Apple's Nike+iPod Sport Kit to drop this week
Apple Computer is in the process of shipping the first of its wireless Nike+iPod Sport Kits that will allow Nike+ footwear to talk with an iPod nano, AppleInsider has been told.
The $30 kit includes an in-shoe sensor that will transmit in real-time information on time, distance, calories burned and pace to a receiver that attaches to a runner's iPod nano digital music player.
The kits are currently en route to the United States and should begin showing up at Apple and Niketown retail stores beginning tomorrow, Thursday July 13th.
First demonstration
CNBC Sports business reporter Darren Rovell (formerly of ESPN) has already obtained one of the sport kits and plans to perform the first ever test of the new technology this evening on CNBC's prime time show "On the Money."
Rovell will be testing the kit along with a pair of Nike's new Air Zoom+ running shoes. The CNBC broadcast will air twice, at 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM eastern time.
Update
Nike has issued a press release stating that Niketown locations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles will host launch events to celebrate the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.
The kit will be available for purchase first at Niketown New York tomorrow morning at a special event featuring Nike baseball players Mariano Rivera (New York), Chien-Ming Wang (New York) and AJ Pierzynski (Chicago), basketball player Ben Gordon (Chicago), retired basketball player Cynthia Cooper (Houston), Olympic speedskater Chad Hedrick and Olympic snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis.
Niketown Chicago will host an entire day of music in connection with the adjacent Apple store on North Michigan Avenue between Erie and Superior. The day will feature a lunchtime concert by Mae from 12:00pm - 1:00pm and performances by Chicago cover band Underwater People from 10:00am - 7:00pm.
Niketown Los Angeles will host a retail celebration hosted by local personality Carol Lewis and featuring Jeff Garcia from Power 106.
The $30 kit includes an in-shoe sensor that will transmit in real-time information on time, distance, calories burned and pace to a receiver that attaches to a runner's iPod nano digital music player.
The kits are currently en route to the United States and should begin showing up at Apple and Niketown retail stores beginning tomorrow, Thursday July 13th.
First demonstration
CNBC Sports business reporter Darren Rovell (formerly of ESPN) has already obtained one of the sport kits and plans to perform the first ever test of the new technology this evening on CNBC's prime time show "On the Money."
Rovell will be testing the kit along with a pair of Nike's new Air Zoom+ running shoes. The CNBC broadcast will air twice, at 7:00 PM and 11:00 PM eastern time.
Update
Nike has issued a press release stating that Niketown locations in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles will host launch events to celebrate the Nike+iPod Sport Kit.
The kit will be available for purchase first at Niketown New York tomorrow morning at a special event featuring Nike baseball players Mariano Rivera (New York), Chien-Ming Wang (New York) and AJ Pierzynski (Chicago), basketball player Ben Gordon (Chicago), retired basketball player Cynthia Cooper (Houston), Olympic speedskater Chad Hedrick and Olympic snowboarder Lindsey Jacobellis.
Niketown Chicago will host an entire day of music in connection with the adjacent Apple store on North Michigan Avenue between Erie and Superior. The day will feature a lunchtime concert by Mae from 12:00pm - 1:00pm and performances by Chicago cover band Underwater People from 10:00am - 7:00pm.
Niketown Los Angeles will host a retail celebration hosted by local personality Carol Lewis and featuring Jeff Garcia from Power 106.
Comments
That is ALOT of celebrating for an accessory.
If I had a nano, I'd get one just to play around with.
I'll probably wait for version 2.0
Actually... the other issue is that you have to use a Nike shoe. You should never choose running shoes by brand. Brand is irrelivant. It's all about fit. Forcing you to stick with one brand could mean that you are not getting the right shoe for your feet... which could lead to injury. I've never found a Nike shoe that worked for me. I usually end up in a pair of Asics... most times. That said... you could probably just velcro the sensor to the top of a non-Nike shoe or something.
1. make it available in Europe
2. Nike clones available for nice cheap price compatible with sensor
Sure the $30 (presumably £20-£25 with traditional UK price hike) kit sounds good but I know jack about the shoes its supposed to work with. I'm not the right kind of footwear nerd!
Originally posted by Takeo
It's insane how cheap this thing is. I have the Nike Triax SDM Elite watch (based on the same technology) and it was over $500. And the sensor is WAY bigger. However, it also does heart rate. As cool and as fun as speed and distance are... heart rate is a much more useful training tool. If they come out with a version 2 that includes a HRM... I'm sold.
Actually... the other issue is that you have to use a Nike shoe. You should never choose running shoes by brand. Brand is irrelivant. It's all about fit. Forcing you to stick with one brand could mean that you are not getting the right shoe for your feet... which could lead to injury. I've never found a Nike shoe that worked for me. I usually end up in a pair of Asics... most times. That said... you could probably just velcro the sensor to the top of a non-Nike shoe or something.
I read (on this very site) that one could use the Nike+ without buying the Nike shoe, instead using a pocket or strap (?) for the sensor... Anyone have a link for this?
I'm certain you will see third party cases available that will allow you to lace it up on any shoe.
The Nike Triax series are great but Polar has been the choice of most athletes.
Unfortunately Polar doesn't offer Mac support at all, their kit won't even work with VPC!
Nike is smart in partnering with Apple who is a master of simplifying technology and bringing it to the masses.
Nike also makes Mac software for their high end Heart Rate Monitors.
I'm certain Nike and Apple will polish that software and pair it with an affordable HRM.
I can't wait.
Originally posted by Johnny Mozzarella
Nike is smart in partnering with Apple who is a master of simplifying technology and bringing it to the masses.
Nike also makes Mac software for their high end Heart Rate Monitors.
I'm certain Nike and Apple will polish that software and pair it with an affordable HRM.
I can't wait.
I would be reeeeeally cool if Nike + iPod would further extend the line with Oakley "Thump" style glasses and other sports and fitness accessories... I want 'em NOW!
Nike: for those who dont know better.
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
I would be reeeeeally cool if Nike + iPod would further extend the line with Oakley "Thump" style glasses and other sports and fitness accessories... I want 'em NOW!
I couldn't agree more!
This should be one of Apple's next products.
80% of Americans are overweight.
It tracks your weight, body fat and hydration level.
Data is sent to your Mac or PC where you can track your progress using an iApp.
As a shareholder, I would like to see them diversify into more consumer products.
I am willing to take an X-acto knife to my Mizunos if it does take pressure to turn that thing on. Not willing to buy Nike shoes, because they are just not that great of a running shoe.
If they are going to come out with another accessory, HR monitor would be great. Cadence-capable bike computer would also be appreciated.
What I would really like is if they would just expand the site to allow you to track all your workouts and also download your data in tab-delim format. Maybe sign a deal with FitLinxx to import that data as well.
Originally posted by Johnny Mozzarella
I couldn't agree more!
This should be one of Apple's next products.
80% of Americans are overweight.
It tracks your weight, body fat and hydration level.
Data is sent to your Mac or PC where you can track your progress using an iApp.
As a shareholder, I would like to see them diversify into more consumer products.
Although you may have posted the image somewhat in jest, a complete health monitoring system, which could even include Bluetooth based blood pressure monitors and body fat density scales (tip o' the hat to Sr. Mozzarella) would be a veeeeery large and growing market... Face it, the greatest needs of our aging society will be health and personal medical monitoring equipment.
Originally posted by SpamSandwich
Although you may have posted the image somewhat in jest, a complete health monitoring system, which could even include Bluetooth based blood pressure monitors and body fat density scales (tip o' the hat to Sr. Mozzarella) would be a veeeeery large and growing market... Face it, the greatest needs of our aging society will be health and personal medical monitoring equipment.
I'm serious like a heart attack!
How nice would it be to open up iHealth and see a beautiful chart of your body composition for the last year?
Imagine having your blood pressure or blood sugar history displayed in iHealth.
These devices exist today but the data they collect is limited to a tiny LCD screen and eventually lost. Apple could create a system where the data once collected could be sent wirelessly to a Mac where it can be displayed, analyzed, archived and shared with your physician.
Originally posted by TKN
Yeah, but not a body scale!!!!!! It is not like they are hard to use now. Cool image though.
Thanks.
How much did you weight 6 months ago?
What was your percent body fat 6 years ago?
Can you print me out a chart of your body composition for the last year with iHealth?
The iWay would transmit all the data it collects to your Mac(digital hub) where it can be displayed, analyzed and shared.
This would be a big help for anyone who is gravitationally challenged.
Also athletes who obsess about their weight (wrestlers and weight lifters) would love this.
They aren't making it clear if the nano trainer thing will talk over your music, or if it's got to be those stupid nike sport mixes they've started selling.
Because if this only talks to you in your ear with the special nike music this thing is complete crap.
Originally posted by ecking
Because if this only talks to you in your ear with the special nike music this thing is complete crap.
It is all marketing bullshit...just get a pair of Newbalance shoes, an iPod, and a pedometer...
In my experiance (one pair of each) Newbalance outlast Nike 2-1 and are more comfortable for the long haul (8-3 in high school and 4-9 @ work*)
*this was in 2002, the shoe quality may have changed but I doubt it.
Originally posted by ecking
What's been confusing or misleading to me with this Nike thing all this time is this:
They aren't making it clear if the nano trainer thing will talk over your music, or if it's got to be those stupid nike sport mixes they've started selling.
Because if this only talks to you in your ear with the special nike music this thing is complete crap.
Apple's site doesn't mention anything about Nike music being required.
I doubt this would be the case as the backlash would be huge.
I personally prefer the 8-bit Super Mario Brothers soundtrack when running, jumping and powering up.
Originally posted by Johnny Mozzarella
Apple's site doesn't mention anything about Nike music being required.
I doubt this would be the case as the backlash would be huge.
I personally prefer the 8-bit Super Mario Brothers soundtrack when running, jumping and powering up.
I hope your right man.
and a_geer everyone I know who is into running has newbalances so I take your word for it!
Johnny you can also get the otter case and listen to the water level soundtrack while swimming. You know the one.
I like the iHealth idea a lot better than Nike+. They could sell the different sensors/meters seperately or as a package. That way, you could choose if you just want, for example, a blood sugar meter. Then maybe you want a heart monitor. I could also see ther being a scale, but you could just enter your weight from another scale. The app could proccess charts and reports based on as much information as provided to give you an overall picture of your physical health.
If a consumer technology company like Apple did something like this, it could actually be affordable because they are selling to consumers instead of ripping off insurance companies. Not to mention that Apple is the only one who would make it work right. It could be huge for athletes as well as people who are overweight or have medical conditions that they need to keep track of at home. But really, the beauty is that if people had constant access to this kind of information about their health, it could lead to a much healthier nation (this one needs it the most).
As for the Nike+ thing... eh. It's a start, I guess.
Also, agreed about the the Nike shoes. There will be some way to make it work with others, I hope.
Originally posted by Johnny Mozzarella
I personally prefer the 8-bit Super Mario Brothers soundtrack when running, jumping and powering up.
Just don't hurt your head, man...