David Carnoy reviews the prototype Philips Nike MP3Run, a 256-Megabyte flash memory-based MP3 player with a number of interesting extras. This MP3 player reportedly will incorporate a Bluetooth-enabled version of the speed and distance sensor used in products like the Nike Triax Elite, so that runners and walkers can gather statistics about their workouts. It will also include an FM radio and a strobe light to improve visibility during night runs.
I don’t think Nike and Philips would be showing people from ZDnet a prototype like this one unless they really planned to put it into production. I think the combination of a Nike speed and distance transmitter with an MP3 player is unusual, and I’m not sure how well fitness gadget fans will like it.
I prefer devices that provide visual feedback. This is why I use things like the
Garmin Forerunner 201 for outdoor running and
Polar S-720i as a cycling computer and heart rate monitor. While the Philips Nike MP3Run clearly has a display, the device itself is meant to be strapped onto the arm or the waist. This means I won’t be able to glance at it quickly.
The audible feedback discussed in the review may not help sell the product. This is the kind of thing that goes over well with friends and family when you are showing them the device for the first time. I can’t say whether you will want to have your music stop to hear a disembodied voice say something like “1.4 miles at 8:50 per mile” more than a couple of dozen times. I probably won’t. On the other hand, a device like MP3Run may be really helpful to visually impared people who use treadmills.
Will this MP3 player provide connectivity for a training log as well as a music library? That could make it more useful. Some people may want to run with only their music on their minds and passively collect performance data for future analysis. Nike has done excellent software for the Triax Elite, but it is both a heart rate monitor and a speed and distance monitor.
I’ll keep an eye out for more news on the MP3Run, and I’ll link to what I find on Operation Gadget.