Loic Le Meur, a San Francisco based French blogger and entrepreneur, ran into Michael Tchao of Nike+ while in Cannes. Luis took the opportunity to interview Michael for his show Seesmic du Jour. Among other topics, Michael discusses the motivation behind the product, the social aspects of Nike+, and the Nike+ SportsBand. Enjoy.
Stuff.tv reported last week that Nike+ functionality is definitely coming to the iPhone. Mark Wilson of Stuff.tv had a sitdown with the guys in Beaverton and came back with the exciting news.
“. . . Nike+ will definitely be extending its compatibility beyond the iPod Nano to the iPhone and iPod Touch. No surprise there really, but the interesting detail is that it could also make use of both devices Wi-Fi (and, ultimately for the iPhone, 3G capability) to let you update your training log on the fly.”
While getting your news straight from Nike HQ would seem to be authoritative, there’s some suspicion at Electronista that Nike+ won’t be coming to the iPhone as soon as we might hope. The clues come from beta firmware slated for the iPhone 2.0.
“. . . earlier references to Nike+ equipment have been dropped and point to delayed or scrapped plans for integrating the sport pedometer with the phone.”
The “earlier references” line comes from comparing earlier versions of iPhone firmware to the latest beta version.
So where does this leave those of us who can’t wait to go running with a Nike+ enabled iPhone? I don’t think there’s any doubt that the iPhone will eventually support Nike+, but it may not be happening as quickly as we hope.
The majority of reports seem to contradict my conclusion. Check them out and decide for yourself.
GPS, Stereo Bluetooth & Nike+ Headed For iPhone
Nike+ on its way to iPhone and iPod touch
iPhone to Support GPS, Stereo Bluetooth, Nike+, Battle Hackers
Via Chosen Apples comes news that Grantwood Technology has released a new Nike+ compatible armband they’re calling the “tuneband“. The tuneband supports all iPod nano models (one version for the 1G/2G nanos and another for the 3G nanos), provides access to all of the nano’s ports and click wheels, and comes with a cut-and-peel screen protector. The 3G version comes in multiple colors while the 1G/2G model comes only in black.
Both the tuneband and the shoe pouch are available from Grantwood Technology’s site and Amazon.com. Prices for all of the tuneband models are $12.99. You can bundle the tuneband with a shoe pouch for and extra $6. Based on early Amazon reviews, you could do a lot worse than dropping $12.99 on the new tuneband armband.
(You might recognize the Grantwood Technology name - Scott wrote about their excellent shoe pouch in “10 Different Ways to Attach a Nike+ Sensor to your Shoe.”)
AppleInsider.com has uncovered some recently filed patent documents that reveal some intriguing information about the way Apple and Nike are expanding Nike+.
The next installation of Nike+ not only looks to be coming to the Apple iPhone and Apple iPod Touch, but it is also going to allow all types of exercise to be recorded, not just running. So all those reps, curls and circuit training you perform at the gym will soon be able to be logged and analyzed using Nike+. As well as being integrated into the NikePlus.com Web site, it appears as though there is going to be a dedicated desktop application to manage all your personal information, goals and workouts.
And yes, it also looks like a heart rate monitor will soon be available to work alongside Nike+.
One of my favorite parts of the forthcoming tools is the comprehensive training program users can build themselves. For example, a user could be advised that the best way to lose weight might be to perform a warm-up walk on a treadmill for a set period of time, then complete a set of different weight drills, before embarking on a gentle run for a certain distance. Each exercise task can then be checked off via the iPod/iPhone as the user performs each individual workout. Upon uploading this data to a computer once the athlete is back home, it’s likely that the desktop software or NikePlus.com Web site will record, rate, and congratulate the person on a successful workout.
Who needs (the cost of) a personal trainer when you’ve got this kind of technology…?
New Balance is planning a new advertising campaign targeting the casual runner in hopes of doubling sales by 2012. The company has been losing market share to Nike, and they plan to fight back by tripling their advertising budget in 2008.
New Balance is using a novel approach in their LOVE/hate campaign, acknowledging the fact that many of us have a love/hate relationship with running. I think this copy from the print campaign is pure brilliance:
“Today you almost broke up with running. Today running shook you out of bed and into the deep, dark cold. Today, once again, around mile 2, lungs full of air, pupils full of sunrise, you remembered, ‘Oh yeah, this is why we got together.’”
In my case, I usually don’t remember why running and I “got together” until after the run is over. A few minutes into my cool down, when I can breathe normally again, is about the time I start to feel that sweet feeling of accomplishment.
Whether or not New Balance will sell tons more shoes remains to be seen, but everybody loves to hate something, and I think their tongue-in-cheek, nod-to-the-average-jogger concept is one that will have great appeal to the casual runner.
While Nike won’t have anything to worry about on the technology front, New Balance isn’t trying to launch anything to compete directly with the Nike+ Sport Kit, they may well lose some shoe sales to New Balance. I don’t have a pair of Nike+ shoes now, and with so many means of attaching a Nike+ sensor to any brand running shoe, I can’t think of a compelling reason to purchase a pair.
Coincidentally, I currently own a pair of New Balance running shoes. They just happened to be the cheapest, best looking pair in my size the last time I was at Sears, and I’ve gotten more than 100 very comfortable miles out of them and I expect many more to come.
Via “Quiet New Balance to Get Off Sidelines” at Advertising Age.
Following on from the new Nike+ SportBand prototypes we reported last month, Nike has just revealed the official design of their new running gadget. The black and red device will be available to purchase as quickly as April 2008 for approximately $95 and will allow runners to record pace, distance and calories in exactly the same way as the original Nike+, but without the need for an iPod Nano. Running data can then be uploaded after a run via USB.
It’s not a bad idea: Say your iPod battery is dead or you simply do not have your iPod with you, the Nike+ SportBand will literally be on hand to record all your running data. The SportBand still requires communication with a Nike+ shoe sensor, so it would make sense for the SportBand to be shipped with a sensor.
Removing the iPod entirely from the equation allows Nike to tap into the running market for athletes who do not own (or wish to own) an Apple iPod Nano. Now that’s what I call covering all your bases! That said however, anyone using the Nike+ SportBand without an iPod is going to be missing out on the infamous “400 meters to go!” etc. voice motivation and celebratory congratulations from Lance Armstrong and Paula Radcliffe.
Nike+ runners in Germany have a new personal trainer. His name is Miles, and he lives on your computer desktop. We’re not sure if Miles is being tested out in the German market before a worldwide release, or if German athletes need a lot of encouragement to go running, but this 3D desktop widget seems like a lot of fun.
As well as displaying all your running goals and challenges similar to how the current batch of Nike+ desktop widgets operate, Miles also offers an interactive calendar to show which days you run most frequently, a weather forecast, and an integrated RSS reader.
I tried installing Miles myself, which is available from the German Nike+ Web site and it installed, but after a few seconds he mysteriously disappeared. Boo! Maybe a German reader/runner out there can offer some further insight? For those who are thirsty for more, check out the official Miles Movie to explain more.
Adidas and Samsung have teamed-up together to take on the mighty Nike+. The new quad-band Samsung miCoach F110 mobile phone is due for release in April as a direct competitor to the Apple/Nike+ online world of fitness and motivation.
The phone comes with a foot sensor called the “stride sensor” which attaches to the shoelace of the running shoe in exactly the same way the Nike+ sensor can be attached to the shoelace. Where the Samsung device differs however is that you also get a heart rate monitor device to strap across your chest which allows the mobile phone to measure your heart rate throughout your workout. One nice feature the F100 offers is the ability to tell the user whether they are running too fast or too slow based on the combination of the heart rate recording and a predefined training program the user selects prior to a workout.
Samsung has also promised a new feature in the near future that will automatically play music during a workout based on your running speed. Slower tracks would be played while walking for example, and faster-paced music would play during more intense workouts.
Users upload their workout data in a similar fashion to Nike+, by connecting the Samsung device to a PC (no Apple Mac support yet apparently) which then gets sent to a dedicated Web site called miCoach (pronounced “My Coach”).
More resources:
Business Wire is reporting that major exercise equipment manufacturers such as Life Fitness, Precor, Star Trac and Technogym are going to incorporate Nike+ into their gym equipment this summer.
Gym members will easily be able to track workouts on cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, stationary bikes and stair climbers using Nike+ technology.
“The Nike + iPod experience revolutionized running. Now we’re revolutionizing the gym cardio experience,” said Trevor Edwards, Nike’s Vice President of Global Brand and Category Management. “We’re enabling people who go to the gym an opportunity to set goals, track progress, and compete in challenges with their friends and with other members of www.nikeplus.com. It’s a groundbreaking tool for people who want to maximize their workouts.”
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