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Nike Releases a Self-Lacing "Back to the Future" Shoe, Restricts Sales to App Users

posted by cmn32480 on Friday March 18 2016, @07:57AM   Printer-friendly
from the we-don't-need-roads dept.

takyon writes:

Back to the Future II's rosy predictions of the future didn't include the mandatory surveillance required to buy a mechanical gadget:

Nike has unveiled its much-anticipated range of self-lacing shoes. It said the HyperAdapt trainers would be released to the public before the end of the year. A pair of Nike-branded shoes with self-tightening laces featured in the 1989 film Back to the Future II, but it was not until 2013 that the firm started trying to make real-world versions. In an unexpected move, the US firm has said that sales would be restricted to users of its apps.

While some might see the self-lacing function as being more gimmicky than useful, the tie-in to the Nike+ software will help the company promote other goods to those curious about HyperAdapt. Nike+ apps are currently focused on tracking data about users' activities and offering them training programmes. But from June, the platform will introduce personalised shopping recommendations and an online store. "Nike has lost a fair bit of traction recently to sportswear upstarts including Under Armour, which bought the MyFitnessPal app, and Asics, which has acquired Runkeeper," said Marc McLaren, online editor of Stuff, a tech-focused magazine. "This will help keep people engaged, and we can already see from the reaction our readers are having to the announcement that they are very excited by it."

All proceeds from the shoes that replicate the style of the ones in the film are being given to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research.

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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 18 2016, @11:30AM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 18 2016, @11:30AM (#319938)

    This is a novelty item. Sheesh. Lighten up, Francis.

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  • (Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 18 2016, @12:24PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Friday March 18 2016, @12:24PM (#319954)

    This is a novelty junk.

    FTFY.
    Netbooks were a novelty item, iPhone as well, there were people that could make use of it.
    I'll grant you, this is a novelty, but otherwise is junk.

    • (Score: 2) by LoRdTAW on Friday March 18 2016, @11:09PM

      by LoRdTAW (3755) on Friday March 18 2016, @11:09PM (#320217) Journal

      I would still like a netbook with 1200x800+ with a quad core AMD G SoC. Tablets are pretty much useless save for video watching, narcissistic facebook/instagram posting, and shitty games.

      • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 19 2016, @02:08AM

        by Anonymous Coward on Saturday March 19 2016, @02:08AM (#320263)

        768 pixels ought to be enough for anybody.