A year can come and go fast. In terms of consumer technology, One year can feel like 5, and 5 years can feel like 30. Just look at how far we have come since the original iPhone was released in 2007.
That said, Apple made some innovative, if not surprising, announcements this week. If you are in the market for a new iPhone, Apple Watch, or iPad, or even some new subscription services, there is something for everyone.
iPhone
The true star of the show is the perennial iPhone. This year we are getting three new models to choose from: The iPhone 11, and the top of the line Pro, and Pro Max.
Starting at $699, the iPhone 11 is the best choice for most people. It’s rear camera boasts two lenses -- one wide angle lens, and one super wide angle lens. In addition it has an hour more of battery life than the XR, and has the latest A13 bionic processor.
If that’s not enough for you, the iPhone Pro offers 3 lenses on the rear camera -- wide, super wide, and telephoto. If you take photography or cinematography seriously, this is 100% the phone for you. At $999 and $1099 for the iPhone Pro, and Pro Max respectively, you are getting professional quality, however, the cheaper iPhone 11 model should suit most needs.
Apple Watch
While this seems to be a minor incremental improvement over last year’s Series 4, The Apple Watch Series 5 now has an “always on” screen, longer battery life, and the addition of a built in compass. In addition, they have a wider variety of materials such as titanium, and ceramic.
If you are in the market for a new Apple Watch, this is definitely the one to get, but if you have a series 4, don’t bother as this is mostly the same model with a few enhancements.
iPad
Most surprising in this event was the announcement of a new entry level iPad model. Last year we were thrilled to see the new iPad Pro line, so this might seem like a step down, but keep in mind that the base model iPad, which starts at $329, is an extremely versatile device, and unless you need the extra power for video production or as a music studio, most people can get away with the less expensive iPad. While this iPad doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of the iPad Pro line, it does support both the Apple Pencil and Keyboard accessory. Also this model is positioned for the educational market. As members of the Adelphi community, you can likely take advantage of the discount offered for education, which is $299.
Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade
A few years ago, Apple made its debut in the subscription services business with Apple Music. Last year they announced News + which offered unlimited access to popular digital magazines. This year we are seeing two new subscription services in the form of Apple TV+ and Apple Arcade.
Apple TV+ will provide access to new original series such as the alternate history moon landing drama, “For All Mankind,” The Steve Carrell / Jennifer Aniston vehicle, “The Morning Show”, and a remake of one of my own favorite childhood shows, “Ghostwriter.”
At $4.99 / month, this is definitely a bargain, however it’s small-ish library of original content, leaves a lot to be desired compared to Netflix, and the upcoming Disney Plus services for a few dollars more.
Also at $4.99, Apple Arcade will provide unlimited access to a growing library of iOS games.
Final Thoughts
After each Apple Keynote, I think that there's no possible way they can top themselves. Each year, I'm always proven wrong. They seem to push the envelope in both hardware and software each year, with this year being no exception.
Summer has finally arrived! It’s a great time for BBQ, Baseball, going to the beach, and, if you love everything Apple like I do, the World Wide Developer Conference.
Each year, hundreds of developers make the pilgrimage to Northern California to learn about all of the new software features we will experience in the coming year, straight from the source.
Tickets are hard to come by and can only be obtained by entering a lottery, but even watching the keynote via livestream and following the tech journalists on Twitter, the excitement and energy of this conference can be felt all the way from San Jose, CA. Here are the most notable takeaways for 2019.
Lucky 13
iOS 13, brings a host of new features and platform improvements that will change the way we interact. One exciting feature is a deeper integration between Siri and AirPods.
Imagine going for a run wearing a pair of AirPods and you get a text. Instead of stopping to look down at your phone, Siri will now be able to read incoming notifications as they come in.
This year, we will see Dark Mode finally come globally to iOS. So when you switch Dark Mode on, the app will take on a darker, more subdued tone. If you are a Twitter user, you may notice that the Twitter iOS app already gives the ability to switch between light and dark modes, however, iOS 13 will now allow you to do this system wide for all apps.
Sign in with Apple
Apple will now offer a “Sign in with Apple” option (similar to signing in with Facebook, Twitter, Google, etc), which developers will be able to add to their apps and websites. If you, like many, are concerned about privacy, this will allow you to sign up for websites without sharing your email.
When you choose to sign into a website or app with your Apple iCloud account, you will be able to choose if you want the third party to have your email address. If you choose not to share it, Apple will auto-generate a “burner” email address, transparent to you, that will simply redirect any communications to your main email. If you want to stop receiving emails, you can simply choose to have the auto-generated email address stop forwarding emails to you.
WatchOS 6
If you are one of the many people who own an Apple Watch, the conference did not disappoint this year. In announcing WatchOS 6, Apple will provide cool new Watch faces, a calculator, and standalone Watch apps that no longer require a companion iPhone app, so developers can build Watch apps that stand alone without the need to connect to a corresponding iPhone app. Android Wear already allows this, so this is a welcome addition to Apple Watch.
This also means that the Watch will now have its own built-in App Store, so you can browse and download apps straight from your wrist. This will allow for apps with built in streaming audio, such as MLB At Bat, and Apple Audiobooks
In addition, there are a host of new health and fitness features, such as a menstrual cycle tracker, noise tracking to warn you of high decibel exposure, and the ability to track trends in your exercise activities.
Catalina
As with Apple’s current theme of naming MacOS versions after places in their home state of California, this year we are get Catalina.
In addition to the standard performance enhancements, we will be seeing a re-designed Reminders app.
Thanks to some new tools, iPad app developers will be able to more easily port their apps to Mac desktop.
If you own an iPad, you will now be able to natively use it as a second screen for your Mac using a new technology called “Sidecar.”
This will allow better communication between iPad and Desktop apps. For instance if you have Adobe Illustrator running on MacOS, you can load the canvas on an iPad, and use Apple Pencil to draw, while the content on the Mac updates in real time.
A Fond Farewell to iTunes
Released in 2001, one year before the iPod hit the scene, iTunes has been the source of joy and frustration ever since. Over the years, iTunes has expanded beyond music to TV shows, movies, mobile apps, and even social media (Ping, anyone?)
Because of this, iTunes has gotten bloated, so the announcement that it will be going away was not surprising. Instead, Apple will be splitting it up into three new apps. Music, Podcasts, and Apple TV. You will be able to sync your iPhone using an updated Finder application.
Word of Caution about Betas
While most of us will need to wait until the Fall to experience these new features, Apple did make all of these new operating systems available as early betas to developer (and the general public later this summer). As tempting as it might be to install iOS 13 or MacOS Catalina, these early betas are highly unstable. I installed iOS13 on a spare iPhone, and there is still plenty of bugs. So proceed with caution! If you want to install the MacOS beta, I would recommend setting up a separate hard drive partition and installing there. This will allow you to switch between your stable OS and the beta. For iOS, I do not recommend installing the iOS 13 beta on your personal device. If you have a spare device to install it on, that's the way to go.
In Conclusion
Once developers get their hands on the beta software, there will be all sorts of great apps that take advantage of iOS 13, WatchOS 6, and MacOS Catalina. 2019 - 2020 is going to be an exciting year for Apple.
“If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” John Wooden - Basketball Coach
What criteria will you use to determine if a project has been successful? The most common repose would be “delivered on time and on budget.” A few responses may go further to “delivered on time, on budget and within scope.”
Schedule management, Cost Management and Scope Management make up only 3 of the 10 Project Management knowledge areas of the Project Management Body Of Knowledge (PMBOK) 6th Edition. I see a successful project primarily as one that delivers on its stated value. One definition of value from the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “relative worth, utility, or importance.” The stated value of a project should be clearly defined during the initial stages of a project. This value should be measurable and verifiable at the close of the project.
Many technology projects are high-risk projects due to the rapidly changing technology and business environment. For example, think about how artificial intelligence has changed the way we interact with technology through digital assistants like Google, Alexa, Siri and Cortana, or how streaming media changed the way Netflix distributes content causing places like Blockbuster to go out of business, or how Amazon changed the way we shop. Think about how technology now facilitates online learning and how virtual and augmented reality may be used in the future of education.
So how can we ensure that technology projects deliver its stated value in a changing technology and business landscape? This can be achieved by redefining the definition of a successful project and how to plan and execute our projects. Let us look at an example:
A project is underway that allow students to submit assignments online where professors can both grade and markup these assignments electronically by a completely paperless process. The project will leverage a cloud platform, along with touchscreen tablets that professors will use to electronically mark papers. The project has a budget of $250,000 and a schedule of 6 months to complete.
Scenario 1: This project is completed in just under 6 months with a total cost of $244,000. Everything is technically operational from end to end. Post project evaluation shows that adoption of the solution is only 35% with faculty and students complaining about the difficulty in using the solution. Now, would this project be considered a success? It was delivered on schedule, within budget and within scope. Would you say this project added the intended value it was supposed to?
Scenario 2: The scope of the project is modified to define the value of the solution to have 80% adoption and a reduction in grading papers from 6 working days to 3 working days. These targets are utilized in the planning and risk assessment phases of the project. During the implementation of the solution, a newer user-friendly, more responsive touch screen tablet is released with a simplified user interface that can be integrated into this cloud solution. This will add $50,000 to the project and 1 month to the implementation. Once discovered, the change was immediately evaluated and was approved as the evaluation concluded that it significantly contributed to the project’s measurable value that was earlier defined. The project is now delivered with at a cost of $300,000 in a timeframe of 7 months. That is one month late and 20% over budget. The adoption rate of this solution is 90%. Students and faculty are happy with the solution. Would this project be considered a success since it came in over budget and schedule?
I would say that scenario 2 delivered more value and was a more successful project. So how can we have the best of two worlds ensuring project value is attained and delivered on time and on budget? The following tools and techniques should be used on all technology projects to ensure they deliver the best value:
Clearly identify the value you want to deliver as part of the scope of the project. The project objectives should be first around the needs of the customer and not necessarily implementing the latest shiniest technology that may not be the best solution.
Make the value measurable and set targets. Throughout all phases in the project keep sight of these targets and measures.
Identify your stakeholders and get them on board. Seek stakeholder input and ensure key elements are communicated to your stakeholders throughout the project.
During the project’s risk assessment, ensure that risks associated with the relevant type of technology projects are clearly accounted for. Take a deep dive into evaluating customer experience, adoption risks and new related technologies in development and on the horizon.
Ensure that the budget has an appropriate management reserve based on the risks identified. Higher risk generally requires higher reserve.
For complex solutions primarily where the requirements are unclear, consider using an agile methodology. An agile methodology delivers parts of the project in sprints and is designed to easily adapt to change.
Get executive buy-in and ensure that the project is aligned with the strategic objectives of the organization.
Monitor and evaluate as the product is being developed. Always evaluate the project comprehensively after implementation. Budget and schedule time for this evaluation and a period for making adjustments if needed.
Many high-value technology projects involve high risk. We continue to do these projects because of the value they bring. As President John F. Kennedy said;
"We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too."
If you would like to learn more about Project Management, Agile Methodologies, you can visit the following sites or search these terms in your search engine for additional resources. www.pmi.org, www.scrum.org.
Being a child of the late 80s and early 90s cemented my love for handheld gaming, especially with the original Nintendo Gameboy’s release in 1989. The majority of the systems I collect are portable consoles from that era.
A recent genre of consoles I started collecting, playing and even programming for are open source; some in hardware and all in software. The Arduboy, Gamebuino consoles and the Odroid Go are a few of the types that I’ve collected and worked with. I'll review each one briefly and give my top pick of games for each.
The Arduboy
First up is the Arduboy, a spunky little console. It is about the size of about 4 credit cards stacked. It has some lower end specs, but by no means does that take away from its use. The Arduboy sports a library of over 200 games. Most can be found in the official message boards or an unofficial repo known as Erwin's Arduboy Collection.
Three of my favorite games for the platform are Arduventure, 1943 and Arcodia. Shmups (also called Shootem' ups) is my favorite gaming genre. 1943 and Arcodia are great examples of vertical (or horizontal) shmups. Arduventure is probably the most in-depth and intricate game for Arduboy. It is a turned based RPG, where you have to find the four pieces of a mythical sword and defeat an evil consuming the land.
The open-source nature of the Arduboy is reflected in both its software and hardware. You can download the Arduino IDE and install the appropriate libraries and code your own game or examine the code of an existing game. The schematics of the Arduboy are also open source and many have created their own versions from compatible hardware. There are wonderful getting started guides in the forums that can teach you the basics.
The Gamebuino META
There are two consoles I own in this category. The original Gamebuino and the Gamebuino META. I'll focus on the META since it is the newest and the one I play most frequently. The META has a color screen, wood finish and clear body with internal LEDs that can light up in tandem with game play. The META library has only a few dozen games; but it will grow since the console was only released about a year ago.
My favorite games on the META are Omega Horizon, Defend Pluto and Pico Monsters. Omega Horizon is a Metroidvania style game, shooting aliens in an expansive world. Defend Pluto is is a vertical shmup with and interesting twist. You do not get unlimited ammo; you have to wait for your guns to recharge, so it makes for excellent strategy in piloting and conserving usage. Lastly is Pico Monsters, a Pokemon type game where you capture and battle monsters.
The META also uses the Arduino IDE to create games. You can find the setup guide, tutorials and more over at their Academy. The graphics the META is capable of are very reminiscent of 8-bit computers like the Commodore 64.
The Odroid Go
The Odroid Go is another console that supports the Arduino IDE and that you can write your own games for. That, however, is not its claim to fame. Instead the credit goes to its ability to emulate other 8-bit consoles. Namely The Gameboy, Gameboy Color, NES, Sega Master System, Game Gear and Colecovision. You do however need to supply the ROMs (Backups) of games you already own.
Due to its openness, programmers have ported other games to Odroid such as Doom and Wolfenstein 3D. Older computers have also had emulators ported such as the Commodore 64 and ZX Spectrum. A keyboard attachment was made so it is easier to code on it natively and use computer based emulators.
The Odroid is very fun to play. It is similar in size to a Gameboy Pocket. You can swap the buttons from a pocket into the Odroid. In fact, an online community for modifying the console exists and has many excellent examples of how you can customize its appearance.
Out of all these systems, my personal favorite is the Arduboy. It's compact and I always have one in my bag wherever I go. My collection is ever growing, and next on my to-get list is the Pokitto.
Capping the end of February, was the annual Mobile World Congress in Barcelona which ran from February 25-28. This year, there were some exciting announcements — not just around the future of mobility, but technology in general.
Among the announcements at MWC2019, these are the ones that I feel will be the most impactful in the coming year.
The Triumphant Return of the Kinect
Azure Kinect
Microsoft’s revolutionary (and discontinued) motion controller for the Xbox has made a comeback. Rebranded as “Azure Kinect,” it is now much less bulkier than the previous model. Instead of using it for gaming, the Azure Connect was designed for businesses to connect with the Azure AI cloud service, making their operations smarter and more automated.
Microsoft has partnered with Ocuvera—a software company that works with hospitals and assisted living facilities to predict patient falls—to be among the first to deploy the Kinect Azure in hospitals by having the Kinect cameras send movement data to the cloud and intelligently determine if a fall is about to occur, alerting staff to intervene.
At $399, the Azure Kinect is priced just a little high for the casual hobbyist, but perfect for startups and small businesses to start building AI powered solutions.
5G
5G is the next generation cellular network. It’s 20 times faster than 4G, and will allow major breakthroughs in both connectivity and reliability. You will be able to stream 4K video without any noticeable buffering, and play online games without any lagging. It will also allow for real-time collaboration in Virtual Reality environments.
5G will also allow for highly-connected network of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, providing reliable and fast transfer of data among many connected devices.
Carriers are just beginning to roll out 5G coverage on a limited basis, but as the infrastructure is built, we will start seeing 5G become more mainstream.
Foldable Smartphone Screens
Huawei Mate X
Just before MWC2019, Samsung announced their latest product. A smartphone with a screen that folds out to provide larger screen real estate. Not to be outdone, Huwaei and Xiaomi announced their own foldable phones. This can create a whole new market! Instead of buying a smartphone and tablet separately, you can now buy one device that does both!
As with anything new, I see plenty of hiccups with foldable screens, such as durability and the bending of pixels. That said, once those kinks are worked out, this could be the start of revolutionary product category: The Foldable.
Can Apple be far behind with their own iPhone/iPad hybrid? Time will tell…
HoloLens 2
Hololens 2 Demonstration (seen from a camera mounted Hololens)
One of the most highly anticipated announcements (and the one I was most excited about) was the HoloLens 2 from Microsoft.
The HoloLens is a mixed reality headset which projects digital 3D holograms directly into your field of view. Think Pokemon Go, but replacing your smartphone screen with your actual eyes!
The HoloLens 2 offers a much richer experience than the original model, released in 2016, including eye tracking, 2X depth of field to fit larger holograms into your vision, and higher resolution per eye.
In the on-stage presentation, we saw Microsoft Senior Researcher, Julia Schwarz put on the headset while a camera filmed her through its own Hololens 2. What we saw was astonishing! Schwarz pressed floating holographic buttons as if they really existed right in front of her, flipped switches floating in mid-air, and even played a full sized, holographic piano. All thanks to the new hand gesture sensors.
Microsoft also announced “Azure Spacial Anchors” which allows augmented reality developers to create holographic images in fixed locations, store them in the cloud, and publish them not only on the HoloLens, but also on iPhones and Android devices.
Available for pre-order at $3,500. The HoloLens 2 is definitely not for the average consumer. This technology is still being perfected, and is currently targeted toward businesses looking to use augmented reality for training factory employees in equipment repairs, and machine operations.
Final Thoughts
This year’s Mobile World Congress did not disappoint in delivering groundbreaking new products and innovations. While some of these announcements still seem a little far off in terms of consumer adoption, seeing them demoed gives hope that we will be using these exciting technologies in the not-too-distant future.
The NHL gave its new puck and player tacking
technology its first test drive with fans during the 2019 All Star Game, and as
with most everything new, opinions were very much mixed.
I was able to watch the game on two different
platforms: television, where the technology was minimally included, and the NBC
Sports app, where the technology was heavily implemented. I was also able to
watch the game with three other people: one who is an avid hockey fan, another
who is a more casual viewer, and a third who is relatively new to the sport.
One aspect of the technology which stood out to me was
the trail which followed the puck whenever it was passed from player to player
or shot towards the net. What I liked about this feature was that it was not
overly distracting; the trail itself was a light gray color (unlike the garish
neon of the 90s era “glow puck” that Fox Sports utilized) which I felt could be
easily ignored if I wasn’t interested in it. My friend who is newer to hockey
found the trail was helpful for her when the puck was bouncing or being shot
astray, as it helped her to be able to find the puck more easily.
The names and statistics of players being shown above
their heads proved to be the most polarizing aspect of the new tech. On TV,
these labels only appeared sporadically, while on the app they remained there
the entire time the players were on the ice. Even without being a permanent
fixture on the TV, all of my friends who were watching complained that they
were distracting and had a habit of (unintentionally) covering up the puck
while it was in play.
One thing I didn’t like about the app’s feed, where
the technology was being actively used throughout the game, was how much
information they put on the screen at once. I was expecting to see the players’
names and some other stats above their heads, but I was not expecting for the
game itself to be surrounded by information on the bottom and right hand side
of the screen. The lower section told us which players where on the ice and how
fast they were going, while the side section displayed the speed of the
previous shot, player leaders for the game (in terms of goals, assists, ice
time, and shots) and different statistics for each team on the ice (such as
shots, faceoff wins, takeaways, and time spent in the offensive zone). Sometimes,
this side rail would change to highlight a specific player on the ice. I was
viewing this stream on my phone, and watching the game felt very difficult
because of how small it had to be shrunk down to accommodate the live stats
around it. If this were being broadcast on TV, it would definitely be better,
but I could still see it being an issue for people who don’t have large screen
TVs.
The NHL has admitted they “wanted to overdo it” on the
trial run in order to garner the most accurate feedback from fans. This meant
they sometimes turned features within the system on or off, making the ice seem
more or less cluttered with statistics. In another example of utilizing
technology, NBC followed social media comments during the game and made
adjustments to the tracking system accordingly.
Two days before this test run, commissioner of the NHL
Gary Bettman announced that puck and player tracking will be deployed in every
arena for the 2019-2020 season. While many fans are unhappy with this decision,
I think that this is a good move for the sport. The system could definitely use
a bit more tweaking, but the NHL has plenty of time to do that before next
season, and they have plenty of feedback from their (very passionate, very vocal)
fans to take into consideration.
After watching the game with my friends, I realized
that this new technology could go a long way in helping new or casual fans to
better understand the sport of hockey, and continue to help it grow. And while
the more experienced and die-hard fans might be annoyed by the new graphics, it
is definitely interesting to have so many up-to-the-minute statistics available
at our fingertips to further analyze the game and its players. I do hope the
NHL continues to make some adjustments based on fan feedback, and gives us
options on how much of the technology we want to see at one time. But
ultimately, I believe this is a move that not only advances the NHL
technologically, but also benefits the league as a whole.
This past weekend marked the inaugural BSides Long Island cybersecurity conference. It might also have been the first security conference in an “old-money mansion” with valet parking, and roasted vegetables, steak and salmon for lunch! The coffee wasn’t half bad either! Pretty good for a $20 admission fee!
BSides security conferences happen all over the world, and are meant as small, information technical cybersecurity conferences with little or no vendor presence on the program and run as not-for-profit events. The idea is that there is ample time for talking with other attendees and that the presentations are selected based on content, rather than on who you work for.
BSides Long Island Logo
The BSides conferences started in Las Vegas, NV in 2009. The official reason was that a number of speakers who submitted presentation proposals to the Black Hat conference, but whose proposals were not accepted, decided that they had valuable information to share. In response, they decided to organize their own conference. The group ended up renting a house in Las Vegas and, today, almost a decade later, there are BSides conferences all over the world.
BSides Long Island took place on Saturday, January 26, 2019, in the De Seversky Mansion on the grounds of New York Institute of Technology in Greenvale, NY. Since the conference sold out weeks before, the expectations were high.
As with all good conferences, the conference kicked off with a keynote speaker. In this case, the keynote was delivered by Dr. Anita D’Amico ‘84, an alumna from Adelphi University’s Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies (currently the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology). Anita presented some of her DARPA-funded research about human factors in cybersecurity to an audience of several hundred attendees and shared several surprising findings, which may impact how we organize software development life cycle processes. For example, her research solidly dispels the idea that “many eyes make good code.” The work also demonstrated that co-location of software developers has little to no effect on code quality.
Dr. Anita D'Amico presenting the Keynote
After the keynote, the conference broke up in a number of different tracks. There was an education track, primarily focused on people who had little or no experience in the field, a track called Threat, Vulnerabilities and Compliance, a track for Security Software and Networks, and, last but not least, a Capture-the-Flag track.
In this Capture-the-Flag (CTF), participants are given the task to break into a system and prevent others from doing the same. CTFs are a common element of many security conferences; sometimes they are similar to this one, a “King of the Hill” challenge, while others are more about solving increasingly difficult puzzles. The latter category is known as a “Scavenger Hunt” and they are great fun to participate in.
The CTF was built on a popular framework from GitHub called RootTheBox. The challenge difficulty ranged from easy to very difficult. There were approximately six teams of up to three participants. The objective of the CTF was to gain access to six servers that were built for this challenge. This CTF touched on many different offensive security techniques. One of the greatest challenges was getting administrative access on a server before others did and then to lock down the computer! Overall a fun learning experience!
Where BSides differs from many of the other conferences our team has attended is that the focus here is not strictly on the Higher Education sector. At many of the conferences we already frequent, we’re hearing from our peers at other universities who are dealing with many of the same issues we do. However, sometimes it’s nice to hear the private sector perspective. Apart from a colleague at Suffolk Community College, pretty much everyone we spoke to and everyone whose presentations we sat in on was from outside the education sector. While our tactics may differ from those of a network of auto dealers, the problems of securing a network and its data are fairly universal.
Cybersecurity is a discipline in which trust is key. Conferences like this help a lot. Meeting peers eye-to-eye, in an informal setting, sitting down and chatting about common issues, and sharing a (good) meal are great relationship builders. BSides did a fantastic job at this.
What’s ahead? Well-- the next regional BSides will be in New York City, in January 2020. But, if you cannot wait, and you don’t mind traveling, there are plenty of other opportunities, all around the world!
By: Cari Costa Now more than ever, sports fans are looking to get as much information about their favorite players as possible. Advanced stats and analytics have become a big trend across the professional sports landscape, and leagues are eager to find new and innovative ways for fans to get this information.
This is where the National Hockey League’s Puck and Player Tracking system comes into play.
The technology is designed to measure several different aspects of the game, including skating speed, shot distance, and players’ ice time. When in use, the data will appear above the heads of the players in a small bubble while they’re on the ice, not dissimilar to the NHL video games produced by EA Sports.
The ability to track these stats is enabled by small sensors “about the size of an Oreo cookie” implanted on the back of players’ shoulder pads and inside of the puck. The sensors on the players’ pads are able to “emit signals about 200 times per second”. The sensors in the pucks, on the other hand, generate signals “up to 2,000 times per second”. These signals are then transmitted to antennae in the arena, generating millions of data points and delivering the information to broadcast teams, allowing them to go into deeper, more detailed game analyses.
Puck and Player Tracking, which has been in development since 2013, was privately tested by broadcasters during two games this season in Las Vegas. It will be presented to the public for the first time during the NHL’s All Star Weekend in San Jose (perhaps not-so-coincidentally located in the heart of Silicon Valley, known as a global center for hi-tech and innovation) as the next phase of the system’s research and testing.
Some fans, however, are wary of the technology. Concerns have been brought up about the enhanced data; particularly how it is tracked and displayed in-game. Fans worry this might detract from the game itself by introducing potentially distracting graphics and causing information overload.
During the All Star Weekend test, select elements will appear on the main TV broadcast. For fans who are interested in watching with the live stats more heavily implemented, a digital stream featuring the real-time tracking during the entirety of the event will be offered online and through the NBC Sports app.
I, for one, am very excited about the new opportunities that will arise from being able to implement this technology. As a huge hockey fan, I’m always looking for all of the details I can get, especially during the post-game breakdown. Hockey broadcasters are so knowledgeable about the sport, and so many of them are excellent storytellers on top of it, that being able to provide them with stats that we’ve never had before can really amplify our own knowledge and understanding of the game, as well as make it even more compelling to follow. Hockey fans are very big on “storylines” going into games, and this kind of stat tracking can create a multitude of new storylines for fans to follow.
I can also, however, understand where the concern comes from in terms of how the data is presented. While we are becoming more used to technology being integrated into our everyday lives, there’s something to be said about just sitting down and watching a game. Hockey in particular is very unique in terms of viewer experience; it is an incredibly fast paced game where plays can happen in the blink of an eye. Combine that with the one-of-a-kind soundtrack to hockey, such as skates cutting across the ice or pucks being slapped off of sticks; some fans have said they’d love for there to be an option where they can watch games on TV that don’t even include announcers. Introducing moving, ever changing graphics to a broadcast where there’s already so much going on at one time could easily prove to be simply too much when it comes to the viewing experience.
Ultimately, I think the NHL is doing the right thing by experimenting with new technology and choosing to slowly introduce it to the fans. The option being used during All Star Weekend to have just a few of the stats implemented on TV versus a dedicated stream for the data tracking is a great way for the NHL to test the waters and get fan feedback on how these stats are being utilized and displayed. It can also help them to get a better grasp of what kinds of data fans are most interested in getting, and what can help foster a deeper understanding of the game. I truly think that the more data we can get about our favorite sports, the better, but at the end of the day, it shouldn’t overshadow the simple enjoyment one gets out of just sitting down and cheering on their favorite team. A follow-up reviewing puck and player tracking in action at the NHL All Star Game is coming soon!
By: Aaron Hoberman Every January, tech companies from around the world gather at the Las Vegas Convention Center to show off the latest they have to offer at the Consumer Electronics Show, or CES. You’ll see some typical products like new computers, phones, audio and networking gear, as well as pretty crazy concepts like a 146-inch MicroLED TV or companion robots that can play, and probably beat you, in Scrabble.
Though there are a ton of different specialty conferences held throughout the year such as Google I/O, Adobe Summit, E3, or one of the handful of conferences Apple holds throughout the year, there’s something awesome about seeing all of the companies come together (yes, we all saw your billboard, Apple, even though you weren’t actually there) and showcasing a vast array of products.
So every January when CES rolls around, I get excited. I want to see what new products I need to have, or find out how the overlords at Facebook and Amazon have found another way to get even more information about me. Did you know that in 2016 Samsung partnered with Amazon to make a fridge that can see what you have inside? So when you think you won’t order food through Prime Now, go to Whole Foods, or use your Amazon credit card at Shoprite, that Amazon will still be able to figure out what you have in your fridge directly through photos, assuming they didn’t overhear you through your phone microphone while you were in the store deciding whether to get 2 or 3 packages of Oreos (3, obviously).
I don’t really mind though, I love the new technology and somehow I always convince myself that I need it. CES 2019 was no different, so let’s get into the top 5 things I was excited about at the show.
5. Google Assistant
Photo Credit: yvasa / Shutterstock.com
Smart assistants like Alexa, Siri and Google are available in pretty much in every product. Amazon recently released an Alexa powered microwave. But I find the upgrades that Google announced at CES particularly exciting.
First off, Google Assistant coming to Google Maps. This is something that was supposed to release last summer, but it’s finally here. Through Google Maps, you’ll be able to control navigation, respond to texts, get info, and more, all hands-free. Using an Android device gives you more functionality than an iOS device, which is to be expected, but the features are still great. As an iPhone user who uses Google Assistant frequently through my headphones, this is a welcome inclusion. In my experience, Google Assistant is much better than Siri.
To me, the bigger news is Google Assistant’s new interpreter mode. Previously, this was something that worked if you had Google Pixel Buds and a Google Pixel 2 or higher, but to see this tech getting better and expanding onto other devices is a big step forward. It’s currently being piloted at select hotels in Las Vegas, San Francisco and New York City on Google Home devices, but there are plans for expansion to phones and other smart devices.
It may not be something I’ll use on a daily basis, but it will give me peace of mind when traveling to unfamiliar places that I’ll be able to communicate at least somewhat well, hopefully.
4. Omron HeartGuide Smartwatch
Wearables are becoming more and more popular in today’s world, and for good reason. Whether you’re sporting an Apple Watch because you want all of your notifications or you’re wearing a Fitbit for some extra motivation to get in those steps and be active, there are many reasons you would want a wearable.
Personally, I got a Fitbit last summer, and it has definitely had a positive impact on my life. I don’t always hit my step goal, but you better believe that I’m walking around my apartment at the end of some nights trying to win the Workweek Hustle against my friends. It’s also allowed me to see how well poorly I’m sleeping, track my food and exercise, etc.
CES showed off a lot of great health tech, but I wanted to give a specific shout out to what I saw about the Omron HeartGuide Smartwatch. Luckily, I don’t struggle with any heart problems, but I know some people who do, and if the Omron HeartGuide works as it’s intended to, it could be a game changer.
The band on the smartwatch will inflate so that it can take your blood pressure whenever you need. As with most other smartwatches, it will also track your steps and sleep, and can even be set up to take readings overnight to track potential health risks. All of the information gathered by the HeartGuide will be sent to an app on your phone, and can easily be shared with a doctor to provide critical information about your health over time that could help treat issues better in the long run.
I hope that I don’t have to buy one of these for myself someday, but I know how important this can be for the people who really need it.
3. TVs
“TVs? Really?” Had you come to me a few years ago and asked what we would be talking about at CES 2019, I probably wouldn’t have thought that TVs would be near the top of my list. 4K and HDR are just now becoming the standard in new TVs, and thankfully, those TVs are now actually somewhat affordable. OLED TVs are starting to come down in price a bit, but those are still a luxury item.
So why am I talking about TVs, you ask? Because 8K TVs are coming, and while they may not be mainstream for another few years, I can’t wait to see what this will look like.
Last year I got myself a 65” LG OLED TV, and it has not disappointed at all. The picture is crystal clear, the colors are vibrant, the lighting is terrific, and watching Planet Earth 2 in 4K HDR might have actually changed my life.
Can it get better? Apparently so. Though you’ll probably need a screen that is 88” or larger to really see the difference between 4K and 8K resolution, it’s nice to imagine that one day with technological advances that it might actually be affordable. Finding space for it may not be as easy, sorry Marie Kondo.
You know what Marie Kondo would approve of though, specifically when talking about huge TVs? LG's new OLED R series Rollable TV. No need to adjust your screen, you read that correctly. The TV screen rolls in and out of a cabinet that houses all of the ports and speakers. Do you want to watch the last season of Game of Thrones? The screen will roll up for your viewing pleasure. Done with the show and you want to curl up in a ball and listen to The Sound of Silence because you realize there are only 6 episodes left? The TV will compact and roll down so you can listen through the Dolby speakers. There’s even a third option to partially open the TV so you can get the time and weather with some ambient noise and lighting (you’ll have access to the main dashboard and music menu here as well).
I can’t wait until my home is literally a movie theater with a 50-foot screen, but until then, I guess these upgrades will suffice.
2. Virtual Reality (VR)
Photo Credit: Credit James Mattil / Shutterstock.com
Though VR headsets are not quite in the mainstream yet, and I’m hoping that will change sooner rather than later, the technology is quite remarkable.
There are a bunch cheaper headsets available on the market today such as Google Cardboard, Google Daydream View, and Samsung Gear VR, that can wet the pallet for anyone interested in VR, the larger, more immersive experiences require some more powerful hardware.
To date, most VR experiences (that I know of) are some type of video game. A few years ago, Sony released PlayStation VR (PSVR) in an effort to incorporate the platform into its gaming offerings. While there have been some critically acclaimed titles such as Tetris Effect, Moss, and Astro Bot, you don’t generally see the larger publishing studios or designers focusing on the platform.
This untapped potential is what has me really excited about seeing new headsets announced at CES such as the HTC Vive Pro Eye or the Oculus Quest. The new HTC Vive Pro Eye is really intriguing because of it’s new eye-tracking feature, and though I don’t have hands-on experience with it, I assume it works similar to other eye tracking tech, such as being able to scroll your phone with your eyes on certain Samsung phones. It could be great for accessibility as well, where you'll be able to choose menus in a game just by looking at it, and I’m sure they’ll find a way to make experiences even more immersive.
Being a pioneer of new technology can be challenging, but rewarding. Seeing Sony work with games in VR or HTC and Oculus evolve is exciting not only for the experiences it brings now but for the potentially incredible experiences once the platform is universally accepted. Maybe we’ll be able to see what it’s really like in space with VR technology. On a smaller scale, I imagine a time where I can be sitting on my couch at home watching a concert at the Playstation Theater in NYC through my PSVR headset, rather than going to the venue. I’m not sure about you, but not leaving the house would be a victory in my book.
1. 5G Networks
Photo Credit: Credit James Mattil / Shutterstock.com
Wow, we've come so far. I remember when 3G networks were first becoming the norm in around 2007/2008, iPhone was starting to rise in popularity, smartphones started becoming the status quo, excluding Blackberry, which had already been successful for a bit. Did you know that 3G networks originated in 2001?
Now, in 2019, 5G is starting to be thrown around a lot more. According to Intel, the upgrade from 3G to 4G was mostly about speed, but 5G “will bring more powerful wireless networks that connect ‘things’ to each other, to people and to the cloud.”
Many companies were very high on 5G at CES, with Samsung planning on bringing new phones to Verizon and AT&T sometime in 2019. Though it is real, it’s only in its infancy stages, and you probably won’t start to fully reap the benefits and see it more commonplace for a few years.
Even with that information, it’s nice to see 5G go from just a buzzword to being implemented in actual product. With the technology we use constantly evolving and needing more power, 5G can be the backbone that drives the products we use every single day. You might soon be able to download an entire season of your favorite show in a minute or two, how great is that?
My biggest takeaway from CES this year, and really every year, is that the best is yet to come. VR is great, but there are so many opportunities for it to be groundbreaking. Wearable tech will most likely be influential in curing or preventing certain disease. 5G (and eventually 6G, 7G, etc.), will power the world in a way we only see in the movies and could help AI evolve to the point where smart assistants such as Siri or Alexa work flawlessly. One can dream.
But is it all a dream? There are so many other things that didn’t make my list such as self-driving cars, a snack-delivering robot, foldable phones, and more. It says a lot about the quality of products and innovation that is going on in the world. One thing is for certain, I can’t wait to see what comes next.
