[TeMPOraL]

Autolacing in Back to the Future didn't require you to download vendor's app and connect to an account on vendor's service over the Internet.

That would be my one and only criticism of this implementation. Beyond that, it's pure awesomeness, and I want a pair.

[Xylakant]

These shoes don’t either. They can be operated manually, as the article states. They have a built-in Sensor and auto-lace when you put them on. You just cannot have some of the nice things that the app brings: multiple different profiles, ...

[Sir_Substance]

If the article is accurate, the first time you use them you /must/ use the app to configure them and /must/ log into your flipping shoe account of all things to do so.

An engineer that didn't have a marketing department breathing down his back to drive "engagement" would just have the LEDs on the side also be buttons and tell the user to hold them for 10 seconds to put them in a configuration mode, but hey, if they did that nike couldn't force you to give up your email to use your shoes and then use it to send you spam...

[emdowling]

If you don’t like it, buy another pair of shoes! There are literally thousands of alternatives out there. No one is forcing you to buy this pair.

[BossingAround]

I don't like these types of a comment. You can criticize implementation of a technology even if:

a) You don't have a better solution, or

b) You have a choice to go elsewhere

If Nike made you go through their own network (a sort of a DRM if you will) to operate their shoes, that's something to be criticized, because it serves absolutely no other function than to lock you into their ecosystem and give them data on you. Anti-consumer practices should always be criticized.

[icebraining]

If you don't like Sir_Substance's comment, read another! There are literally thousands of alternative comments out there.

[stinos]

Difference being there really are literelly thousands of alternative comments, whereas there are definitely not thousands of alternative electronic autolacing systems :)

[std_throwawayay]

It lacks blockchain technology. Given the development cycles in play for such consumer products the blockchain support will probably come two weeks after bitcoin disintegrated.

[StavrosK]

Also it didn't make the shoe useless when the battery went bad.

[Wowfunhappy]

If the battery is high quality and a single charging cycle lasts a week, as claimed, I imagine the battery would last well past the usable life of the shoe.

[agumonkey]

no laces but strings attached

[unfunco]

This would be an excellent retort from a privacy-focused footwear company, do we have those yet?