Apple + Nike = Great Stuff

May 24, 2006 12:57 GMT  ·  By

The iPod is slowly turning from a portable music player into a companion device that is the cornerstone of a digital lifestyle. The new partnership between Nike and Apple has given the world the Nike+iPod Sport Kit. The new product is a wireless system that connects the iPod nano to your Nike footwear, letting them talk to each other for the ultimate personal workout experience.

?Nike+iPod is a partnership between two iconic, global brands with a shared passion for creating meaningful consumer product experiences through design and innovation,? Nike CEO Mark Parker said in the 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.?

The kit includes a small in-shoe sensor that is placed in a specially crafted hole in Nike+ footwear, and connects to the iPod, which in turn displays information about time, distance, calories burned and pace. This information is stored on the iPod, displayed in real time on the screen and conveyed back to the user through the earphones.

?We?re working with Nike to take music and sport to a new level,? said Steve Jobs, Apple?s CEO, in the press release. "The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout."

And Jobs is not just blowing smoke. The system covers every aspect of the workout, from the ?Power Song? which you can turn on at the push of a button to give you that boost you need, to the way the information is storeD and used to give you feedback on your performance over time.