Several MacDailyNews and iPodDailyNews readers have noticed a little device called the “Nike Amp+” that’s featured in Men’s Health’s “2007 Tech Guide.”
Back in May, at the introduction of the Nike+iPod Sport kit, Nike CEO Mark Parker and Apple CEO Steve Jobs called it a ‘great start’ and said that the two companies would develop more products as part of an ongoing partnership. Obviously, they weren’t kidding.
Men’s Health says:
Playlist miscues can ruin a run. That’s the impetus behind this wrist-mounted Bluetooth remote, which lets you browse through songs on your iPod or check your run times without fumbling with the player. It syncs up with the Nike+iPod running system via Bluetooth wireless connection, displaying information on an illuminated LED readout hidden beneath the matte-finish face of the bracelet. Just stash your iPod in your pocket—no more fiddling with the sweat-slicked dial. MSRP $80.
This product not yet released.
On the Men’s Health’s “2007 Tech Guide,” select “Media Players” and scroll down past the soon-to-be-defunct (if Microsoft has any brains left, which we seriously doubt) Zune MP3 Player, just below the iPod shuffle to see the Nike Amp+ here.
Steve Jobs can’t be too happy about this slip-up, but we are – this looks cool! As expected, there’s no sign of it here or here, yet.
Related articles:
Nike+iPod Sport Kit runners log over 1 million miles in 10 weeks – September 20, 2006
Marware debuts Sportsuit Sensor+ for iPod nano: Nike+iPod wireless sensor holder for non-Nike shoes – September 18, 2006
Apple sells 450,000 of Dvorak’s ‘nutty’ Nike+iPod Sport Kits in under three months – September 13, 2006
Singer-songwriter John Mayer tests Nike+iPod Sport Kit onstage – September 02, 2006
Chicago Tribune: Nike+iPod Sport Kit puts fun back into burning calories, it’s a great system – August 01, 2006
Will the New Nike+iPod Sport Kit sell more iPod nanos and Nike shoes? – July 27, 2006
USA Today: Clever Nike+iPod Sport Kit makes running more fun – July 21, 2006
Time Magazine’s Gadget of the Week: Nike+iPod Sport Kit – July 20, 2006
PC Magazine review gives ‘Nike+iPod Sport Kit’ 4.5 out of 5 stars – July 18, 2006
Using Apple’s iPod Sport Kit with non-Nike shoes – July 17, 2006
Apple’s Nike+iPod Sport Kit officially released today (link to High-res photos) – July 13, 2006
Apple releases iTunes 6.0.5 with Nike+iPod Sport Kit sync features – June 29, 2006
Nike+iPod Sport Kit now available for order at Apple Store – June 13, 2006
Video: Dvorak admits to baiting Apple Mac users for hits – June 10, 2006
Dvorak thinks iPod+Nike Sport Kit is ‘nutty’ – May 24, 2006
The making of Apple iPod+Nike Sport Kit and there’s more to come – May 24, 2006
Nike+iPod Sport Kit sensor’s battery will outlast the shoes – May 24, 2006
Analyst: Nike+Apple = iPod as a platform – May 23, 2006
Apple and Nike shares rise folowing Nike+iPod announcement – May 23, 2006
Nike and Apple team up to launch Nike+iPod, footwear that talks to your iPod – May 23, 2006
Tasty bio-bling!
I wonder how much apple has to do with this item….
the next iPod had better be wireless with all of these items on the market
I doubt Steve is unhappy about this… This kind of slip up does not occur by accident.
–mAc
This doesn’t mean anything. It could be bundled with some sort of add-on acting as a receiver.
Very cool! I’ve been trying to find the right way to control the Nano on my runs, and I end up fumbling with it too much. I’d much rather have something like this to control it with!
I think the gadget industry is different than the iPod world. The people who read about this stuff need a heads up. These are the people who wanna be first to get it, but they need to know when it’s coming.
So, my guess is, not a slip-up.
The iPod is not a gadget. Apple doesn’t make gadgets. Anyone?
A comment entirely unrelated, who here likes short shorts?
Short shorts … ideal for teabagging.
^^^^ Another Productive comment.^^^^^^
There’s no mention of Apple. I think this could be a third party product.
They also list the MacBook Pro as a Must Have but have a picture of a black Mac Book displayed as the photo, is it really that hard to get that right?
Short shorts – yes, and a bit tight too…
Looks like someone took this idea and ran with it…
This is a great product, with appeal that should go well beyond just athletes. I also think, given the high prices for most anything ‘iPod’ these days, even the listed $80 is ok – at least it isn’t ‘$99.99’. I was actually surprised that the little transmitter you put in your shoe came out at $40 – it sounded too rational.
As for the need for a remote, one of the biggest complaints I’ve hear from people is how they don’t like having to fiddle with an iPod when you just want to keep it in your pocket (like, oh, maybe to prevent theft?). In fact, a friend bought Apple’s in-line FMradio/headphone thingy so he’d have a way of controlling the iPod remotely, in addition to being able to get radio. As an aside, I also hear from a lot of people who’d like to see radio built into the iPod. AM too, if you can believe it (for sports talk primarily)! I’m a bit of an NPR freak, so I’d have to say I’d love the feature too. (Anybody listening??)
Anyway, as it turns out, for my friend the radio part doesn’t pull in stations too well at all. However, the remote feature is a winner. His only complaint about it is the extra length of wire for the headphones; it’s a real pain. Too unwieldy. From the customer reviews on Apple’s site, it seems most people (even the ones for whom the radio works as advertized) have the same ‘long wire’ beef.
So this Bluetooth wristband remote could be a hit just waiting to happen, especially if it turns out to be durable. 80 bucks IS too much if the thing stops working in a year or two.
Now … if Apple would just make the iPod itself with an AMFM radio transmitter built in, we’d be REALLY getting somewhere!
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“Now … if Apple would just make the iPod itself with an AMFM radio transmitter built in …” should read:
“Now … if Apple would just make the iPod itself with an AMFM radio/Bluetooth transmitter built in …”
Yea, short shorts like those sweaty ones Steve Ballmer wears under his fancy trousers.
haha! I knew that would throw you all off. No more talk about short shorts, Snacks, you bad boy you.
This Nike amp thingy works with the transmitter-receiver setup in the Nike+ stuff, I would think. So perhaps no reason to make any assumptions that the next iPod rev will have bluetooth/wireless.
MDN: “having” a good time
The best part of this is the platform aspect. If this sort of connection to the iPod works out, there are probably plenty of other applications to make use of this architecture. Apple will work with Nike to work out any wrinkles and gain a new way to build out the iPod ecosystem.
Last season I bought 3 nanos and one shuffle, this year it’ll be 17 shuffles, 2 red nanos and 4 30g iPods. I have exposed hard core ms users to Tiger, expect at least 22 to buy into the Mac, reason, 1 virii, 2 iLife, 3 like the simple interface of iPod/iTunes. We ain’t gonna be the ‘fan boys’ for long, 90 bucks will soon be seen as the ‘you were lucky to buy it then’ stock when it (split excluded) settles at 300, that’s just before Apple releases the total home and mobile soloution for music, video, home web sites and coffee makers. Steve has the next five years in focus, everything that will happen over the next 60 months will be dependent on Apple, and boy am I looking forward to the end user experience.
Who likes short shorts? WE like short shorts.
The confusing part is that the current Nike+iPod Sport Kit doesn’t use Bluetooth.
“”Now … if Apple would just make the iPod itself with an AMFM radio transmitter built in ..”
What year is this? Radio?
Occam, um… can we be friends?
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mike: “”Now … if Apple would just make the iPod itself with an AMFM radio transmitter built in ..” What year is this? Radio?”
Apparently you’d be surprised at the number of people still listening to over-the-air broadcasts FOR FREE. What is it with people who insist on paying monthly fees for every f*cking thing they do, anyway? Do you just piss money?
Look, the iPod playing video is nice and all – I use it – yet it’s still – thankfully – primarily an audio entertainment device. That’s mainly what I use it for, and so do most people. And, coincidentally, most people still (believe it or not) listen to regular old non-satellite radio for their non-recorded audio entertainment. And even for simple information gathering too, if you consider sportstalk, newsradio, and so forth. Yes, there are podcasts; but they are absolutely no good for breaking news (I heard about 9/11 where first? ON THE RADIO!) And if I haven’t sinqued my iPod prior to leaving for work in the morning, then forget it – I get nothing at all.
Regular old radio is still the most responsive, and cost efficient, way for anyone to listen to broadcasts. So yes, Apple should put a simple AM/FM tuner on the iPod.
I don’t piss money, I piss gold. Well, yellow – I’m dehydrated.
Apple will sell you an add-on FM Tuner for $49. It doubles as a remote and comes with an extra set of earbuds. I think they should drop the earbuds and lower the price.
Either way I don’t listen to FM and with 10,000 songs in my pocket (actually 8510), I don’t need or want FM tuning in my iPod unless: a) it doesn’t change the size or weight, b) it doesn’t add to the cost, c) it gets perfect reception thereby not creating user complaints as every other FM tuner does and d) I never have to see it.
From what I hear, with 67 million iPod sold, most owners don’t complain.
I don’t listen to the radio either, except in my car, but it just occurred to me what a great emergency radio the iPod would make if it did have a built-in radio.