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Nike's 'NBA Connected' jerseys tap into the game with NFC tags
Nike is the new apparel maker for the NBA and tonight it officially rolled out updated jerseys for the teams. They're specially constructed to keep players cool and allow for freedom of movement, but there's a new feature for fans too. They'll debut the new NikeConnect system, which relies on a mobile app of the same name that reacts to NFC tags embedded in the jerseys. The hook is the ability to unlock "premium content" like "pregame arrival footage, highlight packages and top players' favorite music playlists." One hook that may work for gamers is the inclusion of specific boosts for NBA 2K18 players that are unlocked by buying that player's jersey in real life.
Nike's secret weapon against sneaker bots: Augmented reality
As resellers of coveted Nike shoes continue to use bots, automated systems that can make purchases faster than humans, the company has been trying to find ways to stop them. And while doing things like in-store or online raffles have evened the playing field for shoppers -- particularly those who want to wear the items they buy, not sell them for a profit -- the process still isn't perfect. But augmented reality, a technology that's all the rage right now, could change that in the near future.
Nike made me a pair of custom sneakers in 46 minutes
Last week, Nike announced the launch of its Makers' Experience, an invite-only, limited-time event where people can design a pair of shoes and have them made in less than hour. And today we had the chance to check it out for ourselves at the company's By You Studio in New York City, a space created to take you through the process of making your own custom shoe from start to finish. That means being able to choose from a set of four different graphic packs, including the camouflage pattern pictured above, and the colors you want on the upper of your sneakers. The midsole will be white by default.
Sports brands are giving wearables another shot at success
Wearables are only as good as the apps they're compatible with. And companies making health-focused products, like smartwatches, fitness bands and even hybrids of these two, are starting to realize that. But in order to have applications that lure people to your platform, whether you're Apple, Samsung or Fitbit, often it's better if you have a hand in developing them. That's why, especially at IFA 2017, many tech firms are teaming up with brands from different industries to add a new element of usefulness to their wearables. In some cases, that often includes special-edition products created between two companies.
Nike can make a pair of custom shoes in under an hour
If you've been itching for a custom pair of kicks, then you'll want to take note of Nike's latest announcement. This month, the athletic company will open Nike Makers' Experience at the Nike By You Studio in New York. Part of that experience is the ability to create Nike shoes with a custom look. And you don't even have to wait for them: From start to finish, the process takes less than 90 minutes -- significantly faster than something like Nike's Bespoke iD process that takes 6 - 8 weeks for delivery.
Nike’s ‘self-lacing’ engineer now works at Tesla
Tiffany Beers, the designer known for exploring the boundaries of athletic shoe technology with Nike, is headed to Tesla, according to a report at HypeBeast. As the Nike Senior Innovator, Beers had a hand in some of the coolest new sneaker designs, like the Marty McFly-styled Nike Mag and the self-lacing HyperAdapt. Now Beers will ply her trade at the automotive and power company as a Staff Technical Program Manager.
Nike's self-lacing HyperAdapt goes on sale again this weekend
If you're still chasing the Marty McFly dream, Nike's self-tightening shoe is coming around for the second time this weekend. While a few pairs of the $720 HyperAdapt 1.0 were available late last year, the company is rolling more out around the world over the next few months. That includes the original Black/White-Blue Lagoon color scheme, as well as a Black/White-Red Lagoon colorway that launches tomorrow. An online draw via the SNKRS app already passed, but interested parties can visit the NikeTown New York, Nike SoHo, Nike Chicago, The Grove, and Nike San Francisco locations this weekend to join a draw for a chance to purchase them.
Technology is failing to create transparent supply chains
During the early days of globalization, it was relatively easy for corporations to either hide, or be ignorant of, human rights and environmental atrocities committed along their supply chain. Factories and producers were shifting manufacturing or sourcing of raw materials to an increasingly complex network of suppliers, but there was no incentive to look into how a supplier produced, for example, raw cotton or shoe soles. As long as the price was cheap and the quality was good, companies saw little need to ask further questions. That changed, though, in the early '90s, when nonprofits and journalists began to undercover vast labor and environmental issues connected to suppliers of large corporations, shining a spotlight on the dark side of the global consumer market. This led to the development of an array of supply chain technologies -- RFIDs, remote sensing, satellite monitoring, even blockchain-based tools. Many were marketed as solutions, aimed at making it easier to monitor and respond to human rights and environmental violations along supply chains. The results, however, have been mixed.
Dick's Sporting Goods is the latest retailer to price match Amazon
In what's yet another sign of the shifting retail landscape, Dick's Sporting Goods is now matching prices from Amazon and other competitors online. The new program, aptly named "Best Price Guarantee," is a necessary move by the company to compete with ecommerce giant Amazon and retailers like FinishLine, Footlocker, Target and Walmart. In addition to that, Dick's will also start price-matching sportswear brands, most of which are clients, including Adidas, Nike and Under Armour.
Nike will also sell sneakers on Instagram
Turns out Nike will soon start selling sneakers and other sporting goods not only on Amazon, but also on Instagram. Nike CEO Mark Parker has revealed during the brand's Q4 earnings call that the company will sell goods directly on both platforms, though he hasn't shared the full details of either partnership. We know that it's making a limited assortment of items available on Amazon in order to fight the distribution of counterfeit items, but that's pretty much it. By making its products officially available on Instagram, Nike is likely hoping to connect with younger buyers who tend to spend hours browsing the app.
Nike confirms 'pilot' partnership with Amazon
Nike's Q4 earnings report is notable today because CEO Mark Parker confirmed reports that the company will start selling some items directly on Amazon. In the US, we're executing a new pilot with Amazon with a limited Nike product assortment. As we do with all of our partners, we're looking for ways to improve the Nike consumer experience on Amazon by elevating the way the brand is presented and increasing the quality of product storytelling. We're in the early stages, but we look forward to evaluating the results of the pilot. For Nike, part of the reason for the arrangement is so that it can help fight the distribution of counterfeit items, however, his comment about a "limited product assortment" leaves me wondering what exactly will be available on Amazon.
Nike’s SNKRS app uses AR to help you buy limited-edition shoes
Nike is the latest company to join the augmented reality craze. The sportswear giant has started using the tech to sell limited-edition kicks through its SNRKS app, with the system's first drop being the Nike SB Dunk High Pro "Momofuku," a model designed in collaboration with renowned chef David Chang. To unlock these sneakers in the application, all you have to do is go to the product page, tap on a GIF and then point your camera at a menu of Chang's Fuku restaurant in New York City. (It doesn't have to be a physical one, so don't worry about having to make the trip if you're not in The Big Apple.)
Nike will team up with Amazon to fight fake kicks
Amazon has realized that counterfeit products posing as the real deal annoys consumers and dilutes trust in its marketplace. That's likely why it came down harshly on vendors last fall, requiring a hefty $1,000 to $1,500 fee and tons of paperwork to sell products from prime brands like Samsung, Adidas, Hasbro. But that was a stopgap move: Amazon has allegedly been working on a registry of approved vendors to assure consumers that the merch they buy is the real deal, and Nike might be the first brand to get this thorough vetting.
Fashion and technology will inevitably become one
There's no denying that the technology world is obsessed with fashion. Amazon, Apple and Google, three of the biggest names in tech, are all trying to carve their own path into the fashion space. Apple's doing so with fancy smartwatches; Amazon with a shopping platform and voice-controlled cameras; and Google with conductive fabrics embedded in a smart jacket made by Levi's. And the interest is mutual. Fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, Chanel's creative director, has expressed his love for tech by experimenting with partially 3D-printed pieces and runway shows that simulate a rocket launch. He's not the only one either. Zac Posen, with help from fashion house Marchesa, worked with IBM's Watson supercomputer to create a cognitive dress that lights up and changes colors based on activity on social media.
Nike's latest Apple Watch bands match your VaporMax shoes
You probably haven't thought about color-coordinating your smartwatch with your running shoes, but Nike is willing to give it a shot. The sportswear brand is launching four Apple Watch bands that are designed to match its upcoming Nike Air VaporMax Flyknit "Day to Night" runners. If you're determined to look the part while you run (and track) a half-marathon, you don't have to give up Nike's sweat-friendly perforated strap.
Nike is livestreaming an attempt to run a sub-2 hour marathon
While it's Friday night here, three Nike-sponsored athletes are up early on a Saturday morning in Italy. The company has made it a quest to break the two-hour barrier for a marathon run, as Lelisa Desisa, Eliud Kipchoge and Zersenay Tadese go for that 1:59:59 time on the F1 track at Monza. You can watch live on Twitter or Facebook right now (we're as shocked as you are that no network jumped to broadcast a two-hour run). They're running with a pack arranged for maximum aerodynamic efficiency while following a Model S (no exhaust fumes) to find an optimal pace at an average of 4:34 for each mile. Sure, it's no reusable rocket launch, but we'll follow along with this potentially amazing feat from the couch. Update: In the end, they didn't quite make it, but Eliud Kipchoge finished in 2:00:25, under the IAAF world record time of 2:02:57 (this run is not eligible as a WR time).
The only thing new about Nike's latest Apple Watch is the band
When the Apple Watch Series 2 debuted some beefed-up fitness tracking features last year, the Nike+ variation looked like it would finally realize the full potential of Apple and Nike's long-running partnership. For the same price as the standard Apple Watch, the Nike edition comes preloaded with the Nike+ Run Club app, exclusive Siri commands and two run-oriented watch faces -- making it a no-brainer for runners already in the market for some Apple wristwear. Now Nike's designers are back with a new "neutral-toned" colorway just in time for the Spring running season.
Nike designers on self-lacing shoes and the future of footwear
Tinker Hatfield and Tiffany Beers, the designers behind Nike's Mag and HyperAdapt 1.0, joined us on stage at CES 2017 to talk about how these self-lacing sneakers came to life. They also discussed how 3D-printed materials could shape the future of footwear, since we're seeing more of the technology being used for prototypes and models that end up making it to retail. As for what's next for HyperAdapt, Hatfield and Beers wouldn't give any details away, but they did say the 2.0 and 3.0 versions are already in the works.
Nike's senior innovator on the challenge of designing a self-lacing shoe
With the 2016 Mag and HyperAdapt 1.0, Nike turned its idea of self-lacing shoes into a reality in 2016. And who better to talk about this than two of the masterminds behind the project, Nike Senior Innovator Tiffany Beers and Vice President of Design & Creative Concepts Tinker Hatfield. In case you're not familiar with Hatfield's work, he designed some of the most popular Air Jordans, as well as the sneakers from Back to the Future Part II. Beers, for her part, led the team that built Nike's Electro Adaptive Reactive Lacing technology. Tune in to watch our conversation with them tomorrow at 10:30AM PT/1:30PM ET, live from Engadget's CES Stage.
Inside Adidas' new tech-infused store in New York City
Not to be outdone by Nike, Adidas has opened a new flagship store in New York City. And, just like its rival, the German company packed the space with loads of technology. Inside the four-story, 45,000-square-foot space, on the corner of 5th Avenue and 46th Street, you'll find a virtual-reality experience and a wearable system designed to help you find the best running shoe. Let's take a look at what other tech Adidas is featuring at its biggest retail store yet.
