Nike's SportBand passes FCC, bypasses Apple

Well what do you know, the Nike+ product line continues to evolve. This time, however, Apple's iPod appears to be out of the picture. Based on that illustration above, the 2.62 x 2.62-inch Nike+ SportBand device wedges its way into a bracelet where it communicates with the standard Nike+ shoe adapter. You then insert the USB device into your PC or Mac (presumably) to track your runs. Be sure to peep the actual device in the gallery -- looks like the FCC managed to bust the SportBand's USB connector during their tests. That doesn't bode well for final product now does it?

Gallery: Nike's SportBand passes FCC, bypasses Apple

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[Adam @ Feb 21st 2008 5:55AM]

Dammit Nike...stop messing around and release a real watch+HRM for the Nike+ system or else Garmin is gonna whip your butt with the new 405!!

[fanman @ Feb 21st 2008 6:09AM]

Apple have evidently moved away from trying to persuade people that by buying an iPod they transform into someone who goes for runs in their spare time and is a member of a gym. Now it's all about going to coffee shops with customers and having to urgently check emails and websites from your business colleagues rather than waiting until you get home.

The reality of listening to music because there's nothing better to do hasn't changed much.

[Adam @ Feb 21st 2008 6:13AM]

@fanman

...well I still wanna know my beats per minute when I order my double mocha latte!! :-)

The Nike+ has been great for my wife and myself. She recently just passed her 100 mile mark in roughly 3 months. We both use it as we are training for a half marathon in May.

I just wish Nike would release the watches we saw at the beginning of 2007 that actually had an LCD screen to see your progress. That and add the HRM and Nike+ would be golden.

[Peter @ Feb 21st 2008 6:25AM]

They seriously need to fix the Nike+ Amp watch they have out now. The clasp on the watch always is looser on one side than on the other, which makes the watch open if you tap it. I am on my second watch and both have this problem!

[freediverdude @ Feb 21st 2008 8:20AM]

I don't understand- in order to have the Nike+ chip in your shoe, you have to purchase the Nike+ iPod kit with the iPod module. So is Nike going to sell the shoe chip separately now or something? This doesn't make sense. Plus, who wants to wear that thing and then have a separate music player or radio?

[Kevin J. Taylor @ Feb 21st 2008 9:03AM]

I have Nike+ Amp and I love it! I run 40 to 50 miles a week and I am a music freak. Once you get the sport kit calibrated properly it is pretty accurate and the Amp is so handy get pace info, changing songs, pausing workouts, ect. Granted I wish it was all integrated into a timex style watch, I still give it a thumbs up!

[robmora @ Feb 21st 2008 5:02PM]

So they'll sell it seperate or with this thing? What's to understand, is there a law on the books saying they can't?

[freediverdude @ Feb 21st 2008 6:06PM]

No it's just that there might be a licensing issue selling the chip by itself, in a separate package without any apple logo. It was a joint deal. That makes me not believe this story.

[Reid @ Feb 21st 2008 9:58AM]

This seems pretty obvious -- I'm surprised it didn't happen sooner. It seems that customers are fairly happy with the Nike+ system, but not everyone wants to carry an iPod on every run, so it makes sense to have another device to use to track the data.

fanman,

God, could you try any harder to create a straw man argument? How did you become convinced that Apple's trying to sell the iPod as a device for the gym set? Sure, many people use them at the gym, but it's hardly the image of the product. Few if any ads involve people working out. It's not being sold as a lifestyle accessory. Hell, the only ads I can remember off the top of my head are the shadow dancer ones, and I don't think they're trying to brand it as a product that turns you into an urban shadow dancer.

[obiwan @ Feb 21st 2008 8:50PM]

I like the idea, but I'm not an iPod user at the gym. I've got a cheap RCA player from a couple of years ago that comes into the sauna with me post workout. I'd feel nervous bringing something as nice as an ipod.

The other side of this, is that as I look around the gym, I see a ton of ipods, and no recognizable population of other players, so yeah, it appears that ipods rule the gym as well as the shadow dancing scene. :-)

[ron @ Feb 21st 2008 11:36AM]

Trolls are so totally into spam. Hey, whatever floats your boat: [e-mail]

[T-Bone @ Feb 21st 2008 11:51AM]

All I want is Nike+ to work with my iPhone so I can return my brother's Nano. One iPod is enough for me.

[Brian Spence @ Apr 2nd 2008 1:04PM]

Yeah, it's so crappy that it only works with a nano. I'm in the same boat. I want to get rid of my nano and just take my iPhone to the gym (since I'm taking it there anyway). Maybe someone with the SDK someone can get it to work?

[robmora @ Feb 21st 2008 5:26PM]

I'm kind of confused about how that works and what I'm looking at actually. I *think* that's a little lcd display, right? And it attaches to a band kind of like a watch - why isn't it just a watch, maybe this is just the easiest way to get it to plug into the computer?

[Doggerts @ Mar 4th 2008 7:57PM]

The SportBand will come with an Emped (sensor that goes in shoe).