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Polar and Nike Announce Wearlink Heart Rate Monitor for Nike+

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Running the risk of having the news swamped by all the WWDC goings-on today, Nike and Polar have announced the launch of a new Polar WearLink+ heart rate monitor compatible with the Nike + iPod system for the fifth-generation iPod nano.
Nike, Inc and Polar, the market leader and pioneer in heart rate training technology, have introduced the Polar WearLink+ that works with Nike+. This new product works with the Nike+ SportBand and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, enabling users to run and train with heart rate monitoring for the first time.

This exciting new piece of equipment is worn comfortably round the chest and transmits the user's heart rate wirelessly to their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit or Sportband. It will improve the training experience of Nike+ users helping them to understand how hard they are working in any given run. Users can see their beats per minute while they run with their Nike+ SportBand, or hear spoken feedback of their BPM during their Nike+ iPod workout. And after training, heart rate data can be transferred to the nikeplus.com web service. Users can track how long they ran in their target heart rate zone and see their heart rate progress over time.
Click to expand...
The new monitor offers dual compatibility with both the Nike+ system and most Polar training computers, as well as with Polar-compatible fitness equipment, offering users several options for tracking their performance.

The Polar Wearlink+ is currently available through Nike and is priced at $69.95. The device will also be available through authorized Polar retailers, Nike-owned retail stores and through the Apple Store.

Plans for a Nike+ heart rate monitor compatible with the fifth-generation iPod nano were revealed last September in the user manual for the new iPod nano, and a Nike representative disclosed last month that it was finally due for launch on June 1st.

Article Link: Polar and Nike Announce Wearlink Heart Rate Monitor for Nike+
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2010/06/07/polar-and-nike-announce-wearlink-heart-rate-monitor-for-nike/
spencers said:
Well that sucks. I still use a 1G nano.

Wonder if it will work with my 3GS
Click to expand...

I use an old 8G square Nano. Aside from the time during my runs not matching my watch and the calories burned not even being close, I like it. It also works with the Nike+ remote even when I'm not logging a run. THAT is a GREAT feature! Why they stopped allowing that is beyond me (wouldn't they like to sell more remotes?). I'll always use my square Nano's (I bought a spare) instead of using my Touch or my 3GS. Mainly because I sweat a lot in the humidity and have already drenched my Nano (it survived) and wouldn't want to toast my phone or Touch...
 
jocamero said:
According to their Facebook page, the answer is no.
Click to expand...

What facebook page are you looking at? I just called Nike and specifically asked about the new polar wearlink nike+ device and compatibility with iPhone and they said yes.
 
divad1978 said:
What facebook page are you looking at? I just called Nike and specifically asked about the new polar wearlink nike+ device and compatibility with iPhone and they said yes.
Click to expand...

The Polar USA facebook page. Considering they make the device they would know.....

http://www.facebook.com/#!/PolarUSA?ref=search

My only guess it's a software issue and Apple could offer a update that would address this, but for not it's not compatible.
 
Diode said:
The Polar USA facebook page. Considering they make the device they would know.....

http://www.facebook.com/#!/PolarUSA?ref=search

My only guess it's a software issue and Apple could offer a update that would address this, but for not it's not compatible.
Click to expand...

Yeah I found it after searching on Polarusa. Was using polar and nike earlier. It's confusing though because it says Nike+ device. The iPhone 3GS is a Nike+ device. And Nike told me on the phone as long as I had a device that supported communicating with Nike+ then it was compatible with the new Polar Wearlink Nike+ HRM.

Thanks
 
this might make me use Nike+ again. I gave up on the pedometer because of it being insanely inaccurate. My regular 8.5 mile loop would be logged as anything from 6 to almost 8 miles. I tried re-calibrating it a few times, even on a treadmill, and it sometimes told me my running was too uneven to calibrate. Uneven on a treadmill? It just never got accurate, and there is no manual way to say "no, this run was that distance".
When the Nike+ can sync with the iPhone's GPS... that will be fun.... or at least usable as a training tool. Nothing other people are not already doing, but still fun.
I don't even want to know how inaccurate the calories are when the distance is off by 20%.
 
I'm really intrigued as to how this is going to be compatible with the Nike SportBand, as I can't believe they incorporated the HRM software in it when they released it years ago, especially considering they've only just bought the HRM chest strap out!

Still, glad it's going to work with my 5G Nano. Can't see why the iPhone and iPod Touch software couldn't be upgraded though, that's going to upset a lot of people. If they've had the HRM support in the SportBand for years, why didn't they include the same support in the iPhone and Touch when they made them Nike+ devices last year?
 
You can have heart rate and much more on iOS devices ... iPhone, iPod touch, iPad

So this is great that Nike+ is incorporating heart rate! After all, you are tracking CARDIO exercise when you run!

If you want to track heart rate on an iOS device, iPhone or iPod touch or iPad ( and now there are >100 milliion of them ) there is a company that has been doing it for 16 months now. They just came out with an accessory that is similar to the Nike+ one that you must insert into the iPod Nano 30-pin connector to enable the Polar Wearlink+ / Nike+ sensor (foot pod) combo on the iPod Nano 5th gen.

With their Digifit Connect accessory, you can receive data from ANT+ heart rate monitor or foot pod ( Garmim makes both and the form factor of their foot pod is the same as Nike+ so it fits in a Nike shoe too )and you can also receive data from other ANT+ cycling sensors ( speed, cadence, power ) and even health computers ... weight scale and coming soon blood pressure and glucose meters.

Check out digifit.com ... they have it all together now!
;)
 
Response from Nike on iPhone/iPod Touch compatibility

from NikeStore <nikestore@custhelp.com>
reply-to NikeStore <nikestore@custhelp.com>
date Tue, Jun 8, 2010 at 11:56 AM
subject Heart Rate monitor [Incident: 100607-003835]
mailed-by custhelp.com
signed-by custhelp.com

hide details Jun 8 (3 days ago)


Thank you for allowing us to be of service to you.

Subject
---------------------------------------------------------------
Heart Rate monitor


Discussion Thread
---------------------------------------------------------------
From Nike: (Stephen) - 06/08/2010 08:56 AM
Hi ,

It's so great to hear that you've heard about the new Nike+ Heart Rate Transmitter!

The HRT is only compatible with the 5th gen iPod nano, and the Nike+ SportBand. At this point, we don't have any plans to make the device compatible with the iPod touch or iPhone 3G S.

If you have any other questions, please shoot me back another email. I would be glad to help, Cavelle!

Happy running,
Stephen
Nike Running

Auto-Response - 06/07/2010 01:28 PM
.

[Automated Response]

Thank you for your email inquiry!

Your email reference number is 100607-003835. You will hear from one of our Product Specialists within the next 24 hours.

The Nike Online Support Team


Customer () - 06/07/2010 01:28 PM
The new heart rate monitor product says it syncs with the iPod nano. What about the iPhone / iPod Touch?

http://nikerunning.nike.com/nikeos/...erce/#/?p=PDP&cid=1&pid=351634&ll=en_US&ct=US


[---001:001018:26806---]
 
They have no excuse for not releasing this for the iphone and ipod touches. These are precisely the powerful devices that can analyse heart rates when you run, have gps to incorporate the data on a map, and open up all sorts of possibilities in apps to monitor your runs, export them etc.

Instead they want you to go buy a nano and log in to their website to see your stats...aholes...

Digifit said:
So this is great that Nike+ is incorporating heart rate! After all, you are tracking CARDIO exercise when you run!

If you want to track heart rate on an iOS device, iPhone or iPod touch or iPad ( and now there are >100 milliion of them ) there is a company that has been doing it for 16 months now. They just came out with an accessory that is similar to the Nike+ one that you must insert into the iPod Nano 30-pin connector to enable the Polar Wearlink+ / Nike+ sensor (foot pod) combo on the iPod Nano 5th gen.

With their Digifit Connect accessory, you can receive data from ANT+ heart rate monitor or foot pod ( Garmim makes both and the form factor of their foot pod is the same as Nike+ so it fits in a Nike shoe too )and you can also receive data from other ANT+ cycling sensors ( speed, cadence, power ) and even health computers ... weight scale and coming soon blood pressure and glucose meters.

Check out digifit.com ... they have it all together now!
;)
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up, so if I understand this correctly, you can stick this to your iphone have an ant+ compatible hrm, and it will receive the data. Any news on apps at the app store that would replace the watch to give verbal cues, or other possibilities?
 
Shame It's Polar

Just about every other heart rate monitor manufacturer has user-changeable batteries. Polar voids your warranty if you don't ship the band to them when you need batteries changed. Being able to easily log heart rate along with distance and time sounds great, but it would have been nice if they had picked a more user-friendly brand.
 
TheStonepedo said:
Just about every other heart rate monitor manufacturer has user-changeable batteries. Polar voids your warranty if you don't ship the band to them when you need batteries changed. Being able to easily log heart rate along with distance and time sounds great, but it would have been nice if they had picked a more user-friendly brand.
Click to expand...

I've seen a number of them lately that you can swap batteries yourself... They used to be so stupid requiring the return of the strap, very frustrating... Plus they didn't seem to last a whole long time either... The Garmin 50 that I have works great, but is somewhat confusing to operate but I like it. I can replace the batteries which beats the heck out of the Polar that I had (and tossed)...
 
Every Polar chest strap I've owned had what I thought to be a user replaceable battery. Even my current one has a "notch" presumably for a coin to unscrew the battery compartment. The one time I had to change the battery, it took me < 30 seconds to do so.

According to Polar's website the new chest strap does have a user replaceable battery.

I still won't be buying one until it works with the iPhone.

TheStonepedo said:
Just about every other heart rate monitor manufacturer has user-changeable batteries. Polar voids your warranty if you don't ship the band to them when you need batteries changed. Being able to easily log heart rate along with distance and time sounds great, but it would have been nice if they had picked a more user-friendly brand.
Click to expand...
 
jocamero said:
...

I still won't be buying one until it works with the iPhone.
Click to expand...

Agreed, this really is a pi$$ take on their part. I would even pay for the app to enable the HRM on my iphone. As someone else said, there's so much more potential on the iphone with it's gps and connectivity than on the nano.

It wouldn't surprise me if it actually was apple blocking the hrm from iphone. I mean, since the iphone became so popular, ipod sales must have really dropped and they need to differentiate the ipods if they want to sale them, but come on, don't artificially differentiate them!!! Make them smaller and waterproof or something, don't cripple your other products!!!
 
I am an idiot. I did not read the thread and instead and I just went ahead and bought this HRM band thinking it would be compatible with the Iphone 3GS.

Like someone said, I would be willing to pay for an application that enables this feature on the Iphone.


sheesh, I am pissed.
 
So if you buy this and an iPod nano do you also need to buy the Nike+ fob that goes on your shoe, or does it replace that somehow?
 
Feh! I still love my little and squatty iPod Nano 3G. I also just bought a new Polar heart monitor ($83, half of what my original one cost). So, I am totally out of phase. I guess I can use that $69 toward a new iPhone. Now THERE's a good reason to save your pennies.
 
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