BusinessWeek review gives ‘Nike+iPod Sport Kit’ 5 stars out of 5
Wednesday, January 03, 2007 - 10:22 AM EDT"Apple has teamed with fitness giant Nike, and the resulting product has become as vital a part of my training regimen as the sweats and sneakers," Matt Vella writes for BusinessWeek.
Vella writes, "The Nike + iPod Sport Kit is a combination of gadgets that transform the nano into a reasonably sophisticated, running-oriented workout machine. A miniature transmitter fits into Nike Plus running shoes and beams data to a stamp-sized receiver attached to the dock connector on the bottom of the iPod. The pair let you track and store distance, pace, and calorie data from your workouts."
Vella writes, "You can then sync the information in iTunes when you dock your iPod. From within Apple's free jukebox software, you can see a handy summary of your latest workout. A link takes you to NikePlus.com where all the data is transformed into a glitzy set of animated graphs and charts that you can use on your own and share with friends. The site helps you set goals, such as sustaining a particular pace or reaching a weekly mileage total."
"As with most Apple products, the pleasure is in the details. On a distance run, a voice announces your progress, pace and remaining mileage, counting down to the last 400 meters every 100 meters. Reach a personal best and celebrity athletes like Lance Armstrong congratulate you. A little hokey? Perhaps. But I found the encouragements more than welcome," Vella writes. "Nike guarantees 90% accuracy when measuring distance. But even right out of the box, my test unit was about 98% accurate on a four-mile loop in lower Manhattan in a quick comparison to the same route entered into Google Maps and tracked with a GPS-enabled Garmin watch."
Vella writes, "In a matter of months, I wore out the Nikes and am now using the transmitter duct-taped to a pair of Saucony shoes. With 2007 resolutions at stake, you're likely to find it well worth the investment."
Full article here.
Lance Armstrong on Nike+iPod video:
How Nike+iPod works video:
More info about the Nike+iPod Sport Kit (US$29) here.
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What's up with nike + lately (http://www.nike.com/nikeplus/) ? They've had messages come up on their site since 12/31 saying they are getting too much traffic and to check back later. Looks like they victims of their success.