According to what was reportedly some brief hands-on time with the FuelBand 2, Nike has fettled the speed that the LEDs react, meaning the band shows data more swiftly than the existing version. The use of Bluetooth 4.0, just as on the Fitbit Flex we reviewed earlier this week, means longer battery life, and Nike has apparently built in auto-synchronization too.

However, Bluetooth 4.0′s potential for always-on connectivity without draining the battery too quickly means that Nike can apparently open up the FuelBand 2′s sensor stream to other software. The updated API will include accelerometer data, it’s claimed, so that games and other apps can track user movements and positioning and use them for control and other features.

Meanwhile, there’s also said to be a heart rate monitor – selected from an option on the band, and used by pinching the sensor against your wrist – and the ability to check battery status from the FuelBand 2 itself. Whereas Nike said back in February it had no plans to release an Android app, the current word supposedly from the company’s campus is that an app for Google’s OS is, in fact, in the pipeline.

Nike launched the first Nike+ FuelBand back in early 2012, one of the first wrist-worn activity monitoring gadgets to reach the market. Since then, it has seen rival devices from Fitbit and Jawbone, among others, though Nike has resolutely stuck to its premium pricing: the FuelBand costs $150, versus the sub-$100 tag on the newest Fitbit Flex, for instance. Exactly when the new FuelBand might launch is unknown, and it’s unclear if it will have features not unofficially previewed, such as sleep tracking as supported on both the UP and Flex.

Earlier today, Nike sent out an update via its @NikeSupport on Twitter to a user stating: “Right now, we’re focused on iOS and web. We’re not working on an Android App.” And just like that, many patient Android users groaned in collective disappointment. The Android app would have allowed users to pair the device with their smartphone or tablet, but for now at least, that remains only possible for iOS users.

This is particularly disappointing to those who invested in the FuelBand under the promise that an Android app was in the works, only to find out that they’re indefinitely limited in how they can use it. The folks over at Droid Life received a statement from Nike on the matter, which said that the company has made this decision in order to provide the best experience “for all Nike+ FuelBand users.” All except Android users, it would seem.

The move seems particularly strange considering that Nike has released other fitness-related apps for Android, including Nike+ Running, which was released last summer when the FuelBand app was originally slated. The way the statement from Nike was phrased didn’t rule out the possibility of seeing an Android FuelBand app in the future, but for now at least, those without an iOS device will have to keep using their computer instead.

[via Droid Life]

Compatibility for the bracelet is with most iPhone models and other smartphones. Nike has announced new NikeFuel Missions as the newest content in the Nike+ FuelBand story. NikeFuel Missions is the first game to use the wearable bracelets to unlock levels and content.

The game is powered by the user’s everyday movement and uses the NikeFuel bracelet to track and monitor the players progress. Players can choose a difficulty level and be challenge to earn a specific amount of NikeFuel to move to the next level. The game can be played with any device that collects NikeFuel, including the FuelBand I’ve already mentioned.

Players are greeted by a Nike athlete for each mission. The athletes include Calvin Johnson, Allyson Felix, Alex Morgan, or Neymar Jr. These athletes provide advice and suggest products to help her battle elements get to the next mission. Users are able to sync after each mission using the Nike+ device.

The console itself is the 4GB version, though it won’t be the only way to get a copy of Nike+ Kinect Training. According to Microsoft’s Major Nelson, the title will also be offered via the Xbox LIVE Marketplace from December 25, priced at $49.99 or 4,000 MS points.

The following day – to help work off turkey fever – will see the release of the “Fast and Focused: Upper Body and Core Pack” which adds a 15-minute workout to the Nike+ game. Featuring personalized workout drills, it will be priced at $4.99 or 400 MS points, though will obviously demand a copy of the full title before you can use it.

The Xbox 360 Nike+ Kinect Training Bundle is already up for preorder, though at the full $299.99 price rather than the discounted rate. It’s expected to be broadly available from today.

In addition to the Apple Store, the FuelBand will also be available via Nike’s online and physical retail stores in the US, UK, and Canada, and will be available in the new colors as well. This is specifically good news for Canadians, since it’s the first time the FuelBand is becoming available other than from a gray market source.

The Nike+ FuelBand is designed to measure your daily activity and produce a score, called NikeFuel, which represents how much you’ve accomplished throughout the day. You can also check out time, calories and steps for a more traditional measure on the device’s small digital display — great for those who want basic readouts.

Nike aims the device at not only athletes, but also everyday people who want to be fitness conscious. The FuelBand is compatible with the iPhone 4, 4S, and iPhone 5, as well as any 3rd-generation or later iPod Touch. The FuelBand costs $150 (£129 in the UK), and is available starting today via Nike and Apple Stores.

Previously, the company offered black & anthracite, black & blue, black & volt, and volt & black colors. The lineup now has a white & silver version runners can choose. The watch has a highly visible backlit LCD display that shows all sorts of information to the wearer while they are running.

The available metrics the watch can show include time, average and instantaneous pace, and distance run. The GPS features of the watch that are powered by TomTom offer motivational details to help enhance the running experience, including run reminders and messages to help inspire users before and after runs. The watch allows users to collect the details during their run and then share the details back via the Nike+ community.

Wearers who don’t care for any of the colors Nike has in its standard Nike+ SportWatch line can get an exclusive color combination that is available only at Best Buy. The Best Buy exclusive version of the watch is black and red. Both the new white & silver and the black and red version are available for pre-order right now at $169 and $149 respectively.

The original FuelBand was launched in February of 2012 and has reached users across the United States and the UK through their online store. Distribution has been centered in this new launch around the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For those of you that’ve never used it, this device gives you a NikeFuel score for the activity you do during the day while you’re wearing it. You can also display time, calories, and steps based on the basic information the device is able to capture with it’s built-in sensors.

The Nike+ FuelBand will quite soon be available in Nike stores across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada as well as online. This update is mostly for the availability of the band and the color additions, but reassurance is included for the following products being compatible with the device: iPhone 5, iPhone 4S, iPhone 4, and the iPod Touch 3rd-gen and newer. The FuelBand is able to be shown through an app on your iOS device with information on your progress.

Your progress in the iOS app can be compared to your friends and colleagues as they connect via the web and the Apple smart devices they own. This device will run you $149 USD right this minute online. Have a peek at our timeline of FuelBand news bits below to stay up to date with this lovely exercise-friendly device.

[via Nike]

The watch has been brought down from $250 to a price of $150 for 8 GB of storage, or $200 for 16 GB dropped from $300. Alternatively, there’s still the multi-sport edition that allows users to track golf swings, retailing at a price of $300 instead of $400. The price cut most likely comes as a response to compete with similar products, including the popular Nike+ Fuelband, which is available for the same price.

The MOTOACTV can be paired up with ANT+ accessories, including heart rate monitors. It can be used independently, or with your smartphone to sync up fitness progress using Motorola’s cloud. The sports watch is available on Motorola’s website now with the newly lowered prices put in place.

Inside there’s the same three-axis accelerometer and array of white and colored LEDs to help track your movements and keep record of your fitness. The difference is, rather than the sober black rubber of the regular FuelBand, you get so see some of the electronics as they track whether you’re a couch potato or a hot potato.

That tracking is measured not only in steps or calories, but Nike+ Fuel points. The company claims it has done fancy research into what sort of movements correspond to what sort of activity, and that allows the FuelBand to recognize exactly what you’re doing – as long as you’re moving your arm – and score you accordingly.

Hit your target, and you get a light-show on the band itself, and more congratulations on Nike’s socially-enabled tracking site to which the FuelBand synchronizes. There, you can monitor your progress, set goals, and share your successes with people on Facebook.

The Nike+ FuelBand ICE will go on sale at NikeTown locations in New York, San Francisco and London on July 27. It will also be available at London’s Boxpark, the House of Innovation at Selfridges, and New York’s 21 Mercer Street. Meanwhile regular availability will follow on come August 12 from Nike’s online store. Stocks will be limited, though Nike isn’t saying exactly how many ICE units will be made.

Nike+ FuelBand overview:

The new app allows you to sync your FuelBand data in the background by merely long-pressing the button found on the bracelet. In addition, data is saved offline so you can view all your progress and stats without needing an active internet connection, and you can view the remaining battery life for the FuelBand through the app.

If you’re really keen, you can download the free Nike+ Running iOS app that will keep a map of your runs. The app, previously known as Nike+ GPS, was redesigned last week to make it easier for joggers to commence runs, at the same time dropping the $1.99 price tag. If you’re interested in all of the above, head on over to the relevant app stores to get the updates.

After you’ve run, there’s a summary broken down by mile and compared to the last seven times you exercised. A bar chart shows side-by-side progress, and you can tag your shoes so as to better track when you need to replace them.

Meanwhile there’s also Facebook integration, with the app able to automatically share with your friends on the social network that you’ve started exercising. Nike’s own Nikeplus.com site can be used to sync and track runs, view maps of where you’ve been, and see new potential routes in the same area.

The app includes a homescreen widget to show when you last ran last and your total mileage, and both the Android and freshly-updated iOS versions of the software use a new UI that’s better for on-the-go usability. Nike+ Running for Android is a free download from the Play Store.

NikeFuel allows users to compare their performance against that of other athletes in the same sport and share achievements with friends. Nike chose the colors of the new version of the watch to match its line of apparel and shoes. The colors include Black/anthracite, anthracite/blue glow, and high-impact volt green.

The starter version the watch is the anthracite/blue glow addition and is priced at €149. The starter version of the watch doesn’t include a Shoe Sensor, which is required for outdoor use. The other versions of the watch include the Shoe Sensor and sell for €169. The new version of the Nike+ Sportwatch is available now online and in retail stores.

“Our extended range of products will be very useful to those adding running into their exercise regime. And the new NikeFuel measurement brings added motivation, allowing people to share and compare their performance with friends in other sports,” says Corinne Vigreux, Managing Director, from TomTom.

The team took a Nike Fuelband and attached it to a customized motor using Arduino. Whenever someone follows, mentions, or retweets the StinkDigital Twitter account, the motor spins the Fuelband to generate points. The number of rotations depends on the activity as well as other custom metrics, so a new follower may end up generating more fuel than a retweet.

Just like the the activities that the Fuelband was designed for, the team found that an average day’s worth of Twitter activity generated around 2,000 points. Now that Tweetfuel is properly in place, the team wants to try and boost that number by 25%. You can follow the progress of Tweetfuel on this website, which shows that the team has already shattered their target goal of 2,500, yesterday collecting a total of 4,316.

[via Tweetfuel]

The device is a rubber bracelet that tracks the movement of the user and links it to an iPhone app offering real-time performance read outs. Nike has now announced that the beta version of its NikeFuel API is now available to developers allowing them to tie apps and other technology to the Nike fitness offering. The API is limited right now developers that were part of the Backplane hackathon during SXSWi in Austin, Texas.

The new API can be used to enable all sorts of connectivity between iPhone apps and the FuelBand. One example would be the shuffle app that can be used to create radio stations based on where the user is located, the sound of the environment around them, weather, and how fast the user is moving. There are unlimited things the API can be used to do and I’m sure we’ll see some uses that are a complete surprise once the API rolls out to a larger beta dev pool.

[via PSFK]

The concept is simple: you sert a daily goal of physical activity, which the FuelBand keeps track of via a built-in accelerometer. At the start of the day the color display is fully read, shifting to fully green as the user reaches his or her goal. You can measure progress in time, calories burned, steps, or the proprietary NikeFuel, a social metric that gives you more “points” for more strenuous activity. Sync the FuelBand with the iPhone app or the Nike+ website, and you get detailed goal tracking and motivation.

Check out the video below for some hyperbolic explanation:

The FuelBand retails for $150, notably 50% more expensive than the similar FitBit device. (But then, FitBit doesn’t have that nifty swoosh logo.) Nike hasn’t said when it plans to begin selling the FuelBand, but pre-orders on the official website begin at 5:00 PM Eastern Standard Time. What say you, readers – will Nike’s newest take on the fitness assistant inspire you to reach your resolutions?

In this ad spot you’ll be glad to know that a whole slew of your best Back to the Future / NIKE / NBA personalities make their faces known including Christopher Lloyd (Dr. Emmett Brown in BTTF), basketball player Kevin Durant, Donald Fullilove (Mayor Goldie Wilson from BTTF) and NIKE design genius Tinker Hatfield behind the sales counter. Also the shoe salesman is Bill Hader (one of everyone’s favorite hero comedians currently starring on Saturday Night Live). It’s in this video that we expected to be seeing some extra awesome promotion of the 2011 NIKE MAG and not a whole heck of a lot else, but what we’ve gotten here is NIKE’s full understanding that no matter what they do to release the “greatest shoe never made”, if it isn’t exactly the same as it is in BTTF, it’s not perfect!

What we’re talking about here, of course, is Power Laces! Look at this video, will you? The entire essence of the NIKE MAG is in the power laces, McFly says so!

NIKE knows this good and well, a big portion of their hardcore fanbase being Sneakerheads who demand more than anything that their favorite shoe brand bring the heat. Therefor what they’ve done in this video is explain away the fact that this 2011 release of the shoe doesn’t have Power Laces by saying that, well now, of course they don’t, it’s not 2015 yet – the Doc gives Marty his fully-functional pair of MAGs in the year 2015, not the year 2011, how could we be so silly!

The video here shows Durant at the NIKE shoe shop being helped by Hader who introduces the 2011 MAG, showing off the lights and the lightness of the sneakers (as opposed to “Heavy” as Durant says, this harkening back to Marty McFly’s famous catchphrase). The Doc blasts into the room, eyeballs ablaze with classic Christopher Lloyd character acting intensity, demanding to see the MAG sneakers — but wait, where are the power laces? Behind the sales counter, Fullilove and Hatfield stand – Hatfield letting the Doc know that he’s traveled back to the wrong future date – he’d have to go forward a bit to 2015 to get the Power Laces version of the NIKE MAG.

Of course the Doc needs those MAGs and he needs them to be equipped with Power Laces, so what do you know? He hops into that Flux Capacitor-equipped time machine capable DeLorean car of his and tears off into the future, but not before giving us a glimpse of the fact that he’s traveling exactly 4 years into the future to September 8th, 2011. Set the coordinates!

UPDATE: essentially CONFIRMED for a future Power Lace release in 2015, MTV’s interview with Back to the Future writer Bob Gale spells it out in nearly perfect plain English:

MTV: Why now? Why not five years ago or 2015?

Gale: Nike wanted to do this in tiers. This is the beginning.

MTV: So if this year’s shoes don’t have the auto laces, future years’ might?

Gale: Yes! It’s not 2015 yet. It’s only 2011!

MTV: I can’t wait that long! I can’t be patient.

Gale: No one ever can.

Once again the facts on the 2011 NIKE MAG are as follows:

The original NIKE MAG was worn by the Back to the Future character Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, in the year 2015. It came alive, lit up and formed to Marty’s foot. The 2011 NIKE MAG shoe was designed to be a precise replica of the original from Back to the Future II. The aesthetic is an exact match, down to the contours of the upper, the glowing LED panel and the electroluminescent NIKE in the strap. The 2011 NIKE MAG illuminates with the pinch of the “ear” of the high top, glowing for five hours per charge.

The 2011 NIKE MAG – It’s About Time.

Check out the rest of our coverage of the 2011 NIKE MAG in two gigantic posts: NIKE MAG Official Details Released in Full [Updated with Max Detail] and NIKE teases legendary Marty McFly Sneakers with epic 1985 invite

Then head to the NikeMag Back For The Future site to pick yourself up a pair and support the MJF Foundation for Parkinson’s Research! Also note that you can check out an extremely well designed Flash-based website for this project over at http://www.back4thefuture.com/ AND that you’ll be able to purchase a NIKE MAG ceramic replica of the shoe for $88 USD or a NIKE MAG pin for $10 USD, all of the net sales, again, going to the MJF Foundation.

There will be ten days of auctions, each of the days containing one hundred and fifty pairs of the greatest pair of shoes in history (future history). The 2011 NIKE MAG shoes will be listed up on eBay’s Fashion Vault and the entire massive ball of fire that is the auction set starts on September 8, 8:30PM PST and will all end on September 18. To make this pot even sweeter, a previous 50 million dollar match given to the Michael J. Fox Foundation will be, as NIKE says, “effectively doubling the contributions from the auction.” [UPDATE: this cash is from Google!**] Seem like a sweet enough deal for one of the sweetest sneaker releases in the history of the future? Back to the Future, that is!

As NIKE says, the following is a set of factoids about the 2011 NIKE MAG:

The original NIKE MAG was worn by the Back to the Future character Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, in the year 2015. It came alive, lit up and formed to Marty’s foot. The 2011 NIKE MAG shoe was designed to be a precise replica of the original from Back to the Future II. The aesthetic is an exact match, down to the contours of the upper, the glowing LED panel and the electroluminescent NIKE in the strap. The 2011 NIKE MAG illuminates with the pinch of the “ear” of the high top, glowing for five hours per charge.

The 2011 NIKE MAG – It’s About Time.

Check out the shoes in the high-res photos above and below, check out the ultra-amazing reveal video below, and if you’re a really nice reader and want to make your humble narrator do a somersault of joy, go ahead and buy a few pairs and send em Minnesota way.

This of course all comes after what can only be described as the greatest product event teaser invite of all time as we posted early this morning, details from which can also be found below:

Welcome Back to the Future, where the most widely anticipated pair of sneakers ever conceived have been all but confirmed by NIKE as being about to come into existence – IT’S ABOUT TIME. In a teaser handed out to select sneaker-heavy publishing groups, a midnight call from NIKE quickly turned into a room with only a black box with the swoop logo on it, an iPod Shuffle, and a card which read “Play Me.” Once Dr. Emmett Brown was heard saying “Welcome to Los Angeles. If my calculations are correct, over the next 24 hours you are about to see some SERIOUS SH*T!”, the publisher’s next move was to open the box and find a pair of the Doc’s classic 2015 shades and a message that invited them to an event that promised nothing less than the sneakers themselves!

Check out this tiny gallery of the physical bits as spoken about in the paragraph above, then head even lower in this post to see the epic first official teaser as presented by NIKE in secret also inside the past 24 hours of total salivation in anticipation.

Then, because we love you, it’s time of course to get another glimpse of the very first time we laid eyes upon these epic, epic shoes, courtesy of Dr. Emmett Brown, Marty McFly, and the folks of the 2015 future world of Back to the Future II:

Power laces, alright!

UPDATE: a bit more information and some photographs from HighSnobiety as they’re at the official NIKE release event with a real live pair of the shoes: the foam support in the ankle and toe box are amongst the only modifications made compared to the original form of the Back to the Future screen-ready shoe, both of these increased for comfort and actual real-world wearability. These sneakers represent the first “rechargeable” footwear ever offered by NIKE, each of the shoes able to hold a five hour charge for the MAG illumination (again, activated by a pinch of the “ear” of the sneaker).

One of perhaps the most important things to note here is the fact that these sneakers do note “self-lace” as the patent from 2010 made by NIKE would suggest. Another point to make is that this release isn’t quite pinpointed to 2015, the year when the sneakers “first appeared” in the Back to the Future film series. Does this mean that this is only the first wave of these shoes? We’ve got a few more years to wait and see!

UPDATE 2: First, have a look at a segment released today by EA Sports called “Two Steps from Greatness” about Tinker Hatfield. For those of you unaware of the greatness that is NIKE VP Tinker Haven Hatfield, he’s the designer of a few shoes you may have heard of including Air Jordans 3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16, and 20, and of course, the original NIKE MAG sneakers for the Back to the Future II film and now the re-imagining of said shoe for this 2011 release. Check out the segment where he speaks about the 2011 NIKE MAG here:

Furthermore, you can expect to see these sneakers again tonight courtesy of their original 2015 model Marty McFly – I mean Michael J. Fox as he heads to the Late Show with David Letterman – presumably about the shoe release, how it ties in with the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and possibly about the video game “Back to the Future: The Game – Episode 5, Outatime” – you never know!

**UPDATE 3: The $50 million donation matching spoken about above will be done by Google founder Sergey Brin and his wife Anne Wojcicki and that’s, again, up to $50 million through the end of 2012. This project has been commented on by Michael J. Fox himself:

“The project is exciting to me because it brings together three very passionate audiences: the Parkinson’s community, sneakerheads and `Back to the Future’ fans. With their support we can accelerate our objective of finding a cure for Parkinson’s.” – MJ Fox

There’s a video scene out there promoting the shoes, (that we’ll be finding soon, I’m sure), made to replicate the original film series that’ll be called a “lost scene” and will star Christopher Lloyd (the Doc) and Donald Fullilove (Mayor Goldie Wilson), as well as basketball star Kevin Durant and the greatest sneaker designer of all time, Tinker Hatfield. Can’t wait!

UPDATE 4: This’ll likely be the last update, I swear! There has indeed been a video drop of the “lost scene” from Back to the Future as well as an appearance by Michael J. Fox on Letterman. Fox didn’t really drop any brand new information on the project other than praise for both the Sneakerheads and the Back to the Future fans who he said were “out of their minds, but in a good way”, letting the audience know that the sneakers were available starting tonight (that being last night, of course.)

Then there’s the 2 minute high-quality viral video that goes with this whole project, it featuring each of the actors/etc listed above along with Bill Hader of Saturday Night Live fame selling some shoes at a NIKE store – check out what Hatfield says and note the date at which the Doc travels forward to – are we looking at another less exclusive release in the future? We’ll see!

UPDATE: FULL DETAILS have been released about what’s now called the 2011 NIKE MAG – most excellent!

For those collectors (and wearers) of massive amounts of sneakers, especially those lovers of the NIKE brand, a patent filing for an AUTOMATIC LACING SYSTEM back in 2010 seemed like the closest they’ve gotten yet to the mythical Back to the Future high-tops Marty McFly wears in the second installment of the film series. It’s the NIKE MAG we’re talking about here, an early attempt at which NIKE made in what was called the Hyperdunk, also inside 2010 – they still make them today and they did make a special “McFly” edition, but when it comes down to it, nothing can truly compare to the original MAG.

Those still hoping for the real deal will be glad to know that it appears very likely now that NIKE has obtained the rights to create such a shoe, a teaser video in such high resolution you get to see the sneakers before they’re technically announced as well as the invite spoken of and pictured above (courtesy of Nice Kicks) coming to fruition right before our eyes!

The patent filed last year for an automatic lacing system (and still available for viewing here and here) read, in part, as follows:

The automatic lacing system provides a set of straps that can be automatically opened and closed to switch between a loosened and tightened position of the upper. The article further includes an automatic ankle cinching system that is configured to automatically adjust an ankle portion of the upper.

You can see images from the filing in the gallery above as well. Below you’ll be able to see the first teaser video for these ultra-epic sneakers. Could it be? Could this finally be it? Good lord, how could anyone on earth resist such a fantastical set of shoes?!

Power laces, alright!

Thanks for the tip Stephen S!

The unnamed Motorola sports watch or “all-in-one fitness and music personal fitness device” looks at first glance like the combination of the Nike+ SportWatch with an iPod nano, having a removable music player that snaps onto a rubberized and adjustable wristband. And indeed, the Motorola device aims to offer both a “smart music player” as well as a GPS-enabled fitness tracker.

The device could sync with computers as well as Android devices for uploading fitness data and users can customize the data based on their activity. However, besides the leaked images and the possible name of MotoActive, there’s very little information on the device and whether or not it will actually ship.

[via Electronista]

Or, if you are doing really well, your watch will let you know. The idea is to help you when you need it, or tell you that you’re doing well when you are. A digital, watch-sized personal trainer, if nothing else. Unfortunately, it’s not as quick as some may like — if after 5 days you haven’t logged in any runs, your watch will notify you of such antics. It will give you an auditory notification when you’re doing well.

You’ll also be able to plug your Nike+ SportsWatch into your computer, and interact with Nike+’s website. Inside the watch, you’ll find a TomTom GPS, which works in tandem with the sensor at the tip of your Nike+ shoes. Nike will be launching the SportsWatch this Spring.

[via Nike+]

R3 Media Network

Editor’s Choice
Google Launches Nexus S Into Space to Test Sensors at 30,000+ meters [BYE BYE]
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg named TIME’s Person of the Year 2010 [ZUCKERBERRRRRRRG!]
FBI backdoors in OpenBSD claims covert coder [RUH ROH]
Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon cleats & Pro Combat Uniforms debut [GEEEEAR]
Fossil watch concept uses Bluetooth to pull info from your smartphone [LOOK FAMILIAR?]

Android Community
GMail Creator Predicts Android Will Eventually Kill Chrome OS
Honeycomb Won’t Require Physical Buttons, Home and Navigation Built into the UI
Google Launches Nexus S Into Space to Test Sensors at 30,000+ meters
HTC LTE handsets coming H2 2011, Mecha anyone?
Broadcom outs new Android platform for mass-market smartphones
O2 Dell Streak Froyo update releasing today
Andy Rubin at D: Dive Into Mobile Interview Video Available Now
Swiftkey Updated, 5 new languages and HD skin included

SlashGear
CrucialTec ultra-slim Optical TrackPad wants your finger
Apple GPU supplier Imagination promise “cinema quality 3D” after ray-tracing acquisition
Gigabyte and SOYO AMD Zacate mainboards leak
Quik Pod gets longer and works with DSLR cameras
Sanyo PLC-HF1500L large venue projector has 15K lumens
Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg named TIME’s Person of the Year 2010
HTC LTE smartphones inbound for second half of 2011
The Convergence Con [COLUMN]
Notion Ink Adam pre-order status slips to mid-January 2011 [Update: only 50 customers affected]
Smartphone Coasters hold your smartphone up on the cheap
Silicon Power debuts tiny microSD card reader
Fossil watch concept uses Bluetooth to pull info from your smartphone
Verizon iPhone sales will come mostly at AT&T’s expense says analyst
MIC Store unveils 3-in-1 iPad Camera Connection Kit
Urbanears Tanto headphones get better
Broadcom outs new Android smartphone platform
AirPlayer opens Macs to AirPlay streaming from iOS [Video]
XFX outs new HD 6970 and HD 6950 video cards
FBI backdoors in OpenBSD claims covert coder
Apple TV 4.1.1 update fixes picture problems & download errors
VIA EPIA-P830 Pico-ITX board promises 1080p HD in tiny footprint
Three pushes true unlimited data on refreshed The One Plan
Pioneer BDR-206MBK BDXL burner is $199 world’s first
Novatel MiFi 4082 WiMAX mobile hotspot clears FCC
Toshiba denies Apple Retina Display plant investment
Facebook for Android updated: Chat and push notifications
AMD Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 get official
Nike Air Zoom Alpha Talon cleats & Pro Combat Uniforms debut
Facebook Maps the World via Social Networking Relationships
HP ENVY 17 3D Laptop Hands-On and Unboxing [FEATURED]

To see more wrap-up posts, follow the following tags: [The Daily Slash] or [SlashGear Morning Wrap-up]

NFL players Ndamukong Suh, Clay Matthews, Dwayne Bowe, Felix Jones and Steven Jackson launched the new uniforms, which will be worn by University of Oregon, Boise State University, and University of Florida collegiate teams this coming season. As well as the adaptive traction system, the Zoom Alpha Talon cleats have Flywire uppers, low-profile cushioning and Nike’s own Pro Deflex padding around the ankle.

Meanwhile, the Pro Combat System uses the same Pro Deflex padding for better thermoregulation, complete with two-way airflow and improved wicking. Intended to be worn under a jersey, there’s a Flywire collar to hold it in place, along with extra hip and knee Pro Deflex padding for impact protection.

The idea was to put the Wii controls into the shoes and increase the efforts needed in the Wii Fit workout routines for users to get fit. The Wii sensors were put into the soles of the shoes and increased the effort needed to control Balance Board functions.

Apparently, while controlling the Wii Fit games with the shoe controllers is as accurate as the Balance Board alone, the shoes make controlling the action more difficult making the workout more intense. I have a hard time controlling the Balance Board as it is, I don’t need more difficulty there. Check out the video below to see the fancy shoes in action.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/12093541[/vimeo]

Apparently, some of the people from the Nike Innovative Kitchen have filed a patent app for a self-lacing shoes like that pair from the flick. The shoe in the patent app even appears to have the same design. Along with the “automatic fastening system”, the shoes also have a lighting system.

The patent app was filed on February 11, 2009 and is listed as a continuation in part of application filed on May 2, 2008. All I know is it’s about time some of the cool tech from the movies of my childhood finally came to be. All of the electronics needed for the shoe is in the sole. The design looks much better than that DIY hack I mentioned for self-lacing Nike’s a while back.

In fact, Apple reckon the Smart Bicycle System could track speed, distance, time, altitude, elevation, incline, decline, heart rate, power, derailleur setting, cadence, wind speed, path completed, expected future path, heart rate, power and pace, not just for a single rider but with a group.  A spontaneous mesh network between riders could share team information and homologated stats.

As for the controversy, developers FutureTap got antsy when they noticed Apple had used an illustration exactly like their app Where To as part of a patent application called “Systems and methods for accessing travel services using a portable electronic device”.  ”We’re faced with a situation where we’ve to fear that our primary business partner is trying to “steal” our idea and design” FutureTap founder Ortwin Gentz worried, having unfortunately missed the fact that Apple’s choice of screenshots were merely illustrative and not part of the claimed invention.

[via Patently Apple and via GigaOm]

The Best of R3 Media

QuickDesk for Android Brings Multitasking to a New Level: One of the more touted features of the Android mobile Operating System, is the fact that it can multitask. Want to run multiple applications in the background? Good, because Android can do that. But, what if you wanted a new, dare we say better way to do it? In comes QuickDesk, a desktop application/home replacement that allows you to set more widgets/icons on a separate homescreen from the rest of your previously filled versions have. You can using your Browser for something and want to switch to your WiFi. So, instead of hitting Home to go back to your homescreens, and then dig into your Settings (or use the Power Management widget), you can simply access QuickDesk right on the fly, activate WiFi, and then go back to your browsing, easy as pie. Check it out through the link. [via Android Community]

Nintendo 3DS’ Tech Isn’t Precise, Sony’s Better, Says Sony: Truth be told, the executives in charge of the gaming market are pretty cut-throat. You know who they’re talking about, even if they don’t say who they’re talking about. And, let’s face it, it’s rare that they don’t say who they’re talking about. This time around, Kaz Hirai, CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment, said that “naked-eye 3D for portables does not have high precision.” Well, fancy that. We’d be willing to bet that if you asked him, Sony’s 3D tech (for their home video game console, the PS3) is so much better, it’s probably ridiculous. But, it’s also safe to assume that, based on Hirai’s statement, Sony tried the technology at some point on their own time, probably for the PSP2, which would feature 3D. Yeah, that would’ve made sense… [via SlashGear]

Technical Trials Complete, Verizon Goes for User Trials: Verizon’s seriously making some headway in their Long Term Evolution (LTE) 4G trials. They’ve just announced that they’ve succeeded in their technical trials, and now they are moving to the next, and perhaps most important stage of testing. They’re on the cusp of starting user testing/trials. While we wish this meant that randomly selected customers out there (us, us, us!) would get their hands on some unknown 4G-based handsets, unfortunately that just means some lucky Verizon Wireless employees out there are going to get to rock the next generation of Verizon’s network before anyone else. So . . . Lucky them. [via PhoneMag]

The Dredge ‘Net

Love the World Cup? Visit Nike’s Giant LED Screen in South Africa: While we’re sure there’s plenty of people out there watching the World Cup, we have to keep an eye out there for the tech that features it in one way or another. This time around, it’s not a robot. Oh, no. This is a huge, and we mean huge LED screen, plastered all over the side of Johannesburg’s Life Centre Skyscraper. Oh, and it’s interactive. Yeah, you can send text from Facebook, along with other social networking sites like Twitter, to be displayed in huge letters on the building for everyone else to see. But text isn’t enough. If you name a player in your update to the LED screen, a video of that player will also get shown off, too. Pretty awesome way to display World Cup love, if you ask us. [via CrunchGear]

AT&T and Verizon Join WiFi Roaming Group: There’s no doubt that there’s plenty of people out there using wireless data. Even as wireless carriers all over the world start restricting people on how much usage they can actually use, other company’s are still trying their hand at unlimited data. But they’re feeling the stress. One way to alleviate that, is to allow customers free, and unhindered access to WiFi hotspots. A new technology will make it easier, and seamless, for cell phone users to transition from their cellular network, to WiFi, and back whenever they come into a Wifi hotspot. Both AT&T and Verizon Wireless have joined the WiFi Roaming Group, in hopes that this technology can be implemented on their networks quickly enough to help with new customers, and more smartphone purchases. [via MacWorld]

Pre-Order Microsoft Kinect for $149.99 from Microsoft’s Online Store: Yes, you read that right. Despite the fact Microsoft haven’t officially announced the price for the motion-based gaming peripheral, that’s not stopping companies all over the place from pricing it on their own. GameStop, Best Buy, and other places like Amazon already have the unit for pre-order, and that sweet spot seems to be $149.99. What comes in the box? The Kinect sensor, manual, power supply cable, and a WiFi extension cable. We don’t know what that last part is, either. So, Microsoft. We’re ready when you are. [via Microsoft Store]

While the video recording capabilities of the iPod nano 5G are creating the most headlines, the new PMP also has an integrated pedometer for sports use.  According to the Nike+ user guide Apple have published, only this fifth-generation nano will be compatible with the upcoming receiver – sold separately from the iPod itself – and it will use the pedometer to keep track of steps and track milestones such as running distances.

Other features of Nike+ on the nano will include listening to the FM radio now integrated with the PMP, playing “PowerSong” playlists and reviewing workouts.  Any Nike + iPod compatible gym equipment will also transmit its data to be incorporated into the fitness review, which will flag up steps, cardio workout results and calories burned, among other things.

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 Destination

NikePlus.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.

This 20-page filing shows a more sophisticated device that has many feedback abilities. For instance, it would utilize GPS sensors and a processor to keep track of a runner’s performance as they are running. This way, you could get feedback customized to your workout that takes into consideration your weight, age and gender.

Included would also be an indicator that let’s you know when the shoes need to be replaced or are worn down to the point where they could cause injury. And even though it is unclear as to whether or not such a device would ever be manufactured, it is important to note the health benefits that could be derived from an evolved Nike+ shoe.

[via Gadget Lab at Wired.com]

Nike+ has been available as an accessory to the iPod for some time now, in the shape of a wireless adaptor for the PMP, a connected armband and desktop application that allows custom workouts and records of performance to be analysed.  Users can also create exercise-related playlists.

Google Maps integration, together with the iPhone 3G’s GPS support, could make a big difference to Nike+ functionality, although it’s unclear whether this will merely track your progress or allow you to pre-programme routes and be guided through the workout.  No word on when we can expect the official Nike+ release.

[via iPhone Buzz]

It is actually specifically created for the Beijing Olympics, and is meant for athletes in preparation for their respective sporting events. The little triangular cavities all house frozen water. You slip on the vest an hour before your competition and it lowers the body temperature of the athlete.

The vest makes the athlete last 21% longer than they normally would. It also acts as a thermos making sure that the cold doesn’t escape.

[via newlaunches]

Instead the system uses a wrist band that communicates with the sensor that goes in your Nike Trainers and stores the data on its flash storage. The band then comes apart to reveal a USB interface which you can use to transfer up to 16 hours of workout data to your computer or upload and share it with the online community at Nikeplus.com.

You can also use the band to store personal stuff like your homework or documents for work, just like a regular flash drive. Way to go cutting out your highly successful business partner Nike, you can apparently get the kit for £40, or about $80 USD.

[via ShinyShiny]

That is just funny. Consider that in order to fully use this set, you’d have to buy an iPod Nano for at least $149, the Sport Kit for $29, and a pair of the shoes it works with which range anywhere from $80 to $140, and then you use it all for just a few miles before giving up or at least choosing not to use it.

So the 12 miles per unit sold number comes from this math, last week Mr. Jobs said that they had sold 1 million units and logged over 12 million miles, that’s simple division of 12mil divided by 1mil, equals 12 miles per unit. So even with Nike’s complex forums just for these devices, with running clubs, and motivational garbage, they still can’t get people to use one of these for longer than an average of 12 miles. The Nike site has updated that number to 28 million, so that makes it a little better, at about 28 miles per unit, but still.

Nike + iPod: How Many Runners Actually Use It? [via Apple 2.0]

I guess the AMP+ is designed to be linked to a Nike+ capable iPod Nano. When the connection is mad the AMP+ can display tons of info from your iPod and can even control it.

Apparently there have been 13 of them sighted. They are due out for the general public in a few months, with an, as yet, undisclosed price.

Nike Amp Watch Leaked [via OhGizmo]

The Nike Triax Vapor 300 was made with the athlete in mind. It has a 300-lap chronograph and five-segment interval timer. I’m sure that there are plenty of you out there that would find a use for those features, I know I wouldn’t.

The face is surrounded by an aluminum case that curves to the shape of your wrist. The screen is a small LCD that is covered in a high-quality mineral glass lens that will stand up to even the most rugged of sports. Just $129 will get you one of these. But remember, just because you have a cool watch, doesn’t mean you’re an athlete.

Nike Triax Vapor 300 Watch isn’t Vaporware [via gizmodo]

Ridiculous name, yes.  In fact this iPod Nano compatible hat has absolutely nothing to do with a cellphone, as far as I can gather.  The clever bit is in fact a click-wheel control panel to give you control of the music.

If you want it, it’s yours for $60.

Nike [via Pocket-lint]

Nike+iPod to RunAway with AnyShoe [Via: CrunchGear]