Itai Boublil

FIFA Video Technology

FIFA President, Joseph S. Blatter, has announced today that the file on goal line technology will be reopen. According to Mr. Blatter, “…It is an ongoing process at FIFA and on my personal agenda. In October-November we will present a new model on how to improve high-level refereeing”.

I do see it as a welcomed step to the world of football because, in contrast to what other people think, these type of mistakes do affect the match, and has an immediate impact on the players mind. Sure, you can sit here and say that these are professional players, and that they should rise above it and just play the game. This might be true, but players are also human beings, and as such they do get affected by unfair decisions.

I watched both the ARG vs. MEX and the GER vs. ENG games, and even though both ARG and GER played better, I do believe that the game could have ended other than a defeat to both ENG and MEX.

What is your take on this decision? Would you like to see Video Technology (just like in the NBA and NFL) used during FIFA games?

I vote: Yes.

US Soccer Fans

I had a great time yesterday with my friends and colleagues, Mitch and Morgan, watching the USA vs Ghana soccer game. It was my first time in Winberie’s American Bistro in downtown Princeton, and all I can say is that I only wish I would have come here with Irm the day before instead of going to Witherspoon Grill (review here). I actually had a very good buffalo chicken wrap, which I am not going to review since it is basically a simple Restaurant/bar food (but it was still very good :).

Anyway, the atmosphere was great. I never actually experienced an American crowd cheering before, and I have to admit that it is different than any other soccer matches I participated as a spectator in the past. For instance, there were no cursing words (maybe one, and the guy actually apologized!). Having gone to many soccer matches in Israel, I can tell you that cursing is 100% part of the match. In fact, fans there don’t stop cursing for 90 minutes (sometimes before the game even started)!

The second thing that was interesting is that people showed their support by applauding. I thought it was a nice addition to the experience. I am sure there are other bars that I might have experienced a different crowd, but nonetheless it was still nice to be a part of a civilized gathering like this.

All in all, I had a good time with Mitch and Morgan and I am happy I went there. It is too bad that the US team lost, but I still think they had a great tournament. They gave it all, and that is what important!

See you in 4 years…

This post covers some thoughts that I needed to put in writing (for future reference).

If you follow me on Facebook/Twitter, you probably noticed a new status update that keeps appearing in your newsfeed, one that comes with a map and a location attached to it. I am using a new service from Foursquare, which is a really fun service. In a sentence, the service is a great way to locate and discover places to hangout by simply searching what your friends are doing at a particular moment.  It is particularly helpful, lets say, if you are planning to go out and you find out that Joe’s Bar is serving free beers until 11:00PM by simply reading the “tip” your friends wrote. There are plenty of other features it offers, but I do not plan to cover them all in this post.  The best way to explore it is by simply creating your account, and start building your community. It is fun.

From a Business Owner perspective, the marketing opportunities are more than I can mention in one post. Free offers, and coupons are just the tip of the iceberg of how small businesses can use this fun service. Overall, I think it is a great service. How big they grow depends mostly on what market adaption strategy they choose to follow. My advice, focus on both Business and User and then bring them together. People like free offers, and if free offers bring two ends together, then so be it.

On a different topic, I read a very interesting article today stating that the New York Times (NYT) is planning to charge money for their content on the web by 2011.

In one word, Wrong! Content is king, but with so much free content “floating” in the social media sphere, I just cannot see how the NYT is going to pull this off. I am sure they will get some loyal subscribers, but it is not going to be much, and in fact, I am positive that the NYT will alienate more readers from this 1999 strategy, than they will get subscribers. I guess I will have to wait till the end of 2011 to find out.

My last thought is on the ongoing technological revolution that is taking place right now, mainly by Apple, Google, and a dozen other electronic and automobile firms.

I find this whole process fascinating. To think that my TV will soon turn to a social media platform, free movies hub, and a personal computer is just too much to absorb in one reading. 2010 is going to be a great year for technology and ,most importantly, to consumers.

On a very exciting note, we are heading to Boston this weekend to meet our dear friend Dimitri before he moves back to Greece. I thought it would a great opportunity for me to finally watch Hubspot.tv LIVE, which is something I always wanted to do ever since they started the show more than a year ago. I will make sure to take pictures to all of you who watch the show, and of course blog about it once I come back.