Wireless Wednesday for 4/20/16 - John Isner and Spring Sports Tech

Rick has had a busy week already.

In addition to being a sports tech writer and everything else he does, he's the Media and Commuications Manager for Atlanta's pro tennis tournament, the BB&T Atlanta Open.

And they had the top ranked American and world No. 15, John Isner in town this week for media obligations. Isner is the 3-time defending champion here in Atlanta and he's be going for 4 come the week of July 31 - Aug 7 at Atlantic Station.

 
Rick and Mitch take a look at some spring and summer sports and outdoors gadgets for 2016...

Have a listen to both parts:

1. Air Force One AFX Pro Series Irons - a great price for a premium set of golf irons

A premium set of irons for $399? How, when and where are going to be the next words out of most golfer's mouths. These said irons are the new AFX Pro Series irons and are part of the growing Air Force One line of golf products. There is secret sauce here in that the irons use compressed nitrogen, like the Air Force One driver that came out last year.

The AFX Pro Series replaces the forged Citation players' irons, featuring less offset and a thinner top line.  The AFX Pro Series features Nitrogen Charged technology in the 3- and 4- iron and an undercut cavity in the 5- iron thru PW.  In addition, the AFX Pro Series has matching muscle back 52-, 56- and 60- degree wedges.  The irons are soft cast which produces a soft impact feel and workability.
http://store.afogolf.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=AFO-AFX-PRO-SERIES-IRONS

 

2. Thermacell Mosquito laterns

- Keep those biting insects away

I recommend Thermacell and their all encompassing line of mosquito repelling lanterns, torches and repellers. Thermacell does something no one else does and that is use their technology to put a repellant that is a copy of the insecticide produced by chrysanthemums in their products. It proves to be 98% effective and welcome relief to those looking to spend an afternoon or evening outdoors with family, friends or a good book.
"Thermacell products are 96% effective, approved by the EPA and tested by the US government for effectiveness," says a representative of Thermacell.

It's also odorless and runs on a single butane cartridge, that heats a repellent mat and releases allethrin, which is a synthetic copy of the natural repellent found in those chrysanthemum flowers that were mentioned above.

Thermacell says a latern will cover a 225-square feet area at up to four hours per mat or 12 hours for a refill kit. A Thermacell latern is not only more effective, but it is safer than using citronella candles.


 

3. Wilson Ultra 100 tennis racquet
$199.99

Easy power with the Ultra 100, as Wilson serves up an impressive combination of speed, power and spin. Like the best modern player's racquets, this stick blends an explosive feel with precise targeting, making it dangerous in the hands of those who like to dominate the court with pace and spin. Thanks to its firm Carbon Fiber layup and stiff dual tapered beam, the Ultra 100 has a crisp and lively response. The result is a racquet that has a very even feel across the entire stringbed, with less power loss on balls struck in the upper hoop (where many advanced players make contact). To boost comfort, Wilson gives this model a Cushion Foam Handle along with Parallel Drilling technology (which enables the strings to soak up extra vibration). From the baseline this racquet's maneuverable weight and 'whippy' head light balance are perfect for generating pace and spin. Our playtesters found it easy to flick sharp angles or hit running forehand winners. This stick's fast feel and lively response is definitely an asset on service returns where it comes around very fast to deliver penetrating depth. Finally, aggressive servers looking to work the entire box with pace and spin should have a blast with this one.

 

4. Tecnifibre strings, including the new Pro Red Code Wax

* Tennis players should always get their racquets restrung before the start of a new tennis season

Pro Red Code Wax.
An evolution of our Pro Red Code (1st coated polyester in the market. Played by John Isner).
The Pro Red Code Wax is softer and provides more spin (It includes Wax at the beginning of the process of fabrication. So it slides better = better snapback = more spin).
It’s an interesting string, especially as we try to exist on the market as the “softest brand of polyester”
 

5.  Piq - golf wearable

www.piq.com

A golf wearable that sensor that will be able to measure 3,000 different points per second and 13 different dimensions.
The sensore included a range finder and Mobitee will be providing maps of 35,000 golf courses around the globe using the finder. With this access users can automatically have insight on the yardage of greens and fairway of the golf course they are playing.

What you get is 18 NFC tags in the box.
15 of them are with a club name written and 3 of them are spare (with no name) to replace any loss or add specific club.

Position one tag on each of your club following the naming on each tag, you have to do it once for all.
A fixation clip should be inserted on the golf gloves. Position it on your left hand (if you are right-handed), it’s clipped on the top scratch of your glove. Insert PIQ arrow head towards your fingers, you’re ready to play!
 
 

The App of the Week:

Emoji Keyboard for Me app

(formerly known as Emoji Keypad)
New Emoji app

Emoji Keyboard for Me equips users with classic iOS emojis, hundreds of unique stickers and custom emoji combos for all their messaging needs, available right from the stylish color keyboard as well as in the app where it’s also possible to type in a variety of fonts or spell words with emojis.
The new update offers emoji lovers a redesigned app interface that allows for more intuitive navigation, improved word prediction and auto correction for all available keyboard languages and a handy search bar in both the content gallery and keyboard for finding the right emoji, sticker or combo in seconds. The app has also been optimized for the latest iOS devices including iPad Pro and 3D Touch support for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus. The new Emoji Keyboard for Me is on limited time sale now, it’s available on the App Store here:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/emoji-keypad-new-emojis-color/id749094938?mt=8

Based on data gathered around the world from its popular Emoji Keyboard for Me app, the developer found that emojis with hand gestures dominated the rankings with “hugging face” emoji topping the list, followed by the “thinking face” with hand on chin. Other hand gesture emojis such as the (mean) spirited “middle finger” and “rock on” emojis placed fourth and tenth respectively. Rounding out the list were the “rolling eyes” face, the “slightly smiling” face (both rightside up and upside down), “bottle with popping cork,” “nerd” face, and “frowning” face.
 

Wireless Wednesday for 5/21/14: With Mitch Evans - Rick's Favorite Sports Gadgets of 2014

 Have a listen to Rick and Mitch

* TOPICS - Rick's top sports gadgets and sports tech items of 2014 so far...

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 5/21/14 on 92.9 The Game Part 1’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday for 5/21/14 on 92.9 The Game Part 2’ on Audioboo

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1.  BlueAnt: PUMP HD Sportbuds

Train, play, live, unleashed – with the ultimate multi-sport headphone. PUMP delivers Energize HD Audio unmatched by wireless rivals in an ultra-rugged design. Let the beat set the pace.

·         Energize HD Audio: thundering bass, smooth mids, crisp treble, & sharp, yet subtle highs, together comprise Energize HD Audio – an audiophile-grade music experience unmatched by wireless rivals
·         Rugged Design: encased in Kevlar shielding used in bullet-proof vests; coated with Teflon that repels liquids on commercial cooking equipment; & the only sportsbuds to earn an IP67 rating; PUMP protects the premium audio components from rain, dust, debris, sweat, & even a quick rinse under the tap at the end of your workout (*not designed for swimming)
·         Best-In-Class Wireless Range: delivers crystal clear audio from up to 100 feet away from any Bluetooth-compatible device, also featuring a built-in mic for handsfree calls
·         Secure Comfort: easy to wear during long periods of intense activity with wrap-around form factor ensuring a secure fit that never slips off & ComfortSeal tips with a soft rubberized texture
·         Battery Life: don’t let the beat die even on the longest of runs; the rechargeable lithium-ion battery provides 8 hours of continuous play time
·         PUMP HD Sportsbuds Video

Available at: Apple Store® (www.Apple.com), Verizon Wireless stores & on www.BlueAntWireless.com
Price: $129.95
Website: www.BlueAntWireless.com

 

2.  Tom Tom Cardio Watch

Comes in both Runner and Multi-Sport variants, offers a lot of flexibility if you dig deep enough, but also manages to put most of its most generally useful features near enough the top of the experience that novices don’t have to futz about to get started. There’s interval training, sure, but it’s also very easy just to start running and have the watch provide both visual and vibration feedback about when you hit your ideal target heart rate.
    8 hrs battery with GPS and heart rate tracking
    63 grams
    Silicon strap
    Waterproof to 5ATM
    Bluetooth Smart
    Optical heart rate monitor from Mio
    MSRP: $269.99
    Product info page

Pros
Watch virtually disappears when you need it to
Accurate heart rate tracking

 

3.  Zepp:  Zepp 3D Multi-Sport Motion Sensor

With new 3D serve analysis for tennis

The new app measures important serve metrics such as racket speed, ball speed potential, spin, backswing time and impact time, which gives players and coaches a new more scientific way to evaluate performance on the court. Additionally, the new sweet spot feature shows you where you make contact with the ball on the racket strings—a key element in gauging your contact quality and consistency.
World’s First sensor that allows users to review and replay their swing in 360º, plus providing detailed analysis and trend reports sent straight to any iOS® or Android device

    3D motion sensor easily attaches to any bat, club, or racket using innovative sport-specific mounts
·         Sensor wirelessly transmits data to your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth after every swing

    Users can review and replay their swing in 360 degrees
    Baseball: track bat speed, path, timing, angles at impact, trends and more
    Golf: track speed, tempo, club plane, hand path, backswing position, hip rotation and more
    Tennis: track shot type mix (serve, forehand, backhand, smash), power and spin (topspin, slice, flat) and more
    Able to compare swings to pros and friends and share your swing data with others
    Zepp application records critical data and provides analysis, personalized tips, drills and coaching
    Sensor has an 8 hour battery life, weighs 6.3 grams and measures 1.1” x 1.1” x .39”
Available at: Apple and Verizon and Best Buy
Price: $ 149.99
Website:  http://www.zepp.com

 

4.  Misfit Wearable Shine  $99.99

Other fitness trackers like the FitBit and the Jawbone Up get a lot of press, but the Misfit Shine is a stylishly designed gadget that can be worn in a variety of ways. It’s great for daily use, as it is small and unintrusive -- so much so that some reviewers have said it is almost too easy to forget about! It relies on iOS systems to sync stats with a user’s phone, which compensates for the gadget’s minimalistic interface. Oh, and it has a four month battery life, compared to the Fitbit Force’s 7 to 10 day life.
 It uses a three-axis accelerometer to track movement and act as a pedometer. It has Bluetooth for syncing data with iOS devices. As a wrist-worn device, you could compare this to the Fitbit Flex, Jawbone Up, Basis Watch, or Nike FuelBand. In clip-on mode, which the Shine can also be out of the box, it's more like a Fitbit or a Withings Pulse.

It has some advantages over other trackers: it's waterproof to 5 atm for swimming, showering, or other activities; the Withings Pulse and certain Fitbit models aren't. And, yes, it has an "activity tracking" mode that can be set for swimming, cycling, or sleep at the current moment, besides the Shine's baseline walking/running tracking. It can be worn on your wrist or as a clip-on device with included accessories, or even worn as a pendant.

 

5.  TaylorMade SLDR  Mini Driver  $279.99

SLDR Mini Driver: Finally, a 3-wood Designed for the Tee

TaylorMade noticed that TOUR pros and better amateurs hit their 3-wood off the tee a lot more frequently than from the fairway, so we embraced that insight and created a new golf club that incorporates our cutting edge metalwood technology, including the distance-enhancing Speed Pocket, and sized it between a 3-wood and 460cc driver. We call it the SLDR Mini Driver, it’s incredibly accurate and longer off the tee than a 3-wood.
At 260cc, the SLDR Mini Driver’s footprint is larger, and face deeper, than a 160cc 3-wood. That gives you more stability and forgiveness on mis-hits and allows you to tee the ball higher, which makes the it easier to launch off the tee than a 3-wood. The SLDR Mini Driver has a low-forward CG like the rest of TaylorMade’s SLDR metalwoods, and a Speed Pocket too, which promotes more ball speed and less spin to give you more distance when you loft up.


App of the week:
Reverse Dictionary  99 cents

Ever have a word on the tip of your tongue that you just couldn’t remember no matter hard you try? Well of course you have, but now Reverse Dictionary is here to help you out. All you have to do is type a description of the word that you want to use and the app will bring up a bunch of different suggestions for what word you could be looking for. So for instance, if you type in “small business owner,” Reverse Dictionary will give you suggestions such as “entrepreneur” and “proprietor.”

 

Wireless Wednesday for 3/6/13: With Mitch Evans Talking His New Computer, NASCAR Tech and the Polar Bowler

A great installment of "Wireless Wednesday" this week as Mitch and I talk discuss his new computer purchase, NASCAR safety for the fans, Black boxes in cars and the Polar Bowler.

Have a listen to all three parts

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday on 92.9 The Game for 3/6/13 Part 1’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday on 92.9 The Game for 3/6/13 Part 2’ on Audioboo

listen to ‘Wireless Wednesday on 92.9 The Game for 3/6/13 Part 3’ on Audioboo