nike

This week, Yahoo sent out an invite for a press conference in New York on Monday with a mysterioso tone:

It read, vaguely:

"Please join Yahoo CEO Carol Bartz for an exciting announcement about providing global consumers with rich online and mobile experiences, and bringing forward a new era in keeping consumers connected."

That's all it took to get BoomTown on the horn to find out what that meant.

And, according to sources, that will be a deal with Finland-based mobile phone giant Nokia to build Yahoo e-mail, search, and other applications and services into a range … Read more

Nike Japan recently ran a really cool ad for its Free Run+ running shoes highlighting the elasticity of the products. The company has banded together artists making music out of the new sneakers and huge loudspeakers assembled from shoeboxes. They have cables running out of the footwear, with contrasting sound characteristics such as bass, hooked up to DJ mixers and producing some pretty darn good rap tunes.

Too bad Nike had to end the three-minute video with the following disclaimer in Japanese and English: "The Nike Free Run+ is absolutely a running shoe. Shoes sold at retail will NOT … Read more

MENLO PARK, Calif.--With America mired in two wars, injured soldiers are constantly returning home with missing limbs. But their path to useful--and attractive--prosthetics could be shorter than ever, thanks to 3D-printing technology.

And it's not just artificial limbs that may be going through a design renaissance: because of the infinite flexibility of digital designs, almost any kind of physical product could find wide new style, aesthetics, and custom models because of the machines, which can quickly, cheaply, and efficiently produce almost anything that can be imagined and crafted in a 3D modeler.

That was the message that industrial … Read more

Humans have a nasty habit of producing and accumulating garbage, but Gabriel Dishaw, a junk-metal genius from Carmel, Ind., turns trash into artwork. His most recent pieces were inspired by his love of Nike shoes, as he fashioned five different kicks, including dunks and high tops.

Dishaw's shoes are collages of otherwise potentially useless hardware salvaged from computers, typewriters, and metal scraps. His work is meticulous, as it takes him up to several weeks to complete one pair of shoes and an accompanying carrying case for storage.

Though the sculptures are aesthetic replicas of real Nike shoes, they are … Read more

Cross heavy rain off your list of excuses for not getting outside to see if you've improved your running performance.

A new version of the Nike+ Sportband--an armband that gives runners real-time information on distance, pace, time, and calories burned--now comes with a welded seal to improve water resistance, a feature that seems to be a market trend.

The new version also has a screen with a white background to enhance visibility. It goes on sale Wednesday for $59.

Nike+ Sportsband works much like the Nike + iPod Sports Kit, but with a separate armband instead of the media … Read more

Can I gush? RunKeeper is the coolest freakin' iPhone application ever. OK, maybe not for everyone, but it's definitely the coolest for runners, hikers, bikers, and anyone else interesting in tracking their outdoor activities.

Let me explain. This summer the running bug bit me hard, and I'm now running farther and faster than in years past. Consequently, I've grown interested in determining my pace, distance, total run time, and so on.

My first thought was to get Apple's Nike + iPod, which is reasonable at $29--but incompatible with my iPhone 3G. Plus, I didn't want to … Read more

The iPhone 3GS, like the second generation iPod Touch, includes built-in Nike + iPod support to monitor your workouts. Runners can purchase the Nike + iPod Sensor for $19 and slip it into either a Nike+ compatible shoe or any shoe (using one of the below hacks). The iPhone 3GS is thus capable of tracking distance, calories, pace, and workout duration during a run. The iPhone 3GS has a built-in receiver that eliminates the need to plug in the receiver sold with the Nike + iPod Sport Kit.

Using the Nike + iPod app

The Nike + iPod app is easy to use after you link it to your iPhone 3GS. You simply go to Settings, choose Nike + iPod, and turn Nike + iPod on. When Nike + iPod is turned on, its icon appears in Springboard (iPhone desktop). The app provides audible feedback on your speed, distance, time elapsed, and calories burned during a running (or walking) workout.

Note:If you have more than 176 apps installed--passing the display limit of Springboard--and you are running iPhone OS 3.0, you'll have to use Spotlight to launch the Nike+ app.

Once you have completed your run (or walk), dock your iPhone to your computer and use iTunes (Apple support document) to upload your workout statistics to NikePlus.com. You use that Web site to track your progress, set your goals, and participate in challenges against others.

Hack your own shoe

If you happen to like other brands of shoes, you can learn from others who have discovered ways to make the Nike+ sensor work with their favorite pairs of shoes. See some do-it-yourself examples at Instructables.com and Gadgetpage.com, or buy yourself a Shoe Pouch if you are lazy. Spendthrifts will appreciate this YouTube video for a real cheap sensor and shoe hack:

… Read more

Man, we're never going to have a complete show again. With Wilson in Boston visiting his newborn son, we invite Natali Del Conte back on the show, where we disgust and delight her with stories about gravity-defying bras, sleeping with rodents, and a $4k pair of Xbox/Nike sneakers.

After begging Natali to take me back, we move onto a story about a pair of Nike sneakers that fetched $4k on eBay this weekend. They're custom made and feature fiber optic wiring that makes the shoes light up and glow on the wearer. You can guess how wide Jeff opened up the hating floodgates on these guys.

We've also got a really disgusting story about a new strain of SUPER RAT found in Europe that's resistant to pesticides and modern poison. I've got my own story to tell about my ongoing battle with mice in my home, and I won't give away any secrets, but be sure to listen to the last 15 minutes of the show to hear the rest...R.O.U.S. is a staggering understatement. Enjoy your lunch everyone!

As a reformed sneakerhead, I understand the mentality behind getting the latest gear, but my mind was officially blown after seeing a pair of custom Xbox Nike Dunks sell for $4,000 on eBay this weekend.

It should be noted that this isn't an official collaboration between the two companies, but rather a special one-off pair made by Sole Junkie, an online company specializing in custom sneakers.

The sneaker is a hi-top version of the popular Nike Dunk basketball shoe, but Sole Junkie snuck fiber optic wiring into the patent leather in the shape of the popular Xbox logo … Read more