Apple Exercise iPod Tempo Patents

MacRumors · 07:53 AM

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Hrmph reports on recent patent applications from Apple which revealed that they have been working on other exercise-related features for the iPod. The recent Apple/Nike partnership Sport Kit revealed earlier this week could just be the start.

The Nike Sport Kit incorporates an accelerometer placed in your shoe that communicates wirelessly with your iPod nano. The iPod nano then displays additional information about your exercise including time, distance, calories burned and pace.

The patent application reveals that Apple has also been working on additional features that could sync your exercise to your music. One possibility described is syncing your music to the same tempo as your run.

Quote:

The Pat App suggests either changing the tempo of the song or the iPod selecting songs which match the tempo (the host computer would analyse songs and add a tempo tag to each).

One aspect of the patent is to use your running speed to set the music tempo- if you're running slowly it'll play slower music- running faster- faster tempo music.

Tempos could be adjusted based on user preference, but sample menus also reveal a "Training" option which could offer different tempo profiles, increasing and decreasing over time.

mcarnes · May 25, 2006, 07:38 AM

Can't wait to try this with Metallica.

dambro1978 · May 25, 2006, 07:47 AM

this would be a real FIGATA.

HAPPY OWNER OF A 12" PB

longofest · May 25, 2006, 07:49 AM

The Nano is now officially the exerciser's iPod.

That is why I don't own one

Sad, isn't it?

mac-since-199o · May 25, 2006, 08:09 AM

Christ, I don't exercise.
I sit here all day reading mac forums.

thejadedmonkey · May 25, 2006, 08:11 AM

That's pretty sweet...any chance they'll make it compatable with a 1st gen or 3rd gen iPod?

Vaphoron · May 25, 2006, 08:12 AM

That would be a pretty cool feature if I had a Nano and could get up off my butt and go run, but that ain't gonna happen.

yoshi1013 · May 25, 2006, 08:14 AM

Dude, a feature that plays music to how fast you run would be sweet. I already have a playlist of songs that match my walking speed. It sort of makes it feel like you're in a movie or that the world centers around you when things are in sync like that. I wonder if anyone on the street notices how my walking pace will suddenly change without any apparent reason.

asphalt-proof · May 25, 2006, 08:15 AM

I can see the lawsuits roll in as a rash of speed metal-induced heart attacks sweep though the running communities across the nation.

tkidBOSTON · May 25, 2006, 08:22 AM

The real question is can it play Eye of the Tiger when I'm running up stairs...

Dark Horse · May 25, 2006, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dambro1978

this would be a real FIGATA.

a what now?

octoberdeath · May 25, 2006, 08:25 AM

sounds ingenious. apple really is a leader in the market!

Ulfhednar · May 25, 2006, 08:37 AM

I saw that Lance Armstrong was one of the Nike/iPod promotors . . . I hope that Lance being involed is some kind of hint of what's to come!

Abstract · May 25, 2006, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mac-since-199o

Christ, I don't exercise.
I sit here all day reading mac forums.

Yeah, then people like you can sue Apple for selling an iPod that seems to play no music for most of the day.

dambro1978 · May 25, 2006, 08:41 AM

Figata
in italian means
"too cool".....

Dunepilot · May 25, 2006, 08:43 AM

A brilliant idea for 4-to-the-floor house music. If, like me, you listen to a lot of math-rock (all sorts of crazy time signatures) and post-hardcore/emo (much of which is in 6/4) ... not so good.

j-a-x · May 25, 2006, 08:43 AM

The tempo thing sounds kinda dumb to me, I don't wanna listen to my music with a funky temp...

But the Nike shoe thing with running stats sounds pretty cool.

Frisco · May 25, 2006, 08:45 AM

I love this idea! Got to get me some Taylor Hicks songs!

macbookAPRIL1 · May 25, 2006, 08:53 AM

Is there any reason why this shouldnt be compatible with the ipod video?

modernpixel · May 25, 2006, 09:07 AM

More exciting than excercise -- I love the idea of iTunes going through my music and setting tempo tags for everything. I was just thinking the other day that it would be great if I could somehow automate creating a playlist of slow music, or dancey music, etc. This would be a really awesome addition.

irishgrizzly · May 25, 2006, 09:09 AM

What about a tempo sync for lovers? It could be placed near a bed and adjust the music according to the vibrations. Barry White with no/little movement... etc.

fahlman · May 25, 2006, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-a-x

The tempo thing sounds kinda dumb to me, I don't wanna listen to my music with a funky temp...

It doesn't adjust the tempo of the song, but chooses a song that matches the tempo that you are running at.

SciTeach · May 25, 2006, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tkidBOSTON

The real question is can it play Eye of the Tiger when I'm running up stairs...

Or the theme from ROCKY.....

"That would be a pretty cool feature if I had a Nano and could get up off my butt and go run"

Can we say electric shock? The batteries are suppose to be better.

Scarlet Fever · May 25, 2006, 09:29 AM

imagine walking with pink floyd... lol
that'd be something like one step every 2 seconds

my dad runs a bit, and when he first saw this Nike+Apple thing, he thought you put your nano into your shoe :P

MarcelV · May 25, 2006, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by j-a-x

The tempo thing sounds kinda dumb to me, I don't wanna listen to my music with a funky temp...

You may not realize it, but it is done daily on the radio. Most radio stations use this kind of method to speed up the play time of a song. I can asure you that you don't notice the difference. The nifty thing here is that it adjust based on user input.

May 25, 2006, 08:09 AM	#5
mac-since-199o macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: London	Christ, I don't exercise. I sit here all day reading mac forums. __________________ Lime Green iMac; Lime Green iBook; Power Mac G4 Quicksilver; Titaniem Powerbook G4; iMac G5; MacBook Pro 2 ghz
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:11 AM	#6
thejadedmonkey macrumors 604 Join Date: May 2005 Location: Pa	That's pretty sweet...any chance they'll make it compatable with a 1st gen or 3rd gen iPod? __________________ MacBook Air • 17" MacBook Pro • iPod Nano • Apple TV Custom Windows 7 Desktop • Surface RT • WP8 "Good judgment comes from experience, experience comes from bad judgment." - Mulla Nasrudin
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:14 AM	#8
yoshi1013 macrumors newbie Join Date: May 2003 Location: New York	Dude, a feature that plays music to how fast you run would be sweet. I already have a playlist of songs that match my walking speed. It sort of makes it feel like you're in a movie or that the world centers around you when things are in sync like that. I wonder if anyone on the street notices how my walking pace will suddenly change without any apparent reason. __________________ "It's not a small world, everyone just stays in the same place all the time." Kick in the Head - a Daily Webcomic
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:15 AM	#9
asphalt-proof macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Magrathea	I can see the lawsuits roll in as a rash of speed metal-induced heart attacks sweep though the running communities across the nation. __________________ "Shoot the ones with swords first"
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:22 AM	#10
tkidBOSTON macrumors 6502a Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Hub of the Universe	The real question is can it play Eye of the Tiger when I'm running up stairs... __________________ Hi, My name is tkidBOSTON... Mother always said, "If you have nothing nice to say..." TK
	0

May 25, 2006, 07:38 AM	#2
mcarnes macrumors 68000 Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: USA! USA!	Can't wait to try this with Metallica.
	0

May 25, 2006, 07:47 AM	#3
dambro1978 macrumors regular Join Date: May 2005	this would be a real FIGATA. HAPPY OWNER OF A 12" PB
	0

May 25, 2006, 07:49 AM	#4
longofest Demi-God (Editor) Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Falls Church, VA	The Nano is now officially the exerciser's iPod. That is why I don't own one Sad, isn't it?
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:12 AM	#7
Vaphoron macrumors 6502 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Maryland	That would be a pretty cool feature if I had a Nano and could get up off my butt and go run, but that ain't gonna happen.
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:25 AM	#12
octoberdeath macrumors regular Join Date: Feb 2005	sounds ingenious. apple really is a leader in the market! __________________ 2GHz PowerMac G5 (w/1GB RAM)
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:37 AM	#13
Ulfhednar macrumors newbie Join Date: Apr 2005	When can I hook this here iPod to my bicycle? I saw that Lance Armstrong was one of the Nike/iPod promotors . . . I hope that Lance being involed is some kind of hint of what's to come!
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:41 AM	#15
dambro1978 macrumors regular Join Date: May 2005	Figata in italian means "too cool".....
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:43 AM	#16
Dunepilot macrumors 6502a Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: UK	A brilliant idea for 4-to-the-floor house music. If, like me, you listen to a lot of math-rock (all sorts of crazy time signatures) and post-hardcore/emo (much of which is in 6/4) ... not so good. __________________ Wii Code - 0279-2698-2658-0111 - Dunepilot
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:43 AM	#17
j-a-x macrumors 65816 Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Houston, Texas	The tempo thing sounds kinda dumb to me, I don't wanna listen to my music with a funky temp... But the Nike shoe thing with running stats sounds pretty cool. __________________ Personal Website Flickr SlothCam Dashboard Widget SlothCam iOS App (free version)
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:45 AM	#18
Frisco macrumors 68020 Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: San Fran, CA	I love this idea! Got to get me some Taylor Hicks songs! __________________ Frisco
	0

May 25, 2006, 08:53 AM	#19
macbookAPRIL1 macrumors newbie Join Date: Mar 2006	Is there any reason why this shouldnt be compatible with the ipod video?
	0

May 25, 2006, 09:07 AM	#20
modernpixel macrumors member Join Date: May 2005 Location: New York, NY	More exciting than excercise -- I love the idea of iTunes going through my music and setting tempo tags for everything. I was just thinking the other day that it would be great if I could somehow automate creating a playlist of slow music, or dancey music, etc. This would be a really awesome addition. __________________ www.modernpixel.com .
	0

May 25, 2006, 09:09 AM	#21
irishgrizzly macrumors 65816 Join Date: May 2006	What about a tempo sync for lovers? It could be placed near a bed and adjust the music according to the vibrations. Barry White with no/little movement... etc.
	0

May 25, 2006, 09:29 AM	#24
Scarlet Fever macrumors 68040 Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Bookshop!	imagine walking with pink floyd... lol that'd be something like one step every 2 seconds my dad runs a bit, and when he first saw this Nike+Apple thing, he thought you put your nano into your shoe :P
	0

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