Apple, Nike Team Up to Power Your Workout - So what is it?
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Judging from the videos, the Sport Kit consists of a wireless sensor designed to fit underneath the insole of your sneaker, and an attachment for your Nano that enables it with Bluetooth technology. Before you get all excited, this technology isn’t as open as we might like. The sensor is meant to go into specially-designed Nike sneakers, the first of which (the Air Zoom Moire) is expected to retail in the U.S. for $100. Nike plans to produce six more sneaker styles that will be compatible with the Sport Kit: the Air Zoom Plus, Air Max Moto, Nike Shox Turbo OH, Air Max 180, Nike Shox Navina and Air Max 90.
You’d think the Bluetooth connector would be compatible with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, right? If it is, I haven’t been able to find any information about it. If Apple is planning Bluetooth iPod headphones, it’s keeping mum about it. Worse, there’s no indication in any of the press releases (or any of the press reports I saw) as to whether the connector can be used with anything other than a Nano.
So let’s see, we’re talking about $29 for the Sport Kit, $100 for the sneakers, and $149 for the Nano. This doesn’t count any music you might buy for the device. So what exactly does it do?
That part, at least, sounded interesting. Through the wireless connection to the sensor in your shoe, the iPod collects real time information during your workout on time, distance, calories burned and pace. It can be displayed on your iPod screen, and delivered to you (again, in real time) through your headphones. If you’re hitting a rough spot in your workout, you can hold down a button briefly to queue up a “Power Song” to help you up that hill (or whatever).
Apple and Nike both are really getting behind this product; they’ve signed up some major athletes to promote it. For example, Lance Armstrong, seven time winner of the Tour de France and preparing to run his first NY marathon, was at the event where the two companies announced the Sport Kit. “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.”
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