The newest update to Zepp’s baseball and golf app includes a new feature to personalize users’ training based on swing analysis.
The feature, called Zepp Insights, will produce reports that recommend drills to help users focus on personalized weakness in their swings. The reports will be delivered weekly, provided the user takes at least 30 swings during that week. Using millions of swings collected from its users, Zepp will identify which of the five calculated swing parameters — bat speed at impact, maximum hand speed, time to impact, vertical angle at impact, and attack angle — is most in need of improvement. The report will then recommend training drills and tips from their existing video library.
The new update will also include swing goals across all metrics based on the user’s skill level. In previous versions of the app, only bat speed goals were set automatically, with additional goals relying on user input to tag the hit type and direction.
In addition to the drills and overviews featuring Cubs hitting coach John Mallee, Zepp also provides swing data and video of a number of MLB hitters, including Mike Trout, David Ortiz, and Giancarlo Stanton. The pros offer advice on more “real-world” scenarios, such as staying back on a curveball and hitting the ball the other way.
CEO Jason Fass said the new update provided personalized, actionable data to its users, better helping them improve their swings.
“Our goal is to provide analysis that not only collects numbers from the sensor, but offers ways to improve those numbers through content in our app,” Fass said. “We need to engage and elevate athletes by personalizing tips gleaned from their captured data.”
In another step in the right direction for cord cutters, 120 Sports, the company that launched live streaming sports news, analysis and previews has expanded from mobile versions to include AppleTV. Supported by Sports Illustrated and working with MLB, NHL, PGA, NBA, NASCAR as well as a slew of college conferences, 120 Sports is a free service for sports fans without cable packages.
While the AppleTV compatibility is new, both iOS and Android versions have been available for over six months. The company boasts 10+ hours of live sports coverage every day, starting at 8 am eastern. On the app versions you can search for popular previous broadcasts via the Catch-Up hub or go to the Trending section to see what is on the rise, though to follow a specific player or team you’ll have to be using the app, not the AppleTV version.
With an indexed and searchable on-demand system, 120 Sports offers a ton to consumers. The ability to follow specific teams, leagues or even national teams is a great feature as well.
A slight knock on the app is that if a team, Queens Park Rangers for example, may not be popular enough, it isn’t even searchable. Clubs such as Arsenal, Man City and United and others are all searchable and able to be followed, but it appears as though only the big teams can be found.
It doesn’t need a login for the website version, however it does utilize your Google Play or App Store email for the mobile versions. Despite lacking live sports events, the highlights from 120 Sports alone make it well worth the download. Seeing the expansion to the television sets instead of mobile only is great progress as well.
It’s Sunday. The sun has set. Katy Perry and all that is horrible about corporate America’s involvement with the Super Bowl have gone with it. You’re stuck on the couch, beyond bloated from stuffing your trap with pigs in a blanket, chips and guacamole and seven Bud Light Platinums. The Seattle Seahawks hold a 17-14 lead with seven minutes remaining in the third quarter. Tom Brady and his New England Patriots failed to convert on third down and goal at Seattle’s four yard line. Take the sure three points against Seattle’s defense, right? No, no. Go for it on fourth down, because if the Pats don’t make it, Seattle has horrible field position.
What do you do? Flip a coin? It’s hard to think through the fog of booze and carbs. “What do you do?” asks Dennis Hopper’s Howard Payne from 1994’s blockbuster Speed. “What do you do?”
Refer to 4th Down Bot. He’s got all the fourth down answers.
Carolina punted on a 4th and 4 at the Arizona 37. I would have gone for it: http://t.co/ReNCna7IjZ
Produced by The New York Times in 2013 and upgraded for this NFL season, 4th Down Bot utilizes a model created by Brian Burke of Advanced Football Analytics and ten years of data to live-critique coaches’ decisions via the Bot’s web site and on Twitter. The Times published its methodology here. It bases decisions on expected points, which measures the average number of points each situation is worth. The creators admit the model is similar to that developed by David Romer, a University of California, Berkeley economics professor who authored a paper in 2002 exploring fourth down options. The Times notes more seasons of data differentiate the two models.
The model assumes both the offense and defense are league average, with its goal of scoring as many points as possible. But once the fourth quarter hits, winning becomes the priority. The Bot measures how often teams won following a punt, field goal kick or fourth down attempt using data from NFL games played previously played.
A field goal is worth 3 points, if it’s successful. But there is a catch: after scoring, you must kick off to your opponent, which, on average, will begin its drive on the 22-yard line. Judging from the chart above, a first-and-10 from your 22 is worth about 0.4 points. To NYT 4th Down Bot, a field goal is worth 3 points minus the cost of kicking off: 3 – 0.4 = 2.6 points. (Similarly, a touchdown and extra point is worth 7 – 0.4 = 6.6 points.)
What if the kicker misses? It’s a long field goal, about 55 yards, and the success rate of 55-yard field goals is only about 40 percent.
If the kick is no good, the opponent takes over on its 45-yard line. From our chart above, a first-and-10 from there is worth about 1.8 points. In this case, however, it is a first down for your opponent, so the point value from your perspective is –1.8 points.
NYT 4th Down Bot uses the expected points from success, the expected points from failure and the likelihood of each outcome to compute the net value of a decision.
Per the scenario above, 4th Down Bot would have kicked the field goal and settled for a 17-17 tie with 22 minutes of championship football left.
To be certain, the Bot is a fun tool for couch coaches everywhere rather than a serious, analytical decision-maker. It has its holes (it still doesn’t know what teams are playing, their strengths, or injuries involved). But when you want to look smart in front of friends and family this Sunday following a huge fourth down play, just whip out the Bot. He’s got your back.
We mentioned yesterday that the Super Bowl will be available to stream on NBC for freesies. However, if you were to watch via NBCs web stream, you wouldn’t get to see all those commercials everyone would be talking about the next day at work. Social suicide, to be certain! But fear not, cord cutters. Tumblr has you covered.
According to Reuters, NBC will be posting the highly-anticipated (and highly-priced) ads on Tumblr shortly after they air. This will allow people watching via stream, people not watching at all, or fans looking to re-watch their favorites an opportunity to catch all the spots that run during one of advertising’s biggest days.
While many companies post their commercials to sites like YouTube and Vimeo, NBC will curate their own one-stop shop for the ads. For some, the commercials are just as (or perhaps more) important as the game. NBC is smart to offer those taking advantage of their new streaming service to also catch the ads online — not to mention a repository for repeat viewings. It will take a little multi-tab navigation, but at least game streamers will now know what the hell everyone is talking about on Twitter.
Succumbing to the world of selfies — and of course selfie sticks — is nearly inevitable at this point. Given the rapid growth of Instagram, now owned by Facebook, it isn’t hard to envision how social media integration is making people’s lives and interests public. Just days ago at the NCAA National Championship football game fans used more than a staggering six terabytes of data. Recently, Instagram launched their latest beta test update for Android platforms, a voluntary way of helping them troubleshoot as well as give feedback to the developers for what will eventually be their next update.
Despite just pushing out a major update back in December where five new filters were added, the brains behind IG seem keen on keeping up to date with new versions of the app. The beta update is free, you just have to join the Google+ group and then opt-in to the beta test. Once you’re in, you’ll see a confirmation message.
You’re also given the option to opt-out whenever you’d like. Given the very nature of beta testing, there may be some kinks to work out, however in the early going the changes have been for the best. Officially, the only changes to this beta version are various bug fixes, though more features could be unrolled as the beta progresses.
Be it concerts or sporting events or even a just a group of friends watching a game, wherever there are groups of people, posting pictures and videos are a part of lives now.
Make sure your laptop and tablets are locked and loaded come Super Bowl Sunday. You’re going to need them.
NBCUniversal today announced plans to live stream 11 hours of Super Bowl content, no strings attached. Those strings typically include a log-in process with the consumer’s cable or satellite account information. NBC will not be streaming via mobile app, however, as they do not have NFL live streaming rights. But with a tablet or phablet and the right web browser installed, streaming from nbcsports.com/liveextra shouldn’t be an issue.
The 11 hours, which is five hours too long (figure 3 ½ hours for the game, 45 minutes each pre and post-game shows) will be followed by the midseason premier of The Blacklist. That’s quite a gift for cord cutters that happen to love both Marshawn Lynch and James Spader. NBC’s coverage starts at noon ET and figures to end around 10 pm ET.
NBC’s motive for its “Super Stream Sunday” is to promote its TV Everywhere marketing campaign, naturally entitled “Watch TV Without the TV.” TV Everywhere is the practice of content providers using authenticated methods, such as streaming or video on-demand, to allow customers to access content they already pay for via the internet or mobile devices.
“We are leveraging the massive digital reach of the Super Bowl to help raise overall awareness of TV Everywhere by allowing consumers to explore our vast TVE offering with this special one-day-only access, said Alison Moore, general manager and executive vice president of TV Everywhere and NBCUniversal.
Cord cutters beware – after the Super Bowl, TV Everywhere will only work with a valid user name and password associated with one’s provider account. But maybe this is NBC’s one big step in a direction of genuinely free live streaming – a future of connecting to a stream without a provider account.
“Consumer behavior is changing and people are looking to have content when they want it and where they want it,” Rob Hayes, executive vice president of NBC Digital told USA Today last month.
Katy Perry fans are also in luck. According to the press release, this is the first time NBC Sports Extra Live is live streaming the halftime show.
NBC did add that users will “receive consistent messaging in and around the experience about the ease in authenticating after the end of The Blacklist.”
From the latest Global Web Index report — Q3 2014 — more than one in three households with an internet connection now have a SmartTV. Unsurprisingly, the age range of 25-34 held the highest ownership rate at 42%, however income had a greater effect on SmartTV ownership than age. The top income quartile reported at 50% ownership rate. SmartTVs are no longer a trend, but something that has arrived.
As the graphic displays, the way people are using their SmartTVs is also evolving. On-demand services such Google Play was used by 39% of owners, Netflix ranked second with 27% and iTunes usage rates followed at 26%. Amazon Prime services were used by 17% of SmartTV owners and SoundCloud showed a 14% rate.
Given the popularity of such streaming services — particularly among the highlighted 25-34 year-olds — the continued rise of SmartTVs working with more and more streaming options should come as no surprise.
While there is not an official Twitch.TV app for various SmartTVs, there are options for watching YouTube streams listed here.
The second screen experience — something sporting events and video games excel at — is of particular note. Two out of three people told GWI they use a smartphone while watching TV, with one-third stating they use a tablet. A simple search at the time of writing of Twitter’s trending topics show 8/10 being related to sports, be it trades, scores, signings or other.
It’s clear the market for SmartTVs is on the rise. Count on more programming, both on television and streaming services, being catered towards SmartTV owners. The full report can be found on GWI’s website here.
Their most popular YouTube channel partner is Dude Perfect, the group of Texas A&M alums who got their start making ridiculous basketball trick shots. They have also begun forming content partnerships with professional athletes like Jeremy Lin.
Along with pro athlete content partnerships, Whistle Sports has partnered with nearly all major pro sports franchises, including the NFL, MLB, PGA Tour, and NASCAR. In an interview with Forbes, John West, the CEO of Whistle Sports, described the companies relationship with sports leagues, saying, “Each is a true partnership, in which they give us access to their libraries that we use to co-create content, and then we distribute that content on our platforms as well as theirs. Why did they all choose to partner with us? They’re losing young viewers and they have to adapt and evolve—we’re the vehicle to make that happen.”
Given their amazing growth and plans to go international, Whistle Sports is now a giant in the digital media space, building in one year what took others like VICE years to do.
(Photo by George Bush Presidential Library and Museum via Flickr)
Even before covering CES, it was clear that we as a technology-obsessed culture was headed towards a wearable boon. Between proprietary and universal smartwatches to fitness bands and sleep trackers, the new field of connected devices is a field primed for growth. Like any product, these beginning stages offer a wide variety of options without any clear winner sitting above the competition. Before unloading hundreds of dollars on a piece of technology, why not try it out first? At Lumoid, trying before buying is their sole function.
Though Lumoid has offered photography and video trials before, they have recently expanded their scope to include wearables of all kinds. The company will allow you to try any five connected devices for a week. If you happen to find the perfect wearable you’re able to purchase it at retail price, or failing that, it is just $20 to send all five back. The return label is included with the devices and the $20 is automatically taken off of your credit card upon shipping the unwanted wearables back. Sporting choices such as Samsung’s Gear Fit, the Pebble smartwatch and the Fitbit Charge as well as many others for a total of 36 different options, Lumoid is hitting the ground running with this ambitious product trial.
A recent study conducted by Global Web Index from Q3 2014 showed that while 80% of the 170,000 adults use a smartphone, only a combined 16% utilize some sort of smartwatch (9%) or wristband (7%).
If market saturation is the issue — and that is a worthy argument despite the still new wearable field — then perhaps Lumoid will allow users to shed some light on the different products through the week long trials.
The term “knowledge is power” is as important in today’s world of sports as it was when first written down in the Leviathan. Tracking devices are already widely used by professional teams, however never before has a GPS device been open to the public like GameTraka. With the new GameTraka GPS device and accompanying software, any person can arm themselves with a wide assortment of useful on-field analytics. The Australian-made device measures the basics such as distance ran and top speed, as well as giving an intensity rating and acceleration.
The device itself is very small, about the size of a box of matches and measures your position five times per second.
Specifically, the dimensions of the GPS unit is 62mm x 38mm x 8mm and comes in at 22 grams. Given the nature of many sports, collisions are inevitable and rather than have wear a device on the hip or wrist, GameTraka is held in place by a lightweight vest with the sensor placed in the back. The vest easily fits under any jersey or uniform and is specifically designed to fit the unit safely and comfortably.
The company’s mantra is “wearable, shareable and comparable” and as great as the vest and sensor system is, where GameTraka truly shines is the sharing and comparing department. After the game, the sensor sends the data to the software side of things for the full breakdown. Connecting via Bluetooth to an iOS device or computer, the GameTraka software is where the leg work is done. The previously mentioned intensity rating is an estimation of how hard the wearer worked. For example, on a soccer field, a striker may have ran only two-thirds the distance of a midfielder, but at a higher intensity.
By comparing players to each other as well as well from one game to the next, a coach can clearly see who is running the farthest, the fastest and the hardest. From a training perspective, the system removes any subjectivity and guesswork by allowing coaches to see just how well a player is progressing if coming back from an injury. Individual players can compare data by chronological order and take note of any trends that may present themselves.
The price of knowledge from the GameTraka is $299.99 per unit, though according to the official site there are group discounts available. From a basketball coach seeing who truly hustles on defense to a soccer manager attempting to find the fastest in-game striker or winger to a rec league player who just wants to quantify as much about themselves as possible, GameTraka is the ideal unit for gathering on-field information.
