Have you ever wondered how the amazing technology behind the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit works? Have you ever wondered what happens when you take a step and how this information is captured and transmitted to your iPod? Have you ever wondered what the transmitter/sensor and the receiver looks like behind Apple's shiny white and orange plastic?
We ripped both apart and recorded our findings for RUNNER+. Check out...
Have you ever been so excited (er, rushed) to go for a run, only to discover long after you've started that you forgot your Nike+ iPod sports kit? Or you remembered the sensor but forgot your iPod? Or maybe your iPod ran out of juice? Have no fear, RUNNER+ is here.
Your Run Manager has been recently updated, allowing you to manually add a lost run or duplicate an existing run. This is in addition to the existing features that allow you to delete a run, edit your run data, and download all of your runs and stopwatch data in Excel/spreadsheet CSV format!
The Add Run window is shown to the right. New run information (distance, duration, weight, calories) is applied to your run charts and can be edited at any time.
If you manually add a run using this new feature, no run (pace) chart will be available, but your overall totals will be updated.
If adding a run doesn't work for you, then another new feature to duplicate an existing run should! Next to each run shown in your Run Manager is a new icon to duplicate the run. This duplication includes all data (including stopwatch data) except for your Jog Log and member comments. This way you will still have a run (pace) chart, even though it's from a previous run. It's still better than nothing, right? Just find a similar run length, duplicate it, then change the date and other fields!
More features are coming soon to the Run Manager, so stay tuned!
John Mayer, Grammy award-winning singer, songwriter and guitarist famous for the hit single "Waiting on the World to Change" decided to see if the Nike+ iPod sport kit was going to change his world--on stage.
In his blog last year, John talked about his experience with the sport kit. Before going on stage for a 90 minute set, he set up his Nano and documented the results. He ended up "walking" about 1/2 mile, and burning 75 calories at a pace of just under 3 hours/mile. Great test John, but the Nike+ iPod "Stage Edition" is not quite out yet. Hit the streets and show us a few miles buddy! Rock on...
Wally, a RUNNER+ member, told me that the MacApper website had a new article on the "Nike+ iPod: A Year in Review". Now why didn't I think of that? So why re-invent the wheel... check out Tyler Hawkins' article. Here's a snippet: "The reason for my review is three-fold. First, it's spring (at least in the northern hemisphere), it's a great time to get into running, and I would recommend it to anyone. Second, I think after a year of on the road usage, it's a good time to see how some people's concerns about the system have turned out. Finally, I really believe right now we're in the renaissance of this great product - the Nike web apps have matured, introducing excellent new features and very helpful Dashboard widgets." Tyler, consider this a public invitation to test out RUNNER+ !
Albert, a member of RUNNER+, also has a personal blog site. There, he describes his experience with the Nike+ iPod sport kit. This is truly motivational for those who are considering the kit. "OMG. I am truly at a loss for words. I really am. This is absolutely incredible. I have a source of health and fitness that I can combine with technology. This is FREAKING CRAZY AMAZING. What happened? Nike+! That's what happened. Buying Nike+ running shoes and the Nike+ sensor package."
The Nikeplus.com website is currently down as of 10PM EST. It looks like they are upgrading their hardware to be faster. As they say, "use these few hours of downtime to rack up some serious mileage!"
In the meantime, download the RUNNER+ Desktop Widget to sync directly to RUNNER+ (which bypasses Nike+ entirely).
UPDATE: Shortly after 3AM (EST) -- 5 hours later -- the Nikeplus.com website came back up. I don't notice any changes and performance appears to be the same for me.
A blast from the past, I know. This really isn't news, but it is great information to keep around here. I have been wondering recently how long the Nike + iPod system has been around, and this press release answers that question! The press release (below) stated the kit would be available within 60 days, so that means it probably hit stores in the U.S. in late July 2006. Its first birthday is coming up in a few months!
Nike and Apple Team Up to Launch Nike+iPod Global Collaboration Brings the Worlds of Sports & Music Together Like Never Before
NEW YORK--May 23, 2006--Nike and Apple® today announced a partnership bringing the worlds of sports and music together like never before with the launch of innovative Nike+iPod products. The first product developed through this partnership is the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, a wireless system that allows Nike+ footwear to talk with your iPod® nano to connect you to the ultimate personal running and workout experience.
Nike CEO Mark Parker and Apple CEO Steve Jobs unveiled Nike+iPod at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe.
"Nike+iPod is a partnership between two iconic, global brands with a shared passion for creating meaningful consumer product experiences through design and innovation," Parker said. "This is the first result, and Nike+iPod will change the way people run. Nike+iPod creates a better running experience. We see many more such Nike+ innovations in the future."
"We're working with Nike to take music and sport to a new level," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. "The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout."
The new Nike+ Air Zoom Moire is the first footwear designed to talk to iPod. Nike plans to make many of its leading footwear styles Nike+ ready, connecting millions of consumers to the Nike+iPod experience. With the Nike+ footwear connected to iPod nano through the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, information on time, distance, calories burned and pace is stored on iPod and displayed on the screen; real-time audible feedback also is provided through headphones. The kit includes an in-shoe sensor and a receiver that attaches to iPod. A new Nike Sport Music section on the iTunes® Music Store and a new nikeplus.com personal service site help maximize the Nike+iPod experience.
Armstrong, who is preparing for his first NY Marathon, said, "If you can incorporate time, distance and calories burned together and make it function for both the fitness runner and the high level athlete, it will take working out to a whole other level."
"I definitely use music both ways," Radcliffe said. "I listen to faster music if I am doing a workout in the gym to just get the best out of myself, but I also use it to help me relax in the buildup to a big race."
Specially designed Nike apparel, including jackets, tops, shorts and an iPod nano armband, bring together the Nike+iPod experience with waterproof pockets that accommodate iPod nano and are designed to make it easy to operate while staying tuned to your music during an active workout.
Pricing & Availability The Nike+iPod Sport Kit is expected to be available within 60 days for a suggested retail price of $29 (US) through the Apple Store® (http://www.apple.com/), Apple's retail stores, Apple Authorized Resellers as well as Nike.com (http://www.nike.com/), Niketown, NikeWomen stores and select retail stores in the US.
The Nike+iPod Sport Kit requires a Nike+ shoe and an iPod nano with a Mac® with a USB 2.0 port and Mac OS® X version 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6.0.5; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.0.5.
Nike has updated their challenge widget for the Yahoo Widgets engine on Windows XP (the same engine RUNNER+ uses for its desktop widget!)
"Nike+ Challenge Widget lets you check your challenge ranking beyond your browser, any time. See when your competitors sync runs and keep motivating yourself to top the leader board. You'll log in securely with your Nike+ info to load your challenge(s). Pressing control-R will refresh the score."
TORONTO, May 3 - Olympian Perdita Felicien participated in thehighly anticipated opening of the Nike Runner's Lounge today - a free,full-service training resource for runners. The Lounge is the first to open inToronto and features complimentary services for runners including trainingtips, massages, footwear trials and running routes.
The distinctive facility allows runners to use the state-of-the-art Nike+technology to track their training on an iPod Nano through a sensor installedin their shoes. Nike+ runners can program their runs and download the resultsat Nikeplus.com to track progress, set personal goals and challenge friends.
"Nike+ is revolutionizing the running experience for thousands ofCanadians," said Jane Shaw, Head of Corporate Communications for Nike Canada."Nike's history of running innovation continues with Nike+ technology and theunique training resources available for runners at the Nike Runner's Lounges."
In addition to access to Nike+, the Nike Runner's Lounge offers runners,joggers and walkers the following resources and services:
Post-run massages
Stretching area
Local running routes
Weekend waffle runs
Footwear trial with Nike+ Test Drive
Bag check / drop-off
Guest speakers
Nike running incentives
"The Nike Runner's Lounge offers the resources runners need to make themost of their training," said Olympic athlete Perdita Felicien. "From greatToronto running routes to footwear and apparel trials, the Lounge allowsrunners to focus on training while Nike takes care of the rest."
The Nike Runner's Lounge is located in mid-town Toronto at 1219 YongeStreet (at Summerhill). It is open to runners and walkers Monday to Thursday,Saturday and Sunday, from May 3 to October 2007. The Toronto Lounge is thesecond in Canada. A Lounge opened in Vancouver earlier this year, and plansare underway to bring similar resources to Montreal runners later this summer.For more information on the Nike Runner's Lounges and the sport of running,visit nikerunning.ca.
A Nike Runner's Lounge is also currently open in Vancouver, with a third lounge opening in May in Montreal.
One of the first questions people ask about the iPod Nike+ running system is whether or not the special Nike shoes are required.
They're not!
In fact, you can attach the transmitter to any pair of shoes! You just need a special pouch or another holder of some sort.
I found a "lace lid" on eBay for a few dollars, and it works great! Here's my shoe with the transmitter laced up. Note that the shoe is a Nike shoe, just not the special ones:
According to recent news reports, Nike is adding the Nike+ transmitter "hole" to its entire line of shoes. But if you don't use Nike brand shoes or want to be able to access your transmitter a lot easier (to turn it off or stash it before a flight), then this is the way to go. While I can't find this specific one anywhere right now, there are other "pouches" available such as this one by Grant Technology and this one by Jogalite.
My first "pouch" was super low-tech: it was a small clear plastic zip-lock bag that I taped around my laces. Worked great, and hey -- it was waterproof!
Propellerheads - Off the Wall - Take California Black Eyed Peas - Elephunk - Hey Mama N.E.R.D. - In Search Of... - Rock Star Jet - Are You Gonna Be My Girl Feature Cast - Straight Out the Cat Litter (Scoop 3) - Channel Surfing Steriogram - Schmack - Walkie Talkie Man Ozomatli - Street Signs - Saturday Night U2 - The Complete U2 - Vertigo The Vines - Winning Days - Ride Caesars - Paper Tigers - Jerk It Out Daft Punk - Musique, Vol. 1 (1993 - 2005) - Technologic Gorillaz - Feel Good Inc The Resource featuring Jimmy Napes - Gimme That U2 - How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb - Original of the Species Eminem - 8 Mile - Lose Yourself Wynton Marsalis - Sparks Rinocerose - Rinocerose - Cubicle Wolfmother - Wolfmother - Love Train Bob Dylan - Modern Times - Someday Baby Cut Chemist - The Audience Is Listening Theme Song Prototypes - Who's Gonna Sing? The Fratellis - Flathead - EP - Flathead
Have you ever wondered how the amazing technology behind the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit works? Have you ever wondered what happens when you take a step and how this information is captured and transmitted to your iPod? Have you ever wondered what the transmitter/sensor and the receiver looks like behind Apple's shiny white and orange plastic?
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According to recent news reports, Nike is adding the Nike+ transmitter "hole" to its entire line of shoes. But if you don't use Nike brand shoes or want to be able to access your transmitter a lot easier (to turn it off or stash it before a flight), then this is the way to go. While I can't find this specific one anywhere right now, there are other "pouches" available such as this one by 
