Hypebeast
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Asics debuts a prototype smart shoe at CES (updated)
Japanese footwear brand Asics turned up at CES 2020 this year with a prototype of its first smart running shoe. The as-yet unnamed model harnesses technology made in partnership with Japanese sensor company No New Folk.
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.
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."
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.
Supreme's 'burner' phone is built for hypebeasts
How important is it that your phone have a Supreme label on it? Important enough that you'd be willing to take big step back in technology? If so, you're in luck. Supreme has unveiled its catalog for fall and winter 2019, and in amidst the usual eccentricities (including champagne flutes and gold-plated dumbbells) is a branded BLU "Burner Phone." It appears to be a gussied-up Zoey 2.4, making it a pretty basic candybar device with a 2.4-inch screen, 3G data, a VGA camera and 128MB of (thankfully expandable) storage -- its biggest feature is the inclusion of a web browser. You really are paying primarily for that "Supreme" badge, although the company is thoughtful enough to include a 16GB microSD card in the box.
The best apps for buying sneakers
I can't even remember how many times I've had to get in line at a FootLocker to buy the latest pair of Air Jordans. But that was years ago, long before websites and apps became the main way I shop for sneakers. Nowadays, if I do end up at a FootLocker, it's because I won a raffle through its app and just have to go pick up a pair of shoes -- no waiting on long lines necessary. With the rise of smartphones and the internet as a whole, retailers along with brands like Nike and Adidas have turned to technology to sell sneakers, especially limited-edition ones that have the potential to cause physical fights. If I want a pair of Jordans in 2019, I just use Nike's SNKRS app, and I don't have to worry about someone jumping me for them as I leave a store.
Nike turns its SNKRS app into a pop-up shop for sneakerheads
With Super Bowl 53 getting ready to kick off in Atlanta, brands are seeing dollar signs. And you know Nike, given its status as a sportswear giant, has to go all out for the event. That's why the company opened a pop-up shop in Atlanta, designed to cater exclusively to users of its SNKRS app. The temporary store, which will be open through the end of March, is the sportswear giant's latest effort to seamlessly merge its digital and physical shopping experiences.
Nike uses AR to tease its biggest Jordan launch of the year
If it wasn't already clear that Nike sees augmented reality as a big deal for footwear, it is now. The company is using AR inside its SNKRS app to offer a peek at its biggest shoe release of the year, the Air Jordan 11 Concord, days before you can buy it on December 8th. The immersive feature is no longer there just to help in "the hunt" or serve as an "unlock trigger," a spokesperson tells Engadget. Rather, it's there to "enhance the shopping experience" in your feed.
Nike’s new PlayStation sneakers pay homage to Sony’s classic console
The first week of December couldn't get much better for PlayStation fans. On top of the launch of Sony's miniature PS Classic on December 3rd, Nike also has something in store for them in the next few days. On December 1st, the sportswear giant will launch the second edition of its PlayStation-themed signature basketball shoes, designed for NBA superstar Paul George. Like the original shoes from earlier this year, the new PG 2.5 x PlayStation are inspired by Sony's gaming console, but this pair takes all of its cues from the original PlayStation rather than the PS4.
Adidas is using augmented reality to sell limited-edition sneakers
It's never been easy to buy limited-edition sneakers, especially for consumers who may not have the same resources as a reseller. This can be anything from automated scripts (aka bots), to an army of people waiting in line outside a store ready to take all the stock. That's why brands such as Nike and Adidas are using technology to try to even the playing field for everyone, be it through random launches on an app or by using experiences based around emerging mediums like augmented reality. On November 3rd and 4th, at ComplexCon in Long Beach, California, Adidas Originals will debut a new AR feature that's going to let attendees buy some of the hottest shoes of the year -- including its Dragon Ball Z collaboration.
Nike upset hypebeasts with accidental Android-exclusive SNKRS drop
Nike introduced its shoe-selling app SNKRS in 2016, but it wasn't until nearly a year later that it rolled out an Android version. Even today, some of the app's best features (like a way to buy sneakers using augmented reality) are exclusive to iOS. Which, as you can imagine, causes frustration among Android users. But, today, the tables were flipped, even if it may not have been intentional. During Thursday's surprise launch of Nike's "Queen" Blazer Mid, a collaboration with streetwear designer Virgil Abloh, his brand Off-White and tennis superstar Serena Williams, SNKRS users on Android were able to get access to the pair before their iOS counterparts. And, as you might expect, hypebeasts with an iPhone were not happy.
Sneaker Con bets NFC will keep fakes off its new shoe-selling app
Buying limited-edition sneakers, like Kanye West's Yeezys, isn't easy. Whether they drop on a site, in an app or a brick-and-mortar store, they often sell out in minutes, sometimes seconds. This sense of scarcity is what's behind the growth of secondhand online sellers such as StockX and GOAT, where you can find basically any hyped shoe that's ever been released by Adidas or Nike... for a premium, of course. What makes these sites popular is that they guarantee authenticity. With StockX, for instance, any pair you get from it comes with a QR code verification tag, but that's only for internal use. GOAT, meanwhile, sends you a letter saying the shoes have been authenticated. But these are decidedly low-tech and not particularly transparent solutions. Sneaker Con, a company that hosts conventions for sneakerheads all over the world, is hoping to add a 21st-century twist to the authentication game.
Adidas brings Yeezy reservations to its main app
Since 2015, Adidas has been letting customers reserve highly coveted sneakers (like Kanye West's Yeezys) through its Confirmed app. But that's about to change in the coming weeks. According to a message the company is displaying in Confirmed, the application's features will soon move into the main Adidas app, which was launched in November of last year. Back then, Joseph Godsey, head of digital brand commerce at Adidas, told Engadget that limited-edition drops could be coming to the Adidas app down the road. And, well, it looks like that's finally about to happen.
Nokia made a smart, fashionable jacket for first responders
Nokia has been creating unconventional products for years, like that weird touchscreen made of ice from 2010. And now, at MWC 2018, the company is showing off a new, offbeat project that's in the works: the CHASE (connected health and safety equipment) LifeTech FR (first responders) jacket. This smart garment was designed in collaboration with Kolon, a South Korean fashion brand, and GINA, a software developer from the Czech Republic. While the CHASE LifeTech FR may look like a traditional bright piece you'd see on a cop or firefighter, there are a few things that make it different than your average first-responder jacket.
Nike’s ‘PlayStation’ PG2s are like a DualShock for your feet
Nike has never been afraid to use different technologies to experiment with its sneakers. After all, this is the company that brought you the Mag and HyperAdapt, two shoes powered by auto-lacing mechanisms. And while its latest basketball silhouette isn't as tech-forward as those, there's still plenty to like here, especially if you're both a sneakerhead and an avid gamer. Meet the PG2, Paul George's new signature shoe, which Nike created in collaboration with Sony and was inspired by the PlayStation. Sorry, Xbox, maybe next time.
