Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G
by Apple Computer
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List Price: Our Price: $14.99 You Save: $15.00 (50%) Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Category: Network Media Player See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Apple Nike + iPod Sport Kit for iPod nano 1G, 2G, 3G
Customer Review: Worked ok for 3 months until the internal battery died..
Summary: 1 Stars
The unit that fits in/on your shoe has a soldered in CR2032 battery.. non-replaceable. Mine worked fine for the first 3 months or so, then started giving low-battery warnings.. it worked for ~ 2 more weeks intermittantly then died. I cut it apart and tried to replace the battery myself but soldering the new battery proved too difficult and getting everything back together and keeping it water-tight was nearly impossible.
I had a friend by this for me through the Nike website so I didnt have a receipt. I tried to get it replaced under warranty through apple.. didnt work w/o the receipt. Supposedly the battery should be good for up to two years. One detail you should know is that the unit is always on unless you press and hold the button for 2 seconds or more. Not so convienient if it's in the sole of your shoe or in a pouch on your laces.
I found it wasnt very consistant on distance. I walk to same distance at approx the same pace and would get different readings on any given day.
Since I know the distance anyway and walk to same route, it's easier to judge my progress by time than with this unit. I wont be buying another.
Maybe I got a bum one.. who knows. Since the unit is always on, if it's been on a store shelf on manufactured months before you purchase it, your battery life may vary. Also, you wouldn want to keep it in shoes you use everyday since it activates when motion is detected from what I understand. Nice concept but didnt last as long as I thought it should for ~$30.
Customer Review: little technological marvel
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm usually somewhat jaded when I see technology, and I was skeptical this would be much better than an equivalent $10-15 pedometer. However, Apple has once again proven that details matter.
I bought this for my wife (forget about having to have Nike+ shoes - it works fine slipped into laces or in a shoe wallet). She plugged it into her first-gen (1G) Nano, and instantly the Nike+ menu option appeared. There's a little calibration that has to be done, but once you get going, it's just neat. You can specify your workout type (distance, duration, just go), and then select a playlist (or shuffle, or something else) and you are off!
There's even a built in voice that will give you a verbal run summary at the touch of a button (and at scheduled intervals).
I run with a fourth-gen (4G) big (disk) iPod, and no, it doesn't work with my iPod. Too bad. I might have to get a Nano just for running - this is too cool, and saves the time off of keeping a running log - it keeps one for you, which you can upload.
Good:
-don't need Nike shoes
-works amazingly well out of the box
-easy to use
-neat features (like voice alerts about pace, distance, etc)
-ultra-light
Bad:
-only works with the Nano
-supposedly can't replace the battery in the shoe transponder - we'll see about that
-some calibration required
Customer Review: This was a fantastic idea!
Summary: 1 Stars
And I was the first to jump on board with it. But after 10 months I've had it.
I purchased both a $200 nano and a Nike+ system to have the absolute best product on the market. It is a lot to pay for good technology, but if it will provide a more enjoyable running experience, then I will pay the money. Unfortunately, I have had nothing but problems both with the ipod nano as well as with the interaction between the Nike+ system and the ipod. In the 10 months that I have owned the nano the following are the primary issues I have encountered: freezing up and restarting, buttons that do not function, and the hold setting does not hold. These various problems are nightmares if you want a high performance product to take with you on the road for a relaxing run. Many of these relaxing moments are spent cursing the day I purchased the ipod.
Classic example of a great idea with poor execution.
I was a lab rat to test a product of poor caliber. Call me an imonkey. The idea is completely overdue: The opportunity to track your mileage and upload it online for eternal analysis and interaction with other runners. But for me it is just too much hassle - endless repetitions of petty problems mentioned above can just absolutely drive someone insane. It just wasn't worth it for me.
I am pleading with someone: Produce a similar product that is reliable!
Customer Review: Works right out of the box
Summary: 5 Stars
A friend of mine had one of these and I thought it was pretty nifty, so when he told me it was only 30 bucks (from 2 of the most overpriced brands on the planet, no less) I had to get one. I don't know how it works, but so far (after 7 runs) I have found it to be remarkably accurate. I have compared its results with Gmaps pedometer and with a measured mile on the road and it has been right on the money. It is easy to get started, requiring virtually no setup, and simple to use. I like being able to download my runs to keep track of my training, and if you know how far you want to run but don't feel like planning a route before you go, you can just keep track of your distance on the ipod and decide when to head back. It doesn't give you as much feedback as a GPS, but at a tenth the price it exceeds my expectations.
I have kudos for the Nike+ customer support, too. The first time I used the NIke+ipod, my Nano had not been synced in a long time and it had the wrong time and date, which were reflected on the run when I uploaded it. Unfortunately you can't edit your own runs on the website (which seems kind of stupid), but I emailed customer service and they fixed the problem for me in minutes.
Don't worry about getting the special Nike shoes, either. I'm using it with the Marware Sportsuit Sensor Case and have had no problem with the sensor being sensed.
Customer Review: performs as expected
Summary: 5 Stars
Nike sure knows how to market and deliver its products. My wife gifted me with a new iPod nano this past Christmas and being a runner, I knew of the iPod Sport Kit for the Nike+ running shoes. After some thorough research, I purchased the iPod Sport Kit and a pair of the Nike+ 180 Air Max running shoes. Within minutes I had placed the sensor in the shoe and inserted the receiver on my iPod before heading out the door for my run. Pace, distance, total activity time is given audibly at the push of the button. You have a choice to have a female or male voice to report your status, music fades out, voice fades in and when the voice is done and fades out, the music fades back in, very smooth. I barely notice the iPod on my arm, it is so light. The unit can be calibrated to more accurately give you distance. It is activated by moving, so walking or running, you will be able to know how fast you are, how far you have gone, how long you have been out there and and at the end of your activity, the total calories utilized. Each activity is saved, you can pause and continue and for the techno inclined, you can log on to www.nikerunning.com and save your runs to monitor progress and frequency and even let others know how your training has been going. Now only if it could give me my heart rate, it would be truly complete.