Kevin Bostic
Nike has announced a new version of its wrist-worn iPhone-compatible fitness tracker, the Fuelband SE, adding new color options to its popular device.
image via The Verge
The announcement came Tuesday morning at a Nike+ Fuelband event in New York City. The new device comes in an array of colors, adding visual flavor to Nike's fitness tracker. Users will be able to get the Fuelband SE with highlight options of yellow, pink, and red. Reportedly, Nike's goal with the new generation of Fuelband is to "get users to move even more throughout the day."
The new Nike+ FuelBand SE features Bluetooth 4.0 connectivity, allowing it to connect to the Nike+ FuelBand App without using too much power. It is also more water-resistant than its predecessor, and features a redesigned circuit board allowing for greater flexibility. Nike also improved the LEDs on the device, making them brighter and easier to see. Nike has also built in the ability for the FuelBand SE to monitor yoga activity and sleeping habits.
The updated FuelBand also shows off a number of new motivational and organizational features. These include "3.2.1. GO! Sessions," allowing users to track specific physical activities, motivational tools like "Win the Hour," and a new "Fuel Rate" feature that tracks the rate at which a user is earning NikeFuel.
The new Nike+ FuelBand SE will be available beginning November 6 in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, as well as France, Germany, and Japan. It will launch in Black and the Sport Pack colors of Volt, Pink Foil, and Total Crimson. The device will sell for $149.
Nike introduced the original Fuelband in January of 2012, and the device has not seen a hardware upgrade since. Previous speculation on Tuesday's event had already pegged the more responsive LEDs and Bluetooth low-energy connectivity.
The territory Nike has staked out on the wrist is growing increasingly crowded, as tech companies large and small look to grow out the wearable computing segment. Last week saw the introduction of the Fitbit Force, a wristband that combines activity and sleep tracking with wrist-borne notifications over Bluetooth.
Also, Nike may have to compete with a possible iWatch from its partner Apple. That possibility apparently does not trouble Nike, as CEO Mark Parker recently said that the company is well aware of Nike's limitations and ready to partner with others where it makes more sense.
"It's really important to understand what we do well... what we bring to the party, so to speak, and actually amplify that, " Parker said, "and not to expect [us] to really go in and compete with the latest, greatest development of sensor technology."
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11 Comments
Nice idea, but why does it have to be a wristband? I'd much rather wear a device that is not visible to everyone around me. Don't like looking like a dork.
It's seeming less and less likely to me that Apple will make a watch like product. Look at what Nike has already done. Now consider Tim Cook is on the Nike board. Now consider the rumors that the Iwatch trademark may refer to a television product. Now consider what Apple could bring to the watch table that other people are not already doing, or able to do. I'm thinking the fuel band will be – or is already – the Apple watch. The only thing it's missing is an iPhone SDK that allows third-party hardware to sync to and listen to the iPhone. You could even have some form of airplay that would allow a future fuel band to have a display that reads from the phone. If Apple were making a fuelband-like product, there's no way Tim Cook could stay on the Nike board. I really think it's not going to happen.
[quote name="sflagel" url="/t/160175/nike-announces-new-iphone-compatible-fuelband-se-fitness-tracker#post_2417302"]Nice idea, but why does it have to be a wristband? I'd much rather wear a device that is not visible to everyone around me. Don't like looking like a dork.[/quote] Get the 5s which has the M7 co-processor. Nike is creating software for it. "Nike+ Move" [IMG ALT=""]http://forums.appleinsider.com/content/type/61/id/33427/width/350/height/700[/IMG]
[quote name="sflagel" url="/t/160175/nike-announces-new-iphone-compatible-fuelband-se-fitness-tracker#post_2417302"]Nice idea, but why does it have to be a wristband? I'd much rather wear a device that is not visible to everyone around me. Don't like looking like a dork.[/quote] I prefer to purchase for utility and enjoyment, and not because of how others might perceive me. This is why I have purchased a FitBit Force. This tech is finally at a point that I think it can be helpful. The wrist is frankly a great place for a small externally worn device. it's out of the way and yet at the same time easily accessible by the opposing hand and easy to see. This is why watches have used this part of the body for so long. If you have a [I]better[/I] idea I'll gladly support your KickStarter project. I'd like to see internal computing devices that our phones can securely read and get many more vitals that otherwise offered by an external device. May I suggest [U]not[/U] going for a suppository form.
So where exactly would you plan to wear the device so it can't be seen if it is not on your wrist?
Is there some place else you would strap it on or plug it in?