Nike Dunks + WiFi = A Step in the Right Direction

Get ready to pay atelier sneaker prices for these babies, because designer MSTRPLN (not to be confused with MSTRKRFT) and Ubiq (not to be confused with Ubiquio) teamed up to produce some straight black Nike Dunks with built-in WiFi detection. It's called A Step in the Right Direction, and we might actually agree.

[Thanks, JideOsan]

[sammeke288 @ May 4th 2008 5:42AM]

OMG

[Flashpoint @ May 4th 2008 10:13AM]

put WiFi in every shoe.

Then Big Brother can just sit back and arrest criminals at will....since you'll know exactly where they are.

[phanbouy @ May 4th 2008 1:12PM]

nice comment

[Jonathan Worrel @ May 4th 2008 5:20PM]

So now we're gonna have harmful electro-magnetic radiation eminating through the bones of our feet. Can I smell arthritis 10 years down the road? ;)

[LarryLarryLarry @ May 4th 2008 5:51AM]

Okay, I've seen the WiFi dectecting shitrs, the WiFi detecting watches, and the WiFi detecting shoes. Nice tries.

The world is waiting for the WiFi detecting condom.

[Allthatjazz @ May 4th 2008 5:59AM]

Yeah, I'm fed up with analog sex!

[A.C.E.R. @ May 4th 2008 6:14AM]

That sounds great to me. I've got a mighty antenna to probe for signals with!

[BatteryAcid @ May 4th 2008 9:30AM]

Definitely, I'd be like built in birth control.

[Phoenix @ May 4th 2008 9:45AM]

Generally condoms ARE birth control...

[Jake @ May 4th 2008 10:27AM]

@allthat:

Jackie Treehorn: "The wave of the future, dude; 100% electronic."
Dude: "Huh. Well, I still jerk off manually."

-jp

[phanbouy @ May 4th 2008 1:09PM]

your name's lebowski, lebowski

[Rudiger @ May 4th 2008 1:25PM]

My sex is entirely digital, if you catch my drift.

*holds up fingers -- sighs*

[paul-engadget @ May 4th 2008 7:13PM]

wifi condom? yes, that's be true cybersex, or teledildonics as it was known for a while, a great name that should be revived!

[Dolemite @ May 4th 2008 6:09AM]

Since they have that little Nike symbol on them, they must be worth a lot of money, but in my humble opinion, those are some ugly ass shoes. I have seen Arnold Palmer shoes which look better. But then, I think most "urban" shoes and sneakers are ugly.

In any case, who are these shoes directed to? Moby?

I guess I don't have a sense of "shoe consciousness".

[jP @ May 4th 2008 8:07AM]

I completely agree, those shoes are seriously ugly.

[galvaro @ May 4th 2008 12:07PM]

Perhaps Sir would prefer a nice velcro walker instead?

[Daniel G @ May 4th 2008 6:11AM]

Where is the Maxwell Smart shoe phone dunks?

[mkeith85 @ May 4th 2008 6:14AM]

MSTRKRFT sucks

[John @ May 4th 2008 10:21AM]

You're obviously not indie enough for THIS blog!

[Jon Kit @ May 4th 2008 6:23PM]

c'mon... MSTRKRFT is the closest you're going to get to new DFA 1979. How can that suck?

[jtirl @ May 4th 2008 2:27PM]

Enjoy your coldplay mkeith85. Nice MSTRKRFT reference engadget, maybe DFA1979 next?

[Michael @ May 4th 2008 5:16PM]

MSTRKRFT isn't indie. theyre signed to a major record label.

[Jon Kit @ May 4th 2008 7:02PM]

Michael, I'm not too sure I would consider Last Gang Records to be a major record label.

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 4th 2008 7:32PM]

MSTRKRFT rocks

[Charles Han @ May 4th 2008 6:44AM]

I don't get the point of wifi detecting on shoes, shirts, and etc. I mean its kinda cool, but has no sense of usability. Even if you can find wifi signals while jogging, it doesn't mean you can really connect to it unless it is unencrypted signal. I doubt you want to spend the time outside to whip out ur latop or smartphone and try to bypass secured networks either, unless it's your kind of thing, then more power to you.

[TXU @ May 4th 2008 7:26AM]

Precisely my thoughts. Other than being a useless gimmick, what is the point? At least the tshirts have cool light-up effects on them that you can see without craning your neck down. With these, in order to justify the cash you wasted on them, unless they set off some kind of alarm, you'd have to be staring at your feet all day as you walk.

[TXU @ May 4th 2008 7:35AM]

P.S. They look like orthotics.

[ChrisG @ May 4th 2008 7:47AM]

"A step in the right direction" = pun intended lol

[Infrequent Flyer @ May 4th 2008 8:04AM]

Gosh.

That would be fun in front of TSA-droids!

I suppose you could just tell them it's a new type of hard drive.

[apeguero @ May 4th 2008 8:28AM]

A Step In The Right Direction and they can't even put together a normal website that scrolls down? Their website is in the wrong direction, I think.

Also, I wouldn't be caught dead walking down the street with LEDs on my shoes. I thought LEDs on shoes were for toddler Spider-Man shoes and what not.

[electronicat @ May 4th 2008 10:58AM]

Those shoes are fugly as all get-out, but I actually kind of like the side-scrolling web page. Not usually, but in this case it works.

[christopheraven @ May 4th 2008 9:01AM]

All these things to detect wi-fi, and my area just got DSL three weeks ago.

...Yay

[Shodan @ May 4th 2008 9:53AM]

Sucks to be you I guess.

*goes off to his 12Mbs internet*

[Augustus Shaw IV @ May 4th 2008 9:23AM]

Thumbs down on this one....the question is why? Notice the oh so ugly shoes! Do they blink off and on as you walk, like kids shoes?

Augustus H. Shaw IV

[Shadow @ May 4th 2008 1:53PM]

Not to mention the humiliation factor of wearing blinky shoes in the office...

[Scott @ May 4th 2008 9:27AM]

i'm sure airport security won't have any issues with these shoes....might wanna leave em' at home if you're flying.

[Matthew Cassoli @ May 4th 2008 9:31AM]

I've seen the WiFi in the shoe, but is there a screen or anything that actually uses the WiFi connection? Or are these shoes just going to let me know what's around? Also, how long is the battery and what about networks with passwords?

[Phoenix @ May 4th 2008 9:47AM]

The lights just blink when there's a WiFi network around. as for battery.. .no idea. it might even be powered by your running. passwords... it might only blink for unencrypted ones, it might not.

[billedluh @ May 4th 2008 12:38PM]

as you can see from the detailed schematic in the photo, the circuit includes two LED's and an infrared receptor. The first LED blinks morris code for the text of any web page you want to visit. The second LED encodes Frequency Modulated Sound so that if you squint you can see the music, and you use the infrared receptor with the wirelessdetectingshoe detecting baseball cap which includes a keyboard and mouse that you use to talk to your shoe which gets the internet and displays it through it's sophisticated implimentation of 2 leds.

[Hraefn @ May 4th 2008 9:27AM]

Meh. Just Wi-Fi detection; I thought it was actual Wi-Fi capabilities. Would be cool if my computer could nag me when my feet start to smell.

On second thought...

[Eric @ May 4th 2008 10:12AM]

FINALLY! I had this idea, like, 2 years ago. But then I realized how stupid it was...

[Can @ May 4th 2008 1:13PM]

Well, I have concerns about the battery.
Does it have an internal battery that will wear out after some time, or does it generate its energy as the person walks. If its the second way then I can't imagine how the price will be, if it's the other way than it has the chance to turn off, rendering the whole idea pointless...
..wait a minute. Wasn't it also pointless before? I mean seriously, if Nike doesn't have plans for a killer app or anything that will make the idea practically useful, why did they ever make it?

[Ryuuzaki @ May 4th 2008 3:49PM]

Hey, They Aren't That Bad, That Is, Until You Step In A Puddle And Get Electrocuted.

[ck @ May 4th 2008 4:18PM]

"The aesthetics of the shoe keep in theme with a covert and stealthy feel."

Yep, stealthy. Except for the row of blinking LEDs on your foot.

[Jaire J Donald @ May 4th 2008 5:00PM]

i for one think the shoes are sick, but then again im a total dunkaholic, note ppl if you dont like the l.e.d.s they are on a velcro pocket/sheath thing that is removable sick shoes tho!!!

[Jaire J Donald @ May 4th 2008 5:03PM]

if i get these that would make my 97th pair of dunks i want and need these scew the wifi

[pika @ May 4th 2008 5:29PM]

Wifi detection under pants with vibration... a humble way to detect wifi without showing everyone that you got a wifi detection device.

[ugg.tryptophan @ May 4th 2008 7:38PM]

revive the rs computer!!! it would make more sense in a pair of those than sb dunks which, admittedly, dont need anymore bulk

[Alexandre Ste-Marie @ May 4th 2008 10:07PM]

Can't wait to see someone trying to get this through security at the airport!

[Jenny @ May 5th 2008 4:03AM]

Ultimate Nerd Shoes