Nike, Apple launch Nike+iPod products
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
May 23, 2006 at 8:12am
Apple and Nike are teaming up in a partnership that’s launching Nike+iPod products. The first product developed through this partnership is the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, a wireless system that allows Nike+ footwear to “talk” with your iPod nano.
With the Nike+ footwear connected to iPod nano through the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, information on time, distance, calories burned and pace is stored on the iPod and displayed on the screen; real-time audible feedback also is provided through headphones. The kit includes an in-shoe sensor and a receiver that attaches to the iPod.
Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Nike CEO Mark Parker unveiled Nike+iPod at an event in New York attended by seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and marathon world record-holder Paula Radcliffe.
“Nike+iPod is a partnership between two iconic, global brands with a shared passion for creating meaningful consumer product experiences through design and innovation,” Parker said in a press release. “This is the first result, and Nike+iPod will change the way people run. Nike+iPod creates a better running experience. We see many more such Nike+ innovations in the future.”
He says that Nike plans to make many of its leading footwear styles Nike+ ready. Specially designed Nike apparel, including jackets, tops, shorts and an iPod nano armband (shown), are also on the way, along with waterproof pockets that accommodate an iPod nano. What’s more, there’s a new Nike Sport Music section on the iTunes Music Store and a new nikeplus.com personal service site.
“We’re working with Nike to take music and sport to a new level,” Jobs said. “The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout.”
The Nike+iPod Sport Kit is expected to be available within 60 days for a suggested retail price of US$29 through the Apple Store, Apple’s retail stores, Apple Authorized Resellers as well as Nike.com, Niketown, NikeWomen stores and select retail stores in the US. It requires a Nike+ shoe and an iPod nano with a Mac with a USB 2.0 ports and Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later and iTunes 6.0.5; or a Windows PC with a USB 2.0 port and Windows 2000, XP Home or Professional (SP2) and iTunes 6.0.5.
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 10,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
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