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Apple patent would let your shoes talk to your watch, iPhone

arstechnica.com — I was always fantasizing about a fully automated lifestyle, where gadgets magically power themselves. Finally, Apple may be working on letting users create their own personal networks with the help of radio frequency modules that will communicate amongst each other in order to maintain constant connectivity.

Who dugg this? Made popular Oct 26, 2008

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  • BrendanSheehan, on 10/24/2008, -1/+24Talking to your shoes like Nike + iPod ?
  • AmyVernon, on 10/24/2008, -4/+25"like, say, getting readings on your iPod about the abysmal condition of your running shoes." — because, say, looking at them wouldn't provide the same information?
  • inactive, on 10/25/2008, -11/+27Shoes: Hi. How are you?
    Watch: Fine, thanks.
    iPhone: I'M GHEY!!!!!!
    Shoes: ...
    Watch: ...
  • JRPereira, on 10/26/2008, -2/+15No no no, you've got it all wrong. Apple's patent would prevent everyone else from letting your shoes talk to your watch, iphone.
  • schmitey, on 10/26/2008, -0/+8Like most speculation, that seemed to say a lot without saying much.
  • WickEd101, on 10/25/2008, -7/+15I'm a PC and I have a beard.
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -3/+10Guys, stop posting ***** about unrealized patents. This is meaningless *****. Apple canvasses its employees for any patentable idea, offers them a pittance for it, and then spams the USPTO. GET OVER IT.
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -0/+6Apple will make shoes, they will be created the same way as other shoes ,, and therefore cost 5x the price of normal shoes.
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -0/+4"I was always fantasizing about a fully automated lifestyle, where gadgets magically power themselves."

    I did but not in that way dude. Get off the internet for a few days please.
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -1/+5There's no way in hell I'm ever going to buy talking shoes.
  • BlueStarr, on 10/24/2008, -2/+6My shoes talk to my crotch? wtf
  • jmnormand, on 10/26/2008, -1/+5so if this patent is approved will i have to pay apple to use my current bluetooth network and blackberry that already does this?
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -1/+4you can use a pedometer to measure how many sips of beer you had.
  • cliffzdude, on 10/26/2008, -0/+2A common problem for newer runners is too putting too many miles on a pair of shoes. They "bottom our", or lose their cushioning ability. They may still look great, but they're worn for cushioning - not looks.

    Just sayin'...
  • enclaved, on 10/26/2008, -0/+2I'm sold. I think that might be worth the 20 bucks for the transmitter unit that goes with the touch with the built in receiver.
  • enclaved, on 10/26/2008, -1/+3Is this a surprise? I was at best buy the other day and there are already watches, and shoe devices and ipods that link up for some purpose, i dunno it's called exercise or something. sounds hard to me.
  • bxblox, on 10/26/2008, -1/+3Patents dont allow people to do anything. They prevent everyone else from doing it.
  • Meocross, on 10/26/2008, -0/+2Self Aware Clothes... asking for trouble right there.
  • damien6669, on 10/26/2008, -1/+3Get Smart meets Dick Tracy. The Future Past is Now!
  • whiledo, on 03/25/2009, -0/+2Exactly my first thought on reading this.
  • FatLoser, on 10/26/2008, -1/+3iPhone: *Indignant wrist-flip, one earbud on butt and saunters off while listening to a "classic" 3 year old Jobs keynote speech, other earbud nestled inside the case, jiggling the irreplaceable battery in an effort to coax some juices out, and incoherently muttering things about "elegance"*
  • uknowwhoibe, on 10/26/2008, -1/+2I'm all for synergy between crotch and brain.

    I mean shoe and iPhone...
  • DelMonte, on 10/26/2008, -1/+2Is this the modern version of Maxwell Smart's shoe-phone?
  • supermanred, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Yup.
  • linagee, on 10/26/2008, -1/+2"Hey watch, is it stinky up there or is it just me?"
  • Trocveth, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1I'm not a doctor or anything, but you should probably get that checked out.
  • supermanred, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Take off the tin foil, and welcome to the future.
  • collution, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Probably Not.

    /in real life
  • hamobu, on 10/26/2008, -1/+2Crap that they will give patents for. Time to overhaul patent and copyright systems.
  • psykiv, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Ding ding ding!

    Just keep track of how many miles you've ran in them. After about 300-400, get rid of them. Using them only for running also helps.
  • cliffzdude, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Only if you've bought the entire Richard Simmons Sweating To The Oldies collection... On VHS.
  • supermanred, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Dude, your Apple hating is clearly ***** up your mind.

    What ***** shoes, watch and celphone/music player/portable computer do you own that communicate with each other?

    And for years????

    Seriously.
  • travbrack, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Shoes: Hey iPhone, what time is it?
    iPhone: It's 12:35 PM
    Watch: Hey man, that's my job, what gives?
    iPhone: Shut up watch, we don't need you anymore...I have the time and it's synchronized with the network too...your days are numbered
    Shoes: Yeah watch, we don't need you anymore
    Watch: *crying hysterically* I JUST WANT TO BE LOVED!!! WHERE HAVE MY GLORY DAYS GONE!?!?!?
    iPhone: ...
    Watch: ...
  • Meocross, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Apples are for eating!
  • danger127, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1Way to go apple for putting out the same technology thats been used for years and call it revolutionary!
  • supermanred, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1I don't want to sound like my great grandmother yelling at the evil spirits in the television, but if my watch starts talking to my shoes, Im going to burn them both in the barbeque and head north.
  • depro9, on 10/26/2008, -0/+1think different
  • AlanFang, on 10/26/2008, -1/+1I want an iPhone inside my shoe, like those old school spy movies.
  • caracter2, on 10/26/2008, -1/+1But what if my shoes and watch don't like me?
    This would make for the worst case of bullying yet.
  • Syphon911, on 10/26/2008, -1/+1One step closer to nano-machines running our bodies.
  • ThraxyWaxy, on 10/26/2008, -1/+1Once they transform the kinetic energy from the shoes into energy they can use to charge the mobile devices I'm not interested. Also, if they found a way to wirelessly transmit energy (is that physically possible?) that would be fantastic.
  • diggduggDOOM, on 10/26/2008, -0/+0my uncle died of crotch dot
  • 0x1d3n, on 10/26/2008, -2/+2No, this is going to change everything...
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -1/+1I like wearing shoes
  • lanboots, on 11/17/2008, -0/+0Damit where is technology going. I wana fly in space.

    http://blogs.ebay.com/merrellfootwear/
  • TommyTikal, on 10/26/2008, -2/+1Personal Area Network? Like Bluetooth?
  • cliffzdude, on 10/26/2008, -2/+1I'm a MAC and i have a goatee.
  • Nihilist1, on 10/26/2008, -3/+2"I was always fantasizing about a fully automated lifestyle,"

    Buried right there.
  • cyssero, on 04/18/2009, -2/+1I always knew those Media Access Controllers were up to no good.
  • inactive, on 10/26/2008, -1/+0hmm seems to be exciting
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