Category Archives: Sports

Bitcoin used as National Currency; Sports and NFTs; Tile Acquisition

I’m trying a different format with the use of video to discuss topics. Appreciate any input. Maybe next time I’ll dress for the part.

Topics of Conversation for this Episode.

  1. Explore the recent decision of El Salvador to adopt Bitcoin as their national currency
    https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/bitcoin-use-el-salvador-grows-setbacks-adopting-legal-tender-rcna2743
  2. Huge opportunity for EVERYONE involved in NFTs for sports memorabilia.
    https://rosemansolutions.io/2021/11/24/sweet-spot-for-digital-collectables/
  3. Review the acquisition of Tile by Life360
    https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/life360-to-acquire-tile-creating-the-world-leader-in-finding-and-location-solutions-301430364.html

2016 Olympics Rating are Down? Don’t Blame Streaming!

The 2016 Olympic opening ceremonies had just started, and I thought briefly about events I wanted to see.  I’m not a huge fan of the Olympics mostly because of the time commitment.  However, if I happen to be in front of the TV when the events are on, depending upon the event, I’m happy to watch, and can get drawn in easily.

As the Olympics unfolded, I caught a few minutes of an event here and there, just by happening to be in front of a TV.  Searching for any particular event never crossed my mind, even with the ease and power behind several powerful search engines like Bing and Google. The widgets built into search engine’s results showing Olympic standings in line with other search results was a great time saver.

However, why oh why didn’t the broadcasting network NBC create a calendar of Olympic 2016  events that can easily be imported into either Google Calendar, or Microsoft Outlook?  Even Star Trek fans are able to add a calendar to their Google Calendar for Star Dates.

Olympic ratings are hurting?  Any one of these organizations could have created a shared calendar for all or a subset of Olympic  events. Maybe you just want a calendar that shows all the aquatic events?

Olympic Team Sponsors from soda to fast food, why oh why did you paint your consumer goods with pictures of Javelin throwers and Swimmers, but didn’t put a QR code on the side of your containers that directs consumers to your sponsored team’s calendar schedule “importable” into Google Calendar, or Microsoft Outlook?

If sponsors, or the broadcasting network, NBC, would have created these shareable calendars, you now would had entered the personal calendars of the consumer.  A calendar entry pop-up may not only display what current competition is being fought, the body of the event may also contain [URL] links to stream the event live.  The body of the event may also contain links to each team player’s stats, and other interesting facts relating to the event.

Also, if a Team Sponsor is the one creating the custom calendar for the Olympic Events, like USA Swimming’s sponsor Marriott , the streaming live video events may now be controlled by the Sponsor, yes, all advertising during the streaming session would be controlled by the the Sponsor.  All Marriott!  The links in the team sponsor calendar entries may not only have their own streaming links to the live events, but include any feature rich, relevant related content.

There is the small matter of broadcast licensing Olympic Broadcasting Services (OBS)  and broadcaster exclusivity, but hey, everything is negotiable.  Not sure traditional broadcasting rules should apply in a world of video streaming.

All the millions sponsors spend, for an IT Project that could cost a fraction of their advertising budget, and add significant ROI, it boggles the mind why every sponsor isn’t out there doing this or something similar right now.  The tech is relatively inexpensive, and readily available, so why not now?  If you know of any implementations, please drop me a note.

One noted exception, the “Google app” [for the iPhone] leverages alerts for all types of things such as a warning on traffic conditions for your ride home to … the start of the Women’s beam Gymnastics Olympic event.   Select the alert, and opens up a ‘micro’ portal with people competing in the event, a detailed list of athlete profiles, including picture, country of origin, and metals won.  There is also a tab showing the event future schedule.

How Microsoft Gets Back into Mainstream Popularity

The HoloLens may propel Microsoft back to the ‘Cool’ kid on the block.    The HoloLens has the potential to “fly off the shelves” in tandem to Windows 10.

Ever since I saw the movie Blue Thunder, I wanted my own Heads-up display (HUD).   Here are a few suggestions for implementation:

Must Have’s

  • ‘Priced to sell’:   Even if the cost of the hardware is reduced to a thin the margin, that may or may not be enough.   From day one, these “Windows into Windows” must be viewed as essential to the ‘enhanced’ OS package, like ‘Windows 10 Home Media’.
  • Microsoft, Enable Channel Sales (DELL, HP) to offer Microsoft Windows 10 and HoloLens ‘Media’ package deals, together both the OS and the HoloLens are offered at a reduced price.
  • The HoloLens and Windows 10 User Interface (UI) significantly enhances how the consumer interacts with Operating Systems.
  • [Channel] Sales may offer bundled HoloLens / Windows 10 applications, e.g. Minecraft;
  • Analyze / prioritize top 10 (N)  opportunities for application development, and produce internally, and/or with partners.
    • Partners may range from software vendors to accredited training programs, e.g. flight school XYZ
  • Intuitive  and feature rich developer APIs:
    • Provide the HoloLens developer a software ‘Simulator’
    • Products with source code examples
    • Quick path from development to market: Lean application vetting process; including the vetting of app developers.
  • Education levels 6 to 12 and beyond can benefit, segmented by: the sciences (e.g. Chemistry, Microbiology, Physics);  Trade Schools such as Automotive and HVAC;
    • Colleges and Universities may be early adopters, and expand their Massive open online courses to including remote participation, e.g. medicine
  • Applying for an ‘operator license’?  HoloLens, accompanied with a licensed operator,  allows users to wear the HoloLens, and follow a step by step, interactive tutorial within the vehicle, e.g. Car, Boat, Helicopter, Truck, Airplane, etc.

Click here:  comprehensive list of Augmented Reality (AR) apps.

Interesting articles on Microsoft’s Hololens:

Microsoft dives deeper into HoloLens details: ‘Holographic processor’ role revealed

Microsoft leaps into 3D computing with Windows Holographic and HoloLens

Hands-on with Microsoft’s HoloLens: The 3D augmented reality future is now

 

Microsoft HoloLens

 

Players and Ball Tagged with WiFi for an Enhanced Sports Experience

I was reading about MLB’s iBeacon driven events that are in proximity to you, and receiving advertisements, or interactive content for the “physical event”.  As I’ve mentioned, I would like to see from my seat in the stands, a real time, dynamic score card, that shows me players trying to steal a base, as an example, or show me an error in progress, awesome.

One step further, feel the bone crushing view of a wide receiver driving the ball, and feel the wall of defense men stop me with a vibration, a jolt and real time video of the catch, and the eventual stop at the N yard line.  Put that in your XBox One, get in the game with enhanced realism never before experienced by a spectator.

Google Glass Sportswear Improves Soccer Scoring Percentages

A Digital Eye to Watch Soccer’s Trouble Spots

This article in the New York Times had me thinking about Soccer and Cameras.  I, then progressed onto object identification with cameras, as per my previous post, and then thought about Google Glass.  If one were to fit Google Glass on sports sun glasses so it would be protected and affixed as someone played sports, that would be the first step to allow a soccer player to predict the movement of a goalie opponent, and score.

Barriers: motion capture and focus of each frame as the player moved through the field, as the soccer scorer approached the goal.  The soccer player taxes a ‘moments’ pause, if at all, and kicks, head butts, whatever, to get the score in the goal.  The idea is to be where the soccer player is not.  So many variables to deal with by both the goalie, and the opposing team. From the mind of the goal keeper, where are his defense men, where is the opposing force, team advancement and positioning, and so on.  However, just as American teams watch old footage of the opposing force, their opposition moves, as well as there defensive weaknesses, so to, can soccer players take advantage, and practice, in real time, with Google Sportswear glasses.  These Google Sportswear may take hours and hours of footage, analyze footage, and induce possible defensive moves that a goal keeper might make against a scorer given field positions.  There are many variables, however, using object, facial recognition, historical game footage, and these glasses, may make for real-time suggestions to a soccer player for a practice session.  I am not suggesting soccer would allow these enhancements during game play, but in practice, they may attune a players skills, just like flight simulators for a pilot.

In addition, with the footage incorporated in the future with the above technology, this technology may improve to be a very useful tool.

Multiple Video Feeds Give Arena Fans the Comforts of Home

Multiple Video Feeds Give Arena Fans the Comforts of Home – NYTimes.com.

And the crowd goes wild, unfortunately, yet again, I called it.  This idea is so last year.  I wrote an article about this idea last September; however, it seems this implementation is in it’s infancy, although, has merit for it’s progress alone. I commend the Nets for the attempt, score, two points!

Pavlov’s Perfect Pitching (PPPt) Trainer

Apply a basic material structure set to fit your pitching arm, add WiFi, or NFC which may communicate with your smartphone, and you get the perfect pitch.

Wear the PPPt, an erector set like brace, over your throwing arm. Get a coach to slowly walk you through the throw from stance to release.

The PPPt should record the movements,  and save to your smartphone and you should uniquely name each throw, e.g. pitch one.  The PPPt will playback the motions in whatever speed you choose, n x baseline at the initial slow movements.  Then when ready to throw, you can have the PPPt optionally shock you to remind you when to release the ball, a light electric shock.  Add pitches, like curves, or slider balls, or whatever.

The brace on playback keeps the arm in formation, and trains your brain to move your muscles in a reactionary format and consistent throw movements. Can be massed produced and sold for under 100 USD.