Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on Radio 105.7 and iHeartRadio - Orlando and St. Augustine

Rick has been on the road all week in Florida- Orlando and St. Augustine.

It's been "travel and tech" all week for Rick.

What did he see? Have a listen:

1. SeaWorld Orlando will introduce Kraken Virtual Reality Roller Coaster this summer

Central Florida's first virtual-reality roller coaster next summer, retrofitting Kraken with headsets to give riders the sensation of traveling through the sea amid mythical and prehistoric creatures.

Riders on Kraken will have the option to don virtual-reality headsets attached to the roller coaster, covering their eyes and ears. They will hear music composed for the ride as they embark on a deep-sea mission alongside the fictional Kraken and other animals. SeaWorld won’t say yet whether the images will be 3-D.


2. Universal Studios and their new Volcano Bay water park

Supposed to open May 25

Water is Life. Life is Joy. That's the philosophy celebrated at Universal's Volcano Bay™ water theme park. It's the carefree attitude the fabled Waturi islanders have embraced on their Pacific isle for centuries. Now you can live the Waturi way at this all-new park where thrills and relaxation flow in perfect harmony.

With the power of the TapuTapu™ wearable, there’s no standing in long lines, carrying rafts around the park, nothing between you and a full day of fun. It’s an all-new kind of paradise, just steps away from everything Universal Orlando Resort™ has to offer.

With 18 incredible attractions, you'll be able to experience daring water adventures and moments of peaceful relaxation—all without having to worry about waiting in line or carrying around rafts. You'll be granted the powers of the TapuTapu™ wearable. With just a wave of your wrist you can hold your place in the ride lines and reveal wondrous surprises throughout the park. Which means more time to careen down slides, brave whitewater torrents, drift down a winding river or relax in your own waterside cabana.
 

3. Orlando Eye

Similar to Atlanta's Eye, but bigger.
⦁    The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye is the tallest observational wheel on the United States East Coast
⦁    The Coca-Cola Orlando Eye weighs approximately three million pounds, that is 1,500 tons or equivalent to 300 school buses
⦁    All 30 passenger capsules feature Bose audio systems for music/narration, air-conditioning and interactive tablets to provide information on the Eye’s 360-degree views
⦁    Four of the capsules offer an added VIP experience with red and white décor, a bottle cap seat, a featured music playlist, selfie sticks to capture great memories and refreshments inside Coca-Cola coolers
⦁    Each of the 30 capsules weigh 6,600 pounds, or the average weight of an Indian elephant
⦁    At more than 80,000 pounds, the wheel hub weighs more than a Boeing 737

 

4. Florida's Everglades - Rick and his wife took an airboat ride to the Everglades

www.wildfloridaairboats.com

- Florida facts  1.5 million alligators
- The Everglades are actually shrinking. They used to cover an area twice as big as they do today.
A driving damaging factor has been the rising levels of phosphorus in the water. Cattail is a wetland native but under higher levels it overtakes other plants, degrading the Everglades habitat. Lou Toth, an ecologist working with South Florida’s Water Management District (SFWMD) to tackle the problem, explains: “We’re treating the water primarily with submerged aquatic vegetation cells to bring the phosphorous levels down to approximately 13 parts per billion before they’re discharged into the Glades,” said Toth. “That’s the level that is needed to restore the Everglades.”
 

5. For a more relaxing side of Florida, Rick also hit St. Augustine.

St. Augustine lays claim to being the oldest city in the U.S., and is known for its Spanish colonial architecture as well as Atlantic Ocean beaches like sandy St. Augustine Beach and tranquil Crescent Beach. Anastasia State Park is a protected wildlife sanctuary. The Castillo de San Marcos is a 17th-century Spanish stone fortress with views of the St. Augustine Inlet.

- "Wrecked" exhibit at St. Augustine Maritime Museum.  Discover St. Augustine's ties to the American Revolutionary War in this new, interactive exhibition! See artifacts from a 1782 British loyalist shipwreck found right here in St. Augustine and learn how underwater archaeologists locate historic shipwrecks on the ocean floor.

This is a brand new exhibition at the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Maritime Museum. Come by and dive into this unknown part of American history on your next visit. All of the artifacts inside really show you what life was like for people in 1782. Plus, it also shows you how cool technology is used to find shipwrecks.  http://www.staugustinelighthouse.org/Exhibits/wrecked

- Lightner Museum in St. Augustine displays a collection of 36 authentic Victorian-era costumes and accessories from the acclaimed PBS drama Downton Abbey from Oct. 4, 2017 to Jan. 7, 2018

 

Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on Radio 105.7 - Surviving that Middle Seat or Flight From Hell

It's the holiday season and that not only means "Merry Christmas" and Mistletoe, it means the dreaded holiday travel season and that means delayed and packed flight and everything involved with flying testing your patience.

You might even have to deal with an oversold flight or a middle seat on a 737.  

Rick and Sully talk a little travel this week...

What to do if you find yourself in 18B, which is probably a middle seat? Let's take a look and listen...

1. Sleep and that Neck Pillow

Sleeping upright can be a possibility—even in the middle seat. Make sure you have the right neck or travel pillow for your body, whether that's a standard neck pillow, a shoulder-wrapping Travelrest Pillow, or even a jacket that converts into a pillow. Though they may not be as cuddly as their foam-filled counterparts, consider blow-up travel pillows for their space-saving qualities. For more convenience, there are now blow up travel pillows.
 

 
2. Noise-Canceling Headphones

Ask any road warrior what to look for in a pair of headphones, and they will say noise-canceling. For just a few hours, a pair of good headphones can be a middle-seat passenger's best friend. The right set tuned to a good movie or music can take your mind off the otherwise muscle-contorting rigors of the middle seat.

Samples: Bose, Beats by Dre BiGR.
 
3. Airline Apps

Make sure you have the app of the airline you are flying downloaded on your phone or tablet. If you get delayed or if there are weather problems, sometimes you can get info and make changes easier on your app, rather than dealing with a gate agent.
 

4. The Airhook

Give your airline seat, especially a middle seat a comfort upgrade. The Airhook is a legroom-saving airline travel accessory that holds your beverage and electronic device. Available here for $22.45.
 

5.  Best "In Air" apps

Tripit published some suggestions here: https://www.tripit.com/blog/2015/02/best-apps-for-inflight-entertainment.html

Conde Nast published some Flight Tracker apps which help pass the time: http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2013-10-16/best-apps-for-tracking-flights

Limpert Tech "SullyCast" on Radio 105.7: Lighthouses and More on the Jersey Shore

Rick is up in New Jersey making his way up and down the Jersey Shore

He is there doing a golf piece on the historic Bayonne Golf Club, but also visiting the lighthouses and life-saving stations along the Jersey Coast

The Lighthouse Challenge of New Jersey in Mid October and Rick is getting  preview...

Listen to Rick and Sully's segment this week...

Topics discussed:

1.    New Jersey Lighthouse Challenge

Coming Oct 15, 16
A chance to visit all the historic lighthouses and life-saving stations in new Jersey

2. Life-saving Station

Rescued the people and the ships that needed help along the New Jersey Coast in the late 1800s and into the 1900s

3. Lighthouse History in America

A rich history indeed.

4.  Tesla -  putting car charging stations at B&Bs

Including the Candlelight Inn B&B in N. Wildwood, NJ

WGST's "The Sully Show" for 10/23/15 - High Tech JAX

Rick was in Jacksonville, FL for 4 days a couple weeks ago and thousands and thousands of people will be descending in Jacksonville this coming week for Georgia vs. Florida football.

Jacksonville offers more than The Landing... . it's a cultural, business and entertainment center of North Florida and of course all the sports...  

*More than 130,000 people head to Jacksonville each year for the Georgia/Florida game and it's at least a $33 million shot in the arm for the local community.
Jacksonville also has some interesting tech to talk about.

Here's Rick and Sully talking about Jacksonville:

Have a listen:

1.  World's Largest Scoreboards at Everbank Field

The Jacksonville Jaguars may have struggled to field a competitive roster over the years, but they're sprucing up their stadium with two brand-new massive scoreboards.

After a $63 million renovation of EverBank Field, the Jaguars now have the two largest scoreboards in the world, with both measuring 60 feet by 362 feet.

Each display is long enough to reach just more than the distance from the goal post in one end zone to the goal post in the other end zone, and each display boasts more than 21,700 square feet of active display area – almost enough to cover the entire field of play when combined.

 

2.   Jacksonville's 'Stat' Programs and Data Analytics

Using technology to improve the performance of city government is not new, but two concepts are spreading with meaningful results.

These so-called “stat” programs are proliferating. Started by the New York Police Department in the 1980s, CompStat was a management technique that merged data with staff feedback to drive better performance by police officers and precinct captains. Its success led to many imitations over the years and, as the digital survey shows, stat programs continue to grow in importance. For example, Louisville has used its “LouieStat” program to cut the city’s bill for unscheduled employee overtime by $23 million as well as to spot weaknesses in performance.

Second, cities are increasing their use of data analytics to measure and improve performance. Denver, Jacksonville, Fla., and Phoenix have launched programs that sift through data sets to find patterns that can lead to better governance decisions.

This could invole utilites, public safety and it enables "real-time" decision making, or about as "real-time" as you can get for city government.
 



3.  OneSpark - Jacksonville

www.onespark.com

April 7-9, 2016

*World's Largest Crowdfunding Festival
One Spark is a non-profit committed to fostering environments of creativity and innovation through crowdfunding, and is based in Downtown Jacksonville. One Spark provides an opportunity for people with great ideas to connect with the resources they need to make them happen. Creators to present innovative ideas and projects in an energetic, festival atmosphere to over 200,000 people over three days. One Spark attendees find and help fund the projects they love the most through live, in-person crowdfunding.



4.  Omni Jacksonville Hotel

The Omni Jacksonville Hotel is the closest hotel in Downtown Jacksonville to all the action. This upscale downtown hotel near the St. John's River is across the street from the Times-Union Center for the Performing Arts and a one block walk to the Jacksonville Landing shopping and entertainment center. Flat screen HDTVs, a modern deks and 24/7 room service will get you through the long Georgia/Florida weekend. Visit www.omnihotels.com to make your reservations for the Georgia/Florida weekend or any weekend/event in 2015-16.

*Omni Hotels have a "Stocking Stuffer" package and rate this fall.

15% off rates, Omni gift card and a chance to give back

Save this holiday season with up to 15% off a two-night stay, a $10 Omni gift card, turndown with festive treat on night of arrival and more! For every room night booked, guests will be given a token to donate to one of three charities.

Book by December 30 for stays November 23 – December 30.

Great views from the JAX Omni as well
 

5.  Jacksonville Zoo

http://www.jacksonvillezoo.org/

* The Jacksonville Zoo has a Facebook, Twitter and Youtube account where fans can stay informed about what is going on at the Zoo.

Open daily, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is the only walking safari in Northeast Florida. Visitors will see the earth’s wildlife through interactive and educational experiences. A true family adventure, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is growing and changing daily and is dedicated to consistently improving. The zoo occupies approximately 117 acres and has over 2,000 animals and 1,000 plants in its collection. The Zoo hosted more than 900,000 paying visitors in the last year.
 

6. Jacksonville a "Connected City"

Jacksonville is becoming a main connection point along the network of subsea and terrestrial cables that move data due to its new Network Access Point (NAP) - the telecom industry’s version of a major hub airport or a Tier1-level routing site.

The architecture has been laid in Jacksonville that allows cable landing points, wireless towers and data centers to physically connect. Two new international subsea cable stations have been installed that directly connect Jacksonville to South and Central America and the Caribbean. The AMX-1 line is operational and the PCCS line will be live soon. Both will increase data traffic capacity between the end points by at least 60 times.

Each cable line carries 328 fiber optic strands within its 1-inch diameter circumference, demonstrating the vast connectivity that runs through the Jax NAP – carrying Internet traffic from here as far north as New York and far south as Latin America, all linked by subsea and subterranean cables.

The Jax NAP:

    22 … the number of cables that will go live by end of 2015
    550,000 … the number of miles the total global cable network covers
    17,800 kilometers .. the length of the AMX-1 cable route
    6,000 kilometers … the  length of the PCCS cable route

The Jax NAP will benefit the telecom and data center industry by providing greater connectivity, conductivity, reliability and a lack of latency in trafficking large amounts of data through it.

Jacksonville’s Tier 1-level transfer station puts the city on par with Miami, home to the NAP of the Americas. Jacksonville also has been cited as the major interchange point between the continents – before Miami – largely due to the lack of hurricanes and the city’s seaboard location. Higher speed connectivity and lack of latency of Jacksonville’s cable hub might encourage some carriers to go through Jacksonville instead of Miami.

“More companies in the IT sector are interested in Jacksonville as a direct result of the NAP. The cables coming directly into Jacksonville now provide high-speed access and reliable connectivity for moving data,” said Jerry Mallot, JAXUSA President.

WGST's "The Sully Show" for 5/22/15 - St. Regis Monarch Beach and Tech News of the Week

Rick has been in Southern California this week,  Orange County and Dana Point to be exact at the St. Regis in Monarch Beach, where they have butlers and Rick played the Monarch Beach Golf Links...  A great resort to "get away" and the golf is pretty special.

Check out: www.stregismb.com

Great weather, perfect golf, except for Rick's game and lot of outdoors activities in SoCal...

Have a listen...

listen to ‘My Segment on "The Sully Show" on 640 am WGST for 5/22/15’ on audioBoom

Rick and Sully look at some of the news items of the week:

1. Robots to Battle for $3.5M in DARPA Challenge, in Pomona, CA this June

In June, as the NBA and NHL championships are decided, robotic competitors will face off in the finals of the DARPA Robotics Challenge.

At stake: $3.5 million in total prize money, with $1 million going to the first-prize winner. The robots will have one hour to complete eight tasks, which will include driving 100 meters to a simulated disaster site, cutting a hole in a wall, climbing a ladder, and a special mystery task that won't be revealed to teams beforehand.

There will be 25 teams competing, half of them from the United States. Japan, Korea and Germany will also be represented with a total of 10 teams between them.

 

2.  Right To Be Forgotten on Google

France, Germany Top Request Lists: Over 250,000 requests have poured into Google to remove URLs from their search results in the EU.


3.  Gov. Deal Signs "Georgia Digital Classroom Act" into Law

Summary - Require instructional materials and content to be in digital or electronic format after a certain date; to require local boards of education to provide wireless electronic devices for students to access instructional materials and content.  The date set now is July 1, 2020

 


5.  AT&T says any smartphone use while driving is dangerous

AT&T's no texting while driving campaign, "It Can Wait" has been so successful, it now is expanding it.  

AT&T is saying what many know,  it's dangerous to use our smartphone in any way while driving.

Some stats:
·         62% keep their smartphones within easy reach while driving.

·         30% of people who post to Twitter while driving do it “all the time.”

·         22% who access social networks while driving cite addiction as a reason.

·         Of those who shoot videos behind the wheel, 27% think they can do it safely while driving.

For those of us in the South, here are some additional statistics, per AT&T:

BASIC ACTIVITIES

    Those in the South are more likely than those in the Midwest or West to glance at social networks while driving (28% vs. 22%, respectively)
    Those in the South are more likely than those in the Midwest to glance at/search for content on the Internet while driving (31% vs. 24%, respectively)
    Those in the South are more likely than those in the West to glance at/post to a social network while driving (29% vs. 23%, respectively)

SOCIAL NETWORKS/APP ACTIVITES

    Those in the South are more likely than those in the West to post to Facebook while driving (16% vs. 12%, respectively)
    Those in the South are more likely than those in the Midwest to glance at/post to Twitter while driving (16% vs. 11%, respectively)
    On a more general note: those in the South are more likely than those in the Midwest to engage in any of the social media/mobile app activities (i.e., the specific platforms) (40% vs. 33%, respectively)