10/09, 9:20am
Groups take sides in row over environmental laws
Both Greenpeace and the US Secretary of Energy are welcoming an Apple decision to abandon the US Chamber of Commerce. The former's toxics campaigner, Casey Harrell, on Thursday issued a statement which applauded Apple for confronting the Chamber over its opposition to mandatory limits on greenhouse gases. Apple is the first technology company to have removed itself from the Chamber over the issue, though it was preceded by shoe maker Nike, and several energy companies including Exelon, PNM Resources and Pacific Gas & Electric.
more
09/10, 4:40pm
Evidence from Apple's own website
The latest iPod nano may soon have an optional Nike heart rate monitor, a guide from Apple's website is said to indicate. The manual (PDF) includes a section called "Linking a Nike+iPod Compatible Remote or Heart Rate Monitor," specifically stating that the technology is only compatible with a fifth-gen Nano. Although the new player is already in stores, there is no sign of the quoted monitor.
more
07/13, 12:10pm
Nike SportBand and iPhone
Nike today upgraded its Nike+ running gear with a new SportBand and an extra feature for iPhone users. The tracking device for calories, distance and speed has a new background to be more easily readable on the run and is weather sealed to prevent it getting wet. It can work as a stand-alone device or as a supplement to an iPhone or iPod that saves having to look at Apple's players to check run information.
more
09/09, 2:05pm
Second-gen iPod touch
Apple has confirmed rumors by revealing the existence of a second-generation iPod touch, bringing with it several enhancements. Central is a revised casing, which uses a contoured profile similar in shape to the iPhone 3G, but with stainless steel replacing plastic. Other similarities with the iPhone include new volume buttons, allowing blind adjustment, and a speaker, from which owners can hear both music and system sounds.
more
05/09, 2:30am
Apple last in industry
Apple has been ranked the worst among all major PC vendors and other large electronic firms in the fight against climate change. Climate Counts this week released its second annual Company Scorecard hoping to create a "simple, easy-to-understand ranking of companies would motivate both companies and consumers to step-up their efforts on climate change." Apple was ranked in last place among the list of 12 electronics companies, while companies such as IBM, Canon, Toshiba, Sony, and Hewlett-Packard were near the top of the electronics industry. Top honor went to Nike, which passed last year’s high scorer, Canon, to become the top scored company among the 56 companies evaluated. Apple was the only electronic company to receive a "Stuck" designation, with a recommendation as a choice to "avoid for the climate-conscious consumer," because the company has taken "meaningful action against climate change."
more
04/25, 12:20pm
Nike+iPod gear patent
A Nike patent application, recently published by the US Patent and Trademark Office, appears to detail some of the company's plans for new Nike+iPod gear. Key to the technology is an expansion beyond the single sensor offered today, which slips into a person's shoe and only tracks pacing and distance. Future sensors may monitor many different factors, including EKG, heartrate, body temperature and even hydration. GPS data may also be present, enabling users to track exactly which routes they have taken.
more
04/11, 9:25am
Nike+ for iPhone/Touch
The Nike+ fitness technology will indeed become available for the iPhone and the iPod touch, a Nike spokesperson has confirmed. Speculation began that it might when patent filings surfaced last month, pointing to an integrated fitness system similar to the existing Nike+iPod kit for Nanos. Although there is no sign of the extra sensors mentioned in the patent, or its extra activities such as weight-lifting, the new Nike+ system should at least replicate the running support of Nike+iPod, and its corresponding website tracking and competition.
more
04/07, 5:20pm
tuneband
Grantwood has announced the release of tuneband for iPod nano, an armband product designed to comfortably secure the iPod nano in place during exercise, including Nike+iPod compatibility. The product consists of a comfortable and flexible armband strap that can accommodate both large and small arms, a durable silicone skin that allows access to all ports on the iPod nano, and a low-tack, cut-and-peel screen protector that helps guard against smudges, moisture, and daily wear-and-tear. The tuneband is compatible with all generations of the iPod nano, and the current 3rd generation model has skins available in eight colors: black, gray, navy blue, neon green, pink, purple, red, and teal blue. The tuneband for previous iPod nano models has skins available in black only. The tuneband retails for $15.
more
03/15, 2:25pm
Nike+ Sportband unveiled
Nike recently unveiled the Nike+ SportBand, confirming earlier reports that the company would release a "sans iPod" version of its fitness tracking system. According to MacLife, the SportBand functions similarly to the iPod combination set, where it can measure time, speed, distance, and calories consumed. The system supposedly writes this information to a USB memory stick for upload to a computer. Nike will sell the SportBand for €60 (~$95), and will ship in April.
more
