Nike and Polar have joined forces to introduce the Polar WearLink+. This new product works in tandem with the Nike+ SportBand and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit, enabling Nike+ users to run and train with heart rate monitoring for the first time.
"We are delighted to enter into this partnership with Nike," said Marco Suvilaakso, Group Product Director at Polar. "Polar and Nike are both market leading global sports brands. Nike users around the globe can now benefit for the first time from pioneering Polar heart rate monitoring technology. It will add a new dimension to their training, enabling them to train at the right intensity to achieve their goals. We anticipate this will be a very popular product."
The Polar WearLink+ that works with Nike+, will be available from June 2010 in the US, followed by Canada and major EU countries from the beginning of July. On sale through authorised Polar retailers, Nike-owned retail stores and through the Apple Store (www.apple.com), the Polar WearLink+ is sold as a Polar accessory set with a user manual. Compatible Polar training computers can be purchased separately.
“We are excited to introduce Polar heart rate technology into the Nike+ system so millions of enthusiastic users can take their training and performance to the next level," added Jeff Padovan, President of Polar USA. "Being able to partner with industry leaders like Nike and Apple who share our passion for sports and technology allows us to deliver what the consumer has asked for by providing the best each company has to offer all in one product."
The Polar WearLink+ is worn comfortably around the chest and transmits the user’s heart rate wirelessly to their Nike+ iPod Sport Kit or SportBand. Users can see their beats per minute while they run with their Nike+ SportBand, or hear spoken feedback of their BPM during their Nike+ iPod workout. And after training, heart rate data can be transferred to the nikeplus.com web service. Users can track how long they ran in their target heart rate zone and see their heart rate progress over time.
The new Nike+ compatible Polar WearLink+ is also compatible with most Polar training computers (all those using 5 kHz transmission technology). This allows use of both the Nike+ system and a Polar training computer at the same time. The Polar WearLink+ is also compatible with the fifth generation iPod nano and the Nike+ iPod Sport Kit.
The soft textile chest strap seamlessly adapts to the user’s body shape, bringing full freedom of movement to the training session. The comfortable textile strap is also machine-washable and with its hook mechanism, the transmitter is just as quick to put on as it is to take off. A user replaceable battery also increases usability.
In addition, the Polar WearLink+ can work with Polar-compatible fitness equipment, including models from all major fitness equipment manufacturers. This enables users wearing the WearLink+ transmitter to see their heart rate on the compatible fitness club equipment as well. The coded transmission ensures that Nike+ devices and Polar training computers pick up the right heart rate signal and not someone else’s.
