Building on tech pioneered with the Nike+iPod system, Nike raises the bar again with its Nike+ FuelBand, a new way to track the fuel you burn through your entire day.
It also perfectly matches your Back to the Future Air MAG if you’re enough of a Fat Cat to afford a pair.
There are all manner of fitness watches out there, but this one is bird of a different color. It provides a singular measurement for every activity you perform, from running 5k to playing Xbox in your basement. They’re calling it “Nikefuel”. Rather than counting your steps like the pedometer in the old Nike+ system, Fuelband measures your oxygen intake, and in turn an onboard algarhythm uses this to measure your activity level in Nikefuel. Hence Nike’s latest marketing push, #MakeItCount, as in counting points of Nikefuel.
The band itself syncs with your iPhone via Bluetooth or to the Nike+ web app when plugged into a computer. This way you can set goals for your daily activity on the iPhone or online, and the FuelBand will display your progress toward the goal on its LED display. Green and you’re close, red, not so much. FuelBand also sports a three-axis accelerometer for movement tracking, one button control for simple usage, and a hidden USB port.
Not unlike the Nike+ iPhone app, the band also has social network integration through Facebook, Foursquare, and Path. Yes, we now live in an age where your friends can see how much you moved in a given day. All sloth broadcast, all the time. Overall I like the concept though, I’ve often wondered the caloric burn value of living my life and what percentage of that can be attributed to recreational exercise. If you’re a stats nut, FuelBand is a must-cop.
FuelBand is priced at $149.00 USD and ships February 22nd. Pre-order at NikeStore later today.
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