Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will be able to experience the biggest match moments from every angle
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In 2018 alone, technology investments in sports reached nearly $1 billion, but the industry is far from immune to disruption as consumer behaviour is shifting among sports fans too. This is driving technology, leagues and brands to look at new ways to meet the expectations of supporters for more powerful, meaningful, and emotional experiences, and immersive technologies are an ideal fit for delivering that.

“Imagine watching a season-defining moment, then reliving it from any angle including from the perspective of your favourite player as they run up to take a penalty or make an improbable goal-line clearance.” That is the promise that Intel’s latest partnership is selling to Premiere League fans of three of the most popular clubs in Football (or soccer if you’re American)

From March 10^th, Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will be able to experience the biggest match moments from every angle, whether they’re watching a live broadcast and highlights or reliving post-match from their clubs’ official website, mobile app or social media.

Sports tech investment reached $1 billion in 2018
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Intel True View will highlight the immersive experiences unique to the style and skill of football
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The feature will be delivered with Intel’s True View technology, which will be rolled out Emirates, Anfield and the Etihad Stadium. It will include a “Laser wall” – a virtual plane giving viewers a clear picture as to where players are positioned on the pitch – and a “Be the player” capability which freezes a particular moment in the match so you can see the pitch from the eyes of a particular player. This last one promises to be not only fun for the fans, but also presents tantalizing possibilities for commentators and even referees, as it gives you unique insight into tactics, decisions, and play outcomes.

“Intel True View enables fans to immerse themselves even further into the game and has the power to add a new depth to match highlights, which can significantly improve the supporter experience. This technology has the potential to add a new dynamic to how people interact with the game and create different conversations with our fans around the world,” explains Billy Hogan, Managing Director and Chief Commercial Officer, Liverpool FC.

The process uses volumetric capture whereby footage is recorded from 38 5K ultra-high-definition cameras that includes height, width and depth of data to produce what are called voxels (pixels with volume). After this content is captured, huge amounts of data is processed with servers powered by Intel Core i7 and Intel Xeon processors. The software then re-creates all the viewpoints of a fully volumetric 3D person or object, and the information is rendered into a virtual 3D environment where you can experience all the plays and angles with 6 degrees of freedom. This will re-create the action on the pitch and present it to fans from various vantage points – effectively allowing fans to choose the point of view from which they want to experience a particular play.

Intel’s True View technology will be rolled out Emirates, Anfield and the Etihad Stadiums
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“With dedicated supporters across the globe, football fans are passionate about the tactics as much as the goals scored, and Intel True View will highlight the immersive experiences unique to the style and skill of football,” says James Carwana, Vice President and General Manager of Intel Sports, who believes the technology has the potential to transform the experience for fans of the beautiful game: “Immersive media experiences continue to create more opportunities for sports teams and leagues to put the fan experience first,” he adds.

The fact that three of the biggest names in the world’s most popular sport are on board with this shows how major sports brands are getting wise to the power of immersive technologies to engage their fans in new ways.

“We have seen the impact this Intel technology has had in other sports leagues across the world and are excited that it will be installed at Emirates Stadium,” says Peter Silverstone, Commercial Director of Arsenal FC, which has a staggering 780 million fans around the world. “This partnership will give our fans a whole new view of the game, as the technology effectively allows a supporter to step into the boots of players and see the game from their perspective”.

This article originally appeared on VRScout

Intel’s ‘True View’ Puts Fans In the Boots Of Their Favorite Footballers via @alicebonasio https://t.co/x8aa9PYecf pic.twitter.com/Sh5RY1hMpP

— VRScout (@VRScout) February 12, 2019

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies our VR Consultancy service offers comprehensive support in strategic deployment of Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Immersing Yourself in the Beautiful Game appeared first on Tech Trends.

Professional gaming has always been a serious pursuit that attracted dedicated players and a large audience, and with immersive technologies becoming more pervasive, the esports crowd is increasingly embracing VR.

“For the first time in generations, we’re witnessing the birth of a new major sport, and it’s happening with unprecedented speed,” says ESPN The Magazine, Senior Editor, Megan Greenwall.

This trend is in large part spurred by hardware manufacturers, who recognize that without “sticky” content that keeps punters coming back and hooks them for longer, they are unlikely to reach consumer adoption critical mass anytime soon.

VR esports are the latest rage, especially for location-based entertainment
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“VR esports are the latest rage, especially for location-based entertainment. The Omni motion platform adds the physical engagement of walking and running to the gaming experience and that physical element combined with multiplayer gameplay and competition results in high repeat play. We’re not a stand-in-place VR attraction that players try just once. Our core players come back every week,” says Jan Goetgeluk, founder and CEO of Virtuix.

Virtuix is a Texas-based start-up founded in 2013 best known for developing the Omni VR treadmill. They raised over $20M and have shipped more than 3,000 Omni systems to 500+ commercial entertainment venues around the world. Recently, HTC and HP announced a partnership with the company, putting down a $50,000 Prize pool for ESPORTS tournaments in 2019.

VR hardware manufacturers recognize that without 'sticky' content that keeps punters coming back and hooks them for longer, they are unlikely to reach consumer adoption critical mass anytime soon
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Esports is a cloud-based competitive gaming platform that offers weekly and monthly prize contests where players at participating venues in 45 countries compete for the top spot on global leaderboards and earn cash prizes. As part of that, Omniverse tournaments are four-day contests each month that feature two-player teams battling in one of several games, with the top 10 teams winning a combination of cash and prizes such as VIVE systems. Virtuix has held several esports events so far, including a tournament at CES in Las Vegas and, in conjunction with Huawei, a tournament in Shenzhen, China, that reached 11 million viewers.

During 2018 there were over 2.6 billion hours of esports content consumed globally across a multitude of online platforms
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“Virtuix has built a competitive gaming experience that requires both videogaming skills and physical fitness. Such active esports offer a unique way for entertainment venues to reach a new audience of gamers and build a community of frequent players,” says Joanna Popper, Global Head of Virtual Reality for Location Based Entertainment at HP

The first Omniverse global competition of 2019 will be held on January 24-27, features two-player teams battling for the highest score in the popular first-person shooter game Omni Arena. Interested players can find more information and sign up here.

And the move towards investing in esports as a way to advance broader VR adoption is far from restricted to commercial players. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK Government’s non-departmental public body for innovation and research, recently awarded £4m to the Weavr Consortium which will fund a project exploring a cross-reality, data driven personalised viewing experience for esports.

Esports is competitive video gaming at a professional level which has a current global audience of around 380 million people
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“Esports is competitive video gaming at a professional level which has a current global audience of around 380 million people. The esports audience is the ‘audience of the future’ here and now with 80% of the demographic being made up of 18-35 year olds,” explains Margot James MP, Minister for Digital and the Creative Industries. “During 2018 there were over 2.6 billion hours of esports content consumed globally across a multitude of online platforms including; Twitch, Youtube, Mixer, Facebook, Twitter etc. As well as a wide variety of consumption points such as live audience, VR and traditional single screen content.”

The consortium – which consists of ESL UK (the largest esports company in the world), York University, dock10 and Cybula – promises to transform the experiences of millions of fans not only in esports, but in traditional sports broadcast and live entertainment more broadly.

The consortium – which consists of ESL UK, York University, dock10 and Cybula – promises to transform the experiences of millions of fans not only in esports, but in traditional sports broadcast
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ESL will be focusing on the overall project management, utilisation of their esports events for proof of concept and the user experience feedback for those tests. University of York will be bringing their expertise in machine learning, UX design, Human Computer Interaction & research into the convergent space between games, interactive media & TV to help sculpt the overall framework. dock10

will leverage their production facilities to test the framework during ESL’s live esports events. Focal Point VR will contribute their live 8k 360° video capture hardware & software with immersive content studio REWIND helping to create the VR & XR apps & environments for the viewer experience. Cybula’s performance computing clusters will be utilised for big data analysis & delivery.

“At the forefront of an emerging and rapidly growing esports industry, we’re in a unique position to have insight in the live viewing habits and interactivity of young, tech savvy and early adopting audiences” said James Dean, MD ESL UK. “Weavr will create cross-reality viewing experiences allowing fans to immerse themselves in high fidelity statistics, visualisations and data-driven stories that give them deeper insights into live matches, enabling viewers to switch seamlessly between virtual and physical viewing, as well as utilise second screens to watch immersive esports content on the move.”

This Article was originally published on VRScout

Esports Continues Its Push Towards VR via @alicebonasio https://t.co/frhFsgDrJe pic.twitter.com/5b7T3hxy2c

— VRScout (@VRScout) January 23, 2019

For companies looking to get into Immersive technologies our VR Consultancy service offers comprehensive support in strategic deployment of Virtual, Augmented and Mixed Reality

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Esports Pushing VR Adoption appeared first on Tech Trends.

The 2nd Annual Immersive Technology in Sports & Entertainment Summit will be held in San Francisco on November 13-14, 2018. Tech Trends is excited to be a media partner for the event so watch this space for key highlights. With 40 Speakers and over 200 senior executives from Sport, Entertainment, Technology, Global Brands and Broadcasting registered to attend it is set to be the defining event for leaders across sports, technology and entertainment industries. The summit will showcase the latest in immersive technology, alongside commercial, marketing and performance strategies from the global sports and entertainment industry.

The summit will showcase the latest in immersive technology, alongside commercial, marketing and performance strategies from the global sports and entertainment industry.
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Working with the leading sports clubs, rights holders, broadcasters and technology powerhouses the summit is designed to break down and identify the greatest challenges and opportunities for immersive technology within elite sport – Fan Engagement, Elite Performance, Global Brand Development, User Experience, E-Gaming – Commercial Partnerships.

2018 is shaping up to be the breakthrough year for Immersive Technology and Sport. With a market potential in excess of $100Billion, the opportunities for growth are enormous.

Join @techtrends_tech & @SportsInnovNet plus an incredible line-up across Leagues/Teams, Broadcasters, Blue-Chips and VCs in #SF at https://t.co/UZbiGEdVv5 #immersivetech #sportstech #VentureCapital #startups #ROI pic.twitter.com/I6KtO0x508

— TechTrends (@techtrends_tech) November 8, 2018

From live VR broadcasts and fan engagement experiences to VR training, billions of fans and athletes across the world will engage with immersive sports content. Despite much impressive early innovation, there is still a paucity of content for the regular sports fan to consume. This is in large part due to the technical challenges and costs sports organisations face in generating VR content and experiences and the barriers consumers still face in accessing VR. The key question facing the sports industry is understanding which immersive technologies will come out on top and then identifying what the most effective strategies to implement and monetize them may be.

Join us in #SF at http://www.virtual-reality-sports-innovation.com #immersivetech #sportstech #VentureCapital #startups #ROI @SportsInnovNet
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The Summit brings together the senior stakeholders from the biggest clubs, associations, athletes, broadcasters and brands alongside the leaders in technology, innovation and big data to identify how to activate, apply and monetise immersive tech in the sports arena.

Critically though, it goes to the heart of monetization strategies to realize the huge market potential for Immersive Technology in Sport. Follow us on Twitter @techtrends_tech for updates from the event and we will be posting more here soon.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Tech Trends @ VR Sports & Entertainment Summit 2018 appeared first on Tech Trends.

Playing online Poker is great, but it can get even better with some help from modern-day tech. From having the proper noise-cancelling headphones to owning a travel-friendly cigar humidor, here are ten things that will bring your game to a whole new level.

Sony WH-1000XM2

These are some of the best headphones for 2018

Poker is a mind game that requires concentration and nerves of steel. That’s why many players opt for listening to some tunes to block distracting background noise and annoying opponents. One of the best options for your poker adventures is the Sony WH-1000XM2. These headphones provide the ultimate audiophile nirvana. They are wireless, noise-cancelling and can run for up to 30 hours — enough for several poker sessions. One of the best features for poker players, save for the excellent sound, is that you can silence the music just by holding your hand over the right ear cup — which is quite useful if you need to hear the dealer’s instructions. The headphones also come with a quick-charge feature, giving you access to over an hour of playtime with a ten-minute charge.

Poker is great on its own, but it can get even better with some help from modern-day tech!
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Bose SoundTrue Ultra

Bose’s SoundTrue Ultra, an excellent option for out in public

Going to public places with bulky over-the-head headphones is now trendy, yet it’s not a style for everybody. Bose SoundTrue Ultra is perfect for those times when you need your music without looking like you are wearing antlers. The earbuds are noise-cancelling and among this year’s top picks when it comes to earbud sound quality. What makes this pair even better is the StayHear — an attachment system that creates a secure fit in the ears without having to jam the buds in your ear canal. Bose’s SoundTrue Ultra comes in versions for the Android and Apple, with both options available in black or grey — neutral colours to go with any style.

Going to public places with bulky over-the-head headphones is now trendy, yet it’s not a style for everybody. Bose SoundTrue Ultra is perfect for those times when you need your music without looking like you are wearing antlers
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Samsung Galaxy S9+

The S9+ is one of the best Android phones on the market

Every top poker platform is now offering mobile gaming. And it’s no wonder given the high demand for portable entertainment. If you are the type that likes to play poker on the go, you need a mobile device that can provide lag-free gaming on as big of a display as possible. Right now, your best bet is the Galaxy S9+. Everything about this phone is excellent — the processor, the memory, the battery and especially, the 4K 6.2 in Super AMOLED display. If you must get a game-ready phone, the S9+ is a No-brainer. However, there is a consensus among the tech sphere that those who can wait until 2019 for the S10’s release should do so.

If you are the type that likes to play poker on the go, you need a mobile device that can provide lag-free gaming on as big of a display as possible
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Smartphones are already a preferred gaming device, surpassing even computers

Anker PowerCore II

This Anker power bank is light and compact as well as has enough to charge most phones twice

The smartphone race has resulted in some space-age tech, but one area where manufacturers are yet to show something wowing is in battery life. All the extras that top-level smartphones come with — fast processors, bright colour-rich displays and powerful cameras — are power black holes. To avoid getting the dreaded low-battery message while playing on the go, you’ll need a portable power bank. The Anker PowerCore II fits the profile due to its slim and lightweight design, which holds 10,000mAh of energy. The battery also comes with a quick-charging feature, too.

All the extras that top-level smartphones come with — fast processors, bright colour-rich displays and powerful cameras — are power black holes
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Oculus Go

VR poker is still in its infancy, but it’s likely that it’ll only get better

What if you want the casino experience but without visiting one? And without tripping on a bunch of cables? Then the Oculus Go is for you. Online poker operators are getting into the virtual reality (VR) space with several platforms already offering VR poker, though so far, the experience is limited. Still, VR seems to be here to stay, with more actors paying attention to immersive tech, so it’s only logical that playing poker with a VR headset will be getting better and with the Oculus Go, you can play as the name suggests — on the go. The device is fully standalone, with a controller and a battery that lasts for two hours.

With the Oculus Go, you can play as the name suggests — on-the-go. The device is fully standalone, with a controller and a battery that lasts for two hours
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Google Wifi

Google Wifi provides a stable connection, wide coverage and a user-friendly interface

We covered the basics of playing on the go, so let’s turn to what you’ll need for enjoyable at-home sessions. Playing online poker requires a stable connection to the web. Imagine being on a winning streak, only to lose everything because your connection dropped. Thankfully, Google has come up with one of the best Wi-Fi mesh routers on the market. You can opt for one device or go as high as six for up to 9,000 sq ft of coverage. The setup is as simple as it gets, and you only need to access your smartphone to have Google Wifi up and running. The device requires a consistent connection to a Google account, which is a minor inconvenience, but will provide added security.

Playing online poker requires a stable connection to the web. Imagine being on a winning streak, only to lose everything because your connection dropped
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Secretlab OMEGA 2018

This chair lets you play comfortably like a pro gamer, and you can even nap on it

If you are going to play at home for long stretches of time, you’ll need a comfortable chair. Many players report that playing in bed makes them lazy and sloppy while chairs give them back problems. So, to achieve the best experience, get yourself a high-quality gaming chair such as the Secretlab OMEGA 2018. The Racing-style chair boasts a beautiful design in seven colour combinations. The upholstery is made of luxuriously looking PU leather, there are head and lumbar pillows, and the mechanisms allow flexible adjustments. On top of that, the backrest can be fully reclined for when you need to nap in between play session.

The upholstery is made of luxurious looking PU leather, there are head and lumbar pillows, and the mechanisms allow flexible adjustments. On top of that, the backrest can be fully reclined for when you need to nap in between hands
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Fizzics

Fizzics provides a tap experience in an ultra-portable device

Now that you’ve covered the basics of your home game experience, it’s time to think about the details. Indulging in alcohol while playing poker is not advisable and something that poker pros avoid, but there’s nothing wrong with having a drink on the side. And because poker can be quite exhausting, why not pamper yourself with a device that’ll make any ordinary beer taste as it has come from the tap? You can do that with Fizzics. The device uses a two-step system (including sound waves) to boost your brew’s taste and aroma. It is portable, operates on AA batteries and doesn’t require unique cartridges, so you can take it to your hotel room next time you try your skills at a live tournament.

Indulging in alcohol while playing poker is not advisable and something that poker pros avoid, but there’s nothing wrong with having a drink on the side
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Johnnie Walker: Alexa Skill

Johnnie Walker’s Alexa skill brings a fresh perspective on whiskey

For something more refined, you can’t go wrong with sipping on a good whiskey. The key here is to enjoy it slowly as a mild relaxant, not to get wasted and blow your money away. Here, too, tech can help you have a more enjoyable experience. You can do that if you have Alexa and a taste for Johnnie Walker. The Scotch-making company created an Alexa skill that can guide you through choosing the best label, enrich your knowledge about the drink and even navigate you through tasting whiskey as a connoisseur. Find out more about Johnnie Walker and Amazon Alexa here.

Johnnie Walker created an Alexa skill that can guide you through choosing the best label, enrich your knowledge about the drink and even navigate you through tasting whiskey as a connoisseur
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Davidoff Travel Humidor

With Davidoff’s Travel Humidor you can safely bring your cigars along when you travel

To go all-in, you need a good cigar to go with that whiskey. But good cigars need proper care, which is a challenge if you’d like to enjoy them while travelling. Davidoff’s Travel Humidor solves this problem with a look that combines style with functionality. The device was made with the traveller in mind and is lightweight and compact enough to fit into your luggage. The box holds eight cigars, keeps them fresh for up to three weeks and provides air-tightness that keeps humidity at an optimal level.

To go all-in, you need a good cigar to go with that whiskey. But good cigars need proper care!
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Poker is a battle of the minds, and the one that is most in tune is most likely to come out on top. None of the stuff on this list will guarantee you a triumph at the felt table. But playing in a comfortable setting can give you just the edge that you need to outsmart your opponents.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post The Tech That Every Poker Player Should Own appeared first on Tech Trends.

Played poker before? Not like this, you haven’t! The world’s leading poker brand, PokerStars, has combined live and online poker in a truly immersive & social VR experience.

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post PokerStars VR is Something New appeared first on Tech Trends.

Poker and data visualisation show the future of the game in the digital age.

Sport is increasingly an industry that embraces technology and innovation, maybe not convincingly when it comes to Football’s goal-line tech and video assistant referees (VAR) but all sorts of sports have bumped their broadcasts up to 4k+ or even 360 video and all offer data heavy and detailed on screen and online interactivity. On my recent trip to France to check out Dimension Data’s rider tracking tech for the Tour de France I saw the exciting technical solutions, expense and effort companies and broadcasters go to engage viewers through data, and we’ve also spotted and covered this trend in other sports such as rowing and sailing recently.

Of course, fans want to be more engaged with the sports and games they love via TV, mobile and online communities and as I found out at the European Poker Tour Barcelona held at the Casino Barcelona last month, PokerStars is a company on a mission to offer Poker fans more.

Sport is increasingly an industry that embraces technology and innovation
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Even for knowledgeable fans, there are a lot of details and quick-fire action that @PokerStars want everyone to be able to easily engage with
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I had never played Poker, or more specifically Texas Holdem when I sat down for the Media Rep Poker Tournament and found out what a fast game it is and how hard it can be for the uninitiated to follow. More than half the time I didn’t know what the heck was going on and I was sitting at the table! Even for knowledgeable fans, there are a lot of details and quick-fire action that PokerStars want everyone to be able to easily engage with. They have seen their online viewing numbers jump in the last couple of years, so I was interested in how they used technology to help make such a  quick and complex game attractive to a broader audience.

The key to getting an audience into a game of Poker is to show them the player's hands, live as the cards are played and as the chips are bet
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The key to getting an audience into a game is to show them the player’s hands, live as the cards are played and as the chips are bet. To find out how they do this Tech Trends chatted to Jonathan Zincke, Senior Producer of PokerStars’ live broadcast team and found out a few tricks of the trade.

In the old days there was a spy camera in the table edge in front of each player and someone used to take a video still of the cards as they looked at them and manually type in the information that appeared on screen, now it is all automatic. The technology we use is RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification), every card has a chip in it. They are standard Casino cards, we don’t do anything special to them, but they cost about £80 a pack because of the chips. Each card’s chip is individual in the world so no two cards are the same anywhere. Explained Zincke. The tables are custom built for us with the readers embeded in and it only takes a second for the table to read the player’s cards. It’s commonly available tech that you can buy anywhere, all the technology in the tables is off the shelf but under the table the data is encrypted and secured. If you tried to hack into it, it would take a long time to even get the data for one card by which time it would be useless as the games are quick.

As I found while playing my fellow journalists the speed of the games was a surprise so keeping the viewers updated live is vital and covering a room full of tables is a challenge.

We started using RFID about five or six years ago and what is cool for us is this technology allows us to switch quickly between different tables during broadcast and show all the action going on, before RFID we couldn’t do that. The encrypted data travels along a fibre cable to our graphics system we had custom coded and built. This reads all the cards on the table, the hands the players hold and the flop cards in the middle, there is a sensor there as well. We have televised all sorts of games, fun games streamed on Twitch, the $100K games and of course the main events.

The encrypted data travels along a fibre cable to our graphics system we had custom coded and built
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Online games are popular with viewers who want to watch and learn the game or follow players they admire
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Live games with upcoming amateurs and celebrity players are very popular but a huge part of what PokerStars offer is online Poker, enabling players from all over the world to play together. These online games are also popular with viewers who want to watch and learn the game or follow players they admire. The Twitch platform is perfect for these broadcasts as it is optimised for streaming video and full of social tools, so unsurprisingly PokerStars is looking to innovate there too.

What we have looked at is how to superimpose graphics in a virtual way. We have looked at this but the technology isn’t quick enough at the moment for live use. We have started experimenting with live overlays for players on Twitch, so our system will send our game data to some code the guys at Twitch have written for us which will put up a chip count that the viewer can hover over a little widget in the corner of the screen and bring up an overlay graphic. We are looking at this and what other stats we can release, info that doesn’t interupt the casual viewer but is there for the knowledgeable person that wants a little bit more engagement with the details of the game. For the different levels of players and viewers, we want to cater to all types of fans and players.

Watch live video from PokerStarsFrance on www.twitch.tv

I have embedded a PokerStars France Twitch feed above and you can see how involving it is. With the interest in Poker growing like never before channels like this are pulling in new audiences from all over the globe and PokerStars are always looking at new tech and what it might offer to enhance the audience’s experience.

What we have looked at is how to superimpose graphics in a virtual way
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PokerStars are always looking at new tech and what it might offer to enhance the audience's experience
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When I looked at Dimension Data’s use of GPS tracking in the Tour de France 2018 I was amazed how much relevant info they could pull from only GPS data so I was keen to see how PokerStars might do the same and extrapolate more interesting and engaging stories from the existing RFID tech they use.

There is talk about using RFID tagged chips, we have discussed it at PokerStars as Casinos already use RFID to track chips, so we have looked at this, so when a player moves their chips we could have another reader there and however many chips were moved registers as the bet. Each reader would be on a different frequency so the card readers wouldn’t get confused with the chip readers. It’s extremely expensive so hasn’t been introduced yet but is quite cool, what you can do then is not only track the chips at a certain table for the TV or Twitch broadcast but track all the chips at a tournament giving you loads of data which would tell you details like who is the chip leader at that time. All the viewers and journalists could tap into that and have the up to date info instantly.

Tech Trends is convinced that for sports, gaming, gambling, media and data companies like FIFA, PokerStars and Dimension Data, learning how to use all this data to tell new and exciting stories that engage viewers in the digital age is the future of entertainment. All these seemingly different sectors are now on the brink of merging into broader entities as data starts to drive the entertainment and sports industries. One issue that will no doubt keep the lawyers busy is access and ownership of the data they gather and use, but from what Jonathan already sees in the data PokerStars keeps private, those could be very powerful stories indeed.

Learning how to use all this data to tell new and exciting stories that engage viewers in the digital age is the future of entertainment
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Obviously a lot of the data we have back there we aren’t able to show the public but for us we can see the type of cards that are played and how they are played. If you see 140 hands of Poker in a day you can see the way a certain player plays an ace, or a pocket pair and then you can look into how they bet in relation to those cards which is quite interesting.

Quite interesting indeed! Watch this space for some very exciting news later this month as PokerStars take on the latest and greatest digital medium!

Tom Atkinson is a Digital Producer & Photographer at R3Digital and Reviews & Dept. Editor at Tech Trends. Connect on LinkedIn and follow him on Twitter @R3Digital

The post Poker in the 21st Century appeared first on Tech Trends.

Immersive technology companies are increasingly integrating their AR, VR and MR offerings with Blockchain. Why?

Merging our physical and digital physical realities is the ultimate promise of immersive technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) Virtual Reality (VR) Mixed Reality (MR) – and others in this acronym alphabet soup – which is what makes them such a good fit for Blockchain.

Merging our physical and digital physical realities is the ultimate promise of immersive technologies
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The interesting thing about Blockchain is that it, too, is all about blurring the boundaries between virtual and real. Or perhaps it just exposes that a lot of what we consider to be “real” exists largely in the ether in the form of bits and bytes. What Blockchain does is make the ephemeral feel permanent, and therefore more valuable.

Philip Rosedale is the founder of one of the earliest virtual worlds – Second Life. He told Forbes in a recent interview that virtual worlds need a simple system that allows people to reliably assert ownership.

“I think that Blockchain is super important for money, for digital assets, and most importantly for identity. Not just in the virtual world, but in the real world. It stores that information in a way that only the owner who has the private key can be associated with that little chunk of the Blockchain. The owner can update the object, sell it, move it around. No company or central organization is able to do that once it’s printed in the Blockchain.”

If Blockchain had been around 13 years ago when Linden Lab first launched Second Life, Rosedale believes they would have built the platform around it, and indeed he seems keen to now incorporate the technology into his latest Social VR venture High Fidelity, as are many emerging competitors in that space such as Decentraland which just held its highly anticipated first property auction this month.

The interesting thing about Blockchain is that it, too, is all about blurring the boundaries between virtual and real
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Augmented Reality start-up Lucyd, for example, recently created their own cryptocurrency (the LCD token) and is currently raising funds through an ICO (initial coin offering). Having secured a series of AR patents, Lycid are now designing an interactive AR display that uses your smartphone for processing power and data. Essentially the lens will let users look up from their phones and interact with their apps within a large, smooth AR interface.

Being on the Blockchain they claim, will allow them to develop and distribute AR-native content much more easily so that anyone can develop, share and experience content.

With over 60 million concert tickets sold every year in the US, it is clear that the market for experiences is booming, but equally clear that there is a limit to how many tickets can be sold to access them physically. Which is where companies like of CEEK VR come in.

With over 60 million concert tickets sold every year in the US, it is clear that the market for experiences is booming
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CEEK is a platform founded in 2015 that extends the reach of sold-out shows through its Virtual Reality Venues by allowing users to experience them virtually. It has so far signed up over 100 top artists like Elton John, Lady Gaga, Sting, Bon Jovi and Katy Perry, but believe that incorporating Blockchain technology will allow them to massively scale their operations and realize the dream of a “decentralized VR entertainment Metaverse.”

“CEEK VR’s offering will remove the hurdles of creating premium content and virtual goods featuring licensed music and celebrity assets by offering clearing house services through Smart Contracts that automatically pay respective rights holders and publishers. This means more people will be creating quality content in addition to all the concerts,” says CEEK’s CEO Mary Spio.

Clearing rights for songs, for example, takes a very long time and requires employing full-time staff every time new songs are added to a platform, especially if they are owned by multiple stakeholders – as is the norm in the music industry. By enabling transparent, immutable record of ownership and usage rights to be kept in the Blockchain, however, this process can not only be scaled and automated over millions of songs, but becomes much more accountable, meaning artists will get paid for their work in a much more timely fashion, and reach larger audiences in the process. The picture it paints is very much of a win-win for the creative industries, which has often struggled to cope with disruptive technologies in the past.

If Blockchain had been around 13 years ago when Linden Lab first launched Second Life, Rosedale believes they would have built the platform around it
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Virtual tokens can be used as tickets to VR events and virtual items, but they are also enabling celebrities on the platform to create their own worlds, currency and items in less than an hour, with the potential for unlimited earning. Celebrity minted coins and virtual merchandise items take on the traits of cryptocurrency as each are assigned their own Ethereum address. This means exclusive items can be created, and artists can even sign those items with special cryptographic token signatures that cannot be duplicated and are authenticated on the Blockchain in terms of rarity and value.

Gaze Coin is another Blockchain-powered platform that monetizes VR & AR through enabling such celebrity partnerships. By using gaze tracking, it calculates the amount of time a player spends looking at or immersed inside specific content and then creates a micropayment – advertisers are charged for the time, content owners are paid and gamers are rewarded.

Monetizing virtual goods and services in a frictionless way will be the cornerstone of building these new virtual worlds
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The company is now planning on trialling the first of its “Celebrity Coins” next year. The Kim Kardashian West’s KCoin is linked to the KK Goes to Hollywood app which already attracted 42 million downloads and which has generated nearly $200 million in revenue since June 2014. They stand to make even more, however, by adopting a monetized VR platform where instead of purchasing virtual goods, players can purchase Kardashian’s branded and endorsed products both virtually and eventually in real life.

“For the first time the Kardashian’s have been toppled in the Google search rankings, and by Bitcoin. The idea of linking the two might seem far-fetched, but we see it as the next step,” says Jonny Peters Founder of Gaze Coin. “If the app’s KCoin became a cryptocurrency it would enable brands to track and reward players for influence and advertising, as well as the purchase of real-world goods in virtual stores. So we’re doing it,” he says.

Spio also agrees that creating and monetizing virtual goods and services in a frictionless way will be the cornerstone of building these new virtual worlds. “Tokenization does that, and users will enjoy more premium VR content as well as new earning and spending possibilities,” she concludes.

Article originally published on The Huffington Post

Will Blockchain Supercharge Immersive Tech? https://t.co/2zK93HAJrf via @HuffPostBlog

— Alice Bonasio (@alicebonasio) December 17, 2017

For help getting your own VR/AR/MR project off the ground, get in touch about our Virtual Reality Consultancy services 

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio on Twitter.

The post Powering Virtual Technologies With Blockchain appeared first on Tech Trends.

This rough and ready camera has a ton of features to help you share those adventurous moments. 

I am always excited to receive new cameras in the post and today DBPower have sent me their latest 12MP 4K Action Camera to test, so I’m a happy bunny.

Not that I am planning to jump off some cliffs, soar around like an overactive eagle, or start leaping across random canyons in a high-powered motorcycle at some point… But when you’ve got such a new toy, even popping down to Tesco for your chicken Kievs is an excuse to start capturing moments for posterity.

DBPower have sent me their latest 12MP 4K Action Camera to test
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The camera is a tidy piece of kit with a broad range of features and accessories
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The DBPower 4K Sport Action Camera is a tidy piece of kit and boasts an incredible selection of features and accessories including WIFI for quick social sharing and remote linking to apps, a 170 Degree Wide-Angle lens, a 2 inch screen (not touch) and a very handy little remote control.

The auto iris quickly adapts to the lighting as you walk in and out of shade
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It records onto all the modern microSD cards (up to 32GB) at 4K 25fps & 2.7K 30fps. I am happy to report that the picture is not bad and the auto iris works very well indeed, quickly adapting to the lighting as you walk in and out of shade. The image is very crisp at 12MP and the colours are good. All in all, this is a camera that’s easily a match for the GoPros, at a fraction of the cost.

This camera is a match for the GoPros, but at a fraction of the cost
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The image is very crisp at 12MP and the colours are good
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The sensor is obviously very small and won’t be as capable as the one on you mobile phone (if you bought it in the last two years or so), and it shows the usual digital artefacts and judder expected from all such action cameras. However, given the fact that this 4K action camera only costs £56.99 ( $65.99 ) that is something that we’re prepared to forgive.

The camera suffers from the usual judder problems, but the price makes up for such issues
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You don’t just get a tiny 4K camera though, you get a bag full of essential accessories with it. That is a huge plus, since accessories with the GoPro (which in itself is already much more expensive) all come at significant additional cost. In the box you get attachments for helmets, handle bars and pretty much everything else you might need.

The DBPower comes with a ton of attachments included in the already reasonable price
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Box Contents:
1x DBPOWER 4K Action Camera
1x Selfie stick
1x Waterproof Shell
1x Remote Control
2x Rechargeable Batteries
1x USB Cable
1x User Manual
12x Attachment Accessories

The DBPower Waterproof Camera Case is trusty looking and claims to be specifically designed to endure extreme environmental conditions such as: dirt, intense rainfall, submersion in up to 30m of water, extreme cold or heat, and sandy or dusty environments.

This is a product designed to endure extreme conditions
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Well, it should be alright here in Somerset then, I figure! Overall, this is an inexpensive choice for hobbyist videographers and the equal of cameras priced six times as much. When you really just want to have fun hacking around on your mountain bike with friends or more extreme outdoor sports such as gliding, surfing, diving, skiing, snorkelling, climbing and driving etc. the DBPower 4K 12MP action camera offers a cheap, high quality option to record you exploits.

Overall, this is an inexpensive choice for hobbyist videographers
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To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Product Review: DBPower 4K Action Camera appeared first on Tech Trends.

In this article for UploadVR I reflect on how my own experience of going to Wimbledon compares to the one crafted by the tournament in Virtual Reality.

Everyone should be able to feel the magic atmosphere of Wimbledon at least once. Virtual Reality is all about allowing us to access experiences we wouldn’t normally be able to, such as standing in the middle of Centre Court at match point.

Many of the world’s top tennis players say Wimbledon is their favorite tournament, but ask them why they love the quaint, often-rainy All England Lawn Tennis Club so much, and the answer is rather vague: Atmosphere.

Virtual Reality is all about allowing us to experience something we wouldn't be able to otherwise, like standing on Centre Court at match point
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There are other grass tournaments, and other Grand Slams, but there’s definitely only one Wimbledon. And to understand what that’s all about… you sort of have to be there.

So one of the first things I did when I moved to London was join the mile-long queue for general admission tickets early one morning. After paying well over the odds for some strawberries and cream and watching a few doubles and junior matches, I then snagged a £5 resale ticket for Center Court, where (at the risk of giving away my age) I watched Tim Henman play, and win.

Many of the world’s top tennis players say Wimbledon is their favorite tournament, but ask them why they love the quaint, often-rainy All England Lawn Tennis Club so much, and the answer is rather vague: Atmosphere
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Having been to the real place, I was impressed by how well it was replicated in VR
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That’s why, when I put on my Google Cardboard to watch the #FeelWimbledon Virtual Reality experience, I immediately understand what Andy Murray means when he talks about the awesome pressure and palpable silence in Center Court.

The 4D cinematic experience lasts a couple of minutes and was created using 125 motion sensors. It begins by whizzing you through the eerily empty Wimbledon grounds and lingering around some rather nice cars (it is sponsored by Jaguar after all). You enjoy a God-like view as the place comes alive with people (over 14,000 characters were generated for this) and the roar of the virtual crowd starts to build up. Eventually, you find yourself in Center Court looking at an avatar of Murray suspended in the air mid-serve.

There are other grass tournaments, and other Grand Slams, but there’s definitely only one Wimbledon. And to understand what that’s all about… you sort of have to be there
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Murray knows the exquisite pressure of that environment more than most, being the first British player to win the Wimbledon title in over 70 years back in 2013. So he’s well used to carrying the weight of an entire country’s expectations on his shoulders, and that lends authenticity and genuine feeling to his narration.

Having been to the real place, I was also impressed by how well it was replicated in VR, culminating with the viewer being neatly placed in Andy Murray’s tennis shoes as he finally swings the racket, and the court explodes in a roaring cheer.

The best uses of VR tend to be ones that offer users the ability to experience something they wouldn’t ordinarily be able to do, so this certainly ticks that box.  Even if you have been to Wimbledon, it’s unlikely that the officials would have allowed to traipse around Centre Court, much less experience it when it’s packed full of tense spectators. And for those who haven’t been there at all, the VR experience offers a bit of a taster of what that Wimbledon vibe” is all about.

Andy Murray is a VR enthusiast himself, recently investing in several start-ups through crowdfunding firm Seedrs, where he’s a stakeholder. One of these, Trillenium, builds 3D Virtual Reality shops, and he says the growth of virtual reality, and specially its use in sport, is something that fascinates him:

“I never thought I’d have my own VR experience,” said Murray. “There’s no greater feeling than walking out onto Center Court. It’s hosted so many incredible matches, the greatest champions ever, and the atmosphere is truly one of a kind. This special experience is reserved for very few players and supporters, so it’s amazing that Jaguar’s VR experience can bring people closer to the unique feeling of tennis’ most famous court.”

20,000 Google Cardboards were distributed to commuters and tennis fans to encourage them to try the experience, which can be download at the Feel Wimbledon Website (or if you’re on this side of the pond they have a rather impressive booth at Waterloo Station too).

Originally published on UploadVR

You need to check out the new @Wimbledon VR experience.
via @alicebonasio #FeelWimbledon #VR https://t.co/prD46fop2b

— Upload (@UploadVR) July 9, 2016

To find out how to leverage VR/AR/MR in your enterprise, Tech Trends offers bespoke Virtual Reality Consultancy support

Alice Bonasio is a VR Consultant and Tech Trends’ Editor in Chief. She also regularly writes for Fast Company, Ars Technica, Quartz, Wired and others. Connect with her on LinkedIn and follow @alicebonasio and @techtrends_tech on Twitter.

The post Wimbledon Winner Andy Murray Embraces Virtual Reality appeared first on Tech Trends.