By Ryan Curtis
Apple and Nike have joined brands to bring in the next generation of running. The convergence of Nike and iPod is the new rage in exercise.
'Nike iPod creates a better running experience,' said Nike CEO Mark Parker, according to Allheadlinenews.com.
The product, tentatively called 'Nike+,' will have a transmitter in the sole of special shoes that 'talks' to an iPod nano. Nike says runners will hear all the songs they love, plus, how fast they run, how long and far they have run, and how many calories they have burned.
Nike has created a set of songs and motivational coaching tips to Apple''s iTunes site to play during the run. These tracks are available for anyone to download whether they purchase the new device or not.
If that wasn''t enough, after the run, users can hook up their iPod to a computer and the information from their run is uploaded to the Internet. Runners from around the country can compare times, make goals and compete with each other.
Seven-time Tour De France champion Lance Armstrong is excited about the product and is using the new technology to get ready for his first New York Marathon.
'If you can incorporate time, distance and calories burned together and make it function for both the fitness runner and the high level athlete, it will take working out to a whole new level,' Armstrong said, as quoted in digitaljournal .com.
Some BYU students aren''t sold on the idea yet. Shamika McFarland, a theater graduate student, who was listening to her iPod as she walked around the track, said she isn''t interested in all that stuff, she just listens to what she has.
Lilon and Daniel Merrill, a food science masters student and physics major respectively, aren''t sure they''re ready to jump on the bandwagon either.
'Shoes die. That''s the nature of running shoes,' Lilon said.
Daniel said, 'It depends on how much you run. I don''t worry too much about my heart rate or personal training.'
Some runners have blogged that they are worried about the sophisticated new toy getting smashed under their feet when they run.
The shoe isn''t out on the market, but Nike spokeswoman Shannon Shoul said durability was taken into consideration.
'It is down inside the shoe and protected from impact and doesn''t interfere with the running experience,' Shoul said.
The shoe, equipped to house the Apple transmitter, will cost about $100; and the kit to connect the shoe to the iPod nano will begin at $30, the suggested retail price.
The average runner that doesn''t want to pay $100 for running shoes may have to wait for prices to drop. Nike will extend its product line this fall, Shoul said, to include cross trainers, Shox and other shoes for different needs.