Apple's recent hire from Nike wasn't FuelBand designer, focused on shoes
Contrary to earlier reports, Apple's recent hiring of a Nike designer was not related to his involvement in the Nike FuelBand project, because Ben Shaffer wasn't even involved in the wearable device.
Dispelling recent rumors about Apple's hiring of Shaffer, Fast Company reported this week that the former Nike designer "didn't even do work on the FuelBand." Instead, Shaffer's contributions at Nike involved "footwear innovation."
When Apple's hiring of Shaffer was revealed on Friday, it was initially ? and incorrectly ??reported that Shaffer was behind the FuelBand project. But the designer's time at Nike was focused on the Flyknit, a flagship, ultra-light line of sneakers from the shoemaker.
"If Apple wanted to steal talent from the FuelBand project, it would likely want to start with Nike's Digital Sport group or with a design firm like Astro," Fast Company's Austin Carr wrote. "Yes, Shaffer served as the Innovation Kitchen's studio director, but he and that group are all centrally involved in footwear: There are knitting machines and shoe prototypes all over the lab. The Digital Sport group, which led development of the FuelBand, is actually in a separate building."
With Apple rumored to be working on a wearable device dubbed the "iWatch," hopeful reports presumed that Shaffer might be nabbed from Nike for an alleged expertise in wearable electronics. But while it's possible Shaffer could end up working on an "iWatch" product, his hiring apparently has nothing to do with Nike's FuelBand fitness tracker.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed himself to be a FuelBand wearer in an interview earlier this year.
But the company has also shown interest in devices such as "smart shoes" that notify users when they need replacing. A patent application uncovered by AppleInsider in January described a sensor and alarm system that could be embedded in footwear, informing users when the shoes are worn out.
Dispelling recent rumors about Apple's hiring of Shaffer, Fast Company reported this week that the former Nike designer "didn't even do work on the FuelBand." Instead, Shaffer's contributions at Nike involved "footwear innovation."
When Apple's hiring of Shaffer was revealed on Friday, it was initially ? and incorrectly ??reported that Shaffer was behind the FuelBand project. But the designer's time at Nike was focused on the Flyknit, a flagship, ultra-light line of sneakers from the shoemaker.
"If Apple wanted to steal talent from the FuelBand project, it would likely want to start with Nike's Digital Sport group or with a design firm like Astro," Fast Company's Austin Carr wrote. "Yes, Shaffer served as the Innovation Kitchen's studio director, but he and that group are all centrally involved in footwear: There are knitting machines and shoe prototypes all over the lab. The Digital Sport group, which led development of the FuelBand, is actually in a separate building."
With Apple rumored to be working on a wearable device dubbed the "iWatch," hopeful reports presumed that Shaffer might be nabbed from Nike for an alleged expertise in wearable electronics. But while it's possible Shaffer could end up working on an "iWatch" product, his hiring apparently has nothing to do with Nike's FuelBand fitness tracker.
Apple Chief Executive Tim Cook revealed himself to be a FuelBand wearer in an interview earlier this year.
But the company has also shown interest in devices such as "smart shoes" that notify users when they need replacing. A patent application uncovered by AppleInsider in January described a sensor and alarm system that could be embedded in footwear, informing users when the shoes are worn out.
Comments
Apple’s CEO is one tricky man.
He tricked Samsung in making a watch, while working on wearable technology?
An iWatch makes no sense.
Why bear your phone on yr wrist if you can put it anywhere on yr body?
1) If you think that a wrist worn device would be phone or an iPhone replacement then, sure, an iWatch makes no sense, but why assume that at all? The wrist is simply an ideal place for many things computerized devices can do well or will soon be able to do well. A simple readout (like for telling time) to biometrics that can use the palmar side of the wrist (like for recording your pulse).
2) How the hell would a phone anywhere on your body be better than on your wrist? Let's remember that Maxwell Smart's shoe-phone was meant to be funny because it's such a ridiculous concept.
Man, put a sock in it.
iShoes?
Man, put a sock in it.
I toedally agree!
SAMSUNG © earlier today announced its revolutionary new GALAXY SHOES ©. The revolutionary shoes promise to be to sneakers, what GOOGLE GLASS © is to clunky plastic lab goggles. GALAXY SNEAKERS will come in SLATE BLACK and PIMP GOLD and will offer 128 GB of onboard flash memory, a 2 TB hard drive, and 11 seconds of battery life. "GALAXY SNEAKERS when paired with our GALAXY 4 GOLD PIMP EDITION SMART PHONE, will let your toes become dedicated game controllers," said Samsung CEO Kwon Oh Hyun. "Those b*tches at Apple were NOT first to come out with a gold phone, so na na na na boo boo!"
Reaction to the GALAXY SHOES has been extremely positive. In a note to investors Thursday, Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, said "people are looking for the next big thing, and we believe the GALAXY SNEAKERS are it." Munster said he also expects that Samsung will release "smart underwear" in Q4 and has an "overweight" rating and a $9,873 price target on the company's shares.
"In case no one buys smart underwear," added Munster, "I will beguile and befuddle the world using lots of big terms like supply chain analytics to confuse people and make them think I was right, even though I was dead wrong." Samsung's shares closed up.
APPLE was down -$20/share today after reporting record earnings, profit margins, new products, a new operating system, a new corporate campus, new data centers, millions of rabid teenage fans, thousands of people camping out for weeks to buy its products in every major city, and a new Siri so sexy she makes Bill Gates say bad words.
Android has had smart shoes for a few years now.
Yeah, but you need to re-boot all the time.
They would probably sell more shoes. They can call them @soles but that homophone is already used by those that wear Vibram FiveFinger shoes.
SAMSUNG © earlier today announced its revolutionary new GALAXY SHOES ©. The revolutionary shoes promise to be to sneakers, what GOOGLE GLASS © is to clunky plastic lab goggles. GALAXY SNEAKERS will come in SLATE BLACK and PIMP GOLD and will offer 128 GB of onboard flash memory, a 2 TB hard drive, and 11 seconds of battery life. "GALAXY SNEAKERS when paired with our GALAXY 4 GOLD PIMP EDITION SMART PHONE, will let your toes become dedicated game controllers," said Samsung CEO Kwon Oh Hyun. "Those b*tches at Apple were NOT first to come out with a gold phone, so na na na na boo boo!"
Reaction to the GALAXY SHOES has been extremely positive. In a note to investors Thursday, Gene Munster, an analyst at Piper Jaffray, said "people are looking for the next big thing, and we believe the GALAXY SNEAKERS are it." Munster said he also expects that Samsung will release "smart underwear" in Q4 and has an "overweight" rating and a $9,873 price target on the company's shares.
"In case no one buys smart underwear," added Munster, "I will beguile and befuddle the world using lots of big terms like supply chain analytics to confuse people and make them think I was right, even though I was dead wrong." Samsung's shares closed up.
APPLE was down -$20/share today after reporting record earnings, profit margins, new products, a new operating system, a new corporate campus, new data centers, millions of rabid teenage fans, thousands of people camping out for weeks to buy its products in every major city, and a new Siri so sexy she makes Bill Gates say bad words.
Funniest shit I've read in a long time. Great job man. You Funny Fo ReelZ. Thanks for the laugh today.
1) If you think that a wrist worn device would be phone or an iPhone replacement then, sure, an iWatch makes no sense, but why assume that at all? The wrist is simply an ideal place for many things computerized devices can do well or will soon be able to do well. A simple readout (like for telling time) to biometrics that can use the palmar side of the wrist (like for recording your pulse).
2) How the hell would a phone anywhere on your body be better than on your wrist? Let's remember that Maxwell Smart's shoe-phone was meant to be funny because it's such a ridiculous concept.
In the first episode (pilot?) of Get Smart which is in black and white, Max is sitting in a crowded theater and his shoe-phone starts ringing, annoying everyone around him. It seems that the writers were prescient about the issues that cellphones would raise in public places some 30 years later!
Yeah, but you need to re-boot all the time.
Quote:
And a completely lackluster design....it had no sole.
No need to be so callus.
No need to be so callus.
Bet they feel like heels now.