Imagine having a personal trainer keeping track of all your exercises so you dont have to this is exactly what the Nike+ iPod running system does. Apple is not paying me to say this but - this is an amazing product and I cant believe I was running for so long without it.
Here is what you need:
- Apple iPod Nano ($150)
- Nike+ Sports Kit ($30)
- Nike+ Shoes ($100)
- Nike+ Armband ($30) OPTIONAL
So here is how it works (without boring you with too much technical detail):
1 Connect
When you are ready to go jogging, put on your Nike+ shoes and connect the iPod receiver (then walk around to activate the receiver in the shoe sometimes this is easier said than done).
2 Setup
Select how you want the iPod to track your workout Time, Distance or Calories Select your playlist (Ive made a special Running playlist its a collection of fast paced songs that get me moving when I hear them)
3 - Start running
At certain intervals during your workout, the music will soften and a pleasant Female voice (you can choose a Male voice) will inform you of your progress. Half way point and 100 meters to go are just some of the things it says.
4 Check Your Status
You can press the center button on the iPod at any time to get a more detailed status update, things like distance remaining, time and calories are all calculated on the fly and spoken to you this is pretty cool.
5 End Workout
Once you are done with your workout, choose End workout and a friendly voice congratulates you and give you your workout stats.
6 Sync Your iPod
When you get back home from your workout, sync your iPod with your computer and the Apple magic begins. Your workout details (time, distance, calories, time or day, even the playlist you listened to while exercising) is sent to the Nike+ website.
7 Nike+ Website
When you sync your iPod, you are taken to the website instantly. This website will show you lots of data about your workouts, as an example you can see precisely when in your workout you ran faster/slower this looks like a smooth line graph, the higher points of the graph representing the quicker I was running. You can view your workouts by Day, Week or Month.
IPOD SECRET when you achieve certain goals or beat records, celebrity voices congratulate you on your accomplishment. As an example, when I ran a personal best for the 1 mile (8 minutes and 44 seconds, thank you) Lance Armstrong congratulated me on my little victory. I have to admit, this was really cool and unexpected - I told at least 10 people that day about my accomplishment.
My Improvement
If I could improve on one thing about the Nike+ iPod running system it would be for the website to offer me a downloadable spreadsheet of my workout data so I can perform my own comparisons in Excel. Other than that, this is a GREAT system and definitely worth the money.
If you are a consistent runner (or would like to be) this system is definitely for you. Its easy to setup and a great way to keep track of your running progress. Always remember this if it can be measured, it can be improved.
Ian Anderson is co-founder of Intersection360. Ian specializes in hosted application architecture and GUI design. Intersection360 offers a wide range of non-branded web applications for the small business/non-profit markets. Some of Intersection360 products include: CharityHelper360 - secure forms processing for non-profits, WebEdit360 - an online website editor and more.
Learn more about how you can sell Intersection360 products as your own with the Intersection360 Partner Program at http://www.intersection360.com/partners/index.htm.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Robert_Anderson
