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Thursday, August 11, 2011

Staying on the Ball ... or not

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To stay technologically ahead at my job, I try to read a lot of … stuff. Granted, "stuff" isn't the most technological term that I could use. However, it does cover several trade journals and the myriad of high tech, geewhiz type websites that I have to wade through on a daily basis.

The latest automated gadget that caught my attention was one for ping pong tables. You're probably asking yourself, “Why would anybody want to automate that game?” Yet, that's the motivating force behind all gadgets – if you can imagine it, then it's worth the effort, the tears, and the trips to the emergency room to bring it into reality. Most of the time anyways.

So Newgy has mounted a machine at one end of the ping-pong table that fires balls at a preset rate to help you improve your game. Or, perhaps to keep that only child of yours entertained. Or, maybe even to just annoy the cat.

This product begs for modification as well as uses beyond its original purpose. With just a few motors, a couple of sliding rails, and a connection to your computer, you could program this baby to patrol the outside of your house. Any intruder or unwelcome visitor approaches your humble abode, WHAM a ping-pong ball whizzes passed their head at blazing speeds. Well, maybe not 'WHAM'. More like PING. In any case, if you're into extremely nostalgic mood, you could invite that annoying neighbor over and reenact the ping-pong ball scene made famous by Captain Kangaroo and Moose.

Whatever your desires are with ping pong balls, remember that you read it here first.

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