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Nike's big push into the blockchain starts with '.Swoosh'
Nike is launching a blockchain platform, '.Swoosh,' where it hopes fans will collect and create virtual goods.
Amazon's AR try-ons can show how shoes look, but not how they fit
Amazon's app now includes a Virtual Try-On for Shoes feature that lets you see how casual shoes would look on your feet.
Nike is opening a 'technology center' in Atlanta next year
Nike's Atlanta Technology Center will focus on supply chain, cybersecurity and AI work.
Nike's PlayStation 5-themed shoes arrive next month
Paul George's new shoes will go on sale next month with a PS5 theme, but buying them will probably be as difficult as buying a PS5 right now.
Nike's latest FlyEase shoe slips on without zippers, laces or straps
The $120 Nike Go FlyEase is a performance sneaker you can put on or take off without using your hands.
Zappos' pioneering ex-CEO Tony Hsieh dies at 46
Zappos' former CEO Tony Hsieh, who helped transform online shopping, has died at the age of 46.
Nike brings self-lacing Adapt tech to the Jordan XI
Nike is incorporating powered lacing tech into a Jordan shoe for the first time with this special edition Air Jordan XI Adapt.
Nike's new self-lacing basketball shoes go on sale Sunday for $400
Last year Nike applied self-tightening / self-lacing tech to a basketball shoe for the first time with its Adapt BB. Now the Adapt BB 2.0 is ready to go on sale this Sunday as the NBA celebrates All-Star Weekend. The shoes have already been worn in-game by Memphis Grizzlies rookie Ja Morant (below) and now you can get your own pair -- if you can stomach the $400 price tag. That's even more than the $350 price of last year's shoes, although they do come with some improvements and is still less than the $720 price of the first HyperAdapt.
Nike will no longer sell its shoes and apparel on Amazon
Nike will stop selling its sneakers and clothing on Amazon, ending a pilot program that started in 2017, the company said. The move comes as part of Nike's overhaul of its marketing and retail strategy and the hiring of former eBay executive John Donahoe as its next CEO. "As part of Nike's focus on elevating consumer experiences through more direct, personal relationships, we have made the decision to complete our current pilot with Amazon Retail," Nike said in a statement to Bloomberg.
How to buy sneakers for the hypebeast in your life
It's hard enough to find gifts for your loved ones during the holidays, but hypebeasts in particular are a picky bunch. They only want the most hyped products and the rarest sneakers, which can be a complicated world to navigate as a shopper if you're not familiar with it. But we're here to help. Thankfully, there are many ways to find something hypebeasts might like online -- even if you have to spend more money and time than you had hoped for. Here's how you can buy sneakers, apparel and even fanny packs (they call them waist bags) for the hypebeasts in your life.
Nike's FlyEase technology hits the field with Seahawks LB Shaquem Griffin
After developing FlyEase shoes based on Lebron and Jordan models, Nike has adapted its technology for zip-up basketball sneakers to a whole new sport: football. These unique cleats are made for a (so far) one-of-a-kind athlete -- Seattle Seahawks linebacker Shaquem Griffin. Griffin is in his second season as an NFL player, but unlike many others on the field during Monday Night Football, he has one hand. His left hand did not fully develop due to amniotic band syndrome and was amputated at age four. Similar to the FlyEase models we've seen before, the Shaquem Griffin FlyEase football cleat manages to create a heel entry that's easier to put on for someone with one hand, while maintaining the structure and stability needed to make the powerful moves of a pro football player. That way Griffin can focus on his game, and not his shoes, which are making their prime-time debut tonight against the 49ers.
Adidas abandons robot Speedfactories in Germany and the US
Adidas is abandoning its robot-staffed Speedfactories in Ansbach, Germany, and Atlanta, USA. Both facilities, which are run in partnership with German plastics specialist Oechsler, will be closed "by April 2020 at the latest," the company said in a press release. The sportswear giant stressed, though, that some of its Speedfactory processes would be adopted by two suppliers in Asia, where manufacturer is traditionally cheaper, later this year. Using these technologies, the pair will produce running shoes and, for the first time, models in "other product categories." Speedfactories were meant to bring sneaker production back to Western markets and lower Adidas' reliance on Asian suppliers, which have often been criticized for unethical working conditions and practices. Adidas also hoped that the Speedfactories would, as their name implies, accelerate production and reduce both the cost and time associated with shipping. The mostly-automated manufacturing produced a small range of sneakers including the Futurecraft M.F.G (Made For Germany) and a line of AM4 (Adidas Made For) shoes that were inspired by six of the world's largest cities and, later, select artists including DJ Kittens and JaQuel Knight. Adidas still has technological aspirations. Today, the company said it would further concentrate its resources on "modernizing its other suppliers" and, with Oechsler's assistance, continue to explore "4D technology," a 3D-printed midsole that has been used on sneakers such as the Futurecraft 4D and Alphaedge 4D. "Whilst we understand adidas' reasons for discontinuing Speedfactory production at Oechsler, we regret this decision," Dr. Claudius M. Kozlik, chief executive of Oechsler admitted today. "At the same time, we look forward to continuing our close and trusting cooperation with adidas in the area of 4D sole printing." For now, at least, sneaker production is safe from the seemingly inevitable automated-robot-factory-revolution.
Nike will drop exclusive, limited-edition sneakers inside ‘NBA 2K20’
Those of you who are into NBA 2K know that, for years, you've been able to buy sneakers from different brands for your virtual player in the game. But now, thanks to a new partnership between Nike and software publisher 2K Sports, you'll have a chance to get real sneakers for yourself as you're playing NBA 2K20. And they won't just be any kind of shoes -- they're going to be limited edition and exclusive to the popular basketball title. Nike says it will drop 10 "Gamer Exclusives" through NBA 2K20, starting on October 29th, when players will have the opportunity to purchase them by completing in-game challenges.
Adidas readies an entire collection of Star Wars basketball shoes
If you're both a Star Wars fan and a hypebeast, the next month might a dream come true. Adidas is releasing an entire Star Wars x Adidas collection of basketball shoes starting on November 1st, catering to both your particular fandom and your footwear style in a bid to create buzz for The Rise of Skywalker. There are R2-D2 and Stormtrooper versions of the Nite Jogger, for instance, as well as a Pro Next 2019 with Light Side and Dark Side graphics on each half (above). You can expect more 'generic' Star Wars designs if you don't want to declare particular allegiances, although their bright colors (we've seen blue, green and purple so far) won't be subtle.
Nike puts an accessibility twist on its iconic Air Jordan 1
The Air Jordan 1, which NBA legend Michael Jordan debuted in 1985, continues to be one of Nike's most popular sneakers to this day. Throughout the years, the company has launched hundreds of different iterations of its iconic model, and now it's putting another twist on it that has the potential to help athletes and other people with disabilities. The AJI High FlyEase features Nike's FlyEase technology, one that was introduced in 2015 and is designed to make it easy for anyone to get their sneakers on and off quickly and easily.
Foot Locker wants to reinvent itself with a dedicated app for streetwear
Whenever you think of Foot Locker, what probably comes to mind are its thousands of brick-and-mortar stores, because chances are you've visited at least one in your lifetime. But, as important as physical retail locations are to the company's business, Foot Locker is also having to quickly adapt to the new ways people are shopping for sneakers, apparel and other types of gear. That's why back in February it invested $100 million in GOAT, one of the most popular apps for buying shoes on the resale market. And now, it is creating its own incubator called Greenhouse, which has just launched an app that Foot Locker says will feature carefully curated partnerships that are going to "contribute to [its] modern resurgence."
Adidas made a Snapchat game to drop limited, 8-bit-themed baseball cleats
Adidas is teaming up with Snapchat on a unique way to launch a product. The sportswear giant has created an 8-bit game you can play in Snapchat, called Baseball's Next Level, where you'll have the chance to buy its new 8-bit-themed baseball cleats. Produced in partnership with developer AvatarLabs, Baseball's Next Level is a home run derby, old-school style title that will let you play as some of Adidas' Major League Baseball athletes. That includes Aaron Judge (Yankees), Carlos Correa (Astros), Alex Bregman (Astros), Justin Turner (Dodgers) and Kiké Hernandez (Dodgers), all of whom have their own Adizero or Icon V cleats in the Adidas 8-bit collection, which you can buy directly from the game.
Nike’s Adapt Huarache are self-lacing sneakers you’ll actually want to wear
This probably isn't shocking to anyone who knows me, but I love sneakers perhaps too much for my own good. So when Nike introduced the Adapt BB with power laces earlier this year, I was pretty intrigued: It brought two of my favorite worlds together, sneakers and technology. But for me, the problem with the Adapt BBs is that they're designed to be a performance basketball shoe, meaning they're bulky and not something I could wear every day. Now Nike has created the Adapt Huarache, a reimagined version of a classic lifestyle sneaker from 1991, which also features its FitAdapt self-lacing technology.
StockX confirms it was hacked (updated)
StockX's warning of "suspicious activity" appears to have stemmed from a serious data breach. TechCrunch has learned through a black market data seller that a hacker stole 6.8 million records from the shoe trading site in May, including names, email addresses and (thankfully hashed) passwords. The data also included less vital info like shoe sizes, trading currencies and device version profiles.
Nike's Joyride shoes use tiny beads to make your runs more comfortable
Nike has developed a new shoe technology for both casual and every-day runners. Today, the sportswear giant is taking the wraps off of Joyride, a responsive cushioning system designed to adapt to individual foot strikes and offer high levels of impact absorption as your feet hit whatever surface you're running on. Nike says the idea with Joyride is to "make running easy" and give you more personalized comfort, which is made possible by thousands of tiny, energy-packed beads that form the shoe's midsole. You can get a great look at them in the Joyride Run Flyknit pictured above, the first Nike sneakers to feature the visible and colorful beads.
