Reebok has reached a settlement with the FTC told to be worth $25 million in customer refunds concerning its EasyTone and RunTone Shoes. The FTC charges Reebok “deceptively advertised ‘toning shoes,’ which it claimed would provide extra tone and strength to the leg and buttock muscles.” As part of the settlement agreement Reebok will pay $25 million. The funds will go toward consumer refunds either directly from the FTC or through a court-approved class action lawsuit. Continue reading EasyTone and Reebok’s Shapely Settlement With FTC
Are Football Helmets and Other Protective Gear Still Short of Goal Line?
Football season – including Professional, College and High School – is well underway, and beyond upsets and surprising victories, much of the talk this year continues to be about the helmets. NBC Sports noted last week that Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Michael Vick was looking to have his helmet re-fitted by Riddell, shifting from a Schutt helmet, possibly the version he wore when he suffered a concussion against the Atlanta Falcons.
Vick reported looked to have his helmet re-fitted by Unequal Technology, which would use Kevlar to “disburse the effects of a blow to the helmet.” It was also reported that while this technology is new to the gridiron it has been used in hockey helmet and of course in the military.
This reporter, who has experience as the author of books and articles on actual military helmets, can attest that there is a difference in what Kevlar is designed to do. Kevlar is typically used in ballistic helmets, namely those meant to stop a bullet on a battlefield to save a wearer’s life (where a concussion would be preferable to death), and not for the brunt force trauma that one might experience on the playing field. Continue reading Are Football Helmets and Other Protective Gear Still Short of Goal Line?
Ford Unveils Radical Bike Concept With Formula One Tech
The big auto shows—Detroit, L.A., Tokyo, Geneva, etc.—are where car manufacturers show-off dreamy, almost-out-of-this world concepts; many will never make it into production, while some will morph into practical variants, but they showcase the direction a carmaker is taking and new technologies it is using. These concepts tend to be of the four-wheel variety, however, Ford’s newly unveiled vehicle at the Frankfurt Motor Show this month isn’t what’s usually shown on the show floor.
Behold Ford’s beautiful E-Bike Concept. It has the recognizable two-wheel frame of a traditional bicycle, yet it has lines and accents that evoke a modern car. According to Ford, the E-Bike is an exercise in translating Ford’s “design language” to a bicycle and demonstrating “Ford’s electric mobility competence.” Ford recognizes major growth in the electric bicycle market and sees e-bikes as a major part of urban transport in the future. Continue reading Ford Unveils Radical Bike Concept With Formula One Tech
And the Beat Goes On With Continuous Heart Rate Monitoring
The convergence of mobile devices and those for fitness and health looks to be a major focus at the upcoming CTIA Enterprise and Applications trade show to take place in San Diego next month. Valencell, a developer of mobile health and fitness technology, announced it will unveil new prototypes with extended capabilities that integrate next generation heart rate monitoring technology directly into music earbuds and headsets that millions of people already wear, helping consumers achieve their fitness goals while exercising or just going about everyday activities.
Valencell will showcase live demos on multiple platforms including Android and a new headset design for the iPhone, as presenters will be wearing units and showing mobile applications to demonstrate how this new licensable technology measures body metrics such as continuous heart rate, calories burned, distance and speed during use on a treadmill, stationary bike, and in other exercise scenarios.
“The mobile health industry is quickly emerging, creating a need to bridge the gap between consumer devices, fitness and health,” said Steven LeBoeuf, CEO and co-founder of Valencell. “We’re excited to showcase ways in which companies can easily integrate our technology into their products to connect consumers with their personalized health and fitness goals.”
The Valencell booth will be located in the Wireless Health Pavilion at CTIA Enterprise and Applications, which will take place at the San Diego Convention Center, October 11-13, 2011 in California.
Valencell Official Website
CTIA Enterprise and Applications Official Website
Golf Training Gets Mental
httpv://youtu.be/nOHa94jkqCk
Trying to improve your golf game might drive you “mental” as they say in the U.K., and as golf was born in Scotland we totally understand. But now you can improve your game by going mental in a totally good way, as in by using the Pro Mental Coach interactive program instead.
This program, which is based on neuroscience, is the world’s first mental coach of its time and was actually selected by the PGA Center for Learning & Performance. Users of the program undergo an initial assessment to determine mental game strengths and weaknesses. Following this assessment, the program customizes the appropriate “exergames” training routines based on the user’s skills. The proprietary, personalized Dynamic Intelligence System adapts difficulty level in real-time to ensure mental game training is optimized and the user gets maximum benefits in minimal training time. Continue reading Golf Training Gets Mental
Interbike 2011: Quintana Roo Kilo Carbon Time Trial Bicycle
Peter Suciu of KineticShift talks to Trey from Quintana Roo about the 2012 Kilo Carbon Time Trial bike. Trey gives the low down on why this affordable bike might be the way to go next season.
Sweat-proof Wallet Ready for Ride Along
The days of stuffing your pocket with your ID and emergency cash are over thanks to this low-profile wallet. Designed by Timbuk2 in conjunction with the Mission Cycling Club, the Mission Cycling Wallet is an athlete’s best friend. It’s thin and small enough to slide into a jersey pocket, but packs enough slots and storage for carrying cash, credit cards, ID, and even your smartphone.
The front panel features a clear window that lets you operate your touchscreen phone, whereas the wallet’s back panel houses numerous slots for your cards and ID. As an added bonus, a sealed zipper offers protection from excess sweat or the rogue rain shower while a small slot gives you access to your phone’s headphone jack.
Timbuk2 Official Website
[via The Gear Caster: Way Better Than a Ziploc Bag]
Hit the Stage and Dance (But Without Any Stars)
The latest trend in video game fitness seems to revolve around strutting your stuff on the dance floor – or basically in front of your TV. This week sees the release of Dance! It’s Your Stage from dtp young entertainment for the Sony PlayStation 3, Nintendo Wii and PC. It’s your Stage features 20 brand new tracks, recorded exclusively for the game, each with dynamic and exciting choreography from world renowned professional dance guru ‘Detlef D! Soost’.
Everybody dance now with this game, which offers full support for the PlayStation Move, Wii Balance Board and PC via the Xbox 360 controller and dance mat. The game takes place across 8 detailed locations (all of which are expandable through unlockable content) where you can select from a choice of 6 avatars with over 300 unique styling options. With Dance! It’s Your Stage you won’t be dancing with any stars, but at least you’ll be off the couch!
Celtek Let’s You Use Your Digits to Text
Touchscreen devices may rule our gadget world, but when it comes to outdoor sports, they’re the bane of our existence oftentimes forcing us to expose our digits to the harsh cold as we skip a track or answer a text. Fortunately, Celtek’s new line of Touchscreen Gloves will keep your hands warm while letting you fiddle with your favorite touch-sensitive devices. The company’s 2012 lineup, which promises to work with all touch-enabled devices, will offer gloves that come in three varieties: acrylic blended with silver, rip-stop nylon blended with silver, and leather with built-in nanotechnology — the latter of which will provide the most conductivity.
Celtek estimates pricing will range from $24.99 (youth size) to $59.99 (men’s size), with many models coming in at $49.99. The gloves will be targeted at all users from the snowboarder, to the runner, to the urban dweller who just wants to keep their hands warm while updating their Facebook status.
Celtek Official Website
[via Transworld Business: Celtek Broadens Its Horizons With Touchscreen Glove Technology]
Stylish Shades That Protect the Eyes Too
In addition to serving a purpose, which is to keep the sun out of the eyes, sunglasses are often required to look good in the process. Electric Visual accomplished the later with its new Knoxville line, and in the process actually provided a line of glasses that will block 100 percent of UV rays as well.
The glasses feature Electric’s mineral polarized lenses that utilize pure optical glass that provides visual clarity along with color brilliance and contrast. Thus the lenses are good in the sun and because of the polarized makeup, which features two glass wafers and film won’t distort image, making for improved sharpness of vision for the wearer. The design also makes these among the lightest glass polarized lenses available, and as noted they offer 100 percent UV protection. Continue reading Stylish Shades That Protect the Eyes Too
Interbike Partners With RTC For 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo
Don’t plan on flying home at the end of Interbike next year. For the 31st annual bicycle trade show you might want to stay the weekend and line up a bike to ride. Interbike’s organizers has announced that the trade show will partner next year with the Regional Transportation Commission of Southern Nevada (RTC) to bring more bicycle industry participation, in the form of sponsorship and exhibition opportunities, to the RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo.
The 2012 edition of Interbike will be held September 17-21, and the RTC 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo will take place immediately following the show on Saturday, Sept. 22. Continue reading Interbike Partners With RTC For 2012 Viva Bike Vegas Gran Fondo
Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training
There is no denying that the men and women in the American military get regular workouts. Basic training and regular training makes them lean, mean fighting machines in their own right. But once they’re deployed what are they to do? The same question can be asked for those who travel a lot, or just don’t have the time to hit the gym.
This fitness product was specifically designed to deliver Rotational Bodyweight Training to our troops and keep them in combat ready condition no matter where they go. Weighing less than five pounds, the result is a versatile, total body, fitness tool. So whether you work out of an office or (as the video below shows) out of a tank, you can still get a hardcore workout for your core.
Continue reading Made in America: Hard Core CrossCore Training
Interbike 2011: Kinetic Exhibitors
At Interbike this year, we at KineticShift.com couldn’t help but notice all the exhibitors with “Kinetic” in the name.
Kinetic by Kurt makes indoor trainers for your bike so you can keep pedaling through the winter. Kinetic’s Rock and Roll model takes some of the tedium out of the stationary bike conundrum by allowing for the bike to move or rock from side to side. It’s set up like any other trainer that connects to your rear wheel. Where the Rock and Roll differs, however, is that most trainers keep your bike stationary and unmovable. The Rock and Roll rocks your bike from side to side as you pedal. A Turntable Riser Ring holds your front wheel and lets you turn the bike as if you’re steering around a curve.
Since both wheels remain on the bike, expect your tires to get a certain amount of wear from a season on the trainer. More accurately, expect your tires to get a wear spot or bald spot from where the front tire sits, and the rear tire will get wear from friction where the tire rubs on the trainer. Because of this Kinetic by Kurt recommends using Trainer Tires. These indoor trainer tires are from Kinetic by Kenda.
Video after the jump: Continue reading Interbike 2011: Kinetic Exhibitors