Tennis
Rafael Nadal demonstrates Babolat Play & Connect interactive tennis racquet
Some people argue that technology makes us lazy couch-potatoes who spend all day sitting in front of various screens. But tech can also make us better athletes by providing us with information about our sporting performance - whether it's shoes which log a basketball player's jumps, or outfits which give dancers feedback about their moves. Tennis players could soon be getting in on the tech-helping-hand action with the introduction of an interactive racquet. Read More
It’s kind of like table tennis, kind of like squash, and looks like it would definitely be a good workout – it’s 360ball, a new racquet sport out of South Africa. Games are played on a circular court by two players, or two teams of two players, who are situated around a central concave deflecting disc. Players hit the ball into the disc, trying to do so in such a way that when it bounces out, their opponent(s) won’t be able to reach it. Unlike tennis, say, there are no designated sides on which players have to remain. Instead, everyone is allowed to move 360 degrees around the disc as play dictates ... hence the name. Read More
The first thing that gets tired when I take my two Border Collies for their morning walk is my arm – from repeatedly throwing a tennis ball for them. I used a tennis racket once but after two hits the ball was in someone else’s backyard, lost forever. Try explaining that to two ball-crazy canines. But relief for people like me – owners of dogs with boundless energy but blessed with a poor throwing arm - thanks to the Hyperdog 4-Ball Launcher. Read More
An early contender for the bang-per-buck gadget of the year is the Bug Bat - a handheld insect killer that delivers a high voltage zap. With the form factor of a tennis racket, anything that touches the “strings” on the racket face is delivered a powerful electric shock – more than enough to send any insect it comes in contact with it into the hereafter. The scariest feature is its compelling nature: once you’ve heard the electric crackle of death from a pinpoint backhand, otherwise rational and balanced humans get a look in their eye like the dog that tasted blood. This product bats way beyond its sub-US$20 price range in terms of enjoyment and usefulness. Read More
