adidas

The 404 1,108: Where we're not looking from behind (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

Crazy tape on Olympians: Does it work?

Fair or foul? Experts split over whether Pistorius has advantage.

U.S. Speed Suits could make all the difference.

World records set despite ban on high-tech suits.

Are humans or technology breaking Olympic records?

Creepy Weknowyourhouse.com scans your tweets to publish your address.

Bathroom break video: Some of the best LifeHacks ever.… Read more

Adidas plans world's first 'smart soccer match' for July

Adidas' miCoach service, which is essentially its answer to Nike+, will be playing a major role in the Major League Soccer All-Star Game in July.

According to the company, the MLS game will be the world's "first smart soccer match," allowing coaches to track player performance on the pitch. Adidas hasn't revealed too many details on how the service will work, but it appears that coaches will be able to access real-time player statistics, including speed, acceleration, and power output, from a tablet. The software also provides alerts coaches might need to consider.

Although Adidas calls its player-tracking software the "next step in player performance analysis technology," it might make some sport purists take a step back. The kind of information to be made available to the MLS All-Star Game coaches is unlike anything they've had before. And that kind of data could make the game more reliant upon raw data than instinctual decision-making -- a key aspect of soccer since its inception.… Read more

Adidas shuts down sites after cyber attack

Some Adidas Web sites remain offline today as a result of a "sophisticated" cyber attack discovered last week, the German sportswear company said.

"On November 3, 2011, the adidas Group found out that it was the target of a sophisticated, criminal cyber-attack. Our preliminary investigation has found no evidence that any consumer data is impacted," the company said in a statement on its news stream site. "But, while we continue our thorough forensic review, we have taken down affected sites, including adidas.com, reebok.com, miCoach.com, adidas-group.com and various local eCommerce shops, in … Read more

Wampa shoes perfect for wannabe Skywalkers

Unable to visit the ice world of Hoth in the Outer Rim Territories? Check out these Wampa-inspired shoes by Adidas Originals.

During the first few scenes of "The Empire Strikes Back," Luke Skywalker checks out an asteroid, but gets more than he bargains for after an 8-foot-tall Wampa slaps him across the face.

After gaining consciousness in the ice creature's lair, Luke uses the Force to regain his lost lightsaber and pulls a Ponda Baba on the Wampa's arm. Now you can sport some fresh kicks representing the albino monster, which will surely be a hit with the ladies.

Adidas describes the shoes--officially known as Campus 80s Wampa--as made with horsehair, with contrast red stitching, a Wampa tongue badge, and a laser cut Wampa logo. So fly.

The shoes aren't on sale yet on the official Adidas Originals Web site, but they should appear there soon. Other notable pieces in the Adidas Star Wars Fall/Winter 2011 collection include the Hoth shoes, Forum Low RS AT-AT shoes, and other hideous but incredible items.

(Via Sneaker Freaker and My Wampa) … Read more

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode: Where we're already in line for the Apple iPad 2 (podcast)

Merry Christmas Eve! CNET social-media expert Caroline McCarthy joins us on this 404 Podcast Yuletide episode where we're wrapping up the year in tech.

The Apple iPad dominated our most-wanted list for the year, but 2010 was a huge year for technology as a whole. From mobile location check-in apps like Foursquare to on-demand video and wireless set-top boxes to motion-control video games and e-books, join us as we recap our personal favorites and reveal what we're looking forward to the most in 2011!

The 404 Yuletide Mini-sode, 2010 Tech Round-up Edition Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | … Read more

The 404 673: Where we turn it off and on again (podcast)

Peter Ha from TIME Magazine's Techland joins us again today to wrap up a week's worth of stories, including yesterday's Facebook meltdown, Adidas sneakers inspired by Boba Fett, Wil Wheaton, Halo: Reach, Moleskines, and more!

We kick off the show with Peter showing off his new limited-edition Star Wars X Adidas Originals ZX800 sneakers with side panels inspired by Boba Fett! You can see that the shoes are influenced by Boba Fett's weathered armor, and the special Mandalorian patches on the heels. Peter definitely made the right choice...the Adidas Chewbacca shoes from the same collection aren't quite as subtle.

Peter also tells us about the news around Techland, and apparently actor Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher from Star Trek: The Next Generation) is now writing for the Web site. Check out all of Wil's articles online, including The Evolution of E-mail Spam, Why I Hate DRM, and Recovering from W00tstock.

Apparently CNET wasn't the only office that almost went up in smoke after Facebook mysteriously displayed a DNS error yesterday afternoon. Soon after, Facebook software engineering director Robert Johnson blamed the technical error on a change to the site that caused configuration value errors for every client, causing Facebook's clusters to be "overwhelmed by hundreds of thousands of queries a second.

To fix this error, engineers utilized a classic troubleshooting method that's spanned a hundred of years of electrical design: turn it off, and then back on again. That's all it took, and while some users might still experienced intermittent errors over the next few days, the majority of us can sleep well knowing our profiles are still intact and open for liking.

Today is the last day to sign up for our Twitter contest for a chance to win a pair of tickets to see "The Social Network" with The 404 next Tuesday, September 28. To enter, simply follow us @The404 and RETWEET THIS. You can also become a fan of The 404 Facebook Fan Page to enter, and while you're at it, add Peter Ha on Twitter as well!

Episode 673 Subscribe in iTunes audio | Suscribe to iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

Sennheiser pairs with Adidas, releases new sport headphones

If you're going to make fitness-friendly tech, teaming up with an athletic company is a good way to go. At least Sennheiser thinks so. The headphone manufacturer elected to work with Adidas when updating its sport line of earphones.

The line includes four new models--the MX 680, the CX 680, the OMX 680, and the PMX 680--ranging in design and price. For more details on each, check out the slide show, but the most compelling info is the fact that the headphones are super sweat and water resistant. Expect to see them on the virtual marketplace later this month.… Read more

Amazing NBA YouTube video: is it an ad?

This YouTube video was shot in Stockwell, London. (So were several innocent passers-by.)

But that's not what makes it just a teeny bit suspicious.

It features Devin Harris, the point guard of the New Jersey Nets, who happened to be in London last week on a promotional tour. (Part of which included the onerous task of playing the Miami Heat in a game that mattered not at all.)

Out of a seeming nowhere appears Englishman Stuart Tanner. He looks frightfully underdressed for the task at hand. His sweater and jeans are out of place next to Harris's Nets … Read more

Adidas wins big in trademark dispute

On Monday, an Oregon jury returned a verdict for Adidas awarding it damages of almost $305,000,000 in a trademark dispute against Kansas-based Collective Brands Inc., which operates Payless ShoeSource. The jury found that Payless had infringed Adidas' "Three Stripe Mark" and "Superstar" trade dress by selling shoes that bore confusingly similar marks. The jury also found Payless liable for unfair and deceptive trade practices and trademark dilution.

… Read more