nike
Latest
Nike's latest soccer cleat is its most data-driven shoe yet
In soccer, like most other sports, footwear plays a major role in helping athletes perform at their best. Your shoes say a lot about who you are as a player, and you need them almost as much as you need the ball to play. This week, soccer pros all over the world will test-drive Nike's latest flagship football boot, known as the Magista 2. Unlike the original, released in 2014, Nike says its new model is fully driven by two years of research. Over that span, the sportswear giant relied on collecting athlete data and 3D-printed prototypes to build the design that hits stores tomorrow.
Apple CEO Tim Cook takes a new role on Nike's board
A leadership change at Nike is affecting Tim Cook's role with the apparel maker slightly. Cook, a Nike board member since 2005, is now the lead independent director of the board. The reason why Nike needs one now is because founder Phil Knight is retiring from his position as chairman of the board.
Nike FuelBand designers bought by a consulting giant
Synapse, a key creator of the Nike+ FuelBand (among other gadgets), is moving on to greener pastures. Product development giant Cambridge Consultants has bought Synapse for an unspecified amount. As Cambridge's parent company Altran says, this is all about giving Cambridge a product development foothold in the American West -- it can design gear for partners ranging from the UK to Silicon Valley. It's part of a plan to double the size of Cambridge by 2020.
How Instagram became the perfect platform for streetwear resellers
Instagram isn't just about pictures of food. Search certain hashtags -- #yeezysforsale, for example -- and you'll find countless images of the most in-demand streetwear. Behind those photos are resellers who have turned the social network into a platform for buying, selling and trading items. This is where those coveted Yeezy sneakers end up for resale, often in the thousands of dollars. The same goes for limited-edition Air Jordans or clothing from Supreme, a New York City-based brand that's taking a particular section of the fashion world by storm.
Adidas tries to make buying Yeezys fair but misses the mark
Buying Yeezy Boost sneakers online is tough. It comes down to this: Supply cannot meet demand. The shortage is so acute that if you don't buy them at launch for retail price -- between $200 and $350, depending on the model -- you'll have to pay upwards of $2,000 on eBay or another site to get your hands on a pair. Reselling Yeezys has become a business, and both Adidas and Nike (with its retro Jordans) are turning to tech to make the shopping experience fair and safe for everyone.
ICYMI: Spinal Cancer solution, self-lacing Nikes and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-750693{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-750693, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-750693{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-750693").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Nike will sell widely-available self-lacing shoes by the Holiday season, though we have no idea how much they will cost. Researchers at the Mayo Institute developed a polymer that will let bone regrow on it after a spinal surgery. And Playstation VR will come to the masses in October, for $400. It's been a big week in tech news with SXSW and GDC. And of course, Apple has an announcement next Monday, so be prepared with our story, here. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Self-lacing Nikes are real, will go on sale later this year
While we're still waiting for the Back to the Future-styled Nike Mag, the company has unveiled its first "self-lacing" shoe in another silhouette. The Nike HyperAdapt 1.0 senses the presence of the wearer's heel, and tightens its laces accordingly. Senior Innovator Tiffany Beers led the project, and says once the shoe is on, the wearer can adjust the fit with two buttons on the side to get things perfect.
Nike SNKRS app arrives for Android sneakerheads
About a year after launching its SNKRS app on iOS, Nike is finally dropping a version for Android. Designed as a streamlined shoe-buying experience, its intent is to cut out some of the cruft of the website experience, and make sure people can get access to new releases before resellers with bots snap up every pair. Just like last year, the new app is dropping around NBA All-Star Weekend, so Nike also has a few SNKRS Express locations popping up temporarily in Toronto, LA, Chicago and NYC.
You can use your smartphone to 'lace up' this sneaker
These may not be Nike's highly acclaimed Back to the Future kicks, but their power-lacing system is going to leave you impressed. Meet the Digital Sole, a pair of sneakers created by French company Zhor Tech, who has come up with a design that can be "laced up" (note: there are no laces) right from a smartphone. What's more, Zhor Tech's smart shoes are able to track your steps and the amount of pressure you're putting on your feet, all thanks to an embedded sensor which displays information on an app.
Counterfeiters already have fake 'BTTF' Nikes with power laces
Nike won't have its Back to the Future 2 kicks on shelves until next year, but it looks like the folks who make their money selling knockoffs aren't waiting around. Since Nike announced the Mags with power laces will be a very limited edition available only via auction, we can expect a healthy market for fakes. Kicks On Fire points out this Instagram video by fake_education -- an account that generally points out ways to tell real shoes from their unauthorized twins -- showing a power lacing system already integrated with a pair of knockoff Mags. Of course we're sure you would never stoop so low as to intentionally buy fakes, but when Marty McFly's futuristic shoes start to surface in suspicious quantities and prices, remember this video.
Nike's power-laced 'Back to the Future' shoes arrive in 2016
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few hours, then you know today is Back to the Future Day. In the trilogy's second film, Michael J. Fox's character Martin Seamus McFly, better known as Marty, gave us a glimpse of how things would look on October 21st, 2015. And even though the future according to the movie may have not been fully accurate (which is okay), Marty's power-laced Nike sneakers are indeed a reality. While the sportswear juggernaut did release the Mag in 2011, that version didn't use the self-lacing technology we saw in Back to the Future Part II. But don't worry, the actual Marty McFly shoes are coming in spring 2016, Nike has confirmed. Tinker Hatfield, Nike's VP of creative concepts and the man who designed the Mags, also sent a letter to Fox saying, "Although the project started as science fiction, we're now proud to turn that fiction into fact."
Nike and Adidas turn to tech to make sneaker shopping safer
I recently bought an online shopping cart from a 16-year-old on Twitter. And when I say "an online shopping cart," I mean it: In exchange for $140, I received a login code to Nike's site that guaranteed me a pair of highly coveted sneakers, the "Chicago" Air Jordan 1s. That code was won through a Twitter-based raffle, a system Nike has started testing for limited edition releases; I had entered myself, but wasn't lucky enough to have my name drawn. Instead, while sadly browsing the social network to see how many people were chosen, I came across a young kid from New Mexico who had been picked and wasn't interested in purchasing the shoes. I reached out to him; we followed each other on Twitter; and, after vetting my character over direct messages to make sure I wasn't a scammer, he agreed to sell his "ticket" to me. It was bizarre, considering I still had to pay the $160-plus-tax retail price for the footwear. But, nowadays, it's the kind of thing you have to do to get Jordans. My other option was to find them on eBay or Amazon and shell out $400 to $500 -- more than twice as much as the original MSRP.
You can't help but feel cool in Nike's new face mask
When Olympic athlete Ashton Eaton finishes an event, he feels better after dousing himself with a bottle of water, but that's not a very elegant way of keeping his head cool. That's why the decathlete teamed up with Nike to build this prototype face mask that's designed to reduce the temperature of his head and face. Essentially, the Nike Cooling Head is a heatsink for your skull, with a mesh that holds tiny veins of water close and tight to the contours of your face. When an athlete is trying to chill down after a fast sprint in hot weather, all they have to do is pull this out of a refrigerator and strap it on.
Apple and Nike work out settlement terms for FuelBand lawsuit
Nike is ready to pay up to get a two-year-old FuelBand-related class action lawsuit off its back. The case filed back in 2013 against Nike and Apple claimed that there were some "false and/or misleading statements" in the wearable's ads about its ability to track calories and steps accurately, as well as breach of warranty. While the companies maintain that they did nothing wrong, Nike has decided to settle the issue -- it's now offering class members a choice between a $15 cash payout and a $25 gift card redeemable in its US, Puerto Rico and online stores. Apple, which stopped selling FuelBand and other wearables earlier this year, won't be shelling out a single cent.
Nike+ Running app soundtracks your morning jog with Spotify tunes
Sure, Adidas already offers ways to outfit your run with tunes from Spotify, and now Nike is looking to do the same. The latter footwear company updated its Nike+ Running app to pipe in the streaming service's songs from within. In addition to spinning the Nike+ Run Club playlists Spotify announced a while back, the update also creates playlists based on a pace goal and music preference -- a feature that's called Pace Stations. Once that info is entered, the software then calculates the target beats per minute (BPM) before compiling a 100-song playlist to serve as a guide. Match your stride to the pace of the music and you'll reach your goal. Nike says it's "the first-of-its-kind instructive experience then guides runners to their goals when they step in-beat to the prescribed songs." Unfortunately, the Pace Stations are an iOS-only feature.
ICYMI: Surprise volcanoes, jetpacks and new Nike shoes
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-821419{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-821419, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-821419{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-821419").style.display="none";}catch(e){} Today on In Case You Missed It: Marine biologists in Australia discovered an enormous, 12-mile long chain of (happily extinct) volcanoes under the sea that no one knew about. Controlling a jetpack is looking easier and easier, and I don't care if flight only lasts 30 seconds y'all, this stuff is happening! And Nike unveiled a new line of shoes for people with disabilities and it's the best use case for a non-gym basketball shoe that we've ever seen. Good job guys.
Nike designed a sneaker for people with disabilities
Whether it be in clothing or footwear products, Nike is known for never being afraid to experiment with new technologies. The latest example is the company's new Zoom Soldier 8, a gorgeous shoe that was designed for people facing disabilities -- such as amputees and those who have suffered a stroke or cerebral palsy. With the sneaker's Flyease tech, which features an unusual zipper mechanism that ties around the heel, Nike's made it easier for the disabled community to tie their shoes. Instead of having to use both hands to accomplish this task, something that may not be possible or easy for some, Flyease simplifies this by letting them rely on one hand to open or close the shoe.
Nike uses VR to put you in the shoes of soccer star Neymar
Neymar Jr. is a well-oiled marketing machine. Not only is the Brazilian footballer a Nike brand icon, but you can also find him on the cover of video games like Pro Evolution Soccer 2016. However, because traditional commercials simply aren't enough anymore, the sportswear giant is trying something different to promote its Hypervenom Phantom II soccer boots: VR. The Nike virtual reality experience, introduced this week, lets people step into none other than Neymar's shoes. You can feel what it's like to have defenders flying toward your feet, dribble the ball and, of course, score a goal -- all things the Brazil and Barcelona player is familiar with. To get the full effect in VR, you'll need to have a Google Cardboard headset, though the video can also be enjoyed using YouTube's 360-degree feature.
Comcast's new Chief Product Officer hails from Xbox, Nike
As Comcast keeps trying to turn around the negative reputation that it (and the rest of the pay-TV industry) has, it has a new Chief Product Officer to help. Enter Chris Satchell, who comes from Nike where he was the Consumer Technology Officer working on products like the FuelBand. According to Satchell, Nike ditched that gadget because sensors proliferated in other devices, and it chose to focus on building systems to track and handle its customers workout data. Other than the distinctive light up bangle, Satchell also previously worked at Microsoft where his work included leading its XNA game development program through the Xbox 360's early days, plus talking smack about Nintendo and Sony on the side.
Nike's iPhone Fuel app no longer needs a FuelBand to track activity
Nike is finally taking advantage of all those health tracking sensors in your iPhone for its flagship Fuel app, which previously required one of its Fuelbands to work. The latest version of the free Fuel app includes support for Apple's HealthKit platform, which means it'll take in the data that's already being tracked on the iPhone 5S and newer models. Conversely, you'll also be able to see your NikeFuel points (its unique way of counting your activity) on the Apple Health app. Nike already supported HealthKit with its standalone running app, so it was only a matter of time until it brought that functionality to the Fuel app. Of course, Nike also needs to make sure its flagship app is ready for the Apple Watch, which also tracks HealthKit data and is expected sometime in the next few months. And, after the company laid off most of its hardware team last year, it's not like we'll be seeing new Fuelbands from Nike anytime soon.