( WIRED ) -- Jawbone 's UP activity-monitoring wristbands have been failing at an alarming rate . Three review units have failed during Gadget Lab testing , numerous complaints of `` bricked '' units riddle Jawbone 's user forums , and the clever health and fitness product currently receives just two out of five stars on Amazon.com reviews -- 41 different user reviews were complaining of 23 bricked devices as of press time . Today , Jawbone CEO Hosain Rahman issued a statement on Jawbone 's website explaining the cause of the failures , and offered a comprehensive , perhaps unprecedented , refund program for anyone unhappy with his or her purchase . Apparently , problems with circuit board capacitors are to blame for the litany of units that have trouble keeping a charge , exhibit erratic data-recording behavior , or just plain stop working . Rahman 's message to customers reports the following : . `` We 've found an issue with two specific capacitors in the power system that affects the ability to hold a charge in some of our bands . We 're also fixing an issue with syncing related to the band hardware . Typically , these issues surface within the first seven to ten days of use . The glitches are purely performance related and do not pose any safety risk . '' When the wristband works properly , it records all your daytime footsteps , and later provides a visual report of your walking , running or hiking activity via a nifty iOS app interface . You can also set the band to give you `` Activity Reminders '' -- gentle vibrations on your wrist that compel you to get out of your seat and take a few steps . The UP system also offers nighttime sleep monitoring , providing rich visual graphs detailing periods of deep and light sleep . Well , that 's how the UP system operates when working . In our experience with three different failed bands , problems ran a frustrating gamut . One band issued random vibrations ( even though no reminders were set ) and consistently dropped data before failing to keep a charge , and then dying completely . The other two bands simply exhibited syncing failures before bricking for good . In his statement , Rahman says that Jawbone has `` temporarily paused production '' of the bands , and will once again begin taking orders after the hardware 's technical issues have been resolved . Jawbone 's VP of Product Management and Strategy Travis Bogard told Wired.com , `` We will bring it back as fast as we can . '' Jawbone is also offering a `` no questions asked '' refund program for anyone who 's purchased an UP . Starting tomorrow and running through December 31 , 2012 , consumers who bought their UP bands from authorized retailers will be granted full refunds , and -- here 's the big news -- be allowed to keep their bands . Consumers experiencing hardware problems can also continue to receive replacement bands through Jawbone 's existing warranty program . In fact , someone can collect a full refund , as well as receive a replacement band as long as the band qualifies under warranty . Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $ 1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT ! Click here ! Copyright 2011 Wired.com .
Product currently receives just two out of five stars on Amazon.com reviews . Jawbone CEO says problems with circuit board capacitors are to blame . Jawbone 's VP says , `` We will bring it back as fast as we can ''