Solomon Wiesen

Stories By Solomon Wiesen

• 

  0

  Buying Guides

  Buying Guides By Solomon Wiesen

  Best Holiday & Winter Tech-Gifts I Received This Season

  In terms of gifts, this past Holiday season was an interesting one. I'll go ahead and spoil the rest of the article for you by telling you the gifts I received: a Fitbit style bracelet, a book, and a gift card. Okay, now that we got the TLDR version out of the way, I will give my analysis and opinion on each of these "tech products" and various other techie thoughts along the way. Fitness I thought this was a funny gift to receive, as I am relatively in shape. I go running once a week, play basketball, and mostly get 7 hours of sleep every night. Which is why it was curious to me that I received a Jawbone bracelet as a gift. (Makes me wonder if it was re-gifted to me – but who am I to complain?). Like any curious techie, I put the thing on my wrist and observed it's every move. Or better yet, it watched my every move. It has gotten pretty good reviews overall, but I never fully got used to the idea of constantly wearing something around my wrist. After about a week, I kiiiinda-sorted started to forget that I was wearing it, which was a good sign. I was most excited about the sleep tracking aspect of it, but to be fully honest, and similar to the Engadget review I linked to above, it seemed lacking in that regard. I did have a feeling that that was a common deficiency in this arena (for fitness tracking bracelets), and I started to explore the fitness tracking arena a bit more. Three fascinating things I learned: There is a fitness bracelet that currently sells for $400 (Sheesh!) Microsoft was briefly in this market but discontinued their product. (No surprise there!) There exists an entire sub-niche of Fitbit-style fitness trackers for kids! *Watches every parent take notes for next Holiday season* A Book, Really? I received a book from a close friend who works in the hi-tech industry. The book is called Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future by Peter Thiel. I'm not going to lie, I was kind of hoping for a gadget. But being the good soldier that I am, I indeed read the book. Or, I should say, I devoured it. Thiel is known as a non-conformist, and has been in the news recently as he has been advising President Donald Trump on a number of matters. But regardless of what you think of his politics, one cannot dismiss his ingenuity (and his investing prowess). Zero to One is a masterpiece, and has actually caused me to look into other startup books because I've gotten hooked as a result. The premise behind the book is the notion of being first. Thiel attacks the notion that practice makes perfect, and rather stresses that innovation (sort of how he launched Paypal) is the key to forging a new future in which there is no competition, if you are indeed first in your niche or field. Though not a gadget, I can't say that I was disappointed in this gift, after all. But next year I am still hoping for a gadget. 😊 Free Money Ahhh, gift cards, the most fan-friendly copout gift that one can give. Let's talk about gift cards for a quick second. Buying someone a gift card means that the gift-giver hasn't really given much thought or infused any originality. However, name a single recipient who would be upset with a gift card as a gift. Probably not a single person (unless it was for a paltry amount). If you've been reading thus far, and have processed my thoughts on Fitbits and books, you might be wondering as to what I purchased with this gift card. (The card is for Amazon, so I can buy almost anything). Now the truth is, and I hate to leave you hanging this way, but I have yet to buy a gift with the card. I'm still hemming and hawing over what gadget or item I should get. There are certainly things I'm curious about, like oversized headphones, snazzy drones, or those ergonomic keyboards I keep seeing in random offices. But, until I choose something, the notion of having a card which can purchase nearly every product is alluring in and of itself. I might need some recommendations, so if you've been reading 'til now, do drop a comment below on any gadget recommendations – I am all ears! And eyes, too.

  By Solomon Wiesen Read More
• 

  0

  Gaming

  Gaming By Solomon Wiesen

  How Do Non-Pokemon GO Players Avoid the Mania?

  I was recently hustling down a street with my phone securely in my outstretched arm, leading the way. No, I was not playing Pokemon GO. I was following Google Maps directions. The funny thing is, I could feel people looking at me as I passed by, with bemused facial expressions as if to say, "look at the 6'5 adult running around and chasing Pokemon". Upon realizing this, (or at least thinking it), I immediately put away my phone, with barely enough confidence to walk at least 1 minute without Google Maps dictating the way. I couldn't help but chuckle after the fact, realizing that I was afraid of being labeled a Pokemon GO player, despite the fact that it is now the most popular mobile game in history (recently passing Candy Crush). Navigating a Gamified World Personally I am not compelled to play the game. But I'm not here to convince you not to, assuming you enjoy it (and I don't blame you, as some of these Pokemon characters are indeed adorable). But in a world in which gamification seems to touch every facet of our lives nowadays, or AR/VR for that matter, I will explain to you how I successfully navigate my life while avoiding the most popular game in history. Don't Download It Sounds simple enough, right? There were a few moments of weakness when I considered downloading the game, as Pokemon fever reach record highs. But when I saw a passerby race into traffic with his hands extended in a (successful) effort to stop cars so that he could nab what seemed to be a rare Pokemon, I thought the better of it. Even though I don't think I'll ever reach that nadir, the safest option is to simply rule out downloading the game. Download a Brain Teaser At the behest of a friend, I recently downloaded a popular and addictive brain teaser called "Brain It On". The fact that much of my time has been preoccupied with this game has reduced the level of FOMO that I would have normally had for Pokemon GO. With everyone running around and playing one particular game, I too have my own game to waste time with. And though it doesn't offer the same physical benefits of Pokemon GO (more on that in a moment), what it lacks for in physicality is hopefully made up for with its brain boost. Appreciate the Outdoors One of the biggest "proofs" that Pokemon GO addicts offer as to why it is both okay and beneficial for them to hunt for rare Pikachu's in the outside world is the physical exercise that it offers. To be fair, I'm not certain that wandering around in circles for 20 minutes constitutes physical exercise, but it is indeed better than sitting on a couch. In a weird way, this has compelled me to re-focus and re-appreciate the outdoors, by walking to work and playing sports 2-3 times a week. For any Pokemon Go player that tells me about his or her outdoor time gain in recent weeks, I can tell them that I too am outdoors plenty. Headphones for the Outdoors If you really want to escape Pokemon GO mania, then go ahead and tune it out. It sounds standoffish, but in certain outdoor situations, headphones allow one to drown out the surrounding Pokemon GO noise. Imagine the following scenario which I recently experienced: You are lying down in the grass at a nearby park, relaxing, reading Engadget articles on your tablet, when all of a sudden you hear excited shouting. As you look over, you see a gaggle of teenagers and young adults scurrying around feverishly with their phones waving in the air. This is the opposite of peaceful, and a ripe scenario to calmly put your headphones in, and fire up your favorite podcast or radio station. Appreciating the Mania In my opinion, Pokemon GO reached a level of mania not seen since the days of Furby. Sure, there is a natural dichotomy of those who embrace it versus those who want to escape it. But even for those of us who intend to avoid it, we can appreciate the incredible cultural aspects that it brings forth. Through some magical combination of augmented reality, video game icons which touch on many childhoods, coupled with smart phone technology that allows anyone to play the game anywhere and at any time, Pokemon GO has captured the hearts and minds of many. And though I plan to continue to "escape" this current craze, I can certainly appreciate it from afar.

  By Solomon Wiesen Read More
• 

  0

  News

  News By Solomon Wiesen

  Modern Tech in the NBA...2016 & Beyond

  Out of all four major sports, it looks like the NBA is by far the leading proponent of infusing modern technology into the sport. They even have a yearly tech summit to discuss all things tech. Movement tracking cameras, digital whistles, and sleep tracking software are just a few of the modern tech infusements that the NBA is employing. All eyes are currently on the NBA, as their season is currently culminating with the dramatic NBA Finals (although to be fair, the NHL Stanley Cup is also taking place). Without further ado, let's break down some of the more interesting modern tech that is currently being employed by the league. Advanced Movement Cameras If one has even a passing interest in the NBA, then surely he or she has heard of Sport VU by now. I'll let them explain it: STATS SportVU® utilizes a six-camera system installed in basketball arenas to track the real-time positions of players and the ball 25 times per second. Utilizing this tracking data, STATS is able to create a wealth of innovative statistics based on speed, distance, player separation and ball possession. Basically, this advanced camera system will allow for groundbreaking data that both teams and fans can utilize. This system allows for performance metrics that were previously unavailable, and will allow teams to both maximize and optimize the performances of all players. It will provide great insight for seeing where players need to improve, and showing how with a few tweaks they will be able to change their games for the better. Digital Whistles Who would have thought that digital whistles are faster than regular whistles? Well, it turns out that a digital whistle allows for a slightly faster reaction time from a referee. Although the exact number is unclear, digital whistles shave off a portion of a second from a regular whistle, making the game run more smoothly and quickly. It's also much safer for players to hear a whistle sooner than later, as they will stop play instead of continuing, and avoid risking injury. The technology here is an audio frequency which derives from three frequencies that compose the core of the sound emitted, which is immediately picked up by a digital sensor from PrecisionTime. Simultaneously, this automatically stops the shot clock, which is hooked up to the scoreboard. Though it's a lot of action, it all happens quicker than the blink of an eye. 8 Hours a Day Keeps the Doctor Away Who said anything about apples? Sleep is what keeps us healthy, and even more so for athletes. It's no secret that people function best with a minimum of 7 hours of sleep, and ideally with 8. But what about athletes? Or, for the sake of this article, how about basketball players? The obvious study to look at occurred at Stanford by Professor Cheri Mah, who is one of the world's most renown experts on the effects of sleep and sports performance. She conducted a study in 2011 in which she measured the nightly sleep of 11 basketball players from Stanford's men's basketball team. Each player spent 10 hours in bed per night, ostensibly sleeping for at least 8 of the hours. At the conclusion of the study, it was found that sprint times of these players increased overall, free-throw accuracy increased by +9 percent, and more even more impressive, 3 point accuracy improved by +9.2 percent. The NBA front office is well aware that more sleep produces a higher level of competition, and has already taken action in the form of limiting games on back to back nights. Teams that arrive in the middle of the night are striving to give their players a longer and more continuous stretch at night to sleep, with morning shoot-arounds pushed to slightly later in the day. The tech being used to optimize sleep is the Jawbone, most publically supported by Andre Iguodala. As last year's Finals MVP, Andre's devotion to solid sleep habits drew a lot of attention around the league. Future Tech in the NBA In terms of the what the future holds there is certainly no limit. Transcranial stimulation is one interesting but perhaps jarring tech: it sends a jolt or wave to one's brain, and it is purported that this will improve the mechanics and therefore the shooting percentage of a basketball player. "Tech tattoos", developed by Chaotic Moon, is another far-in-the-future piece of tech that is a fabric-like device that lives on an athlete's arm and collects useful data which can then be used to improve shooting form and precision. Regardless of where the future of tech is in regard to the NBA, one thing is certain: it's going up, up, and away.

  By Solomon Wiesen Read More
• 

  0

  Tomorrow

  Tomorrow By Solomon Wiesen

  Emoji Explosion: Research the Past To Predict the Future

  With 72 new emoji's (or is it emoticons?) set to be released to a hungry public, the question now becomes, what other emoji's would we like to see? Will bacon and avocado emoji's be enough to satiate the public's appetite? Probably not. The reason is the following: emoji's have begun to replace words, and we'll need a lot more than 72 to fill our desires. Communication between humans has evolved tremendously over the years (or devolved, depending on your interpretation). What began as a long form correspondence between two people has now turned into an emoticon-packed back and forth screen share. In terms of the future of emoji's and where it is going, we need to take a look at how we got here, and where it all began: Writing letters in the mail Sending postcards Sending emails & online cards Text messages (SMS) WhatsApp & Facebook Messenger Sending a letter in the mail – when was the last time anyone did that? And no, I'm not referring to a government form. I'm referring to a handwritten letter from one person to another. This lost art was the primary method of conversing with others, even after the telephone was invented. (And it's not dying either – last year there were over 150 billion pieces of mail sent out!). For the most part, however, writing letters soon shifted toward postcards, which became a sort of faster, haphazard way to communicate with people. And, once email was invented, people suddenly found a new and fast, postcard-like way to communicate. In terms of communication breadth, the jump from mail to online was quite striking, as people could no longer write or draw in free form. Whatever was found on the keyboard is what was allowed in an email. (That's the QWERTY keyboard that we're talking about). Sure, there were eCards, which allowed for much more freedom of expression, but in terms of fast communication, email became the mail du jour. (Though it had quite a head start: 1978 to be exact). As email shifted to mobile, we saw an advance in phones and messaging capability. Early SMS allowed for basic faces like :) and :(. But it wasn't until WhatsApp that we saw the current explosion of emoji's. And the new explosion is certainly interesting. With the evolution of communication arriving to the point that words are being replaced by tiny bite sized images that can be sent with one press of a button (not including the send button), it's time that we simply receive emoji's for every single noun. Yep – why stop at bacon and avocado? Because emoji's have essentially replaced words, to a degree, we'll need emoji's for everything. That is why I propose creating emoji's for every noun. Now, before we start creating thousands of emoji's, let's point out that there are many nouns which are unusable. Nouns such as history and information probably won't cut it in the world of emoji's. If we sharpen our focus on 'common nouns', we can probably limit that to 1000. Here is a hefty list of nouns as a good start. Of course, Unicode gives a set of rules for how to determine what can become an emoticon. The two most important factors listed are totally achievable: Frequency This is the most important factor for inclusion, after compatibility. There should be high expected usage worldwide, or high expected usage within a particular community of users Multiple usages Does the candidate emoji have notable metaphorical references or symbolism?​ The point is, we might as well ponder the root cause: people are using emoticons more than words. This means that that instead of incrementally adding 72 emoji's at a time, we might as well dump 1000 at a time, in an effort to satiate everyone's needs. And while avocados and bacon are filling, they won't do enough to satiate the emoji community.

  By Solomon Wiesen Read More