Product: Nike+ iPod Sport Kit
Prices: $30.00 (foot pod & iPod receiver). iPod nano and Nike+ shoes sold separately.
Rating: Very Good 8.3/10.0
Pros: Very easy to use. Good accuracy once it is calibrated. Inexpensive; very good value if you already own an iPod and Nike+ shoes. Power Song feature is great idea. Nike+ online training log free, fun, and incorporates good motivation and community.
Cons: Requires calibration. Requires specific ancillary equipment (iPod nano, Nike+ shoes).
Overall: To use this innovative running tool effectively, you need to regularly run with music (or podcasts), own an iPod nano, and should own Nike+ shoes. Given these “ifs”, it is a great product for the money, and a tremendous motivational tool. The sensor will need to be calibrated, and works best in a Nike+ shoe, but tends to yield fairly good accuracy once these criteria are met. Runners who don’t use an iPod, or who want a richer feature set, should continue looking at more “traditional” fitness monitors.
Design - 9 - Out of the box, the Nike + iPod Sport Kit includes a Nike + iPod Sensor (foot pod), a Nike + iPod Receiver, and an instruction manual. The foot pod goes into the cavity in the left Nike+ shoe. The receiver goes into the bottom port of an Apple iPod nano. If you don’t own Nike+ shoes, the foot pod can be put into a shoe pouch (sold separately for $10), which can be attached to any shoe’s laces. All testing for this review was performed with a pair of Nike+ shoes and a 3rd Generation iPod nano.
Excited about the new Nike+iPod alliance - but unwilling to part with your favorite pair of non-Nike shoes? Fear not - because Marware has come to the rescue with their Sportsuit Sensor +
Product: Marware Sportsuit Sensor +
Price: $9.99
Rating: Excellent 8.55/10.0
Pros: Securely protects Nike+ iPod wireless sensor, durable, lightweight and inexpensive
Cons: Not waterproof
Overall: Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor + is a terrific adapter for runners who want the benefits of the new Nike+iPod Sport Kit, but don’t want to spend the extra cash on Nike+ Ready shoes. For only $9.99 it is an investment you won’t regret and we highly recommend it.
Performance - 9 - After using the Sportsuit Sensor + on several training runs and feeling quite confident in it’s performance, I decided to use it during a recent half-marathon. Once again - I was very impressed. Throughout the 13.1 miles I never had to adjust it, nor did it ever cause me any discomfort. As a matter of fact, it is so lightweight that I basically forgot I was even wearing it. Read the rest of this entry »
Wish that you could have all the advantages of a Nike+iPod Sportkit +, Garmin Forerunner, MP3 player, Google maps and even your cell phone with you on your run? Well now . . . YOU CAN with a “Wireless Run Tracker”-enabled mobile phone.
Runner’s World, Bones in Motion (an application development company) and various cell phone companies have teamed up to create “Wireless Run Tracker” - a service that will make runners of all levels and abilities, gadget lovers and technology enthusiasts all go wild.
For a fee of only $9.99 a month (added to your cell phone bill) you can use your GPS enabled cell phones on Verizon Wireless, Nextel and Sprint services to track/measure your runs, find/share routes, help you to avoid getting lost and see real-time information on your phone’s screen.
Check out our review of Leading Example’s Running Log Software. You can also try it for yourself and let us know what you think. They offer a free trial download (although that version will not contain many of the features that are available in the full version).
Product: Leading Example Coaching’s Running Log Software
Price: $9.99
Rating: Average 6.1/10.0
Pros: Good for beginners, training log, mileage/pace calculations, progress graphs, shoe tracker, goal setter
Cons: Cannot calculate calories burned, insufficient for advanced runners, incompatible with portable mileage trackers, incompatible with Google Pedometer, design flaws
Overall: L.E.’s Running Software can be helpful and is certainly more effective than a mere paper training book or journal. However, this product is not worth the money for advanced and very competitive runners.
Performance - 5.75 The software is capable of tracking your mileage, graphing your progress and also allows you to set goals. One feature I particularly like is that it allows you to accurately track how many miles you have put on your running shoes. Wondering why this is important? Then check out: When to ‘Kick’ Your Old ‘Kicks’)
L.E. asserts, “Whether you’re a serious runner or a weekend jogger. This fantastic Running Log will help you.” However, after reviewing this product I believe that most serious runners and exercise enthusiasts would likely be disappointed.
The time has finally arrived . . . Marware’s Sportsuit Sensor+ for the iPod nano are being released on Thursday, August 31st.
For all of us who refuse to give up on our favorite non-Nike running shoes, this case will now make the Nike sensor compatible. Forget about those old fashioned pedometers or the extremely overpriced Garmin devices. The Sportsuit and the Nike+iPod Sport Kit will together only cost you about $40! ($9.95 for the Sportsuit and $29.95 for the Sport Kit)
So you love to exercise and want to pick up on that Nike + iPod trend, right? What if you don’t have the right kind of shoes that fit the Nike sensor? Fear no longer because Marware has just launched a case that will allow you to strap on the same old sensor on your favorite shoes. The device has a Velcro strap that folds around your shoe laces for a secure fit while you’re bolting down the street/track. Preorder a Sportsuit Sensor+ on DrBott.com for just $9.95.
Read [DrBott]
Nike recently introduced a new line of gear, shoes and apparel called Nike+ [see our article Nike + Apple = Tune Your Run for more information]. To coincide with this great advancement, Apple has added a new section to the iTunes Music Store with several offerings designed to enhance the Nike + iPod experience.
Nike Sport Music features five Nike+ Workouts, continuous play music mixes with voice-over coaching instructions (this helps you to pace your work-out to achieve your goal of endurance training), speed training, strength training, and treadmill training. It also includes Nike video podcasts; Sport iMixes put together by iTunes customers. Furthermore, iTunes offers Athlete Inspiration playlists featuring music picks from Nike sponsors Lance Armstrong, champion marathoner Paula Radcliffe, Vince Carter, World Cup standout Ronaldo, Landon Donovan, and others.
The Crystal Method, an electronic group, has also created an exclusive 45-minute sport mix for iTunes featuring original tracks and new remixes of their older songs.
Even if you are not training for a marathon right now, you can use Nike+ for your fun runs and your workouts. Apple and Nike is keeping you in shape, by making you conscious of your performances and by maintaining your motivation.
Now…download, and run.
Source: [CoolRunning.com]
Pictures from: [Gizmodo], [Apple]
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