Even if I'm not seriously interested in these gadgets, it's helpful to add the estimated price in the description.

If this is true, that's a stupid move. The market has shown it's willing to pay the, albeit still high, $500 price. Sales jumped after the cut. An effective price hike (really, 33% more HD space is not worth much) will cause sales to drop below what they were before the price cut. Note to Sony: Those sales weren't very good.

The company web page doesn't give any specs on size an weight, but judging from the videos, tis device appears to be about an inch thick, 4 or five inches long, and maybe 2.5 inches wide. The ear buds wire also appears to be "bobbie-pinned" to to the woman's hair (stop the second video and look closely at the close up of the ear).

No wonder the woman appears to be running so carefully in the videos.

It doesn't appear to measure distance, which is the main feature of Nike + iPod. Therefore, this isn't really a competitor ready to "challenge" anybody. And I haven't watched the videos (a no-no hear at work), but I saw no reference on their web site to an accelerometer, so I don't know where MacNN got that bit of info.

..and it most likely does not come with the level of integration that Nke+iPod does -- i.e. the website tracking your progress, ability to compete with others, forming groups, extensive progress reports, etc...

Cute try, Yamaha, but as always, companies such as this are neglecting simply what it's all about - not featuritis (and fugly design), but functionality.

While we can't be sure exactly what is responsible for the iPod's success, its user-friendly interface, its superb integration with Apple iTunes, and its killer marketing campaign probably had something to do with it

www.ipodconverter.com

I don't want a device that automatically chooses my music or beat for me! I'd like to do that myself, the computer doesn't know that I'm about to slow-down or speed-up, or maybe i don't feel like listening to the song it selected.

it looks hideous.