THESE shoes are made for walking – and so much more.
Sports giant Nike and computer titan Apple have joined forces to unveil a running shoe that tells runners the distance they've covered, their pace, time and how many calories they've burned.
But fitness fanatics and part-time plodders will have to wait until October for the Nike+iPod system.
They will also have to be prepared to fork out some big bucks, with the entire set-up expected to cost at least $370.
The system consists of a sensor kit, a special Nike shoe and an iPod nano.
The sensor is slipped into the shoe and measures a runner's activity, sending the information wirelessly to a receiver attached to the iPod.
The information can then be displayed on the iPod screen and audio progress reports given through the headphones at the touch of a button.
Runners can also call up a pre-programmed motivational song to give them a boost when their energy starts to flag.
"The result is like having a personal coach or training partner motivating you every step of your workout," Apple chief executive Steve Jobs said at the slick New York launch of the system yesterday.
After the workout, the iPod can be plugged into a home computer so the information can be downloaded and stored for performance comparisons.
A Nike spokeswoman in Australia said the first of the iPod compatible shoes, the Air Zoom Moire, was expected to reach our stores in October.
She said price had not been decided but the shoe was expected to retail for $100 in the US.
An iPod nano costs between $219 and $359, depending on memory space and the sensor kit, which is expected to be available from the Apple website within 60 days, costs $49.