Shoes That Make You Go Hmm

By Megan Joiner, 09.20.06

Taking the leap from entertainment to exercise, Apple has introduced a new line of products for the athletically minded.

In order to improve their game, Apple teamed up with Nike to introduce Nike+, a sensor placed under the insole of specially made shoes. The sensor sends workout information to a transmitter inserted in the athlete’s iPod nano. The nano then syncs the workout data with iTunes and nikeplus.com so the results can be seen and goals set. The sensor measures time, distance and pace with real time feedback.

“Your nano becomes your coach. Your personal trainer. Your favorite workout companion,” according to Apple.com.

Released three weeks ago, the shoe’s success is still up in the air. Nick Kline, the Nike brand coordinator for Dick’s Sporting Goods in Macon, Ga. said the product has been slow to catch on.

“It’s for the hardcore runner, for someone really tracking their conditioning,” Kline said. “Popularity’s been mild for right now. I think the demographics are so specialized and people don’t really get how to use them.”

Nike+ ranges in price depending on style, and those who purchase Nike+ products can choose their favorite type of Nike shoe. The sensor is $29.99. The most expensive (shoe) is $109, so it’s not bad at all, especially compared to heart monitors and watches,” Kline said.

For those committed to health but not quite so hard core, Apple offers other fitness products. Sport iMixes, audio mixes designed in partnership with professional athletes offer “coaching, motivational, and training tips over a continuous mix of music,” according to Apple.com.

Fitness trainers and coaches are warming up to the merger between fitness and technology. “Anything that causes people to workout is wonderful,” said Donna Hunt, an aerobics instructor at the Robins Fitness Center in Warner Robins, Ga. “The only thing I don’t like about them is people need to be with an instructor to begin with so they know how to do the movements correctly.”

Covering a variety of genres, from rap to Latino, the mixes can be further defined by workout type - walking/elliptical/cardio, fast-walking/jogging/cycling and running/walking/elliptical. Each of the three types are also divided by beats per minute, ranging from 129 bpm for slower workouts to 146 bpm for the quicker paces. The iMix workouts last approximately 30 minutes and can be downloaded from iTunes for $8 to $15.