Apple, Nike Give iPod A Workout

A sports kit that enables runners to track their progress via an Apple iPod connected to their running shoes was introduced Thursday by Apple Computer and Nike Inc. The kit is the first product to result from the recent establishment a business partnership by the two firms.

Called the Nike+iPod Sport Kit, the solution enables Nike footwear to communicate with Apple iPod Nanos through sensors in the shoes and receivers in the Nano.

"The Nike+iPod Sport Kits allows the runner to receive audible updates on speed, distance and calories burned upon request throughout the run," the companies said.

The kit will be available from both firms' retail outlets and from selected resellers. A website, www.nikeplus.com, will operate in conjunction with the kit, providing runners with training logs, interaction with other runners, and links to music and coaching tools, the firms said.

The Nike+iPod Sport Kit retails for $29 and will be compatible with a family of Nike shoes that retail for $80 to $100.