Trying to learn proper technique in racketsports such as tennis and badminton can be tough. Having an aid like the strangely named Holy Pie Smart Racket, though, can help curb a newcomer’s mistakes or refine a more seasoned player. A microsensor in the handle tracks stats like hitting position and power. The product then connects with a PC or a smartphone to display 3D-models of your performance for your scrutiny. Whether the racket will also analyze that data to give you tips remains to be The raw data could be helpful, but it seems as though the product could benefit from some expert interpretation of the data. That would be particularly welcome considering the badminton version is expected at $240 and the tennis version is expected at $600. Those who know the flow and have cash to blow can improve their chances of bashing a birdie with units shipped in November 2014.
Tag: racket
The Premise. The best tennis technique involves not only a firm grip and good racket, but also a spin on the ball itself. This spin allows the ball to move in an arc, which makes it easier to get over the net. It also can push the ball to the opposite side when it hits the net itself. Tightly wound rackets get this spinning effect, but it lasts for only a short time.
The Product. SpinGen is a device that gets the best use out of your tennis racquet. It creates a rougher quality in the strings so that they produce more spin. The product is a plier-like tool that one clamps around the strings in the “sweet spot” of the racket. It roughens some of the strings, while others remain smooth so that the strings themselves can easily slide against each other creating spin and flexibility at the same time. One must simply clamp around the string in question and apply pressure until the string is a bit rougher.
The Pitch. SpinGen’s campaign video features epic music along with the basic physics involved in the game of tennis. For the rest, the creator displays lots of up close photos of tennis racquets and strings. SpinGen needs to raise $18,000 for a successful run on Kickstarter.
The Perks. One of these tennis-centric clamps goes for $35 with an estimated delivery date of September 2014. Higher reward tiers offer several SpinGens at discounted rates and climb up to $280.
The Potential. SpinGen is one of those products that solves a problem that few know about. There are tennis strings out there that are already rough. The creator argues, however, that it’s best to have a combination of rough and soft strings for the best game. SpinGen is a great way to produce such an effect, but will probably be useful only to pro tennis players. While an interesting product, the SpinGen needs to find a place in the very niche tennis market for success.