Nike+ SportBand Gets Update: Real-Time Stats, Better Online Support
Nike have updated last year's Nike+ SportBand, improving the display, tweaking the color scheme and throwing water-resistance into the mix too. The new Nike+ SportBand can give real-time performance stats – including distance, pace, time and calories burned – as well as funneling spoken information through an iPod nano, touch or iPhone.
Meanwhile Nike's online portals have also undergone some changes, pulling together nikeplus.com forum with nikerunning.com, a site with route challenges, weather details, terrain guidance and more. There are also professionally-designed coaching programs, and you can now publicize your completed workout to Facebook and Twitter. Nike say there's also an iPhone-formated site in the works.
The Nike+ SportBand can also be used as a watch, and has a new white background to make the display more easily read. It will launch in the US on July 15th, priced at $59, and be available in grey with an interior pink band, anthracite (dark grey) with a yellow interior band, and black with a red interior band.
Press Release:
Nike Introduces New Nike+ SportBand and Enhanced Digital Running DestinationNikePlus.com Merges with NikeRunning.com to Create Ultimate Running Site
BEAVERTON, Ore.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Today NIKE, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) introduced the new Nike+ SportBand, giving runners real-time performance feedback on their distance, pace, time and calories burned with just a glance at their wrist. Nike also redefined the online running experience by merging the successful site nikeplus.com and its close to 2 million members together with www.nikerunning.com.
Nike+ SportBand
The Nike+ SportBand features a new screen with a white background to enhance visibility and a welded seal to improve water resistance. It will be available in grey with an interior pink band, anthracite (dark grey) with a yellow interior band, and black with a red interior band. Runners who enjoy listening to music may continue to hear their run details through the Apple iPod nano, iTouch or iPhone systems. The Nike+ SportBand will be available in the U.S. on July 15, with a suggested retail price of $59 USD.
"We're giving runners a seamless, comprehensive, one-stop online destination for all their needs," said Leslie Lane Global Vice President and General Manager for Nike Running. "From finding the right gear, the latest event details, tracking progress and connecting to friends through Nike+, we're helping runners hit a new stride."
NikePlus.com
Nike has merged the popular nikeplus.com website and its close to 2 million members with www.nikerunning.com to give users a one-stop running destination online. In addition, nikeplus.com has added many new features and social media opportunities including:
Personalization – The new navigational system includes a customizable homepage for members providing at-a-glance views of your training, progress in goals and challenges, and your Nike+ Mini. Now runners can personalize every run to illustrate their mood, weather, terrain, route and more.
Find Your Friends – Runners will now be able to search for like-minded and similarly-skilled runners, accept new friend requests and initiate challenges in conjunction with their favorite social media platforms. And because no good run should go unpublished, runners can broadcast their own successes beyond Nike+, with automatic updates to Facebook status, Twitter feeds and much more.
Upgraded Challenges – Once runners tap into their own personal running network, Nike+ will now recommend challenges from the gallery to help inspire a little healthy competition with other runners who have similar running styles or profiles.
New Shoe Finder – This feature asks runners to answer a few simple questions in order to receive a customized shoe recommendation based on the latest shoe technology.
Improved Goals and Challenges – In addition to helpful news, training tips, and event details, the newly redesigned site also features new professional coaching programs from some of Nike's top running coaches and athletes. Runners can choose from a pre-set coaching program, or personalize their own routine and goals with more flexibility.
Lastly, Nike is launching a Nike+ iPhone mobile site to give users access to Nike+ data anywhere.
About Nike
NIKE, Inc. based near Beaverton, Oregon, is the world's leading designer, marketer and distributor of authentic athletic footwear, apparel, equipment and accessories for a wide variety of sports and fitness activities. Wholly-owned Nike subsidiaries include Cole Haan, which designs, markets and distributes luxury shoes, handbags, accessories and coats; Converse Inc., which designs, markets and distributes athletic footwear, apparel and accessories; Hurley International LLC, which designs, markets and distributes action sports and youth lifestyle footwear, apparel and accessories; and Umbro Ltd., a leading United Kingdom-based global football (soccer) brand. For more information, visit www.nikebiz.com.