EXTENSIONS

An iPod training run

GRAHAM K. ROGERS

Coinciding with the official release of the Nike + system here that links certain Nike running shoes with an iPod nano, I had the opportunity to take the whole kit home and try it out. Unfortunately, this coincided with a back problem that meant I was "walking wounded," although I was still able to test it out - albeit in a limited fashion. In some ways this demonstrated just how flexible it is.

I started by inserting the Airplus receiver into a 2G iPod nano. In an instant, the menu changed to include an extra item: "Nike+iPod." I also tried this in a 30G iPod but the screen displayed this message: "The currently attached accessory is not supported by this iPod."

On the nano, as part of the calibration, I entered my weight. The figure is relevant for the calculation of calories burned. The iPod can also be calibrated by walking or running a pre-measured distance: the minimum is 400 metres.

I attached the iPod nano to my MacBookPro, which now has all my music. iTunes opened and recognised the nano, but warned me that I had too much music for the device. With a 5G library and a 2G nano, something has to go. Fortunately (and this is part of why I love working with Macs so much), the software created a new playlist that it called "Nike iPod Selection" which had the right amount of data and uploaded that to the small iPod.

In iTunes there was also a new tab item marked "Nike + iPod" in which details of the user's runs are displayed: distance, time, and calories burned. Initially there is no information displayed in the panel, but once workouts are recorded on the iPod, each synchronisation imports workout data. A check box allows that data to be automatically sent to the Nike site. There is also a button to link directly to the Nikeplus.com web pages.

The first time that button is used, we have the offer to register online. Subsequent connections take users directly to their personal pages on the site and the information downloaded is displayed in a number of ways. The default is the "last run." You can also see graphs in a week by week format, or monthly, based on distance covered or time taken.

The pages are designed to enable athletes (and others, like myself) to gain full benefits from exercise in a gym or outside. On top of the data gleaned from the runs, you can set personal goals. It is also possible to invite up to 100 people to compete against each other, or complete a goal as a team using this system. This is controlled by users from their personal pages on the Nike + site.

The personal page also has links to images of sports stars like Lance Armstrong, Paul Rodriguez, Steve Nash and Tom Brady, who each nominate a "Power Song."

The iPod receives data sent from a sensor in the left shoe of certain Nike footwear. When setting up a new workout on the iPod, the pairing needs to be activated. Normally this is in a power-off state. As soon as I began to set up the iPod for the exercise, the screen displayed: "Searching for your linked sensor. Walk around to activate your sensor." A couple of taps on the floor was enough to wake it up.

There are several ways to determine the parameters for the exercise: time, distance or calories. The last of these may be particularly useful for those who need to slim down, but I was a little more conservative. Each of the groups has preset targets, or allows us to use a custom setting. In my case, I began by limiting myself to a five-minute walk.

As the workout time passes, so a voice comes on, over the music being played, and reports on progress. This voice can be male or female and is one of the changable settings. I was told when I had reached half time; again when four minutes had passed; and at the end of my 5-minute "marathon". The iPod continues recording data and you are told the result when you indicate that you have stopped. The data is also displayed on the nano's screen, with time, distance and calories burned.

While a keen athlete may be able to take full advantage of the data and adjust timing and exercise regimens, even a While a keen athlete may be able to take full advantage of the data and adjust timing and exercise regimens, even a slowcoach like me has some indication of what more they ought to be doing. As well as that though, the system has the triple advantages of music, encouragement during a solitary pastime and efficient recording of exercise data, allowing comparisons and progress to be better gauged.

Graham K. Rogers has OS X flavoured web pages with links to an RSS feed and a weekly podcast at http://www.extensions.in.th/index4.html.

Information

The 2GB iPod nano is priced at 5,990 baht, and the Nike+ kit (sensor + receiver) costs 1,450 baht.

Bangkok Post

Last Updated : Wednesday April 11, 2007