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Apple Exercise iPod Tempo Patents
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Wow, what an awesome idea
As someone that is obsessed with rhythm, this is seriously cool...
Forget working out, i just want to run around with the beat syncing to my movements....that is fun..
As someone that is obsessed with rhythm, this is seriously cool...
Forget working out, i just want to run around with the beat syncing to my movements....that is fun..
swingerofbirch
macrumors 68040
I tried two different pedometers--the one from McDonald's which barely worked, and one for about $15 that only seemed to catch half my steps.
I think it's more accurate to run a known distance or for a certain period of time.
As for myself, I need to get back to walking before I can think about running.
I think it's more accurate to run a known distance or for a certain period of time.
As for myself, I need to get back to walking before I can think about running.
Ulfhednar said:
Bike computers would be a natural move for Apple. The difference there is that they wouldn't be creating a market; they would be entering one that is already pretty well defined. That is going to happen more and more as Apple continues to spread the nano into more lifestyle areas.
Sharewaredemon said:
According to Nike's online store (click on "click to expand details" next to the Sport Kit listing), battery life is somewhere around 1000 hours.
Doing a little math with that number... as a casual runner, I run maybe two hours total (about 15 miles) a week at the most. 1000 hours / 2 hours per week = 500 weeks = 10 years.
So if the claimed battery life is accurate, I don't think it's going to be a problem. Even for a more dedicated runner who maybe puts in 2 hours a day, rather than a week, you should only have to replace the unit every 12-18 months or so. And at $29, it's nothing compared to the cost of regularly replacing running shoes.
Boo!!! 
Would it kill them to spend time fixing a few existing bugs before stuffing in more esoteric features? Honestly, I know that my pet peeve bug is only noticed by a small percentage of users, but I can't imagine a much higher percentage wanting this stuff. Sure, some people really do exercise regularly, but most of us are lazy bums who only talk the talk.
Bah.
</angry old curmudgeon>
Would it kill them to spend time fixing a few existing bugs before stuffing in more esoteric features? Honestly, I know that my pet peeve bug is only noticed by a small percentage of users, but I can't imagine a much higher percentage wanting this stuff. Sure, some people really do exercise regularly, but most of us are lazy bums who only talk the talk.
Bah.
</angry old curmudgeon>
looks awesome, I might just have to get one.
On a side note, I think a really awesome feature for the full size ipod would be GPS navigation. I always have my ipod in my car, and I would definately buy a new one with gps capability, imagine the ease of use of an apple product (syncing, voice guidance) in a gps unit, plus it would be like the only one available that is compatible with the mac!!!
call me crazy, lol, or agree with me
On a side note, I think a really awesome feature for the full size ipod would be GPS navigation. I always have my ipod in my car, and I would definately buy a new one with gps capability, imagine the ease of use of an apple product (syncing, voice guidance) in a gps unit, plus it would be like the only one available that is compatible with the mac!!!
call me crazy, lol, or agree with me
dibble9012 said:call me crazy, lol, or agree with me
Oh I agree with you. The idea of a GPS unit somehow attached to an iPod is one of the things that prompted me to develop my website
RodC
--
www.expodition.com - for iPod users who love to travel
Check out my lens at Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/PodSnapShots
cool website!!! Come on apple, a gps would be an awesome addition!! I wonder if a 3rd party manufacturer could do something like that?
RodThePlod said:Oh I agree with you. The idea of a GPS unit somehow attached to an iPod is one of the things that prompted me to develop my website
RodC
--
www.expodition.com - for iPod users who love to travel
Check out my lens at Squidoo: http://www.squidoo.com/PodSnapShots
hrmpf said:
Actually, with some clever algorithms you CAN measure the distance with a 2-axis accelerometer. You integrate the acceration and get a 2 dimensional circular movement.
From this you extract the movement when the foot is in contact with the ground (and multiply with two, assuming that the other foot without sensor is doing a similar stride), and then you will get a pretty accuraty distance measurement (3%, compared to GPS, according to one paper I read about this). I'm sure there will be much tests by the early adopter on this site
There could be more error when going much upphill or downhill though.
Make my music faster or slower?
That sounds absolutely absurd. Why would I want my music to change tempo? The whole point of having a song in a playlist is because of it's intensity and the mental state it puts you in.
I can just imagine listening to my favorite song being "conducted" by my running pace. One second it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks and the next minute it sounds like a Teddy Ruxpin Doll with worn out batteries.
STUPID idea. No moron would ever use that feature. NOT EVEN FOR TECHNO.
Why does Apple do that? Why not something good like a GPS feature that actually does SOMETHING.
I love my Apple Computer. I have loved all of my Apple Computers... even the Newton... but man does it get hard to defend stupid stuff like this.
That sounds absolutely absurd. Why would I want my music to change tempo? The whole point of having a song in a playlist is because of it's intensity and the mental state it puts you in.
I can just imagine listening to my favorite song being "conducted" by my running pace. One second it sounds like Alvin and the Chipmunks and the next minute it sounds like a Teddy Ruxpin Doll with worn out batteries.
STUPID idea. No moron would ever use that feature. NOT EVEN FOR TECHNO.
Why does Apple do that? Why not something good like a GPS feature that actually does SOMETHING.
I love my Apple Computer. I have loved all of my Apple Computers... even the Newton... but man does it get hard to defend stupid stuff like this.
I think the link to tempo is about which songs to play rather than speeding up or slowing down the tempo of the song that is currently playing.
Forgetting exercise for a moment - I'd like a feature in iTunes to link time of day to tempo - say you're having people over for a dinner party - startup your favorite playlist on random and then hand over to iTunes gradually change the range of songs played based on the time on night. Party might start with some fast moving, heavy hitting tunes around 7 but by the time you are into the port, iTunes has thoughtfully shifted to something more suited to the mood...
That way you get to relax with the guests without worrying about music selection. Of course, if Apple could harness the technology from those "mood testing machines" @ 25c a pop in shopping malls then there would be an even more precise link to song selection by iTunes
Bring it on I say!
Forgetting exercise for a moment - I'd like a feature in iTunes to link time of day to tempo - say you're having people over for a dinner party - startup your favorite playlist on random and then hand over to iTunes gradually change the range of songs played based on the time on night. Party might start with some fast moving, heavy hitting tunes around 7 but by the time you are into the port, iTunes has thoughtfully shifted to something more suited to the mood...
That way you get to relax with the guests without worrying about music selection. Of course, if Apple could harness the technology from those "mood testing machines" @ 25c a pop in shopping malls then there would be an even more precise link to song selection by iTunes
Bring it on I say!
donlphi said:
How about house, trance or prog? Techno is only one small genre of electronic music...
Scarlet Fever said: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
Pink Floyd isn't 30bpm... it's more like 90-110.
Anyways, that's why I put on techno (not house, trance, progressive, or breaks) when I run. I find 125-135bpm perfect for running.
that's not an ipod problem
"Have albums with tracks that blend together with no break in sound?
Tired of that little jolt of silence in between songs?
Tell Apple you want true gapless playback in iTunes and iPod!"
bankshot: that's not the ipod's problem. that's how mp3s are. if you take an acid or soundtrack loop, (aiff or wav) and convert it to mp3, it would create a little gap at the beginning and end. it's part of the format. it isn't perfect.
"Have albums with tracks that blend together with no break in sound?
Tired of that little jolt of silence in between songs?
Tell Apple you want true gapless playback in iTunes and iPod!"
bankshot: that's not the ipod's problem. that's how mp3s are. if you take an acid or soundtrack loop, (aiff or wav) and convert it to mp3, it would create a little gap at the beginning and end. it's part of the format. it isn't perfect.
donlphi said:
totally agree about slowing down or speeding up music. i actually posted the following the day of the announcement...
it would be nicer if the songs were selected to MATCH your current pace. a paced song is nice and sometimes is a little faster than your current pace which pushes you a little more. i think settings like you have an treadmills like hills or sprints or whatever where the ipod would select slower songs then faster songs all in accordance with your current pace AND the preset "workout" type.
seems to me this could already be done if you go through and put in BPM info to all your songs. you'd just have to select the correct playlist.
the real story
My ingenious friend Adam whom I'm currently partnered with on a substantially more fabulous project (in a very different market) created a prototype of this device in about a day, as well as the subsequent patent, while working at Apple as an intern nearly two years ago. He won an award for his efforts and a brand new (at the time) 40Gb ipod which has since broken. His other work is equally fantastic. I assure you all, this was not a strategic effort and is basically just Apple collecting patents.
My ingenious friend Adam whom I'm currently partnered with on a substantially more fabulous project (in a very different market) created a prototype of this device in about a day, as well as the subsequent patent, while working at Apple as an intern nearly two years ago. He won an award for his efforts and a brand new (at the time) 40Gb ipod which has since broken. His other work is equally fantastic. I assure you all, this was not a strategic effort and is basically just Apple collecting patents.
Ulfhednar said:
Maybe, or maybe not. I read that Lance Armstrong is there because he's training for his first NY Marathon. In other words, he's there as a runner instead of a cyclist.
Still, some of the things we read about this tells of more to come. The problem with doing this for cyclists is that it is illegal (in some places, like mine) to ride a cycle with earphones. It's a safety issue. Also, it doesn't tie-in to cross-product marketing as easily as a new pair of running shoes.