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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.
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.
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 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.
Puma is recruiting beta testers for its self-lacing sneakers
When Engadget took an exclusive look at the Puma Fi self-lacing shoes earlier this year, the company teased an upcoming beta program for those who want to try their luck. Well, the time has come. Between now and April 28th, you can apply for the Puma Fi beta testing program via the PUMATRAC app (available on iOS and Android) or Puma's online form. The catch is you need to be residing in one of the following 11 regions: US, UK, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, India and Turkey.
Adidas made a running shoe that's fully recyclable
As part of its recent pledge to only use recycled plastics by 2024, Adidas has revealed a new running shoe that is made from 100 percent recyclable materials. The Futurecraft Loop was designed using nothing but thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), a plastic material that dons the entire sneaker, including the tongue, laces, upper and the midsole with Boost cushioning technology. Adidas says it has been working on this project for the past six years, and the goal with it is to do its part in generating less plastic waste.
Puma wants to let you try its new Fi self-lacing shoes
With the upcoming release of Nike's $350 Adapt BB, self-lacing shoes are set to become more commonplace, and Puma isn't about to let its rival take all the credit. After all, the German company showed off its own self-lacing sneaker, the Autodisc, back in 2015 -- around the same time as Nike's iconic (and ultra rare) Mag before it evolved into the HyperAdapt. The only problem was the Autodisc just wasn't practical enough to enter retail -- it was too expensive, too heavy and could have been more comfortable. But that's about to change with Puma's latest creation, the Fi (pronounced as "F-I" aka "Fit Intelligence").
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.
Under Armour’s HOVR smart running shoes are more than just a gimmick
As fascinating as shoes like Nike's "PlayStation" PG2s or Adidas' "4D" Futurecrafts are, those particular models don't offer many (if any) benefits to avid runners. They're more geared toward sneakerheads than anyone else. But, that doesn't mean there aren't any tech-oriented pairs designed for people who enjoy running, be it casually or on a regular basis. That's exactly the demographic Under Armour is going after with its HOVR connected shoes, which consist of two different versions: a low-top (the Sonic) and a mid-top (the Phantom, pictured here).
Nike’s 'PlayStation' shoes make hypebeasts out of gamers
It's not often we see a shoe that appeals to both the sneakerhead and gamer communities. But Nike managed to do exactly that with the PG2, the second signature model of professional basketball player Paul George, which features a design inspired by Sony's PlayStation console and its DualShock controller. Nike says that George, who plays for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder, worked closely with PG2 designer Tony Hardman to create an on-court shoe that would represent his love for gaming and, specifically, the PlayStation.
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.
ICYMI: The CGI car stand-in and smart pill dispenser
try{document.getElementById("aol-cms-player-1").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: The Mill Blackbird is a vehicle chassis that car commercials can use as a stand-in, rather than getting to film with an actual new car. The Pillo is a smart medication dispenser that can recognize family members and automatically give their pill dosage. It's up on Indiegogo now. And we wanted you to see both the Converse sneakers made to play guitar with, and the autonomous light show that drums. As always, please share any interesting tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Adidas uses robots to bring shoe production back to Germany
Years ago, clothing manufacturers started moving production to developing nations where the labor costs were cheap and employees were plentiful. Proponents of globalization said that jobs going to poorer regions was a great thing, but sportswear firms paying workers pennies to make $100 shirts certainly isn't. But now, the robot revolution is likely to cause a retreat from the days of fashion houses opening sweatshops in far-flung lands. And Adidas, which has often come under fire for its use of unethical labor practices, is leading the charge.
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.
Musubo's stylish iPhone cases bring fun and flair to a crowded market
In my daily work for TUAW I see a lot of iPhone cases. For the most part, it's hard to distinguish one from the other, so when Musubo offered to send me a set of their new iPhone 4/4S cases I took a quick look at them first. It's a good thing I did, because what I found was a set of fun and stylish cases that really stand out from the crowd. Read along as I review this set of cases, and then enter our giveaway for a chance to win one of these five cool iPhone cases. MatchBook Pro The first of the cases, and the one that originally caught my eye, is the MatchBook Pro (US$34.99). It's cleverly designed to look like an open book of matches, and the matches actually fold out into a built-in video stand for your iPhone. The hard case is made of polycarbonate for protection, while the "matches" are made of a silicone rubber. The MatchBook Pro comes in five different color combinations, with the cases available in black, red, white, a golden yellow, and a grassy green. The "matches" vary in color depending on the case color. It's hard not to like a case with a name that's also a play on "MacBook Pro". Rubber Band The next unique case from Musubo is the Rubber Band ($29.99). As the name implies, the Rubber Band makes your protected iPhone look as if it has been wrapped with a box of rubber bands. The Rubber Band is nice and grippable, and comes in a variety of colors -- yellow, light blue, blue, black, green, orange, red, pink, and magenta. If you're a fan of the Rubber Band but would like a video stand, don't worry -- Musubo includes one in the box. It's quite clever (see below), and included with every one of these cases with the exception of the MatchBook Pro. Ripple This case gets its name from the gentle ripple pattern that extends out from the camera cutout. The Ripple ($29.99) is made of TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) for protection, and the pattern provides a nice surface for gripping. The Ripple comes in black, light green, dark green, red, yellow, purple, magenta and midnight blue. Retro The Retro ($34.99) uses a glossy polycarbonate exterior designed to look like an old microphone, with a soft silicone interior to cradle the iPhone. Perhaps the most effective case color for the Retro is silver, since it really accentuates the mic-like design. The other colors include black, red, blue, white and yellow. Sneaker The innovative Sneaker ($34.99) uses a soft TPU bumper in one color, then includes two different colored "soles" that snap into the back of the case. The soles are patterned like the bottom of a sneaker, hence the name. With the black bumper you get the choice of black and white soles, red and yellow soles, or lime and purple soles; with the white bumper, Musubo provides the choice of either rose pink and baby blue or brown and olive soles. Note that there are three more case designs -- the Sexy ($24.99), the Eden ($34.99), and the Double-X ($29.99) -- that aren't covered in this review or giveaway, but can be viewed on the Musubo website. Giveaway So now here's your chance to win one of these five innovative and fun iPhone 4/4S cases. All you need to do to enter is fill out the entry form completely and press submit. We'll pick five random winners, and you'll each get one of the Musubo cases. We can't guarantee that you'll get the one you want, but we'll try to match up the winners with the cases if we can. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before May 11, 2012 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. Five winners will be selected and each will receive a Musubo iPhone 4/4S case valued at either $29.99 or $34.99. We cannot guarantee that the winners will receive their choice of a case. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Good luck! Loading...
The Xsens ForceShoe watches your step, helps you walk better
The technology-laden Xsens ForceShoe might better be described as a sandal. However, if you're the type of bipedal perfectionist who wants to analyze your gait using an array of 6DoF force sensors and magnetic trackers (not to mention that cunningly-disguised wireless data transmitter), then the chances are your toenails can also stand a bit of scrutiny. In fact, although the ForceShoe is primarily designed for physio patients, we think its inventors at the University of Twente might just have stumbled upon the next-gen Nike+ accessory we've all been waiting for. Unfortunately they're not on sale, but if you're a researcher looking to measure the orientation, acceleration, angular velocity, force and torque of your feet in three dimensions, you're welcome to hop past the break for the full press release.
MF Doom Sneaker Speakers are perfect for the supervillain rapper who has everything (video)
Back in March, Nash Money showed off a pair of Nike Air Force 1s that he had turned into desktop speakers -- pretty rad, but hardly flashy enough for a supervillain / rapper. The professional sneaker customizer has significantly stepped up his game after being commissioned by Sneaker Freaker Magazine, creating two pairs of speakers from some giant suede Pumas. Nash consulted MF Doom for the project, and the masked emcee offered up suggestions like "sci-fi and laser guns," "modern architecture and geometry," and "mad exclamation marks." The finished Sneaker Speaker Doomsday Edition (how timely is that?) Models have mic inputs and red, green, and blue lights with eight effects, like speed control and a dim function. They've got plenty of power and can only be fired up by someone with the key -- in this case Doom and the magazine, both of whom walked away with a pair. That is, as much as someone with high-end speaker components in their shoes can walk away with anything. Click the source link for more pics or check a "making of" video after the break.
