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The NBA faces a big challenge now that it offers all its player statistics to the public -- how does it generate stats that hold the interest of basketball fans? The league's solution is a multi-year agreement to use Stats LLC's SportVU motion tracking system in every arena (15 teams had already implemented the technology on their own). As of the 2013-14 season, every NBA arena will have a six-camera setup that creates a steady stream of player data based on ball possession, distance, proximity and speed. The NBA's website, NBA Game Time and NBA TV will all use the information to expand game stats beyond what we see today with heat maps and specific details on each possession. There's no telling how useful that extra knowledge will be, but we won't be shocked if it helps settle a few sports bar arguments.
[Image credit: Rondo Estrello, Rondostar.com / Flickr]
Via: AP (Yahoo)
Facebook already gave us insight into the volume of US government data requests that it receives; it's broadening that scope today by posting its first-ever Global Government Requests Report. The chart reveals that agencies worldwide made at least 25,607 data requests in the first six months of 2013, targeting a minimum of 37,954 users. Nearly half of the demands (11,000 to 12,000) were from the US; as before, Facebook can't be more specific unless it's allowed greater transparency. While the report doesn't address concerns regarding NSA surveillance, it does show that Facebook isn't simply rubber-stamping government activity. The company has denied many or all of the requests from some countries, supporting the social network's claims that it limits the scope of data probes when possible.
Filed under: Internet, Facebook
Via: Bloomberg
Source: Facebook
For many, there's nothing quite so comforting as cracking open a good book. The texture of the pages combine with the smell of ink and paper, as the writer pours their imagination and soul into a world that's apart from your own. While e-books have won over a number of people, the latest stats from The Publishers Association suggest that the majority of Brits still prefer the printed form, which accounted for 88 percent of all book sales during 2012. The winds of change are working in the background, however, as digital sales -- consisting of e-books, audio downloads and digital subscriptions -- now account for 12 percent of the pie; an increase from 8 percent just one year ago.
As a whole, the UK publishing industry shows modest signs of growth, with combined physical and digital sales rising by 4 percent to reach £3.3 billion ($5.1b). Meanwhile, it shouldn't come as much of a surprise, but e-books continue to gain popularity and show tremendous promise. Here, consumer e-book sales have risen 134 percent in 2012, which now account for a £216 million ($336m) share of the UK publishing industry. Regardless of whether you prefer print or digital formats, we reckon that all readers deserve a hearty slap on the back. Here's to keeping the story-telling alive.
Filed under: Alt
Via: The Telegraph
Source: The Publishers Association
We crunched the numbers just after CES, while the organizers were barely tearing down hundreds of lavishly lit booths. Now, we're going to be making it a regular thing, pulling together and musing on the week's vital statistics. This time around, we watch iPads make an impression on computer shipments, while Dell reorganizes and goes private -- with a little help from Microsoft. All that and more awaits beyond the break.