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iPod Running with the new Nano 6G and Nike+

B

BrennerM

macrumors regular
Original poster
Jun 17, 2010
243
22
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada
I went for my first run with the new Nano 6G and Nike+. My impressions:
- the light weight is awesome for running (see attached pic of my old Nano 2G setup vs the new one). The Nike+ dongle doesn't really add much weight.
- pausing the workout is tolerable (press sleep/wake, then hit pause icon) but would be better with a hard button for play/pause
- would prefer if the nano had an option to leave the screen on all the time. It might eat battery more but it would be nice to see run progress as you go instead of having to hit the sleep/wake button all the time
- Note: whenever you hit sleep/wake during the run the voice comes on and tells you your run progress which is OK (you can turn off spoken feedback in settings if desired)

Overall the size of the new nano is so great it overrides any control issues. Nike+ worked like a charm measuring my distance (as it always has).

Anyone else have thoughts after running with the new Nano?

Nanos.JPG
 
Testing

I noticed that the last two generations could shake and shuffle songs. I did not find that appealing when running with the iPod nano 4th generation not locked. Does the new nano shuffle if shaken?

Is the clip on the new nano reliable? Is strong enough to stay on the band or attacked to your shirt and shorts?
 
There is an option to turn off "shake to shuffle"...that way it doesn't trigger while running.

I find the clip holds with no problem at all on my wrist and obviously it is moving a lot while running. The device is so incredibly light that it doesn't take much to keep it in one place.
 
I'm very disappointed that you need the dongle - I'd rather use the dongle for Bluetooth audio - the Apple staff even told me it was built in and I didn't need a dongle.

How is running with a wire attached to your arm?
 
I've always run with the device on my wrist (see photo of my old 2G nano). I just feed the headphone cable down through my collar and out my shirt sleeve. I've never had any problem running this way, it just takes a second to get the cable tension set so that it doesn't flop around too much and it isn't too tight that it is restrictive.
 
Okay cool - I'll have to try that - I'm still thinking I'd rather go wireless and loose the Nike Plus ability - perhaps there is a headphone bt adapter rather than a dock one I could use ...
 
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If you use the headphones with controls you should be able to get spoken feedback through clicking on those, however, that may be just as irritating as hitting the sleep/wake.

I would have liked a physical pause button. Even if they just made it a double click of the sleep/wake. Maybe we can get that in a software/firmware update.

I hadn't thought of clipping it onto a wrist strap upside down and feeding the dongle and headphone away from you. Why did you go that way as opposed to having them point to you?
 
The ideal would be to have the headphone port facing directly up your arm but this would require a sideways clip (i.e. a special watch band made for the nano to be sideways). I clipped mine upside down because I preferred the headphone port to be on the left side. If it is right-side-up, the headphone port is in the bottom right and then you have to route the cord past the nano to go up your arm. It could get in the way when you are trying to push buttons or use the screen.

Since you can rotate the nano screen in any direction this worked great for me.
 
Cool function! I have never used this function! If I want it, I should go to buy a pair of Nike?
 
You do not need Nike shoes to use Nike+. You can buy a pouch at your local running store that holds the sensor by attaching to your shoelaces on one shoe. Pouches are about $3-$10. Obviously you also need the Nike+ Sport kit which most running stores will carry as well (or you can buy it from Apple). It is about $30.

Sample image of a shoe pouch:
shoe_pouch_main.jpg


If you do want to buy Nike+ shoes, they have a built-in spot for the sensor underneath the removable insole. I would say that most "real runners" would not recommend Nike shoes, but it is your choice.

Note that you can also buy a Polar WearLink+ heart monitor and it will also work with the Nike+ kit to measure your heart rate.
 
BrennerM said:
You do not need Nike shoes to use Nike+. You can buy a pouch at your local running store that holds the sensor by attaching to your shoelaces on one shoe. Pouches are about $3-$10. Obviously you also need the Nike+ Sport kit which most running stores will carry as well (or you can buy it from Apple). It is about $30.

Sample image of a shoe pouch:
shoe_pouch_main.jpg


If you do want to buy Nike+ shoes, they have a built-in spot for the sensor underneath the removable insole. I would say that most "real runners" would not recommend Nike shoes, but it is your choice.

Note that you can also buy a Polar WearLink+ heart monitor and it will also work with the Nike+ kit to measure your heart rate.
Click to expand...

Wow...thank you for your information, I spent more time on walking fastly instand of running. Did Nike+ still work for me? whatever, I think Nano 6Gis really match Nike+ from the shape.
 
Hi all,

For what its worth I've had been using Nike+ pretty much since it came out and loved it. Recently switched to a Garmin forerunner to track my runs and I have to say its in a completely different league. If you are any kind of geeky about wanting to track your performance then the forerunner gives you SO much more and as it is GPS based more accurately too.
I think Nike have been really lazy with development of Nike+. With the exception of new fancy graphics the functionality is pretty much the same as it was 3 years ago when it was launched. The Garmin has some great functionality that I really love such as being able to set up runs as courses so you can track your performance against a regular route. You can even compete against your personal best and it will show you how far or behind you are against yourself in real time on the device. The only thing I miss about Nike+ are the in ear countdowns and distance announcements and the ability to select a powersong. Still use my nano of course but now its tucked away in a pocket for music only.
At the risk of sounding like an advert for Garmin its worth a look if you like to track your running stats. The basic model is cheaper than an ipod (about £100 in the UK) It might look like an 80's throwback Casio digital watch but it has given me renewed motivation in my running.
 
Wasn't the dongle built into the 4th and 5th gen nanos? I thought that the only nanos that used the actual dongle were the 2nd and 3rd gen.
 
chapmac said:
At the risk of sounding like an advert for Garmin its worth a look if you like to track your running stats. The basic model is cheaper than an ipod (about £100 in the UK) It might look like an 80's throwback Casio digital watch but it has given me renewed motivation in my running.
Click to expand...

I totally agree, if you are a serious runner and value tracking stats you should look at a GPS device. Note you will still need to carry an iPod if you want music since Garmin (stupidly) has yet to release a GPS with MP3 capability. Not sure what they are waiting for, seems like an obvious idea to me!

However for a casual runner who already has a nano, they can get some basic distance functionality for only about $30 with Nike+ and only have to carry the one tiny device. When calibrated I've found it to be virtually as accurate as a GPS (my wife runs marathons and has a Garmin and we sometimes run together and compare stats).
 
Padraig said:
Wasn't the dongle built into the 4th and 5th gen nanos? I thought that the only nanos that used the actual dongle were the 2nd and 3rd gen.
Click to expand...

I thought that too, but apparently only the Touches and iPhone 3GS and 4 have had it built-in.
 
rgarjr said:
How big is that Nike+ chip that it wouldn't fit inside the nano? It does suck having that dongle almost the size of the device connected.
Click to expand...

Agreed, it would have been nice to see it built, especially in place of the pedometer, and I am guess in a year or two it might possibly be. But they really did pack a lot in there, and as disappointing as it is not to have, the dongle doesn't end up being that big a deal. The biggest downside for me is having to remember to plug it back in after taking it off to sync. My wife gets half way down the block on a pre-run stretch before she realizes that she forgot the dongle, and at that point just says, forget it, not going back.
 
Just a heads up, if you're thinking of using the built-in pedometer alone: it's total crap. On the same route, over the course of 3 days, it registered: 2500 steps, 2400 steps, then 749 steps (all walking, not running). I'm making a guess that the Nike+ is considerably more accurate?
 
Because Nike+ uses a foot sensor it is much more accurate than a basic pedometer. I would imagine that the key to the pedometer is attaching it In the right spot so that it registers your "bounce" as you step, but even then you could get variability.
 
My wife would really like the JayBird SB2 Sportband Bluetooth Headphones, and could use it with the iSport adapter with her 2G Nano or a new 6G Nano when I get her one. But it is a real bummer that they didn't incorporate the Nike+ receiver into the new Nano, because she obviously can run with Nike+ on the Nano and use the BT headphones.

She's really wanted some wireless headphones for quite some time and would never have cared for the RocketFish I have or the Motorola's, both styles which wrap behind your head, and she isn't a huge fan of buds, so the new JayBird BlueBuds and those Sony Ericsson BT buds aren't her thing, but I think she would really like the Sportband.
 
I would skip the Nike plus or the garmin and just get the motionX app for your iPhone. It does everything the other two do and more. Also, a cheap arm band with the iPhone is not intrusive and provides me with a way to communicate with someone, emergency (God forbid), if I need to when running. I use it. Works great.

Being new to running, the sport confuses me. I'm no expert, but my second rate shoes do fine and I don't overly scrutinize my equipment and I do just fine. It's running. Enough with the shoe fittings and Nike + and heart rate crap. Just run. I'm four months deep and I'm just a bodybuilder meathead and I run distance better than people who waste time and money on all this garbage.
 
eye said:
I would skip the Nike plus or the garmin and just get the motionX app for your iPhone. It does everything the other two do and more. Also, a cheap arm band with the iPhone is not intrusive and provides me with a way to communicate with someone, emergency (God forbid), if I need to when running. I use it. Works great.
Click to expand...

I have an arm band that holds my iphone, but it's big, uncomfortable, bulky, and the thing slips around far too much for me. YMMV (your mileage may vary), but after multiple attempts, it just doesn't work for me.
 
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