Nike’s new iPhone app has eliminated the sensor and special shoes of its original Nike+ exercise system and added GPS support, using the handset’s GPS and accelerometer to monitor your progress.
As a result, iPhone and iPod touch users may now need only a $2 app versus a $30 kit, although iPod nano owners will still need the kit since they don’t have GPS.
The Nike+ GPS App for iPhone tracks your pace, calculates your distance, and maps your running route without special sensors. Phone-less touch users can still use the app to log their pace and distance but lose out on the mapping feature because the iPod touch lacks GPS.
The cumbersome sensor of the original Nike+ exercise system was placed in a special Nike shoe. The sensor monitored your movement and sent the data wirelessly to your iPhone or iPod touch.
But it was inconvenient and the connection was not terribly unreliable.
The new $1.99 app features voice-prompted encouragement, a Powersong feature to give you a boost, and a location option that lets you find yourself on the map. You can also send your results to Nikeplus.com where you can share your progress, take part in challenges, and set goals.
The Nike+ system used a piezoelectric accelerometer to monitor your footstrike to determine the amount of time your foot spent on the ground. The sensor sends this information wirelessly to the receiver via a proprietary low-power 2.4 GHz radio protocol, which is neither Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, but has been engineered avoid interference.
Adidas earlier announced its MiCoach system as a free application for iPhone and BlackBerry users. The free Adidas app does not require any specific shoe and works with any music player, not just the iPod.
Users can pick specific conditioning programmes for their sport, such as Football, Tennis, Running and Basketball with six documented training plans for each of the sports. Using GPS, users will be able to track their progress in real time, with voice coaching to help keep you going.
The miCoach app syncs with MiCoach.com, offering tailored programs and calendar, coaching and navigation options from the web and on your phone. It relies solely on GPS, you can’t use it on a treadmill the way you can with the original Nike+.
Mashable reviews 10 Essential iPhone running apps. Free or similarly priced alternatives include Jog Log which use GPS but do not connect to the Nikeplus online community.
