Running shoes that talk to your iPod? It sounds a little crazy, but that's what Apple and Nike unveiled recently with their Nike+iPod Sport Kit. So what's the big deal about it? Keep reading to find out.
When I think of geeky technology/fitness crossovers, my first thought is the video game Dance Dance Revolution. My second thought goes to those GPS watches I’ve heard about that help you measure your workout in terms of time and distance. Then I think about the ways I’ve heard of technology used as a companion to a workout – you know, treadmills tricked out with screens to let you surf the Internet, or the way everybody seems to be wearing an iPod at the local gym or when they go jogging in the park.
I also think about how much I’d like more accurate information about my workout. I can get it from my treadmill, but what if I’d rather burn calories with a few laps around the lake? I don’t know what kind of pace I’m keeping, how far I’ve traveled, or even remotely how many calories I’ve burned. And truth to tell, I don’t even trust my treadmill to tell me that; it calibrates by weight and speed, but there are a lot of things it can’t tell about me and my stride.
The folks at Apple and Nike must have been paying attention to all of these issues, and they decided to do something about it. The collaboration was not without its bumps (more on that later), but after eighteen months the first fruits have been unveiled. As of this writing, the products won’t be in the stores for two months yet, but many observers are already getting either excited or dismissive, depending on whom you talk to. For what it’s worth, Nike’s stock rose more than one percent, and Apple’s fell less than one percent, on the news.
I’m talking about the new Nike+iPod Sport Kit. Nike bills it as “the first footwear designed to talk to iPod.” It’s both easier and more complicated than that, as becomes clear if you watch the video on Nike’s website. It just might change the way you handle your workouts, or at least that’s what Apple and Nike hope.
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