Apple and Nike Team Up

[Hatful Of Hollow 0]

Apple and Nike want to go jogging with you.

 

The two popular brands announced Tuesday a jointly developed technology for runners to track on their iPod Nano how far they've run and how many calories they've burned during their workout. If that's not enough motivation, Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong will also offer audio encouragement.

 

The exclusive partnership marks another sign of how deeply the iPod digital music player has penetrated American culture. It holds close to 80 percent of the MP3 player market, according to market research firm NPD Group. In the first three months of the year, Apple sold more than 8.5 million iPods. In addition, thousands of accessories, from the Nike+iPod device to jeweled cases, have been made for the iPod.

 

"The iPod is a fantastic sports device," said Stefan Olander, Nike's global director of digital media. "There was a very natural fit."

 

The Nike+iPod works by placing a sensor into a small pocket in the shoe and a wireless receiver on the iPod Nano. The two devices communicate wirelessly so users can track their pace, the distance they've traveled, calories they've burned and time spent exercising, either by looking at a menu on the screen or by clicking a button and hearing it through their headphones. All the while, runners can still listen to their favorite tunes and program a special song to pump them up when they start to flag.

 

"It becomes a personal coach in your ear," Olander said.

 

Once the iPod syncs with a computer, runners can also monitor their workouts online, tracking how far they've run or even seeing how they measure up to their friends. They can also purchase audio workouts and heart-thumping music at the iTunes music store.

 

Having seen how many athletes listen to music as they work out, Nike approached Apple. In the past, it teamed up with Phillips to sell a Nike-branded MP3 player.

 

The Nike+iPod is not the only attempt to turn the iPod into a personal trainer. PumpOne sells programmed workouts, such as yoga or cardio training, which users can download onto their iPods.

 

"A lot of people think of the iPod as something they bring to the gym to listen to music," said Craig Schlossberg, co-founder and president of PumpOne. "What we've been trying to get across is to let your iPod help you work out. (The Nike+iPod) validates what we're doing."

 

The $29 Nike+iPod sport kit, including the sensor and wireless receiver, hits stores in late June. In mid-July, Nike will start selling the Air Zoom Moire, a $100 pair of sneakers with a pocket to hold the sensor, as well as workout gear to hold the iPod Nano.

 

Its autumn line of shoes also will have pockets for the sensor.

 

So, Apple moves further ahead of Creative and all other challengers in the MP3 Player market.

Edited May 24, 2006 by Hatful Of Hollow

[Gemmill 34146]

They'll make a fortune out of that just selling it in California alone tbh.

[The Fish 8934]

san fran tbh

[Gemmill 34146]

Most of California's very health-focussed tbh. Even in fatty Houston last week there was a constant stream of people jogging in the park there.

[Hatful Of Hollow 0]

They're going for a NYC inner-city vibe on their Website.

[The Fish 8934]

Most of California's very health-focussed tbh.  Even in fatty Houston last week there was a constant stream of people jogging in the park there.

140320[/snapback]

 

weren't they just trying to get away from the ginger robot?

 

how is Houston for a night out? I don't know why, but I'm imagining Tombstone... a couple of saloons and a brothel.

[Gemmill 34146]

Most of California's very health-focussed tbh.  Even in fatty Houston last week there was a constant stream of people jogging in the park there.

140320[/snapback]

 

weren't they just trying to get away from the ginger robot?

 

how is Houston for a night out? I don't know why, but I'm imagining Tombstone... a couple of saloons and a brothel.

140340[/snapback]

 

It's not great. Although saying that, it's like LA in that it's heyowge and so you would tend to go out in whatever area of town you were in, so there may well be places that are decent away from the downtown area (I imagine downtown LA is crap for a night out, but Santa Monica is canny). We were in Downtown Houston which is really the Financial District, so while there were plenty pubs and restaurants, they were more business lunch focussed than anything else. There was one pub that had a crowd in most nights, but it seemed to be college kids (and you know how I feel about them! ).

 

I certainly won't be going back any time soon. It wasn't awful or cowboy-ish or run-down or anything, there's just very little to do there.

[The Fish 8934]

... so no Brothel than ?

 

I suppose it's a different culture really, there isn't the predilection towards drinking everynight ...

 

damn yankees

[Sicklee Sausage Roll 0]

So they're actively encouraging people to run around the streets with music blaring in their ears?

 

Lawsuit waiting to happen when someone gets knocked over.

[Holden McGroin 4795]

So they're actively encouraging people to run around the streets with music blaring in their ears?

 

Lawsuit waiting to happen when someone gets knocked over.

140666[/snapback]

 

The amount of times I have been nearly knocked over *walking* with my Ipod is silly!