PORTLAND, Ore. — Adidas and Samsung have teamed up for a new twist in training — a mobile phone that can coach.
The companies announced Thursday a mobile phone that works with Adidas shoes and apparel to plan, track and motivate users in training. The device directs and motivates users during workouts by combining a mobile phone, a heart-rate monitor, a stride sensor, an MP3 player and the voice of an electronic “personal coach.” MiCoach hits retail stores in Europe this month and the United States in 2009. It will cost $304 to $608 in Europe, depending on the service plan users select. U.S. pricing has not been set.
The new Adidas-Samsung collaboration is the latest of several tech-sport partnerships. Most comparable is the Nike+, a wireless system that allows Nike running shoes embedded with a sensor to communicate with Apple’s iPod Nano. An update this week allows users to plug their iPods into gym equipment and track their training there as well.
MiCoach is a bit more expansive because it includes a mobile phone and a camera. It also helps runners set goals and then reach them by monitoring their heart rates and telling them when to slow down or speed up to meet a goal for distance, fitness or calorie burn.
The sensor can be attached to any shoe.
