Barkings! | The Small Dog Apple Blog

Nike Plus Update

Posted 2006-07-14 10:19 in Other-Tech-News by Ed Shepard

Remember when you were a kid, and you’d get a new pair of shoes that made you feel like you could run so fast you’d fly? That’s how I feel about my new Nike + shoes, and the Nike + iPod kit.

The $29 Nike + iPod kit contains a receiver that attaches to an iPod nano, and a transmitter that goes in your shoe. When you walk or run, the transmitter in the shoe communicates with the receiver on the nano, relaying information about how fast and far you’ve walked / run, and how long you’ve been at it. When you sync the nano with your computer, this information goes into iTunes, and can be uploaded to the Nike + website, allowing you to track your progress and set running or walking goals in an interactive graph.

Everyone who has seen this system in use has been impressed. There is something very cool about interacting with the iPod through movement, and without wires. I’m having fun tracking my movement throughout the day – and I admit, seeing this graphed out in bold colors makes me want to move more!

Nike sells several pairs of Nike + shoes, that feature a well in the sole, under the shoe’s insole, for the transmitter. You don’t need the Nike + shoes for the transmitter to work. You can cut a hole in your existing fitness shoes, or otherwise figure out how to situate the transmitter in your shoes, and the system will work. The transmitter is designed to go under a your foot, not on top of it or to the side of the foot.

Also, so far, the Nike + transmitter only works with the nano – it does not work with the iPod video, and it does not work with any 4G iPods, including the mini. Perhaps an update will fix this in the future.

I’ve had these Nike + shoes for less than 24 hours. So far I’ve walked about 3.7 miles in them, with the transmitter in the shoe communicating with my iPod nano. The shoes are very comfortable and lightweight, and the Nike + software on the nano is quite sophisticated – it’s the most sophisticated software I’ve ever seen on any iPod. I’ll write an extensive review in Kibbles & Bytes today.

post this at del.icio.us post this at Digg post this at Newsvine post this at Reddit post this at TailRank

TechnoratiTags: , , , , , , ,

Back to Barkings!
Previous Post: Haste Makes Waste
Next Post: Using a Mobile Phone as a Modem

  1. Alright, after reading the blog above, I do have to agree that this was a pretty neat collaboration and PERFECT $$ making machine for the two companies. That’s why I jumped and bought myself a NANO (when I have a Mini/Shuffle already) and a pair of Nike+ just to get this PEDOMETER/ACCELOROMETER feature. I spent about $350 altogether, not that cheap so let’s hope the return meets the objective. I must commend Nike and Apple on such a neat collaboration and beautifully crafted Marketing Strategy catered to a market niche.

    However, I have several questions and COMPLAINTS. Yes, complaints…which I could not find one blog or review that helped me address them. Contacting NikePlus was a disappointing experience. So, if someoone knows the answers, please let me know.

    Here they are:
    1. How in the world can you tell when the Sleep/Wake button is ‘OFF’? (You are supposed to turn it off when you hop on an airplane, which is weekly for me, and there is no way of telling unless you mess with options on your iPod pretending like youre going to run and then it will tell you your sensor is off)
    2. How long is the battery life? (I was told from NikePlus it was 3 months and then was told over two years if I only use it for an hour a day). Two different of a spread for me to believe either of the NikePlus reps. “If it is 3 months, NikePlus better soon come up some kind of pricing for people who already own a kit. Otherwise, it will be clearly evident that Nike and Apple care more about their bottom line than their customer needs.
    3. I asked if they were going to come up with replacement batteries in the price point range of like $5-10 as with most battery sensors vs buying another kit. The answer was: NO. You MUST buy another kit. Let’s hope NikePlus comes up with a replacement plan that doesnt involve buying a new sensor and receiver. The only thing that needs replacing is the SENSOR, however obvious that may be!!

    Cindy Lu
    Aug 16th, 2006 at 9:22 pm

    Oh yeah, I forgot to add that I tested it on a treadmill today for the first time.

    It was over a half mile incorrect. My iPod tracked that I did 4 miles when the treadmill displayed 3.5 miles.

    My runs outside have been pretty accurate, so I will keep trying the treadmill and calibrate again.

    Hope this works.


    — Cindy    2006-08-16 22:55    #

  2. saw a pretty cool site,
    http://www.nikepluseditor.com.
    supposed to help with editing workouts


    — stewz    2006-09-13 21:33    #

  3. Do you take donations via paypal?


    — nike shose    2007-10-25 09:24    #

  4. i would like to see some nike shoes made by japanese, isn’t cool?


    — nike shoes    2007-11-03 02:45    #

  5. Nike+ technology is really a great creation. I never have too many compliments for shoes. before Nike+ shoes.


    — Danton Vale    2008-05-05 02:31    #
  Textile Help