Just… wow. It was sort of a given that Nike’s limited edition, McFly-inspired Air Mag sneakers would be fetching pretty pennies on eBay, but TMZ reports British rap act Tinie Tempah spent more than he thought he would on the first pair up for grabs. The cost of his impulse decision: a cool $37,500.

Mr. Tempah, a reputed Back To The Future nut and sneaker geek, received the sneakers and a nifty “plutonium” carrying case for his trouble.

Meanwhile, prices for the long-awaited sneakers on eBay run quite the gamut: the cheapest pair to be found at time of writing is size 7, and is sitting pretty at $4,000. At the top end of things is an especially popular pair of size 12s, with an $8,100 price tag. All auctions will be open for another 6 or so hours, so these prices will probably climb ever higher, but you need not worry if your size disappears. Nike is listing 150 pairs a day for 9 more days, so you still have a few chances to buy the kicks of your dreams.

All proceeds will benefit the Michael J. Fox Foundation, so rest assured that any purchases made will serve a dual purpose: not only will they (temporarily) assuage the shoe-lust felt by sneaker aficionados with too much money, they’ll also be helping a good cause.

Nike made a legion of sneaker geeks’ dreams come true when they sent out their Back To The Future-themed invitations, but the official word has now come down from on high: the Nike Mag is real, and they’re all going on eBay tonight.

First things first: the Mags sadly don’t auto-lace. Aside from that, only subtle changes have been made from the original, film-friendly reference design, but it’s likely all for the sake of comfort. Retro-future aficionados will be glad to know that the tri-color, LA Gear-esque lights remain true to the original, as does the electroluminescent Nike logo embroidered on the side.

The limited-edition kicks will only be produced in a small 1,500 unit run, but hopefully that scarcity will up drive up demand a bit. While we normally enjoy a good deal around here, all of the proceeds will be going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Disease Research. Speaking of the fantastic Mr. Fox, he’s currently scheduled to make an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman tonight — the timing seems almost too good to be true, so keep your eyes peeled for a surprise appearance.

This reveal has been a long time coming for Nike fans, who have obsessively been tracking the shoe from the grassroots campaign that inspired everything to its more recent appearances.

One of the first big clues to the shoe’s existence came from an EA Sports interview with Tinker Hatfield, one of Nike’s most prolific sneaker designers. At about 13 minutes into the video, an assistant tosses Hatfield the shoe just after the interview changes focus onto Nike’s future. Video of a commercial being filmed in the style of the original film’s classic mall parking lot scene also popped up on YouTube back in June, making today’s announcement the culmination of a whole lot of work.

Marty McFly’s crazy kicks in Back To The Future II have long been a geek’s dream. Ostensibly made by Nike in the film, they would tighten themselves around your feet automatically and, more important, they’ve been the paragon of ultimate geekiness for a certain subset of shoe fanatics.

Well, now it looks like you, too, can go back… to the future. Nike just sent out invitations to an event in LA tomorrow hinting at the actual existence of the Air Mags. The invitation included a pair of Doc’s aluminum shades and a bunch of BTTF merch, so clearly something is afoot.

The company patented the Mags’ power laces back in 2010 so it’s clear that the final product is ready to at least unveil to a legion of panting shoe-heads.

There are folks on NiceKicks already willing to camp out in line for these things, so you’d best act fast.

Unless you’re chicken.

While I am aware that my body generally looks like poorly mixed pizza dough spread over a misshapen skeleton, I do like to get my runs in when I can. For years I’ve tried all sorts of sports watches, from GPS devices from Garmin that looked like cigarette packages with straps to heart rate monitors that told my how hard I was working while wandering down the stairs to make a sandwich.

That’s why I was actually quite intrigued by the Nike+ SportWatch. Nike+ has long been the domain of iPod and iPhone users and the original Nike+ devices were designed to work specifically with Apple music players. Slowly, Nike weaned themselves off of the produce of Cupertino and began building standalone devices including an underpowered “sport watch” that worked with the Nike+ foot pod and now this, a more complete solution with built-in TomTom GPS sensor. It is also compatible with the Polar Wearlink+ Transmitter heart-rate transmitter, in case you also wanted to check your heart rate during the run.

The SportWatch connects to Nike+ footpods or it can grab data from orbiting GPS satellites. The footpod, actually a tiny disc-shaped device that fits inside certain Nike shoes or, with a bit of finagling, on the outside of any standard pair of running shoes, senses your footfalls and distance travelled and allows for exercise measurements indoors and in locations where GPS reception is limited. The GPS sensor, however, is quite superior to the footpod and offers an up-to-the-second read out of your speed and distance.

When you’re done with your run you simply flip down an ingenious little cover to expose a USB connector and then plug it into your Mac or PC. Your run is uploaded to the Nike+ website and stored. There you can set goals, see your performance, and even challenge other Nike+ users to races. The screen is quite readable and a built-in backlight ensures you can see how fast you’re going in the dark.

Like all sports watches, this model requires considerable discipline to gain any benefits from it at all and even those benefits – unless you’re training for a longer race – are dubious. However, I was pleased with the overall design and usability of the watch and I barely noticed it on my wrist during the few runs I took it on. Nike has done an excellent job of completely stripping out extraneous settings, even to the point of removing date and time settings and requiring a PC sync to change any settings. Many sports watches suffer from a surfeit of features all controlled with two or three inscrutable buttons. This watch basically lets you start a run and end a run and then go over previous runs. It will also remind you of upcoming planned runs. You can also tap the screen to set lap times. But, thankfully, that’s about it. Many newer watches create “ghost competitors” for you to race against and offer way too many read-outs and numbers on screen at a time. The closest thing this watch gives to feedback is a “Good run!” message when you’re done.

The watch is rechargeable and lasts about four days on one charge. You can charge it via USB in a few hours.

Again, rather than stuff this watch full of on-screen functionality, most of the magic happens in the included Nike+ app and website. For that Nike is to be commended. Most GPS watches of this sort are far too complex for their own good.

That said, does the world need another GPS watch? If I didn’t, for example, carry and iPod or iPhone with me during runs I’d say “Yes.” However, many of the features built into this watch can be replicated with a good app. But you are not always going to be carrying a few hundred dollars worth of mobile electronics with you during a 10K, so this is the next best thing.

At $199 the SportWatch is a little pricey but I would agree that you’re getting what you pay for. Again, I’m no longer a huge fan of the whole “all-in-one” sports watch system but this one performs quite admirably and is amazingly easy to use. And if it gets me out of the house for a run or two, I’m happy.

UPDATE – When I first tried the watch it consistently picked up a strong GPS signal. Over the past few runs, however, the signal has degraded considerably and my last run was GPS-free. I would not recommend this watch for urban areas or runs where the sky is overly occluded. The cardinal sin of a GPS watch is to fail during the duration of a run and this watch has committed that sin too often for me to recommend it without serious reservations.

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Team USA play Argentina tomorrow at the New Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey, and while we’re all excited to see Messi & Co. pretty much run circles around the team, at least our boys will look good in the process. Nike continues to supply the United States Men’s National Team with its official kit, and once again there are a few improvements worth highlighting. So let’s do just that now.

First off, it’s red! Yes, Nike has finally produced a red kit, to go along its usual white (home) and blue (away) designs. That’s not really tech-y, no, but it’s probably the first thing you’ll notice. Nike says it created the red kit in response to fan demand: USA, home of the red, white, and blue, so where’s the red? Along those lines.

As for the exciting technology, you can partially thank Twitter for the design. Nike had enlisted the micro-blogging service to ask fans to submit a slogan that will be embroidered on the sleeve in time for the game. The campaign, called #REDALLOVER, ended Wednesday night, so if you didn’t already submit your hashtagged slogan, oh well. Maybe next time.

Of course, like all Nike kits, it’s made from environmentally friendly materials that the players can actually breathe in as they try to chase down Messi’s mazy runs.

Good luck with that, guys.

You’re now looking at a pair of Nike Air Force 1 sneakers. But these are special in that they have the classic PlayStation logo on them. You’ll be the coolest kid in Long Island City, the new new Williamsburg.

These shoes were never officially released, but this single pair has made its way out onto the open market that is eBay. Right now (around 10:00am) the bidding is at $800, with 15 kind souls having bid.

The bidding ends in about 12 hours, and the only thing this post has done is to increase the exposure, thereby driving up the cost.

Big fan of the Nike Training Club? Well you’re in luck then, because Nike just announced that they’ve released an iPhone app, just in time for Christmas.

The training club is set up for women, and designed to help design a training regiment based on professional athletes, and to help you design a full-body training program using your iPhone. The app was developed with the help of a Nike professional trainer, and contains 90+ drills to help you with cardio, interval, and core training. The workout system is designed to continually challenge you, and increase in difficulty as your fitness level increases. The app is available from the app store, and is free for Nike Training Club members.

So… how about those New York Jets? I hear they’ve screwed the pooch of late. This is how I transition into talking about Nike’s new Pro Combat uniforms and Air Zoom Alpha cleat, introduced yesterday at Cowboys Stadium just outside Dallas. As you might expect, given that I’m writing about them here, the cleat and uniforms do a number of things that might interest the techies in the house… all of you, then.

Let’s start with the Air Zoom Alpha cleat (seen above).

Like some of Nike‘s soccer boots, the Air Zoom Alpha has an adaptive traction system. That means that depending on the pressure applied, the actual cleat part will extend or retract. So, if you’re a running back and need to, uh, run, the cleat will extend to give the player all the traction in the world. You don’t want to fall over as you’re running down the sideline, do you?

The cleat will debut on January 1 with Texas Christian University.

Moving on to the Pro Combat uniform (above). They’ll debut over three of the 8 zillion college bowl games coming up in the next month or so. The Boise State Broncos will wear ‘em on December 22; the Florida Gators will wear ‘em on January 1; and the Oregon Duck will wear ‘em on January 10.

That’s nice, but what do they do?

Nike says the uniform “emphasizes thermoregulation,” with its engineers placing pads and cooling zones and the like in “strategic” locations. The material itself permits “two-way airflow,” so that the players aren’t drenched in sweat during the game. Nike also uses special lightweight padding between the knees and shoulders: it’ll protect the player, but you won’t be walking around with any unnecessary bulk.

This continues the trend we’ve seen this year of the big sporting goods companies (Nike, Adidas, etc.) rolling out fancier and fancier equipment. Impossibly light boots, form-fitting and environmentally friendly uniforms, and so on. Even the Jabulani, which was the focus of so much controversy during the World Cup, has been introduced to domestic leagues around the world, including the German Bundesliga and MLS right here in the U.S. If the ball was so terrible, then why have zee Germans adopted it?

And isn’t the Winter version of the Adidas Torfabrik (that’s what they call the Bundesliga version of the Jabulani) ball the best thing you’ve ever seen? Bright orange = fantastic.

Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, the current top scorer in Spain’s La Liga, is a very fancy man. This much we know. But what I didn’t know till just a little while ago was how fancy he was. Nike has designed a new boot, the CR Mercurial Vapor SuperFly II (quite the mouthful, yes) specifically for him. The last time Nike did that for a player was when Ronaldinho was good. (Incidentally, Ronaldinho was just called up to the Brazil squad.) He’ll debut the boots in the Madrid derby (against Atlético, of course) on November 7.

The boots… well, they’re certainly unique-looking. A recent poll on as.com, one of the two big Madrid-based sports newspapers, shows that only 35 percent of respondents were keen on the pattern.

The leopard skin is a bold choice, yes, but the print doesn’t necessarily concern us here. We’re not the fashion police.

“Nice boots,” says Cristiano. Clearly he likes ‘em.

http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/Preloader.swf?applicationURL=http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/VideoPlayer.swf&swfUrl=http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/&videoSrc=https://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/files/videos/CRSafariTransport_web.mov&previewSrc=https://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/files/images/CRSafariTransport_preview.jpg&themeHexColor=3060735

No, what does concern us is the use of something called Nike Sense adaptive traction system, a technology that dynamically expands and retracts the studs on the bottom of the boot. So, depending on whether Cristiano is sprinting at full speed down the touchline, or if he’s waiting in mid-field for a pass, you know, the studs will react in kind. Different scenarios requires different tractions.

The boot also uses Nike’s Flywire, a carbon chassis of sorts that, among other things, keeps the foot closer to the ground as Cristiano is running about.

And here’s a video that describes, in greater detail, exactly what’s going on with the boots.

http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/Preloader.swf?applicationURL=http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/VideoPlayer.swf&swfUrl=http://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/modules/nikemedia/related/flash/&videoSrc=https://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/files/videos/CRSafariDesign_web.mov&previewSrc=https://www.nikemedia.com/sites/default/files/images/CRSafariButterflyFinal_0.jpg&themeHexColor=3060735

So, come November 7 be sure to look closely at Cristiano’s boots. You’ll be like, “Oh, yeah, those are the boots I read on CG that day.”

Which is all you can ask for, really.

The boot will be available to the public at large on November 15.

And, uh, I think one of the 8 million scripts our site runs may be fiddling with the ability of the videos to load, so you may have to ctrl-r a few times to get them working.

As someone who ostensibly tries to keep fit, I’ve found the best way to pretend to lose weight is to fiddle around with iPhone apps during my workout. First, it reduces the mind-crushing pain of exercise and allows me to go to a place in myself where I can avoid the boredom of exertion.

To that end I decided to test out the new Nike+ GPS app alongside an old favorite, RunKeeper.

Both apps have their pluses and minuses. Clearly RunKeeper is aimed squarely at the professional or at least obsessive runner, while the Nike+ software is aimed at a more casual user. Both have their value in the training arsenals of the average runner, and many of the hardware-specific features of Nike+ have been stripped out of the new GPS version, thereby putting both apps on equal footing.

Interface
When Nike+iPod came out in 2006 it essentially redefined the sports app. Companies like Suunto and Polar have long created desktop applications for tracking workouts but they have been, at best, garbage. The Nike+ interface, especially the Nike+ system for uploading runs directly to a website for tracking, was revolutionary.

The current interface (above, left) is very Nike. It’s all orange and offers very little in the way of initial control. The system allows you to start a run or select a type of run including a distance run or a timed run along with a free-form race. The app can connect with your online profile and you can share runs on Facebook or Twitter, just in case you want the world to know your failure.

RunKeeper is a bit more barebones in that it offers very basic controls along with a map. You can manually enter treadmill runs, a big deal if you’re cross-training or will be training this winter, and most of the real processing happens on the website where you can join various “teams” and add friends with whom you can share your runs.

Tracking
Both apps track your distance and speed via GPS. Nike+ also supports the Polar WearLink+ Transmitter, but it only works on Nike+iPod compatible devices, like iPods with the Nike dongle or iPhones of recent vintage. Nike+ has a unique “heat map” system to show where you were running fastest.

RunKeeper is also available for Android phones, giving it a few lengths in this competition. RunKeeper also allows you to track cycling sessions.

Motivation

Nike+iPod has supposedly always been about run sharing. However, in the three years I’ve used it I’ve never once shared a run. I doubt that I’ll ever use any of the sharing features simply because they so rarely come up in the app itself. This doesn’t mean the challenges don’t exist, I’ve just never encountered them.

That being said, both apps have some very clever ways to keep you motivated. Nike+ has the aforementioned challenges while RunKeeper has fitness classes that cost $10 each and include training sessions recorded by a real Olympian.

Once signed up, you’ll be able to follow along with the FitnessClass each day as it guides you through the program on the web, and if you are using one of our smartphone apps, through the mobile device as well. On the FitnessClass page, you’ll find a feed of activities from other FitnessClass participants, and you can help motivate/encourage each person in the FitnessClass by commenting on and ‘liking’ their training activities. You will be grouped with other RunKeeper users training for the same fitness goal at the same time. Don’t be shy, together we can help each other achieve our goals and lead healthier lives!

You can also train with friends for free. The classes are quite a clever addition to the traditional run sharing model and I’d be interested to hear how useful beginner runners find them.

Usability

Both of these apps focus on ease-of-use. You press a button and you start running (or cycling or snowboarding or any of a number of items from RunKeeper’s dropdown list.) After a GPS lock, you’re ready to train.

Both services offer voice prompts. Nike+ offers them in male and female voices. Nike being Nike, they actually hired Paula Radcliffe and Lance Armstrong to do their early voice prompts and it was great hearing Paula urge me on through another everything-baked-potato-with-bacon heart palpitation.

My biggest gripe? You have to carry your phone around with you. I’d be very worried that I’d get my phone wet or drop it, but Nike conveniently also makes a nice iPhone 4 armband that should alleviate some of that worry.

Price

Nike+ GPS costs $1.99. RunKeeper comes in two version, a Free version and a $9.99 pro version. There are also add-ons like RunKeeper Elite that offer live run tracking while in the midst of a race.

Overall

Being a nerd, I kind of like RunKeeper’s feature set more than the Nike+ app. However, Nike+ has a proven track record of getting fat people skinnier, which is a plus.

I used Nike+iPod for years and used RunKeeper and AllSportGPS during various runs over the past few months. If you are serious about training and keeping things organized and social, I’d recommend RunKeeper. If you’re newer to the social running game, I’d suggest Nike+ GPS. Either way, both are excellent trackers and excellent resources for plodders.

RunKeeper
Nike+ GPS

Watch out, Nike. Power Laces has your number. Of course you have the patent, but let’s not get hung on up on the ‘deets. Power Lace’s enterprising creator is already on the second generation of his self-tightening shoes and it looks surprising similar to Nike’s just-granted patent — complete with heel sensor. This guy is going for broke, though, and is currently seeking funding via KickerStarter. I’m not sure I would would drain the trust fund to allow the guy to quickly hit his $25,000 goal after seeing the Nike patent, but a few dollar bet at least makes this guys day. Plus it could net you a t-shirt or some rad 80′s-themed stickers. A $250 donation will get you the first generation if the target goal is reached.

Anyway, enough, you must click through to see the demo video. It’s surprisingly nice. Marty would approve. (You knew I had to throw in at least one Back To The Future joke)

Here’s the summary from Nike:

An article of footwear with an automatic lacing system is disclosed. 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.

Could this possibly be even slightly for real? The description in the patent application really does describe what seems to be a working system. My guess is they’re doing something to coincide with the upcoming Blu-ray release of the Back to the Future trilogy, perhaps a giveaway of a few novelty pairs. But hey, why not get the patent and make a few more while they’re at, right?

[via Dime, Nice Kicks, and Metafilter]

The World Cup is winding down (that psychic octopus has predicted a Spain victory, by the way), which means there will be a very real void in my life once again. I don’t even know of the Champions League or La Liga will be able to fill it. Sigh. I guess we should savor these last remaining moments while we can. One of those moments? As you know, Nike has pretty much taken over downtown Johannesburg, installing giant video screens and having Kobe Bryant throw down challenges left and right. Today’s note: presenting Ball Man! The name alone is a win.

The installation is located inside a Johannesburg mall, and took a full three weeks to physically put together. It’s 21 meters (nearly 70 feet) tall, weighs 4.75 tons (!), and is made of some 5,500 individual skill balls. (A skill ball is a slightly smaller ball than a standard soccer ball.) More than 10 kilometers (around 6.2 miles) of wire hold everything together.

And while I have zero proof that Nike scanned Cristiano Ronaldo’s body for Ball Man, I will say that it sorta resembles that little knee kick he does while at full flight.

Credit to Pocket-lint, a fine site, for comparing the Adidas Jabulani, the ball that’s used in the World Cup, and the Nike T90 Ascente, the ball that’s used in the English, Spanish, and Italian leagues. The ides was to see if you could find out, once and for all, if there’s something inherent in the design of the Jabulani that makes it fly all over the place. Conclusion? Maybe, but the balls are so damn near identical that in no way can you say, “Well, Adidas screwed the pooch here.” Remember: Fifa is ultimately in charge of the ball, so if there’s anyone to blame (or praise) it’s those bozos.

The Adidas Jabulani, which Fifa has already said it will investigate after the World Cup finishes (at which point nobody will care anymore), is new to most of the players in the tournament. It’s been in use in the German league since December, so any player who plies his trade in Germany will have gotten used to the ball one way or the other, whether the ball is flawed or flawless.

(That in and of itself doesn’t seem fair, by the way. Fifa should have kept the World Cup ball off-limits till the national teams met up for their first day of training.)

Looking at the raw stats of the balls, both of them are basically the same. Circumference, water absorption, weight, etc. are all within ticks of each other. After all, they both have to abide by Fifa regulations.

The big difference, nearest I can tell, is that the Nike ball seems to have been designed, um, more “organically.” The Adidas ball was designed and engineered with robot feet kicking at precise, computer-controlled angles. The Nike ball relied much less upon the cold, unfeeling exactness of science and had more human-assisted development.

That’s not to say that the Jabulani is a science experiment gone wrong, but that the Nike ball had actual players involved from A to Z.

But again, to blame Adidas (or praise Nike) wouldn’t be the proper course of action. The buck stops with Fifa: creating ball standards and specifications, and with allowing players in the German Bundesliga a six-month head start to get used to the ball.

Breaking news: Fifa is incompetent.

But I ask you this: does Carlos Tévez have any problem with the Jabulani? Doesn’t look like it!

Note that Fifa is taking these videos off YouTube, so if the video’s dead, blame Blatter.

Looks like Nike is up to quite a bit more in South Africa than making sure Landon Donovan (and the rest of Team USA) is well-dressed while taking first place in Group C. (Fingers crossed!) I just got word that the company has constructed the biggest interactive LED screen in the whole of Africa. It’s on the Life Centre skyscraper that’s in Johannesburg. Now, what would you want to do with an giant interactive LED screen in the middle of a major city?

The screen displays things like Facebook messages, Tweets, and messages from international social networks like Mxit and QQ.

The best part is, let’s say you Tweet something along the lines of “Go Cristiano!” Well, when your Tweet appears on the big display, a quick little video of Cristiano will be played.

It’s basically magic, yes.

Meanwhile, in other World Cup news, it seems Vicente Del Bosque has dropped David Silva to the bench today. That’s not good news for my fantasy team, no sir. (BUT VILLA JUST SCORED AND HE’S ON MY TEAM~!)

Nike and Polar (the heart rate monitor people) have just introduced the Polar WearLink+ that connects your Polar gear to the Nike+ iPod pedometer. The heartrate band sends data to the same program that controls the distance and speed data sent from the Nike+ footpod.

Obviously Polar makes all sorts of running and walking gear already, but this device breaks out of the Polar ecosystem and connects solely with Nike+ products. It will be available late June for $69.99.

Polar and Nike Introduce Heart Rate Training to Millions of Nike+ Runners

BEAVERTON, Ore., June 7 /PRNewswire/ — Nike, Inc. (NYSE: NKE) and Polar, the market leader and pioneer in heart rate training technology, have introduced the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+. This new product works with the Nike+ SportBand and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, enabling users to run and train with heart rate monitoring for the first time.
This exciting new piece of equipment is worn comfortably around the chest and transmits the user’s heart rate wirelessly to their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit or SportBand. It will improve the training experience of Nike+ users helping them to understand how hard they are working in any given run. Users can see their beats per minute while they run with their Nike+ SportBand, or hear spoken feedback of their BPM during their Nike+ iPod workout. And after training, heart rate data can be transferred to the nikeplus.com web service. Users can track how long they ran in their target heart rate zone and see their heart rate progress over time.
The new Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is also compatible with most Polar training computers (all those using 5 kHz transmission technology). This allows use of both the Nike+ system and a Polar training computer at the same time. The Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is also compatible with the fifth generation iPod nano and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit.
The soft textile chest strap seamlessly adapts to the user’s body shape, bringing full freedom of movement to the training session. The comfortable textile strap is also machine-washable and with its hook mechanism, the transmitter is just as quick to put on as it is to take off. A user replaceable battery also increases the ease-of-use.
In addition, the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, works with Polar-compatible fitness equipment, including models from all major fitness equipment manufacturers. This enables users wearing the WearLink+ transmitter to see their heart rate on the compatible fitness club equipment as well. The coded transmission ensures that Nike+ devices and Polar training computers pick up the right heart rate signal and not someone else’s.
“We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Nike,” says Marco Suvilaakso, Group Product Director at Polar. “Polar and Nike are both market leading global sports brands. Nike users around the globe can now benefit for the first time from pioneering Polar heart rate monitoring technology. The new WearLink®+ transmitter Nike+ will make accurate heart rate training available to millions of Nike+ users. It will add a new dimension to their training enabling them to train at the right intensity to achieve their goals. We anticipate this will be a very popular product.”
“We are excited to introduce Polar heart rate technology into the Nike+ system so millions of enthusiastic users can take their training and performance to the next level,” said Jeff Padovan, president of Polar USA. “Being able to partner with industry leaders like Nike and Apple who share our passion for sports and technology allows us to deliver what the consumer has asked for by providing the best each company has to offer all in one product.”
The Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, will be available from June 2010 in the United States, followed by Canada and major EU countries from the beginning of July. On sale through authorized Polar retailers, Nike-owned retail stores and through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), the Polar WearLink®+ that works with Nike+, is sold as a Polar accessory set with a user manual. Compatible Polar training computers can be purchased separately.
The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

That Nike World Cup ad I mentioned the other day has aired, I think, 800 million times over the past few days on TV. I know I saw it at least once during the Champions League final at the weekend (which Inter thoroughly deserved to win). But get this: the very first time the ad aired in the UK the final six seconds of the ad never made it on the air! Someone’s getting fired…

Here’s the LOL-worthy statement from ITV, where the ad was supposed to debut during said Champions League final:

A technical problem affected play-out of a Nike advertisement for approximately 6 seconds to ITV1 regions in the south of England and Wales. ITV has apologised unreservedly to Nike and we are engaged in dialogue with the client regarding the issue.

It’s estimated that Nike had to cough up anywhere from £350,000 to £500,000 ($503,000 to $719,000) to air the ad. That’s just to air the ad, mind you, not how much it cost to create. Drogba, Rooney, Ronaldo & Co. don’t come cheap.

Nike called the mix-up “disappointing,” noting that the ad had some 5 million views online and, golly gee, it sure would have been neat for actual TV viewers to see it.

We’re about three weeks away from the beginning of the World Cup. You know this because I’ve mentioned it over and over again since 2008. Fancy Adidas this, super-advanced Nike that. And so on. Today’s edition: a three-minute Nike advert that was directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu (of “Babel” fame). Even if you have no idea who these people are—didn’t you read Vanity Fair this month?—I dare you to say, “Lame.” Because if you say “Lame” my heart will break into a million little pieces. Something along those lines.

Thoughts on the video:

1. Drogba scene needs more diving
2. Cannavaro hasn’t made a proper defensive play since the 2006 World Cup (back me up, Juve fans)
3. The world needs a bearded Rooney 24/7
4. I cannot imagine how upset Nike must have been when it found out that Ronaldinho didn’t make the Brazil squard (but he is an alternate in case someone gets injured in training this month)
5. I literally laughed out loud at Gael Garcia Bernal playing Crisitano Ronaldo. And I know the Internet has ruined the word “literally,” but I mean that in its strictest sense: I lol’d.

The question is now: will I take off for the duration of the World Cup? I’ve actually never taken a vacation here, which may explain why I’m pretty much crazy.

Word popped up recently on the Nike support forums that we should expect to see the heart rate monitor this coming June 1st. The monitor is expected to work directly with the Nike+ interface that’s been built directly into the iPod Touch since the second generation. No word on pricing or features yet, but the forum post was written by someone who appears to be a Nike employee, so it’s most likely true. Typically heart rate monitors sell for $50 and up, and many require a chest strap that is connected to a wristwatch or some other device.

[via TUAW]

Close readers will have noticed that A) I write quite a bit about soccer+technology but B) never about Team USA. Messi this, Cristiano Ronaldo that. Well that ends today! Nike recently unveiled the kit that Landon Donovan & Co. will use to get second place in Group C this World Cup. USA, USA!

The funny thing is we don’t even know who will be on the team. As I write this (2:00pm ET), the team’s manager, Bob Bradley, should be on ESPN News announcing the 30-man squad.

So, the kit. There it is! Nike has probably the most distinctive product shots of any company I deal with.

Now, what makes the kit special, and should should you, dear technology fans, give a damn? Well, the kit is green, being made entirely of recycled material, and lots of it. Nike says it was able to prevent a whopping 254,000 kilograms (~560,000 pounds) of polyester and 13 million plastic bottle from winding up in landfills. So if you’re a big bottled water drinker, congrats, you’ve just outfitted Landon Donovan.

The kits are also 13 percent lighter than previous Nike kits. Better for America in an environmental sense and better for America in a sporting sense.

That makes the fancy, light and green kits and the new Elite Series boots (again, lighter than any other boot produced by Nike) that the company is rolling out the tournament. My sleuthing has turned up this handy little video that explains what the Elite Series is all about. (These boots don’t start shipping till May 22.)

Basically, the World Cup this year will be a battle not between Brazil and Argentina and Spain and the U.S., but a battle between the world’s top sports engineers.

Forget the World Cup, let’s just break out our T-Squares and protractors!