Google and Adidas have partnered to develop a talking shoe. Huh, a talking SHOE?
As reported by Advertising Age: “Ready for your shoes to judge your lazy butt? Google has you covered. The company, along with Adidas, recently unveiled ‘The Talking Shoe.’ It tracks your speed and performance — and more disconcerting, gives you aural props or smack on how you’re doing, from a microcontroller-connected speaker on the shoe. The sneaks also use Bluetooth to sync up with a smartphone and, in a refreshingly conversational tone, will give you words of encouragement, or advice to slow down and grab a snack.”
Post suggested by KCJ
This seems extremely creepy and unnecessary. I’m not sure why anyone would wear this other than to say their shoe talks. This is not something I’d ever consider buying, the last thing I need is my shoe telling me what to do.
This is rather odd. Not only because the shoe talks but also because I couldn’t tell if the shoe was a prototype or if it was the final product. If so, I don’t know why anyone would walk around with a microchip on their shoe. Also, the guy in the video was playing basketball. What if someone would have stepped on his foot or he bounced the ball off his shoe? What would happen then? I’m sure Google and Adidas have already thought some of these things through but from the consumer perspective, the commercial and the article about the shoe does not make me want to go out and buy it. I don’t know why people are so fascinated by the idea of a sassy piece of technology. First Siri and now this. I’m really interested as to where this product ends up in the next couple months.
I find this shoe extremely creepy. I want my shoes to be comfortable, supportive, and decently priced. I don’t want it to talk to me or contain a microchip. I think it’s so strange there’s a speaker on the shoe. I know I would not want to wear a shoe that tells the world what I’m doing.
When I first read the text, I thought that maybe the shoes can tell me which direction I should go or not. But after I watched the video, I feel it’s weird that the microchip is on the shoes and not inside the shoes.(the appearance is not so good) Besides, I would not want to everyone know what I am doing with my shoes.
The look of this shoes is something that might as well not go on the market because I do not see anyone wearing these at all. As for the functionality of the product I do not see the real purpose or the device. All it seems to do is throw out random responses to the action that you take in the shoe. Pointless.
This is bizarre! I get what Google and Adidas may be trying to accomplish by bringing technology into something we use everyday (shoes) but I think it is really unnecessary. Personally, I know I would definitely not want to be walking around with my shoes talking to me. Maybe it could come to some use when exercising but I think the whole idea of “A Talking Shoe” is taking it too far.
This is really thinking outside the box. I feel like someone that exercises a lot would not want to have a shoe telling them what to do or how they are doing. It seems a little desperate of google and adidas to try and make a product like this… I do not really see the point of it. I mean can people hear what the shoe is saying? That would just make me feel awkward.
This makes you wonder what “they” will come up with next. I’m not sure what the purpose of a talking shoe would be other than for the company be able to say they came up with an idea no one else had thought of yet. I’m not sure how accurate the Adidas are at assessing your speed and ability but it would be interesting to hear the feedback from those who tried them out.
I think the talking show uses a pressure sensor inside. This is a very old technology, I don’t care the technology used in shoes. But I think this product will say the same thing everyday. It will be a little boring. My idea is that just use a counter inside and it will tell the consumer how many steps he has done.
They have an interesting idea but personally I think it is pointless. Why would anyone want to have a shoe telling them what to do. It is almost scary how the world today is becoming so technological. Why does something as simple as a shoe have to talk and have Bluetooth and so many other technologies that are just unnecessary. An argument can be made that technology is making people too dependent and less intellectual. This technology will just add to that argument.
While this is a really interesting concept, I think it is going a little too far. I think it is great for a shoe to track your activity, for example how many steps you have taken and how many calories were burned, but that is where the line should be drawn. I also do not think your shoe calling you lazy will make any difference in your activity for the day. I do however think the advertisement was great. The product itself, not so much.
This is a very intriguing concept, but I find it to be a bit unnecessary. Unless someone needs to aural motivation to workout or exercise, there is no need to buy this product. Find a friend to exercise with you. It costs a lot less and they’re more fun to talk to. This product seems like a waste of money and time. These companies should be focusing their efforts on a piece of technology that could help us in the future, not cost us endless amounts of money. This might have seemed like a good idea in theory, but the cost of the shoes alone would deter many from purchasing the shoes. There is no way they would be affordable. And also, what do you do if they break or malfunction? Are they going to create a talking shoe repair shop as well?
I think the idea of a shoe that tracks your movement and activity is innovative and could be popular with athletes or runners (especially when preparing for a marathon); however, I think the talking aspect of it will be its nail in the coffin. It only took the shoe saying two sentences before it became annyoing for my ears and I already wanted to mute it. It is odd enough having your shoes talk to you but if it is an annoying and almost painful robotic voice, I believe this shoe set itself up for faiure.
The concept of encouragement and activity tracking is a part of other products. A watch, a pedometer, a heart monitor, cell phone apps, etc. I am not sure a stalking shoe is the answer though. If a voice activated system can coordinate through your headphones and offer attributes of a trainer’s support than I think consumers would buy into that. It may very well even exist. But hearing that voice coming from your shoe nonetheless, it would be a no for me. And for its functionality and longevity, I don’t buy into it lasting very long. And who wants to replace that?
The shoes are interesting and creative. However, I don’t think ordinary people are willing to wear these shoes. Personally, it is too noisy. I think it is strange that everyone focuses on my shoes. I prefer the shoes can provide me my health information. For example, they can record my walking habits, if my walking gesture is wrong, the shoes will warn me. If only just for fun, I think the talking shoes are good choice.
It is a special and creative product, but i don’t know what the target market is and who the potential customers are. Even though a Talking shoe seems to be a breakthrough, there are lack of demand. What’s more, If I wore that shoes, I could not get any valuable advantages from the shoes.
It is a cute and interesting feature. I think this notion might use with smart mobile devices in record of daily data such as how long you’ve walked or run on feet, how much exercise you have each day. Also, I am imaging whether there can be a pressure adaption technique that the shoes can provide different pressure at different exercise model such as running in contrast with jumping.
Talking shoes sounds weird. Somehow I was wondering if they can make it just you can hear it instead of playing out loud. It is hard to set an actual target market for this product. It is an innovated product, but instead of using on the shoes, they should put this feature onto something else.
I think this innovative product is ridiculous and useless. Few people may purchase the smart shoes that could with sync up to smartphones, because people may choose different shoe every single day. The sport shoes is not suitable for the business environment. Additionally, the price for the talking shoe might not be accepted.
I am not sure whether i will buy this product. but, i feel more and more things will be connected with internet in the future. they will make our life more convenient, efficient, and smart.