Though the Major League Soccer season ended not even a week ago, the league has wasted no time looking ahead to next year. Partnering up with long-time sponsor Adidas, MLS has announced their new official match ball for the 2015 season. Called the NATIVO, it will feature the six identically shaped panels, continuing the move away from traditional pentagonal or hexagonal designs.

Sponsoring leagues and competitions with match balls is a well-trodden road for Adidas, as they also use a new ball for the Women’s World Cup 2015 as well as Euro 2016 qualifiers. Competition is rife among Adidas and Nike for official match balls, or OMBs, and both companies are eager to put their respective designs on the field. Nike holds an edge in number of leagues — though many countries and leagues aren’t listed of course — in Europe, including inarguably the two best, Premier and La Liga.

For international leagues both at the county and club level, Adidas has locked up OMB status in a clean sweep, though Nike does sponsor the 2015 Asian Football Cup 15 with their new Ordem 2.

Between 12-panel vs six-panel designs to the thermal-bonding or fuse-welded discussion, there is no shortage of differences of balls in league matches. Factor in the chance for a player to potentially use three different balls in a 12-day period — league fixture, UEFA and national team call up — the lack of standardization is odd. It isn’t a question of quality, merely continuity. The old saying “different strokes for different folks” rings true in many aspects, but when millions of people (not to mention millions of dollars) are involved in these matches, perhaps the saying “can’t we all just get along?” would be better.

(Header image via Facebook)

The header above is just a sample of a recent and instant classic photograph. The raw file size was only 45.1 KB, but what if we could make that load even faster? If you’ve never heard of Fabrice Bellard, a mistake that can be forgiven, don’t be surprised if his name pops up more frequently in the near future. The brains behind QEMU — a way to run different operating systems on non-native hardware, e.g. a “hackintosh”  — as well as other projects, Bellard’s latest feat is a new format for photos which he dubs Better Portable Graphics or .BPG.

Bellard is aiming to replace the .JPEG file type — among others — as he claims the BPG format is smaller, offers lossless compression and can be supported by most browsers with merely a JavaScript decoder. Displayed below is a photo in both its standard format as well as in BPG. The size of each is displayed along the mouse cursor line. Note the massive difference in size versus the nearly identical image quality. For more photos to compare, go here.

Obviously the biggest gains here are for mobile users. Imagine using a convertor to replace a phone or tablet’s .JPEG or .PNG files with .BPG. Rather than using massive amounts of storage in one’s device, why not shrink the raw file size down and save space? The loading time on mobile devices not connected to Wi-Fi would be drastically reduced as well. Given the demand for iconic moments in sports and in life, the way we store our precious photos could be changed for the better.

(Header via the New York Giants Facebook page)

Working with fitness apparel giant Under Armour, NBCUniversal has launched their new Radius brand, a multi-platform workout regimen. As it stands, Radius is limited to iPhone and iPad users as a $10 monthly service, or the videos will be aired on from 6 am to 9 am Eastern Time each weekday on the NBCSN channel.

The mobile version of Radius will produce content in an on-demand format from the television show. For the workouts themselves, there are levels of fitness ranging from beginner to high intensity. As time for workouts — and free time in general — becomes a premium in our everyday lives, Radius also offers a series called “10acious” designed to give a full body workout in just 10 minutes. A recent study showed the significance of mixing a high intensity spurt into a normal workout, specifically even a short workout with a minute or two of sprint-esque action grants significant dividends.

For now the Radius app is cheaper than just about any local gym membership, however it is limited due to its iOS device restrictions. Undoubtedly, Android users will soon be able to join in the workouts though the idea of paying an additional sum to work out, even one backed by Under Armour and digital personal trainers, seems a bit foreign. With free apps such as the Scientific 7-Minute Workout already available for both Android and iOS users, forcing potential customer into spending more money may not be an ideal way to reach mobile users. For now, Radius offers promise. However, even with the offer of two free months with a purchase of a six month package or four free months with an annual subscription, it may not be enough.

(Image via Wikipedia)

Staying in good shape and good health is hard enough — though with the new year approaching we all get to hit the reset button on our diets and workout discipline — so anything to make it easier and a more enjoyable time is welcome. Cycling has become the go-to option for many health-minded folks and the makers behind COBI, are aiming to make road cycling enthusiasts not only more eager to maintain their routines, but safer, too.

Though still in Kickstarter phase, COBI offers an all-inclusive option and mounting system for navigation, music (including Spotify, podcasts, turn signals and braking lights all while charging your phone rather than running it down. Their Kickstarter page boasts of over 100 intelligent features to any bike and comes with a variety of mounting systems for different bikes and different phones.

Like many hardware/app combinations, COBI has the basics of tracking, popular routes as well as Buddy Radar, a way of locating nearby friends who are also working out. The brains of the system is controlled by a what is basically a directional pad with a center button that mounts on the handlebars, never making you take your hands off what is important.

What COBI does differently is packing so much into one clean package, from music to heart rate monitors and calories burned calculators to security features. The lock feature boasts motion sensitive alarms plus the system will only respond to your phone with plans for allowed friends and family to also unlock and share your bike.

The COBI system offers a built-in case/screen protector combination with an IPX6 certified rain and mud cover guard, allowing you to take to the streets or mountains in less than ideal weather. COBI integrates with bluetooth 4.1, ANT+ and CAN for making to taking calls while working out or even simply commuting to and from work. Already compatible with Google Fit and Apple Fit, COBI is aiming to hit the ground running in the second quarter of 2015.

Major League Soccer, in conjunction with ESPN and ChryonHego, debuted a new player tracker graphics package in yesterday’s MLS championship game between the New England Revolution and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The tracker shows the player’s club, number and highlights them with a gold colored circle during important moments of the game.

In the first half of play, the Galaxy won a corner kick. The system highlighted Omar Gonzalez leading up to the set piece, as the central defender is listed at an imposing 6’ 5” and an ideal target for headers.

While the system was use sparsely during its unveiling game, it manages to hold plenty of intrigue and possibility. The realm of soccer statistics hasn’t yet matched the level of baseball analytics, though there is no shortage of reading material to study the topic. Last year MLS signed a deal with Match Analysis to utilize their system of data collection and video to present things perhaps unseen by the naked eye. Among Match Analysis’ list of current or previous clients is the national teams for the United States, Mexico, Canada as well as 2014 World Cup winners Germany. While the Germans team used a different system en route to their win in Brazil, a system called Match Insights, there seems to be no shortage of demand for soccer analytics, as well as a way to bring them to the viewer at home.

Much like any proprietary system, the analytical side of the beautiful game may be kept close to the vest by the clubs and teams who pay for it. If MLS’ new system can highlight players — or even set pieces, attacks and counter-attacks — by using data collected, all the better for the game. A different option would be for the system to display offsides while the commentators simultaneously explain to potentially novice viewers what an offside consists of , thus avoiding any embarrassing Ted Lasso-esque situations. From the now standard and expected yellow first down line in football to the digital strike zone in baseball, technology has rooted its way into sports broadcasts. MLS is attempting to bring that same level of integration to their product.

(Image via Wikipedia)

The 2015 FIFA Women’s World Cup groups will be drawn tomorrow at noon eastern on the Fox Sports 1 channel plus a live stream via Fox Sports Go. Joining the host nation of Canada is 23 other nations that qualified to make a run at the title of World Cup champion.

How to view the games themselves on television was decided years ago. FIFA gave all broadcasting rights in the United States from 2015 through 2022 for English TV and radio to Fox and their affiliates. Spanish TV rights went to Telemundo Media, owned by NBCUniversal. The Fox Soccer 2Go stream does not appear to have any streaming rights to the Women’s WC, however with a digital converter box, anyone with a TV — even without a cable subscription — should be able to see a limited number of fixtures. Lou D’Emilio of Fox Sports quoted World Cup Coordinator David Neal saying “Fox or Fox Sports 1 will carry all 52 WWC matches live in 2015.” Without a definite distinction of how the games will be split among the two channels, it remains unclear how many games a cord cutter will be able to see.

A possible option is the Fox Sports Go app is available for Windows, Android and iOS devices. Unfortunately Fox Sports Go currently depends on having a particular cable subscription. Despite producing a strong Fox Soccer 2Go app (where no TV packaged is necessary as it is a standalone price), the Fox Sports Go leaves much to be desired. One of the current issues is that despite having access to a Charter Communications login, complete with Fox Sports 1 and 2 in the channel lineup, Charter is not a selectable option. Given Charter services almost 28 million subscribers across 29 states and is the fourth largest cable provider in the nation based on revenue, one would assume compatibility with Fox Sports Go. Fox Sports Go is also not available to subscribers of either of the two major U.S. satellite providers — DirecTV and Dish. Apparently I am not missing much from not having access to the app, though. Among the three platforms, the highest rating is three stars on the Android version versus two on iOS and a 1.8 stars rating for Windows devices. Not to put faith in internet reviews, after asking around the only worse streaming platform than Fox Sports Go was the NBA’s League Pass, notorious for issues and bugs.

While the games are still over six months away, Canada will play its to-be-determined opponent on June 6, the accessibility of the matches is in doubt. This year’s men’s World Cup broadcasting rights was owned by ESPN and still have matches available to be re-watched via WatchESPN, though that does require a cable package. Whether or not Fox allows streams — both live or after the match — remains to be seen. Trusting major telecoms, let alone FIFA, to make the right decision for viewer accessibility is a nearly impossible dream.

(Header image via FIFA.com)

The numbers are in for the League of Legends Worlds and they are staggering, and not just the $1 million prize pool. Riot Games, developers of LoL, posted the viewership numbers for their world finals. The event itself was spread out over 15 days of competition and totaled 100 hours of gameplay to decide the champion.

According to Riot, the finals were broadcasted in 19 different languages utilizing 40 different casters and play-by-play partners. The grand finals between Samsung White and  Star Horn Royal Club was watched by a peak of 11.2 million viewers, the equivalent of almost all of the censured population of Ohio. Put a different way, it was as if Oregon, Oklahoma and Connecticut combined to tune in simultaneously.

Throughout the road to the grand finals, LoL Worlds caught 27 million unique viewers and 288 million impressions to see Samsung White win it all. The 179 million hour total of esports watching outpaces the 151ish million hours of the video Gangnam Style by Psy which recently broke YouTube. This year’s fall classic went a full seven games and average 13.9 million viewers, though the final out of game seven was viewed by 27.8 million people. The numbers between esports and baseball are suddenly comparable, not to mention the sold-out 45,000 seat Sangam Stadium venue.

On Riot’s website, dating back to January of this year, they claimed over 67 million users played LoL every month. Of them, 27 million play daily and Riot’s servers carry the load for 7.5 million people at peak hours. The world’s most popular video game is showing no signs of slowing down. Who else ready to tailgate for an esports match? If it’s too cold outside, how about a BarCraft instead?

(Header photo via Riotgames.com)

God Save The Queen! Esports is coming to London in the form of a specific arena designed for tournaments, league play and ladder competitions. Gfinity, a company whose mission statement is “to help push esports within the UK to a professional level, to raise awareness and to provide an arena for gamers to showcase their talent” is working on the first building of its type in the country.

No stranger to the realm of esports — Gfinity hosted G3 and its $145,000 prize pool spread across four different games — the arena is already slated to hold an astonishing 30 live events next year. With seating for up to 500 spectators to view the competitions unfold, the building may not be as large as Major League Gaming’s (MLG) new Ohio event building, it is nonetheless a great first step. The confirmed events include games such as StarCraft II, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Halo, FIFA 15, League of Legends and Hearthstone. Gfinity has set aside $500,000 for these tournaments in addition to their weekly cups (weekly tournaments) plus six “open” events where anyone can come to the arena to chase their professional gaming aspirations.

Though this is new to the United Kingdom, mainland Europe is no stranger to hosting massive local area network (LANs) games and live tournaments. From DreamHack to Electronic Sports World Cups (ESWC), esports have spread across Europe as quickly as their internet connections will take it. The UK has hosted previous annual large-scale LANs before, notably the yearly Insomnia events, however nothing in the same scale as what Gfinity has planned for 2015 and beyond.

With new venues, tournaments and competitions, esports — despite recent controversies — continues to grow around the world. With a multitude of streaming platforms ranging from Twitch.TV to YouTube to MLG.TV, the way to watch and esports at home is wide open. The live-and-in-person options are finally catching up.

(Header image via Gfinity)

“We can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to make the world’s first bionic man…We can make him better than he was. Better, stronger, faster.”

Classic science fiction aside, there has been a recent announcement by Tufts University regarding the world’s first wireless electronic implant to fight staph infections then automatically dissolve into the body when the job is finished. Working with a collection of talent from Tufts as well as the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana, the research group has successfully shown an absorbable chip that eliminated a bacterial infection in mice by applying heat to infected areas after receiving a wireless signal via remote. The devices themselves are made from silk — where the antibiotics are loaded for dispersal — and magnesium, allowing them to be safely absorbed in testing animals after 15 days.

The large scale implications of such a chip in humans is grand, as professor of biomedical engineering at Tufts Fiorenzo Omenetto believes

“This is an important demonstration step forward for the development of  on-demand medical devices that can be turned on remotely to perform a therapeutic function in a patient and then safely disappear after their use, requiring no retrieval.”

Frank C. Doble, a professor at Tufts School of Engineering, believes this could drastically change the aftermath of surgical procedures in hospitals.

“These wireless strategies could help manage post-surgical infection, for example, or pave the way for eventual ‘wi-fi’ drug delivery.”

As per a study conducted by the Center for Disease Control in 2011, as many as 1 in 25 hospital patients were hit with a healthcare-associated infection, or HAI. The same study showed approximately 721,800 and HAIs were responsible for an estimated 75,000 deaths.

With something as simple as a patch the doctor places and remotely monitors, some of the guesswork in post-surgery complications can be removed. While there is no timetable for the implant to begin human trials, the hope would be to cut down on not only HAIs but also infections of any other type. The implant managed to handle staph infections as well as E. coli and S. aureus bacteria. There may come a day where rather than seeing the doctor about a prescription and then driving to the pharmacy, the doctor or nurse could apply something as simple as a patch and then send you on your way.

(Header image via NIAID)

If you prefer casually drinking coffee and wearing pajamas while you shop, look no further than Cyber Monday. The new Black Friday, Cyber Monday also offers a wide array of gifts and options for shoppers. I suppose nothing is stopping you from going shopping today in your PJs, but that is really up to you and your local clothing statutes. We here at TechGraphs love our sports, but we’re all nerds at heart. And there are no shortage of deals for our brethren this holiday shopping season.

Just like how Black Friday deals creeping into Thanksgiving Day, some retailers are kicking off Cyber Monday as soon as today. The prices over at Amazon are lower than usual — though if you wait until Monday you may get an even better rate — if you’re in the market for anything ranging from MLB team zip-up hoodies, portable chargers for your phone or tablet, or even a 3D printer.

For the video documentary enthusiasts, make sure to check out HTC’s RE camera. You can hold it in your hand or with a simple mounting bracket the RE can go on your bicycle to record everything from beautiful scenery to bad driers. Regularly priced at $200, they will be on sale all weekend (while supplies last) for half off. The waterproof RE snaps pictures with its 16 mega-pixel camera and records video in 1080p.

On the other hand, if you’re more the style to watch movies than to film them, the Google Play Store is offering some great deals. With almost 90 movies available for less than 10 bucks, Google has you covered if you want to catch up on films. On top of the entertainment available, items such as Chromebooks, Chromecast and smart watches are all being offered at discounted prices. The LG G Watch is $130 dollars off its regular price of $229 and is compatible with any Android device — not LG specific — running 4.3 or higher. Other incentives such as up to $50 toward the Play Store are running on the Samsung Gear Live, ASUS ZenWatch and Sony SmartWatch 3.

If you’re an Apple enthusiast, fear not, as the Apple Store is running up to $100 dollars in iTunes gift card with a Mac purchase or $50 for an iPhone or iPad. AppleTV, compatible with MLB.TV, HBO GO, ABC, Watch ESPN, NFL Now and more, is also offering a $25 gift card. Though it is still being sold at the $99 regular price, with the gift card AppleTV basically 25% and makes for a great gift. Special thanks to AppShopper for already posting marked down apps, including some free apps.

Factor in other sites such as NewEgg, Tiger Direct and of course PC Part Picker (all are among my favorite sites to shop), there is no shortage of incredible deals to take advantage of. Rather than fighting for parking or bruising my elbows over in-store deals, I think I’ll enjoy this coffee and only worry about whether or not I want to eat left-over turkey for lunch or dinner. Maybe both.

(Image credit via IMDB)