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Threads: [ Previous | Next ] Nike+ SportBand FAQ Posted: Apr 17, 2008 5:18 PM USING YOUR NIKE+ SPORTBAND What does the Nike+ SportBand do? The Nike+ SportBand records your distance, pace, time and calories burned while you run. When you’re done, connect the Nike+ SportBand Link to your computer and go to nikeplus.com, where you can track your runs, set goals, challenge others, and much more. How do I use it as a watch? You can use your Nike+ SportBand as a watch when it’s not recording a workout. When you connect the Nike+ SportBand Link to a USB port, the time and date will automatically be set to the current time and date on your computer. You can also adjust the time manually by going to the TIME tab in the Nike+ Utility. What’s the best way to wear my Nike+ SportBand? For the best viewing angle while you run, wear it with the display on the inside of your wrist. Will my Nike+ SportBand work with my iPod nano? No. The SportBand listens to your shoe sensor, but won’t communicate with your iPod nano. You can record your runs, and send them to nikeplus.com, just like you do with your iPod nano and the Nike + iPod Sport Kit. Can I use it right away? Before you go for a run using the Nike+ SportBand you’ll need to: 1. Install the Nike+ Utility from www.nikeplus.com/downloads. 2. Set-up and charge your Nike+ SportBand Link. 3. Insert the included sensor in a Nike+ ready shoe. 4. Walk around while you press and hold the top button for 3 seconds. 5. Press the top button once more, and go for a run! Is the Nike+ SportBand Link pre-paired with the sensor? Yes, the sensor that comes with your Nike+ SportBand is already linked to that SportBand. If you want to link to a different sensor, press and hold the Toggle button (on the side) for 3 seconds anytime you’re not recording a run. Is my Nike+ SportBand pre-charged? It might not be. Plug the SportBand Link into a USB port on your computer to wake it up, then wait for 2 hours while it charges completely. Remember to download and install the Nike+ Utility software first from www.nikeplus.com/downloads using your web browser. Can I use a Mac formatted Nike+ SportBand Link on a Windows PC, or vice versa? Yes, it will work with a PC or a Mac. To use it on both, download and install the Nike+ Utility to each computer, separately. Go to www.nikeplus.com/downloads and install the software. Software Requirements: Nike+ Utility software. To download, go to www.nikeplus.com/downloads A Macintosh with built-in USB. Mac OSX v10.4.8 or later or A PC with built-in USB or a USB card installed. Windows XP Home or Professional (SP2) or later, or Windows Vista (32-bit only; Vista 64-bit not supported). Internet access. Broadband is recommended; fees may apply. Use subject to software license. How do I upload my runs to nikeplus.com? After recording one run, or many, you can send your workout info to nikeplus.com, where you can track your progress, set goals, challenge others and much more. 1. After recording a run or runs, remove the SportBand Link and connect it to a USB port on a computer installed with the Nike+ Utility. Note: Only one SportBand Link can be managed at a time. 2. The Nike+ Utility will automatically launch and upload your run info to nikeplus.com 3. Your web browser will open automatically, and take you to nikeplus.com. Meanwhile, the message “All runs have been uploaded” will appear in the main window of the Nike+ Utility. 4. At nikeplus.com, you can track your progress, enter virtual races, challenge your friends and much more. Note: If no internet connection is detected, the main window of the Nike+ Utility will show you the message “No internet connection is available.” Click the Try Again button to try reconnecting. If an internet connection is not available, or nikeplus.com does not respond, the Nike+ Utility will queue your runs in the computer for upload at a later time, and will clear your SportBand’s memory so you can record more runs. You won’t see these queued runs on www.nikeplus.com until you’ve plugged the SportBand Link into a USB port on your computer, and have successfully established an internet connection. Where can I find a user’s manual? www.nikeplus.com/downloads DOWNLOADING AND INSTALLING THE NIKE+ UTILITY How do I download the software? Before you start using your Nike+ SportBand, you must download and install the Nike+ Utility in your computer. Important: Do not connect the Nike+ SportBand Link to the USB port of your computer until you download and install the Nike+ Utility. 1. Go to www.nikeplus.com/downloads 2. Download the Nike+ Utility Installer. 3. Launch the Nike+ Utility Installer, then follow the instructions. How do I use the settings in the Nike+ Utility? Click the “i” button in the lower right-hand corner to customize the settings on the SportBand Link. There are three tabs in the settings window: User, Time and Calibration. How do I make updates to the Nike+ Utility and my Nike+ SportBand? It’s easy to keep your Nike+ SportBand and Nike+ Utility up-to-date, and get access to the most recent Nike+ features. When updates are available, a message in the main window will automatically appear the next time you connect. When Nike+ Utility updates are available, a message in the main window will say “A Nike+ Utility update is available. Would you like to download the Installer?” Clicking the OK button will take you to nikeplus.com, where you can download the update. When updates to the Nike+ SportBand Link are available, a message in the main window will say, “A firmware update is available. Would you like to download and install it now?” To make the update, click the OK button and follow the instructions. Important: Do not disconnect the SportBand Link while the update is happening, or it won’t be successful. Can I download and install the Nike+ Utility on more than one computer? Yes, you can install it on as many different computers as you like. Your user information is stored on your SportBand Link, so you can connect to any computer installed with the Utility, and send your data to www.nikeplus.com. USING THE NIKE+ UTILITY’S USER TAB How do I log-in or join Nike+? If you’re already a member of Nike+, click the button and log-in. If you want to join Nike+, click the Join Nike+ button and follow the instructions. (After you join or log-in, these buttons will disappear.) How do I enter my username? Your username will automatically appear as Guest until you log-in or join Nike+. You can simply use guest and still track your runs on nikeplus.com, but joining allows you to enter virtual races, challenge your friends and much more. If you’re already a member of Nike+, go ahead and click the log-in button, as described above. How do I enter my weight, in order to can track calories burned? To track the calories burned while you run, you’ll need to enter your current weight. In the User tab, type in your weight, then use the pop-up menu to choose pounds or kilograms. Update your weight as needed, to keep the calorie count accurate. Note: If you don’t enter your weight in the User tab, your Nike+ SportBand will display “----” in place of the numbers of calories burned, while recording your run. How do I set the units of distance? In the User tab, you can set the units of distance to miles or kilometers. The default setting is for miles, but you can use the pop-up menu to change the units to kilometers. USING THE NIKE+ UTILITY’S TIME TAB How do I set the time? When you connect the Nike+ SportBand Link to a USB port, the time and date will automatically be set to the current time and date on your computer. Here’s how you can adjust the time manually. Click on the Time tab, then click on “Manually set the time and date.” Now you can use the up and down buttons to adjust the time or date. In addition, you can click the box “Use 24-hour time” for 24-hour time mode. To customize more settings, select another tab. When you’re finished, click the Done button. This will save your changes, close the settings window, and take you back to the Nike+ Utility main window. USING YOUR NIKE+ SPORTBAND DURING A RUN What does each button on the Nike+ SportBand do? Use the Record button, on top, to connect to the sensor by pressing and holding it for 3 seconds. Press it to start recording, pause recording, and resume recording. Press and hold it for 3 seconds to stop recording a run. Use the Toggle button, on the side, to cycle through your distance, pace, time and calories burned, while you run. After your run, use it show the current time, and to review your last run, your last weeks’ miles (or kilometers) and your total miles (or kilometers). How do I use the Nike+ SportBand Link to record my run? After your SportBand Link is charged, and you’ve customized settings in the Utility, disconnect the Link from the USB port on your computer, and place it back in the SportBand. 1. Make sure the sensor is in your shoe. If not, lift the insole of the left shoe, remove the foam insert from the pocket underneath, and replace it with the sensor, logo side up. 2. Remove the SportBand Link from your computer and place it back in your band. 3. Establish the connection between the SportBand and your shoe sensor. Press and hold the Record button on the top of the SportBand for a full 3 seconds. A blinking shoe icon will appear in the upper left hand corner of the display, while it connects to your shoe sensor. The display will show the words “WALK TO RUN.” Walk around, and make sure your shoe sensor is sending a signal. When the connection is ready, the shoe icon will stop blinking. Note: Be sure to walk around, and allow the shoe sensor to send a signal to your SportBand. If you don’t walk, the display will blink “0.00” for 30 seconds, then automatically go to the current time of day. 4. To start recording your run, simply press the Record button (on the top) one more time. A bar will animate across the bottom of the display, indicating that the SportBand is recording. Note: Press, but don’t hold and press, the Record button to start recording. If you press and hold the button, your run will automatically end, and your info won’t get recorded. 5. Start running! How do I pause a run? During a run, Press the Record button (on top) to put recording on pause. When you pause a recording, the bar at the bottom of the screen will stop animating, and the numbers will blink. You can still cycle through your run metrics using the Toggle button (on the side). To resume recording, press the Record button again. The numbers will stop blinking and the bar will animate along the bottom of the display. How do I end a run? Press and hold the Record button (on the top) for 3 seconds to stop the recording, and end your run. Your SportBand will display the word “END”. Then the display will show you a review of the metrics you just recorded. The review will display the metrics twice, then stop exit to “TIME”, showing the current time of day. What happens if the connection to the sensor gets lost? The connection to your shoe sensor might get lost while you’re recording a run. You’ll know the connection is lost if you see a shoe icon that blinks or turns off all together. If the connection to the sensor is lost for 30 seconds, your Nike+ SportBand automatically starts a 25-minute countdown. If you start running again before the 25-minute countdown ends, the SportBand connects back to the sensor, and recording automatically resumes. The recording will not have been interrupted. If you stop running for longer than 25 minutes, the recording automatically pauses, and the most recent display metric blinks. To resume recording, you must manually press the Record button (on the top) again, and start running. If 5 minutes pass and you haven’t pressed the Record button to resume recording your run, the SportBand will stop recording, and automatically end your workout. REVIEWING RUNS ON YOUR NIKE+ SPORTBAND How do I review my runs? 1. From the current time display, press the Toggle button (on the side) once to review your last run. The word “LAST” will appear, followed by your most recent run info: distance, pace, time, then calories burned. It cycles through these run metrics twice, then stops at distance. 2. To review the distance you’ve run in the past week (Sunday at 12:00am to Saturday at 11:59pm), press the Toggle button (on the side) again. The word “WEEK” appears, followed by your distance (in miles or kilometers). 3. To review the total number of miles recorded, press the Toggle button one more time. The letters “TOTL”, short for total, appears, followed by your total miles or kilometers recorded with the SportBand so far. Can I link my Nike+ SportBand with another sensor? If so, how? Your SportBand comes already linked to a sensor, but you can link it with up to 8 sensors. This is a great option to have if you workout in more than one pair of shoes. Press and hold the Toggle button (on the side) for 3 seconds and walk around to activate the sensor. If only one active sensor is present, a blinking “LINK” message will appear. The linking is complete once the “OK” message has been there for 5 seconds. The SportBand can only link to one new shoe sensor at a time. If it detects too many unlinked sensors, the display will show “WALK AWAY”. Walk around to allow the SportBand to establish the link to the sensor in the shoes you’re wearing. When the sensor is detected the “LINK” message will appear, followed by “OK”. Important: You can only link up to a total of eight different sensors. If you link to a 9th sensor, the link to the 1st sensor will be deleted. What do “LAST”, “WEEK” and “TOTL” show me? The Review loop happens after a run ends on the “TIME” screen, showing you the current time of day. Press the Toggle button (on the side) to see a review of your “LAST” run (the loop will play twice, then stop at your distance). Press Toggle again to see your weekly miles or kilometers (Sunday at 12:01am to Sunday at 12:00am). Push the Toggle button one more time to see the total miles recorded on your SportBand. One last push of the Toggle button will take you back to the time of day. CHARGING THE NIKE+ SPORTBAND BATTERY How do I recharge my Nike+ SportBand Link? After the Nike+ Utility is installed, take the Link out of the SportBand and connect it to a USB port on your computer. The Nike+ Utility will launch automatically. When you connect the SportBand Link to your computer, the battery will begin to charge. For best results, charge it for about 2 hours or until the battery icon shows that the battery is fully charged. How long will it take to fully charge the battery? It takes at least 2 hours for the battery to fully charge. You can charge it by connecting it to your computer’s USB port. The battery will last for approximately 14 hours of run time before it needs to be recharged. While charging in a USB port, the SportBand Link’s display will show the message “CHRG”. When the battery is full, the message will change to “FULL”. Check the battery charge any time using the Nike+ Utility. Simply look at the icon in the lower-left corner of the main window, or check the status using the main menu. Another way to check the battery is to look at the icon on the SportBand Link’s display. The battery icon will change from empty to full, to indicate the amount of charge left on the battery. How long will the battery last? Battery life is dependent on many factors, including the frequency of runs being recorded, and the temperature. Average usage should allow for up 14 hours of recording time, before you need to recharge it. How will I know when the battery is getting low? A battery icon, in the upper right-hand side of the SportBand Link display, will show you your battery level. What does “LOW BATT” mean? If you aren’t recording a run, and the battery charge is low, the battery icon on the SportBand Link’s display will look like an outline containing just one segment. If the battery is low, and you press and hold the Record button (on the top) for 3 seconds to start a run, the words “BATT LOW” (for battery low) will blink twice. While you’ll still be able to start recording your run, you’ll only have approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes of recording time left. Why can’t I start a workout when “BATT” is displayed? If the battery has reached a critical stage, and you press and hold the Record button (on the top) for three seconds to start recording a run, the word “BATT” will blink three times before exiting to the time of day. The battery icon will show its outline only on the SportBand display. You won’t be able to start recording a run until you recharge it. CALIBRATING YOUR NIKE+ SPORTBAND How can I make my sensor more accurate? The Nike+ SportBand is accurate for most runners, even without calibration. You can improve the accuracy by calibrating for running and walking, separately. For best overall accuracy, calibrate for both. Establish a calibration run or walk. Run or walk a known distance at a steady, natural pace. A running track is a good place for calibration runs and walks, because measured distances are marked for you. Any run or walk over 0.25mi (or 0.4km) can be used for calibration, as long as you don’t mix running and walking. Note: Only your “LAST” run will appear in the calibration tab. We suggest you go home and calibrate after you run your measured distance without recording another run on the SportBand. This way. all future runs will be calibrated to your own running style. Calibration won’t be possible if you combine running and walking. Next, remove the SportBand Link and connect it to a USB port on your computer. Click the “i” button in the lower right-hand corner of the main window and when the Settings Window appears, click on the Calibration tab. If you’ve successfully completed a calibration run or walk, the date and distance of the run or walk will appear. If you didn’t run or walk the correct distance, or if you mixed running with walking, the message that “no walks or runs were useful” will appear. Repeat the process until a calibration run or walk is successful. If the Calibration tab shows a useful calibration run or walk, you can adjust the distance and improve accuracy. For example, if you know you ran exactly a mile, but the Calibration tab setting shows that you ran just over or just under a mile, you can make adjustments manually using the up and down buttons. Your Nike+ SportBand can store calibration information for up to 8 sensors. You’ll need to calibrate for each new sensor. Important: Before you calibrate a second time, you must first reset your run or walk in the Calibration tab settings. Click the Reset button to return back to the original factory calibration settings. This will improve the accuracy of subsequent calibrations. Note: Even after calibrating, the accuracy of the distance measurements may vary depending on gait, running surface, incline, or temperature. Note: Calibrating for your target “race pace” will give you even better accuracy on race day. To customize more settings, select another tab. When you’re finished, click the Done button. This will save your changes, close the settings window, and take you back to the Nike+ Utility main window. ABOUT THE NIKE+ SPORTBAND MEMORY How much run data can my Nike+ SportBand store? The SportBand stores up to 30 hours of run info (approximately 1 month of running 1 hour a day). If you aren’t recording a run, the “MEM LOW” message will appear on the display when there is approximately 1 hour of recording time left. You can still go for a run, but the memory will only record for approximately 1 more hour. If you press and hold the Record button (on top) to start a run, and the memory has reached its full capacity, the “MEM FULL” message will blink twice before exiting to the current time of day. You cannot record a run when the memory is full. If the memory reaches its full capacity while you’re recording a run, the SportBand will continue recording but will only save the last measurement taken when you end your run. In the nikeplus.com site you’ll see a flat line for this period but you’ll still be able to record the total distance of your run. To free-up the memory, connect your SportBand Link to the USB port of a computer installed with the Nike+ Utility. All of your recorded runs will be uploaded to nikeplus.com, and the memory will be freed to record more runs. What does “MEM LOW” or “MEM FULL” mean? The “MEM LOW” message appears when there is about 1 hour of recording time left. When the memory is full, the message “MEM FULL” will blink on the display. Can I store music or other files on my Nike+ SportBand Link? No. The only data that can be stored on the SportBand Link is run data transmitted from the shoe sensor. RESETTING THE NIKE+ SPORTBAND How do I reset the Nike+ SportBand Link back to the original factory settings? If you want to reset all the settings back to the original factory defaults, click the More Options button in the User tab. When you click the Reset button, a dialog will appear. If you click OK, all of the settings will be set back to factory settings. You’ll need to log-in again. Make sure it’s something you really want to do, because this action can’t be undone. It will clear your user settings, time, calibration information and “total” distance numbers, and you’ll need to customize your settings again. When you’re finished, click the Done button. This will save your changes, close the settings window, and take you back to the Nike+ Utility’s main window. My Nike+ SportBand isn’t responding. What do I do? If the SportBand isn’t responding, you can try restarting, or unfreezing, it. Press and hold the Record and the Toggle buttons at the same time for 10 seconds, in any mode. Note: If you reset the SportBand while you’re running, the recording will automatically stop. The metrics recorded up until the time of the freeze should be safe. Note: You can’t reset, or unfreeze, the SportBand Link if it’s connected to a USB port on your computer. Is it possible for my run data to get lost? In most cases, your run data will be safe. You can activate a soft Reset by pressing and holding the two buttons on your SportBand for 10 seconds. Your weekly miles, or kilometers, will be cleared, but your runs, calibration and total distance information will be saved. The Nike+ Utility will clear the memory on your SportBand, and queue your runs for upload, if no internet connection is found. These runs won’t be shown on www.nikeplus.com until you’ve established an internet connection. NIKE+ SPORTBAND WARRANTY, SERVICE AND SUPPORT What can I do if my Nike+ SportBand doesn’t work? While the majority of consumers are satisfactorily using Nike+ SportBand for their training regimens, we have asked retailers to exchange any non-functioning units or provide a refund if the product is no longer in stock. For additional information please click on the “Customer Service” link found in the bottom navigation bar on nikeplus.com. NIKE+ SPORTBAND SPECIFICATIONS Can I wear my Nike+ SportBand in the pool or in the shower? The SportBand water resistance is 5ATM, which means it can withstand 50 meters of pressure (NOT depth). In other words, the SportBand can be used while showering, in the rain, or while swimming in shallow water. ATTENTION: Water damage may occur if the buttons are pressed underwater. ATTENTION: Hot steam may cause damage to the product. Do not wear in a steaming shower, spa or hot tub. ATTENTION: Product should be rinsed thoroughly in fresh water after being exposed to salt water. What is the Nike+ SportBand made of? The buckle is made of stainless steel. The case is polycarbonate, and the strap is polyurethane. USING THE SENSOR How do I link the Nike+ SportBand to another sensor? Your SportBand is already linked to the sensor it was packaged with, but you can link it with up to eight sensors. This is a great option to have if you workout in more than one pair of shoes. Press and hold the Toggle button (on the side) for 3 seconds and walk around to activate the sensor. A blinking LINK message will appear. The linking is complete once the OK message has appeared for 5 seconds. The SportBand can only link to one new sensor at a time. If it detects too many unlinked sensors, the display shows “WALK AWAY” until only one sensor is detected. Important: You can only link up to a total of eight different sensors. If you link to a 9th, the link to the 1st sensor will automatically be deleted. Can I buy the Nike+ SportBand without the extra sensor? No. The Nike+ SportBand is currently sold as a complete kit which includes the band, the Link and the sensor. What can I do with an extra sensor, if I already have one? Your Nike+ SportBand can store calibration information for up to 8 sensors. You can use multiple sensors, calibrated for different activities: running and walking, training running pace and race day pace. This means you can use your SportBand with up to 8 different pairs of shoes. Do I need special sneakers to make the sensor work? You’ll need a pair of Nike+ ready shoes, which have a specially engineered pocket in the midsole of the shoe for the sensor. ABOUT THE SENSOR’S BATTERY LIFE What is the battery life of the sensor? The sensor contains a non-replaceable battery with a life of more than 1000 active hours. The sensor has a sophisticated built-in power management system, which means that it only consumes power when it’s active (that is, when it senses motion). How can I save the battery life on my sensor? You can leave the sensor in your shoe when you aren’t working out, but if you plan to wear your shoes for a long time without working out, we recommend replacing the sensor with the foam insert to save battery life. The sensor is awake and on by default. If you want to store the sensor for a long period of time or make it stop transmitting, you can put it to sleep or take it out of your shoe. To put the sensor to sleep or to wake it up, use a pen or a paper clip to press and hold the sleep/wake button for three seconds. Important: Put the sensor to sleep before taking it on an aircraft, to comply with applicable government regulations. SENSOR CARE AND WARRANTY Is the sensor waterproof? The sensor has been engineered and tested to ensure that it works well in a full range of environments. It’s been designed for active outdoor use, so it can withstand sweat, puddles, and soggy shoes. What do I do if I lose or break the sensor? Go to www.nikeplus.com/downloads to find all warranty and service details. Where can I get another sensor? You can buy a replacement sensor at www.nikestore.com or at www.apple.com What shouldn’t I do with the sensor? Warning: The sensor is a potential choking hazard. Keep it away from children under three years of age. Important: Don’t attempt to open the sensor, disassemble it, or remove the battery. No user-serviceable parts are inside. Back to all FAQs Threads: [ Previous | Next ]