the iOS app needed more usable functionality beyond tallying steps and monitoring dietary habits. However, the 2012 model did offer more than seven days of battery life and, you know, kept working even after a week of use. This time around, the company has finally opted to go wireless. Thanks to a Bluetooth Low Energy radio, the new Up24 can sync wirelessly and only needs to be plugged in when it's time to recharge. The convenience of wireless comes at a cost, however. The 2013 version got a $20 price increase to $150. So is the ability to sync wirelessly worth the extra coin? Are the software improvements impressive enough to make folks trust Jawbone above rival companies? I spent a few weeks tracking my every move to determine just that.
Daily Roundup: PlayStation 4 test drive, Moto G unveiled, Jawbone Up24 and more!
You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.
