02/22, 10:55am
Nike Plus goes beyond running in new shoe tech
Nike expanded its Nike+ mix Wednesday with two combinations of shoes and apps that go beyond its traditional focus on running. Both Nike+ Basketball and Nike+ Training can track jump height and other factors besides horizontal distance. A new Pressure Sensor integrated into the shoes themselves contributes to the existing motion tracking to reveal details that were previously impossible to follow in the Nike+ system.
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01/19, 12:45pm
Nike+ FuelBand now up for pre-order at $149
Nike+ has just introduced its latest product, the FuelBand. It pairs with a dedicated iOS app to measure a wearer's daily activity levels, returning metrics such as time, calories burned, steps taken and a newly created NikeFuel. The wristband can display these on its own display composed of 100 white LEDs, but the iOS app makes them easier to understand and allows them to be stored. An airplane mode is present, and the band will store metrics until it can offload them to the website or iOS device. All navigation is done through a single button on the wristband.
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12/07, 7:15pm
Suit claims earlier patents on Nike, iPod tech
An unusual lawsuit filed earlier this week hoped to upturn another lawsuit over Nike+iPod technology. Maryland resident Erik Cherdak claimed to have had two patents relating to an "athletic shoe with timing device" that predate the patents accessory maker PhatRat was using to sue, and later license out to, Apple and Nike. He hoped to have the two PhatRat patents invalidated on top of forcing Apple and Nike to pay licensing fees for iPhones, iPods, and shoes designed to use the Nike+ system, all under the threat of a possible ban.
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11/29, 9:05am
BERG Little Printer provides social hard copies
BERG stirred attention Tuesday with a return to print tailored just for mobile. The Little Printer talks to an iPhone or Android phone to subscribe to "publications" that can print out multiple times a day. They include regular content like birthdays, Sudoku puzzles, and weather, but also pro content like news from The Guardian, to-do lists from Google, and even periodic Foursquare check-in updates.
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10/04, 3:20pm
iPod touch and iPod nano get minor refresh
Apple used its October 4 event to unveil modest updates to the iPod touch and iPod nano. The iPod touch keeps its familiar design but now has the option of white. It's still believed to keep the A4 processor as it stops at 720p video recording, although it may now have a new oleophobic (oil-resistant) coating.
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09/22, 2:40pm
Facebook music and video sharing unveiled at f8
Facebook continued its string of news at f8 by detailing its media sharing. Part of a new system of verbs that replace the generic Like, it focuses most on music: users can spot someone listening to a song in the live ticker and start listening to the same track. Services will still need to launch the separate app if it exists, but the method will let anyone listen to similar content if it exists in a subscription service.
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09/02, 1:35pm
Nike+ issues apologized for, new platform coming
A letter sent to Nike+ users from the VP and GM of Nike Running, Jayme Martin, has apologized for the recent problems the platform endured lately. The letter was shared by TechCrunch, and reveals the issues include log-ins, syncing devices, sharing runs and editing profiles. In light of this, Martin promises a new Nike+ platform is coming that will get rid of these problems and with new features.
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05/25, 10:25am
App sees overall speed improvements
Nike has put out a new version of its Nike+ GPS app for iOS, v3.1. The update is comparatively major, making some feature additions and a number of refinements. The app should now run faster overall for example, and provide better accuracy in terms of accelerometer and GPS data.
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02/02, 4:05pm
Includes unusual Nike+ port
Accessory maker Hex has announced the Sport Watch Band, a forthcoming product for the sixth-generation iPod nano. Like similar gear the band allows people to wear a Nano as a wristwatch. The Sport Watch, though, is intended explicitly for exercise, and unusually includes a special port meant for Nike+ gear. The Nano already has Nike+iPod support built in.
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12/13, 4:50pm
New marketing touts 'running without music'
Nike is directing shoppers' attention away from iPhones and iPods in new marketing, a report notes. In some ads appearing in stores, the sports gear maker is advertising the Nike+ SportBand as "the freedom of running without music." The SportBand attaches to a wrist, and tracks statistics like distance and speed that can later be transferred via USB.
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07/05, 4:30pm
Glitches in app cause lost calibrations, totals
A Nike+ support forum is discussing numerous issues with iOS 4. According to users, upgrades to the most recent iOS release have caused problems with Nike's exercise sync gear, like lost workout histories, lost links or dropping connections with the Nike+ sensor and lost connections with the Nike+ remote. Most of the problems have been reported on the iPod touch and iPhone 3GS, but some have popped up for iPhone 4 users on the forum.
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05/18, 12:10pm
Caps long series of fitness-related Apple patents
A new Nike heart rate monitor -- the first compatible with Nike+iPod technology -- should launch on June 1st, says a spokesperson for the company. The representative adds that it may actually be in some American stores "slightly sooner," while Canadians will get the accessory before the end of June. Launches in other countries are scheduled only for sometime this summer.
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12/28, 1:00pm
Pedal Brain uses ANT+ for fitness info on iPods
Start-up company Pedal Brain has released a new iPhone/iPod touch app along with a piece of hardware that gives athletes use of accessories beyond just the Nike+ system. The self-titled device lets heart monitors, pedometers and others peripherals that use the ANT+ wireless protocol send information to the Apple device. Aimed at cyclists, the Pedal Brain Synapse hardware plugs into the Apple device and displays real-time data along with GPS to show the position of other cyclists. The app will also upload a log file onto Pedal Brain's website, letting users view a more detailed analysis of their ride afterwards.
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