Nike Plus

Over at ObsessiveSneakerDisorder, there's a video from Sole Collector's Anthony Gilbert breaking down the ins and outs of the Nike/Apple collaboration (funny how he's standing in front of a window full of Air Force One knock-offs, excuse me, BAPEs--lol, Nike must just LOVE that.)



And over at Tweks, there's a really thorough review by someone who's already tested the technology.

As Gilbert points out, the first Nike Plus shoe does look like a Free. I'm sort of ehh about this whole launch. I think it's great that Nike is pushing the envelope on technology, but I'm not convinced runners want this product. I think it'll sell a lot initially, like the Adidas 1.0, if only because of all the press it's gonna get, but I don't know if has long-term legs.

I run and I don't like wearing earplugs because they're cumbersome, I can't hear myself breathing and they take away from my connection with nature. Not too long ago, I was running and I happened to look up in the trees because the birds were making a big ruckus, and lo and behold, there was a big ole golden hawk just sitting there in a branch overhanging the footpath, cool as a cucumber. I turned around to point him out to the runner behind me and I felt like a jerk cause she had to take out her earplugs and I basically had to stop and explain what it was I was pointing at, which totally took the air out of an attempt to spontaneously share a beautiful moment.

Though in fairness, that woman isn't the only one I've ever seen running with earplugs, and even if most people don't wear them, a sizeable minority does so I imagine there's some potential for Nike to make some bills off of this deal.