Nike Speed+ watch to bypass iPod kit for athletes

Sports gear manufacturer Nike will soon release a watch that could eliminate the need for the Nike+iPod kit. Appearing only briefly on the European Nike website before being removed, the Nike Speed+ watch includes its own flash memory and wireless receiver and links with the Nike+ sensor. After a run, the watch connects to a computer through USB to upload distance and speed information to the Nikeplus.com website. An onboard LCD also tracks information useful to live runners such as the estimated calorie burn and pacing, the description said. No launch information accompanied the leak.

The inadvertent announcement suggests that Nike is approaching its Nike+ initative as a multi-level strategy of which the iPod is only a part. The sporting company recently announced its C.O.R.E. iPod backpack that offers music control through the strap. News of the still unreleased Amp+ bracelet for iPod users also surfaced late in 2006 and pointed to Nike's expansion beyond tracking equipment alone. [via Podophile]