Nike+ Coming To iPhone, iPod Touch

[Doctor Q]

Doesn't the phrase "communication with gym equipment" strike you as funny? But that's where we are, with devices that measure us as we work out. Maybe soon your sweatband will report your sweat level to your iPod Touch. In the next phase, we'll control our workout equipment from our iPhones. Just phone your left shoe and tell it to tighten its laces.

 

[twoodcc]

well i really hope this happens, but probably not til after June though. looking forward to it

 

[mkrishnan]

In the next phase, we'll control our workout equipment from our iPhones.

Actually, though, for the Nike+ system, there's a real angle there. If the iPod could control a treadmill, Nike could sell an integrated workout package that contained a choreographed mix playlist / file with a "personal instructor" and automatically adjust treadmill parameters to match the workout. Ultimately, it could even be adaptive (it would be amazing if the Nike+ system had some training planner elements like the kind of system Flash Focus or other DS brain training games use) so that a set of music and trainer files on the iPod could be used to generate not just one workout but a system of workouts.

EDIT: PS, this is the first time I'd heard of the SportsBand. Not that I particularly want or need one, but I think it's a great idea for people who for whatever reason don't want a music player with them when they're running.

 

[Flowbee]

I agree that the iPhone seems too large and heavy to run with... But then I think back to my days of running with my 2G iPod. Talk about a brick.

And I guess this means I'll have to break down and buy a nice sweat-proof case for my iPhone. So many decisions to make...

 

[Impulse29]

Does anyone think that there is a correlation between how fast someone runs and how much their arms move? If so, wouldn't a simple app that uses the iPod touch/iPhone's accelerometer work too?

 

[mkrishnan]

Does anyone think that there is a correlation between how fast someone runs and how much their arms move? If so, wouldn't a simple app that uses the iPod touch/iPhone's accelerometer work too?

EDIT: Actually, I take that back. You don't have to use the correlation of the arm and leg motions (which I'm sure is not strong enough to be reliable). If you have an iPhone mounted on your upper arm, once you ignore the envelope created by your arm swinging, your iPhone's translation through space matches your body's translation through space. So if you integrate the accelerometer output, you can get the speed and translation distance. But I would guess that these accelerometers are not so sensitive to small accelerations, and so the one in your shoe works well because it's at the end of a lever arm, and so has a much larger magnitude of linear acceleration than your shoulder would.

 

[bobbleheadbob]

No you wouldn't.

Cool! I thought they had to go in the bottom of specially made Nike shoes. It was a while ago that I looked at them. That, plus the need to buy a Nano, made it a non-starter. Thanks.

 

[UCLA-Bruin]

this would be good news indeed.

 

[fadethis]

Wow that looks nice and reasonably priced. Might pick up one...

there's also http://www.grantwoodtechnology.com/shoepouch/

 

[beppo]

I wonder if they would incorporate some way of using the wifi antenna instead of the regular antenna

 

[Pathfinder55]

So, when do you guys think we will see this? First half of 2008, Second half of 2008, or 2009? Personally I'm hoping first half of 08 but I think it isn't coming until the second half. What do you think?

 

[Pathfinder55]

There is also another idea that I had, mabye the iPod touch and iPhone will not need to have the "reciver" and they could just do it through WiFi. Does anyone think that is possible?

 

[diamondgoldsilv]

More options is always a good thing.

 

[teme]

I have planned to buy iPod Nano with Nike+ set in few months. Now I don't know what to do. I don't need Nano to anything else than for jogging and using it with Nike+ set. I could have much more usage for iPod Touch, so it would make sense to buy it and hope that the Nike+ set for it will be available soon. But then again, Nano is easier to carry and it's cheaper so I don't need to handle it with so much care...

 

[juanster]

Okay i bve been looking around and apple's website claims that nike+ipod only works on 2nd gen and up... but then on ebay many sellers are saying it works on 1gen, i trust apple a "bit" more on this one, but just wnated to make sure with you guys..edit: weird, the U.S site says it works with all 3g of nanos, but the canadian says it only works with 2nd and 3rd? are they somehow different? i doubt it...

 

[mkrishnan]

weird, the U.S site says it works with all 3g of nanos, but the canadian says it only works with 2nd and 3rd? are they somehow different? i doubt it...

I can confirm... I know people who use the 1st gen Nano on the Nike+ system. It has always supported all Nanos in the US. I can't imagine any reason it'd be different in Canada (unless the gen 1 Nano was for some reason not officially sold there?). I do remember however that in the past, some of these compatibility charts have been wrong on other Apple international sites before, though.

 

[juanster]

ok great thnx,, *off to bid on the cheapest nano he can find*

 

[mono1980]

This better be true!

This had better not be some cruel joke. I have been wishing for this ever since I gave my old nano to my brother. It is the one thing I have been missing.

 

[roncordell]

Great Addition to iPhone - but what sports armband to use?

I've always wanted to try the Nike+ system but had either a iPod Mini or iPhone and didn't want to shell out for a Nano at the time. But what is a good sports band or armband to use with the iPhone? I've tried the Belkin sports arm band and the metal strap buckle broke after using it 3 or 4 times, so it's pretty poorly made for a ridiculous price. Is there anything else out there for the iPhone for running?

 

[twoodcc]

So, when do you guys think we will see this? First half of 2008, Second half of 2008, or 2009? Personally I'm hoping first half of 08 but I think it isn't coming until the second half. What do you think?

i think it'll come in late June / July, or basically after the iPhone 2.0 software update

 

[juanster]

can someone take a look at this.... and when i try to order it, it tries to charge me 6 dollars more for shipping, not that I am cheap or naything, but doens t free shipping mean free shipping? i called up apple an dthe lady told me that i have to qualify to get free shipping on it...(over 75 bucks spent) this is on teh canadian store by tehw ay you can check it out yourself...

 

[born4sky]

it made me confuse ... will it still be only for running or for workout itself too

 

[Eriden]

The Ultimate Workout Companion

To heck with the current limited Nike+ system!

To make the iPhone/iPod Touch the ultimate workout companion, Apple should implement the Digital Fitness Companion System to be integrated with a Heart Rate Monitor(HRM) and pedometer which both transmit over WiFi, eliminating the need for a separate dongle, and capped with the A2DP Bluetooth Profile for listening to music on a pair of Apple-designed bluetooth stereo headphones.

Speaking of HRM transmission, I wonder what technology most current HRMs use to transmit data...

 

[Pathfinder55]

can someone take a look at this.... and when i try to order it, it tries to charge me 6 dollars more for shipping, not that I am cheap or naything, but doens t free shipping mean free shipping? i called up apple an dthe lady told me that i have to qualify to get free shipping on it...(over 75 bucks spent) this is on teh canadian store by tehw ay you can check it out yourself...

Thats weird, it says free shipping but makes you pay anyway?

 

[juanster]

yes, and i called and they said how i didn t qualify because i needed to spend at least 75 CAD, so i just drove down the street to a "running room" store and bought one...