If something requires an “app” and a connection to “the cloud” for basic functionality, don’t buy it. This sort of abandonment by the manufacturer will always happen. Maybe it will last longer. Maybe it will be next week. But once the company has your money, the last thing they want to do is to spend any of that money providing you with support.
The funny thing about this is that the first time I had that moment of realization was when I got the Sphero BB-8 toy from my kids for Christmas. It had a dedicated app. The reason it’s funny is because, out of all the things that I own, it’s the only app-driven one that still works. Sphero just merged it into their main app. Once that app stops getting updated, this toy will cease to work despite everything about it being functional. ☹️
As long as you can side load a functional apk to a supported Android device, it should work, no?
Android eventually locks out apps designed for older APIs. I remember reading about a bunch of abandoned apps being dropped from the Play Store for that reason. Not sure if that’s just the Play Store though or if it is the Android OS itself. I haven’t ever kept a phone beyond the manufacturer providing security updates since I actually use my phone for secure things.
You have to enable developer mode and install with
--bypass-low-target-sdk-blocknow.Dunno if they’ll remove that eventually
Don’t say that so loud.
You’ll have the self-proclaimed “power users” that just copy things they see posted without knowing what it does or possible issues and side effects, doing this and then complaining about issues stemming from it. And never disclosing they did it, blaming it on the system as a whole, ignoring the bypass they did.
Oh wait, this isn’t the Windows community.
Only if it works as a peer to peer, if the device depends on connecting to a company’s server (which all do since the whole point was to collect usage habits) then you’re shit out of luck whenever they decide you’re
That’s funny, I have the exact same toy. It was a Father’s day gift years ago. It’s now an expensive display piece, as the battery no longer seems to hold a charge. And, as best I can tell, the battery is well sealed inside, making replacement impossible. Yet another thing I hate about our disposable culture.
Would something like BlueStacks let the app run?
I’m not sure but that’s a potential solution. You’d have to find the older APK somewhere but I feel like it should work since it’s just a Bluetooth connection to the toy.
I’m laughing my ass off thinking about all the steps required to get these working if you bought them new. downloading an app and pairing your shoes to wifi or some shit. ha
if the internet goes down can you still put on your shoes?! lmao!
what if you like the feature and are okay with just using it while you can?
Depends on the price imo
Its still stupid. No reason there is no embedded web interface. That is such an easy thing to do. Like routers have been doing for ages.
what if you don’t even know what that stuff is or how to use it even if it were available?
Then it still doesn’t take away anything from you. How would an additional embedded web based control panel impact you negatively? If you don’t use it just don’t use it. But it ensures longevity and makes the device entirely self-contained.
Open source the app?
No. Never. That would be literally impossible.
It’s not entirely surprising when a company chooses to stop paying for the upkeep and continued development of an app for a product it’s no longer making money on
How much fucking upkeep can an app require to operate a pair of shoes?
You’re questioning the sanity of people who even develop shoes that need an app
I’m not questioning sanity, I’m questioning why an app that does nothing but send commands over Bluetooth or whatever needs any maintenance whatsoever.
Android isn’t stable is my guess
Inevitably what happens after 5 years is that someone reports that the app doesn’t work well with a newer version of iOS or Android, and the person that led the engineering on it is gone, because much of your engineering org has turned over after 5 years.
Then a new person jumps into the old project, finds out that it’s had 1 active user last year, then they question why they have to spend a week bug fixing something for one end user.
As a developer, this is the answer. I can’t wait for the day I can finally stop supporting old Amazon Kindle devices.
We are going to far with technology. If you need an app for your shoes.
I’d agree, but these are probably good for people with certain disabilities.
Those people could just as easily buy slip-ons, which serve the same purpose while not requiring an app (or any other form of electronics, for that matter).
There are shoes that you don’t need tho tie that don’t need an app and most importantly are not from nike.
People who bought these are fucking idiots and they deserve much worse then their stupid fucking smart shoes turning into abandonware.
Maybe we wouldn’t have so much shit in landfills if those idiots didn’t gobble up any piece of trash someone wants to sell them.
I could see handicapped people being interested in these. Fuck then I guess right.
Sure. We totally didn’t have footwear that did not require lacing. Thank god for the tech bro solution. What would the disadvantaged people do if it wasn’t for the free market!
Btw, you really think their app was accessible to handicapped people?
Why choose these over elastic fabric slip-on shoes?
Because these are the only shoes that could help handicapped people?
Allowing these companies to ever sell anything with the “cloud” marketing was a colossal mistake. Not only it was a waste of people’s money, but now also e-waste
In a world where I can slip my shoes on and off without untying them, why would I need shoes that can self-tie?
Sounds like a job for Flipper Zero.
Probably overkill and possibly even overly complicated for an MCU.
This probably just requires some good old reverse engineering the original apps bluetooth API and an app to connect to the shoes.
If they’re really lucky, it’s simple unencrypted packets they can just capture via Wireshark, but I really haven’t looked into it any further than this article summary, so I could be wrong.
If if they can work by simple packet replay, that would be the most simple, and definitely doable by the Flipper.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Despite the ongoing popularity of the Back to the Future trilogy that inspired the self-lacing tech found in the HyperAdapt 1.0 and Air Mags, Nike has announced that it’s “no longer creating new versions of Adapt shoes.” Now, the Adapt BB mobile app used to control the $350 third iteration of Nike’s self-lacing sneakers will disappear from Google Play and the iPhone App Store next month.
Without the app, owners can use the physical buttons on the sneakers to power them on and off, check battery status, tighten or loosen the laces, and save a single preset, but there will be no way to adjust the shoe’s lighting.
The power laces on the Nike Adapt BB basketball shoes, which were worn by athletes like Jayson Tatum and Luka Doncic, were adjustable using buttons on the sneakers themselves or over Bluetooth.
Nike’s decision to retire the app is another reminder of the challenges of designing smart apparel.
Most consumers might be used to the idea of upgrading a smartphone every few years, but an electronic pair of shoes or a smart denim jacket can remain in someone’s wardrobe for decades, long after a company stops selling the product.
It’s not entirely surprising when a company chooses to stop paying for the upkeep and continued development of an app for a product it’s no longer making money on, but that doesn’t take the sting out of losing functionality on your five-year-old kicks.
The original article contains 318 words, the summary contains 240 words. Saved 25%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Hahahaha, suckers!
To be fair, anyone who thought their life needed SaaS supported shoe laces, definitely had this coming.
In terms of cosmic corporate evildoers, Nike may not currently be a top ranked contender, but their definitely an old school hall of fame level player.
So while not saying they were doing the world a favor by dropping cloud shoe lace support, I am saying that the situation is hilarious.
