Summer Tech and Gadgets – CBS Sports Radio “DA Show”
The CBS Sports Radio studios are open for business and Katie was excited to be back! She shared some unique tech insights and summer gadgets with the boys.
Drone aerials – level up sports action
As a gal that’s spent a 20 year career in media production first starting my career working behind the scenes at ESPN, I love me some good camera angles and drone shots that can take action sports to a whole new level. Sports like surfing and snowboarding have acquired a whole new perspective, but one of the most incredible drone shots came during a practice shot on the 18th hole at Riviera Country Club ahead of the Genesis Invitational courtesy of Rory Mcllroy. The drone flew at 100 mph to precisely catch the ball in-flight entirely from launch to landing racking up millions of views on social.
See: https://twitter.com/PGATOUR/status/1494108943928360961
DJI Mini 2, $449
So what’s a drone that won’t break the bank for your own mini backyard golf tourney? Well, the good news is they’ve been out long enough to not only advance technically but also come down in price dramatically. DJI has always been my go-to for drones. My personal unit in the DJI lineup is the Phantom, but for a very strong beginner unit that will be reliable for years and won’t break the bank, the Mini 2 is also a win. Under 0.6b with 4k video and 30 minutes of fly time (may I suggest buying the extra battery to double the flight time!)– the Mini 2 is everything you need for stunning shots. Plus, it has great stability in windy conditions and is equipped with remote control (that pairs with your phone’s app) for great POV.
How data is changing the game
You can’t work in the field of tech without hearing the word “data” 40x a day in a variety of contexts. . We want loads and loads of data to parse out in an effort to make more sense of everything – and more and more sports scientists are hired to manage data for teams. Quick aside: When I first started covering sports tech over a decade ago people thought I was crazy. I was a little too ahead of the curve. The integration of hardware and software to analyze a player still hadn’t scratched the surface, but now here we are and it begs the question: If you’re putting millions of dollars of contract money into a player and aren’t using the bevy of resources at hand - why not?
WHOOP Band
Options for data insights are vast. Whoop is an example for professional and athletes serious about their fitness game. Players at the University of Miami are using Whoop in conjunction with OWN IT to track and analyze biometric data for individual player performance and to provide an easy way to analyze the coach’s dashboard. Over 70% of athletes stuck to the new habits, as they had individual data and recommendations with an easy app interface and the team as a whole saw a 27% sleep increase.
I first heard of Whoop when my friend Kari Pearce (CrossFit USA Female Champion) was using it for data insight. I knew it had to be legit if Kari was using it. Since then the number of professional athletes who are relying on the device has grown exponentially. And its offerings don’t play: baked with a robust suite of sensors to monitor your skin temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels. Or how about a haptic wakeup at your body’s optimal time.
And it’s not just for pro athletes – While Whoop is a go-to for serious athletes to monitor recovery sleep and strain, a great first step is testing any solid fitness tracker to see if the insight and accountability work for you.
[Notable read: Whoop CEO Will Ahmed envisions player biometrics could be used in betting]
Nearly 20% of all Americans turn to smart tracking devices and apps. If not the Whoop, Apple Watch Series 7, or Oura Ring are strong options for tracking heart rate, number of workouts, and daily calories burned.
Auto tech - Team Pride Projected Logo
Looking for a unique way to show or gift team pride? Well, how about projecting your favorite team’s logo on the ground every time you enter or exit your car door? No complicated set-up, cords or wires. The projector light mounts right to any existing door and any car make or model.
Katie style: Logo of choice: I chose the USA Flag
Its all fun and games… and well some treats too!
Hey, I’m all about hard work with a lil’ play! And with that said here is one of my favorite gadgets of summer so far – say hello to the NINJA CREAMi: a 7-in-1 ice cream, sorbet, and smoothie bowl maker that blew my mind. Yeah, I’m getting a little obsessive about reading ingredients on packaging, and it’s often over 400 words that I can’t pronounce and likely cant digest I ask myself: What’s the point of all this working out if I’m putting crap ingredients in my body?
With NINJA CREAMi you’re in control of the ingredients --- and it only takes a handful to make hundreds of ice cream flavors. Simply whip up a few ingredients (for example a vanilla base includes: cream cheese, heavy cream, whole milk, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract). Whisk for a few minutes and place in the freezer for 24 hours (honestly, I’ve found it works in like 15). Place the ice cream bowl (two pints included) in NINJA CREAMi, press the one-touch button with ice cream mode, and voila! If you’re like me you’re gonna want to add in toppings – which is less than a minute with another touch of the “Mix-In” button. To date, my top homemade flavors include Peppermint Stick, Vanilla with Peanut Butter Cup, and Cinnamon Bun. All organic ingredients and all DELICIOUS!
For more tech and gadget ideas follow Katie on Twitter or Instagram.