Nike+

3D projectors

It's a slightly slow news day, considering Monday was the Apple keynote.

As anyone who loves technology knows, an Apple keynote is like the Super Bowl. No one expects to make much noise in the sporting world immediately following the biggest game of the year.

Nevertheless, there are still news stories moving and shaking. From Tuesday morning's edition of Loaded:

• Apple launches Safari 5 for Mac and Windows PCs

• Adobe partners with Greystripe to bring Flash to the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch in a roundabout way

• Sanyo shows off 3D projectors

• Nike launches … Read more

Repurposed Nikes swim with the fishes

Sure, Nikes are well and good for running a lap, but they make quite an attractive aquarium, too. Just take off the upper part of the shoe; use it to model a new, transparent top; add water, goldfish, rocks, and greenery; and hope you've sealed the thing up right.

That's what Akio Iida, Daisuke Maki, Michiyo Ooi, Kuki Aakaeda, Genki Ito, Takeshi Kogahara did. The designers from Wieden+Kennedy Tokyo LAB created their Nike Air Abuku (Japanese for "bubble") as part of Nike78, a design challenge conceived by graphic design student Paul Jenkins that's tasking participants with rethinking the function of a new pair of Nikes.

And rethinking them they are. Designs from a spooky "Silence of the Lambs"-style Nike face mask to Nike gaming shoes a la Wiimote to the Abuku aquarium are now pouring in, with an online gallery launching May 30 to coincide with the 1978 original date when Nike started producing sports shoes. An exhibit displaying the restyled footwear is planned for the London Design Festival in September.

Many of the shoes are whimsical, a few are semi-practical. Some, like the Nike Air Abuku--dubbed by the designers "the shoe that keeps life going"--are meant to carry a message.

"We hope that the people who see this small aquarium built on Nike Air will stop to think about the artificial/natural environments that surround us and the connection between humans and other living creatures," the creators of that fishy footwear say. … Read more

Yahoo, Nokia to unveil 'Project Nike' deal

This week, Yahoo sent out an invite for a press conference in New York on Monday with a mysterioso tone:

It read, vaguely:

"Please join Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz for an exciting announcement about providing global consumers with rich online and mobile experiences, and bringing forward a new era in keeping consumers connected."

That's all it took to get BoomTown on the horn to find out what that meant.

And, according to sources, that will be a deal with Finland-based mobile phone giant Nokia to build Yahoo e-mail, search, and other applications and services into a range … Read more

Nike sneakers double as musical instruments

Nike Japan recently ran a really cool ad for its Free Run+ running shoes highlighting the elasticity of the products. The company has banded together artists making music out of the new sneakers and huge loudspeakers assembled from shoeboxes. They have cables running out of the footwear, with contrasting sound characteristics such as bass, hooked up to DJ mixers and producing some pretty darn good rap tunes.

Too bad Nike had to end the three-minute video with the following disclaimer in Japanese and English: "The Nike Free Run+ is absolutely a running shoe. Shoes sold at retail will NOT … Read more

3D printing changing prosthetics forever

MENLO PARK, Calif.--With America mired in two wars, injured soldiers are constantly returning home with missing limbs. But their path to useful--and attractive--prosthetics could be shorter than ever, thanks to 3D-printing technology.

And it's not just artificial limbs that may be going through a design renaissance: because of the infinite flexibility of digital designs, almost any kind of physical product could find wide new style, aesthetics, and custom models because of the machines, which can quickly, cheaply, and efficiently produce almost anything that can be imagined and crafted in a 3D modeler.

That was the message that industrial … Read more

Junk-metal Nikes only a geek could love

Humans have a nasty habit of producing and accumulating garbage, but Gabriel Dishaw, a junk-metal genius from Carmel, Ind., turns trash into artwork. His most recent pieces were inspired by his love of Nike shoes, as he fashioned five different kicks, including dunks and high tops.

Dishaw's shoes are collages of otherwise potentially useless hardware salvaged from computers, typewriters, and metal scraps. His work is meticulous, as it takes him up to several weeks to complete one pair of shoes and an accompanying carrying case for storage.

Though the sculptures are aesthetic replicas of real Nike shoes, they are … Read more

Rain won't stop Nike from checking your performance

Cross heavy rain off your list of excuses for not getting outside to see if you've improved your running performance.

A new version of the Nike+ Sportband--an armband that gives runners real-time information on distance, pace, time, and calories burned--now comes with a welded seal to improve water resistance, a feature that seems to be a market trend.

The new version also has a screen with a white background to enhance visibility. It goes on sale Wednesday for $59.

Nike+ Sportsband works much like the Nike + iPod Sports Kit, but with a separate armband instead of the media … Read more

RunKeeper + iPhone: Better than Nike + iPod?

Can I gush? RunKeeper is the coolest freakin' iPhone application ever. OK, maybe not for everyone, but it's definitely the coolest for runners, hikers, bikers, and anyone else interesting in tracking their outdoor activities.

Let me explain. This summer the running bug bit me hard, and I'm now running farther and faster than in years past. Consequently, I've grown interested in determining my pace, distance, total run time, and so on.

My first thought was to get Apple's Nike + iPod, which is reasonable at $29--but incompatible with my iPhone 3G. Plus, I didn't want to … Read more

Running with Nike + iPod and iPhone 3GS

The iPhone 3GS, like the second generation iPod Touch, includes built-in Nike + iPod support to monitor your workouts. Runners can purchase the Nike + iPod Sensor for $19 and slip it into either a Nike+ compatible shoe or any shoe (using one of the below hacks). The iPhone 3GS is thus capable of tracking distance, calories, pace, and workout duration during a run. The iPhone 3GS has a built-in receiver that eliminates the need to plug in the receiver sold with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit.

Using the Nike + iPod app

The Nike + iPod app is easy to use after you link it to your iPhone 3GS. You simply go to Settings, choose Nike + iPod, and turn Nike + iPod on. When Nike + iPod is turned on, its icon appears in Springboard (iPhone desktop). The app provides audible feedback on your speed, distance, time elapsed, and calories burned during a running (or walking) workout.

Note:If you have more than 176 apps installed--passing the display limit of Springboard--and you are running iPhone OS 3.0, you'll have to use Spotlight to launch the Nike+ app.

Once you have completed your run (or walk), dock your iPhone to your computer and use iTunes (Apple support document) to upload your workout statistics to NikePlus.com. You use that Web site to track your progress, set your goals, and participate in challenges against others.

Hack your own shoe

If you happen to like other brands of shoes, you can learn from others who have discovered ways to make the Nike+ sensor work with their favorite pairs of shoes. See some do-it-yourself examples at Instructables.com and Gadgetpage.com, or buy yourself a Shoe Pouch if you are lazy. Spendthrifts will appreciate this YouTube video for a real cheap sensor and shoe hack:

… Read more