Nike Fuel Band is a wristband with an electronic core and silicone type of surface that can be coordinated to sync with one’s computer and mobile phone in order to provide a measurement of one’s daily physical activities in the form of what is called ‘Nike Fuel Points’. With Nike Fuel Points as the numerical quantification of all the activities of your athletic life, running, walking and so forth, the Nike Fuel band and accompanying free software, displays information in a variety of numeric and graphical ways to provide some very useful feedback. Since Nike Fuel is calculated the same way for everyone, it is feasible to compare and compete with virtually anyone else on the planet using the Nike Fuel band.
The ultimate value of the Nike Fuel Band to the consumer, is to be motivated to get in shape and maintain a reasonable level of ongoing physical activity.
Setting fitness goals & staying with it
How can the Nike Fuel Band help us maintain a regular exercise routine particularly during the long cold Canadian winter? Using the Nike Fuel Band and related software to set daily activity goals, track one’s progress, and then comparing one’s advancement with others who are using Nike Fuel Band through the social networking apps such as Facebook and Twitter holds the prospect of turning an exercise routine into both a competitive and fun activity. With the ability to view one’s activity information at a glance in the form of useful data and simple graphs, connecting with other Fuel Band users, a person can be motivated towards reaching daily activity goals. Warm summer weather might be an invitation to get outside for a walk or run but cold Canadian winters with shorter daylight hours might require a little more motivation to stay active.
To me, the Nike Fuel Band is kind of like someone looking over my shoulder reminding me to keep moving. Since putting on a Nike Fuel Band, I have actually found myself thinking about reaching my daily goals and taking action, even on some of the colder winter evenings.
The Nike Fuel Band, available in Ice Black or Ice White, is more than a very cool looking watch. With a touch of a button, the LED display will cycle, to show the Fuel Points earned, calories burned and the footsteps taken. I set my daily activity goals to 3000 Units of Nike Fuel Points, then found myself keeping my body in motion towards reaching this goal. My daily results are monitored by the Nike Fuel Band and my progress is then displayed in various forms, such as digital readouts on my wrist band itself, and as graphs on my computer or my iPhone through use of the free mobile ‘app’ software program downloaded from the Nike website. I have yet to start comparing my progress with others on Facebook and Twitter, but this would most likely be my next endeavor.
I took some time to view the online videos provided by Nike and was soon able to make practical use of the Nike Fuel Band once the internal battery reached full charge. Keep the Nike Fuel Band up to date with the occasional software updates and it’s all good to go! Setting up the Nike Fuel Band is relatively simple, however, reviewing these initial steps below might further help clarify the process:
1. Purchase the correct Nike Fuel Band Size (a 7 inch male wrist – size M/L)
2. Unbox your Nike Fuel Band – additional wrist band links are included to tweak size adjustments
3. Plug the Nike Fuel Band into the USB port of your computer using the included adaptor
4. REGISTER your Nike Fuel Band on the Nike website
5. Let the Nike Fuel Band internal battery charge up and perform any recommended firmware updates to the device
6. Download and set up the Software App on your computer and your mobile phone
The Power of Combining the Tools
Pairing an iPhone with a Nike Fuel Band expands the power of each device and beautifully illustrates how much more value can be achieved in using these technologies together. Once the Nike Fuel Band is connected by way of ‘blue tooth’ to your mobile phone, syncing is usually automatic. It is even possible to manually commence a sync between your Nike Fuel Band and mobile phone by simply holding the button down on the Nike Nike Fuel Band for a second or two. As you move around with the Nike Fuel Band, one’s activities for the day, the week, the month and so forth is constantly being measured. The total distance you’ve gone estimates the calories burned and various metrics which are useful in monitoring your physical activities are graphed and charted. Ultimately the user will be able to view the amount of activity that has been done in the week, the month or the year and compare it over time to determine if one needs to make modifications to a workout program.
Life is a sport – Make it count
For swimmers, weight lifters and cyclists, the Nike Fuel Band may be limited to serving as a cool looking watch because it relies mostly upon upper body movement to track performance. For joggers, runners or walkers, the Nike Fuel Band can serve as a hi-tech informational tool that can be used to motivate one towards reaching their fitness goals. For somebody who is looking to make a difference in the activities in their life, Nike Fuel Band, in the form of a silicone wristband with a sophisticated electronic core, may be just what is needed to get the body moving and to stay on track.
Kanye West is no mere rapper. He’s a film director, musician, fashion designer, tweeter, and boyfriend of Kim Kardashian. He is basically attempting to try out every profession in THE WORLD (before full domination).
His latest foray in the design world was creating his own pair of strange new sneakers called the Nike Air Yeezy II that the Internet is comparing to shoe dragons (whatever those might be). They have weird, bumpy scales on the side and are curved at the bottom like Kangoos.
The sneakers are the second collaboration Kanye has done with Nike and they’ll be released on June 9. I’m no shoe connoisseur, though I’m told there are collectors who hoard expensive sneakers and perhaps look at them from afar.
What does everyone think of them?
We’re going crazy for this “Make It Count” video in the andPOP office. Yes, it’s a Nike ad but the cheesy mix of inspirational quotes, scenic landscapes and the “you can do anything you set your mind to” mentality makes us want to shoot a dart at a map, don a fedora and become travelling nomads. The whole video was shot in 10 days with just two people. It’s insane how much ground they cover in the short time frame, especially considering how often they must’ve been flying from country to country.
Although you can still see Tiger Woods sporting Nike caps, t-shirts and shoes, don’t expect to see any Gatorade his hand. E! reported that a day after Nike pledged commitment to the now controversial golf pro, PepsiCo-owned Gatorade announced that they were dropping Woods. Like he’s hot.
“We no longer see a role for Tiger in our marketing efforts and have ended our relationship,” said a spokeswoman for Gatorade, which discontinued its Gatorade Tiger Focus energy drink in December. “We wish him all the best.”
It is not official whether the company dropped him due to his recent marital woes, but it’s not too difficult to figure out.
Gatorade is not the only company to let go of the apologetic athlete; Accenture was the first to cut him, followed by AT&T. Watchmaker Tag Heuer and Gillette let him off a little bit easier; without completely letting him go, they have decided to give him smaller roles in advertising for the near future.
There’s little in the music world that excites me more than a good collaboration. Be the unlikely pairing of Eminem and Elton John, or inevitable power tracks from Jay-Z, Kanye and Rihanna (check out “Run This Town” if you haven’t already heard it.)
Recently, though, more than just musical minds have been getting together. So here’s the news.
It seems early to be looking forward to the holidays, but this year I actually have a reason to get excited. Bob Dylan is releasing a Christmas album, according to Pitchfork. No longer will I have to sit through the intolerable holiday stylings of Michael Buble, Destiny’s Child, or Jessica Simpson. At first I was hesitant, imagining his raspy, sarcastic attempts at “Santa Baby” or “Deck the Halls.”
But Dylan’s official website confirmed a more appropriate set list, including “Here Comes Santa Claus,” “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”, “O Little Town of Bethlehem”, “Winter Wonderland”, “Little Drummer Boy”, and “Must Be Santa.” The album artwork for Christmas in the Heart is also pure class, and will surely stand out amongst the glittery fare normally on the shelves around the holiday time. The album is set for release on Oct. 13 – a little on the early side but knowing Dylan, it will be worth much more than just holiday cheer.
Nike announced on Tuesday that it is developing running shoes that will wirelessly communicate with Apple’s iPod. The system, called Nike+iPod, will allow users to access time, distance, pace and calories burned through the headphones of an iPod nano.
The Nike+iPod Sports Kit is expected to retail for about $29 US and should be available in two months. Consumers will have to purchase a pair of compatible shoes, which feature a special insole sensor, in order to use the system.
Nike also launched a line of clothing, including jackets and shorts, that is designed to hold iPods while keeping wires untangled and hidden.
