Google Doodle for London 2012 - Day 1

London Olympics to be Broadcast in 3D

I was reading through a recent edition of The Hollywood Reporter and noticed a little comment in a larger article about 3D that stated that the London 2012 Summer Olympics will be getting the 3D treatment. I'm personally un interested in watching TV in 3D, but hopefully there is an audience out there for this content!

Here is more:

The 2012 London Olympics will get the 3D treatment, with plans currently in the works for at least 10 venues to be covered by 3D cameras, according to a leading broadcast equipment manufacturer.
"Although 3D is still marginal in relation to the larger audience there will be a few of the main events (at the 2012 Olympics) in 3D with feeds from 10 venues being discussed," said Luc Doneux, who heads major events for broadcast equipment manufacturer EVS, whose server technology lies at the heart of broadcast plans that are being formulated by host broadcaster Olympic Broadcast Services (OBS).

Via.

Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games for the iPhone?!

How did I not know this existed?! It looks as those last year SEGA created and released Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games on the iPhone. It followed the release of the similarly-titled Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games with similar gameplay and setting, but with the absence of Nintendo-owned characters. The fact that they removed the Nintendo characters for this version is no surprise given the competition between the iPhone and the Nintendo DS. I really wish I had heard about this while it was still on the store because it seems as though it has since been taken down. Here's hoping they release another for the next summer games...

You can find more info about the game here:
http://media.wireless.ign.com/media/055/055422/imgs_1.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonic_at_the_Olympic_Winter_Games

Where Can I Watch the 2010 Winter Olympics Online?

I came across this article online and thought other would find it useful. I've posted the intro to the article below, click on the link at the bottom of the page to read the full article. (BTW... Curling rocks my world too!)

Dear Lifehacker,
I'm a huge fan of the winter Olympics and I don't want to miss a minute of coverage. Where can I watch the games online?

Signed,
Curling Rocks My World

Dear Curling,

We're big fans, too, and want to slurp up all the coverage we can find, so here's how we're planning to attack the games online this year...

Read the rest of the article over @ lifehacker.com

Awesome Google logo up on the website today!

This image is currently on the Google home page.

I suspect that the logo will change each day through the duration of the winter games.

Update 2/13/10: They are indeed posting a new one each day. Today is Luge. 

I will refrain from updating this post everyday with the new ones, but at the end of the games I'll try to create one post that includes all the images. 

Nicely done Google!

"Future of Sports" Artwork

I stumbeled across this image online and wanted to share. It's called "Future of Sports" and I believe it's a CG piece. The artist goes by the screen name kollected. Nicely done. I just wish I can read what the pointers are saying.

Sochi unveils new Olympic logo

The emblem for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi was unveiled Tuesday, based on the unique use of an internet domain name of the Russian organizing committee.

It is the first time that an internet domain features in an Olympic emblem.

The words 'sochi.ru' are written above the number '2014,' with the five Olympic rings also part of the emblem. The number 2014 is written as a reflection under the word Sochi, both in blue letters. the .ru domain ending appears above the Olympic rings.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. It's not bad, in the way London 2012 is, but at the same time it doesn't feel like a "logo" in the traditional sense. It is indeed thinking outside the box. I like that they tried something different and didn't fall on their face with it. It's also cool that the logo itself identifies which country Sochi is actually in. I'm guessing that most people who are not big Olympics fans would not immediately know where it is. The more I'm thinking and writing about it the more I like it. Well done.

Here is a new report from Russia Today:

ESPN to bid on 2014, 2016 Olympics -- promises no West Coast tape delay!

MY TAKE: This is fantastic news! I hope they win. The delay has been one of my biggest frustrations with the NBC coverage. Multiple times over the last week I have inadvertently heard the results of a competition I was looking forward to watching. And NBC even has the gull to say LIVE on their west coast broadcasts when it isn't even remotely true. I really hope ESPN scores this. And fear not non cable subscribers. ESPN is owned by ABC and I'm sure there will be much crossover much like there is with NBC and CNBC, USA, and Telemundo.

From EngadgetHD by Richard Lawler:
It's certainly strange that with several networks, online video, on demand, cellphone and any other way NBC has provided to view the Beijing Olympic Games, U.S. HDTVs had to wait 13 hours to show Usain Bolt make history in the 100m dash -- and another three hours to catch it on PST. For those frustrated by NBC's arrogant mishandling of its broadcast rights, there exists one slim ray of hope (other than living somewhere lucky enough to get Canadian television so you can actually see the events before reading about them in the paper or on NBC's own website), ESPN. That's right, with Brett Favre finally on an NFL roster, the sports giant has apparently found enough free time to consider taking a run at broadcast rights for the 2014 Winter Games and 2016 Summer Games. While we don't yet know where they'll be, if ESPN gets the Games, VP of content John Skipper pinky swore that it would "never" put an event on tape delay, calling it a disservice to sports fans. Our support for this plan goes without saying, and since it's already too late to give them this year's broadcast rights, our only remaining issue is finding out what it takes to get John Skipper on the '08 presidential ballot.

Google Celebrates the Beijing Summer Games

The first of what I'm sure will be many fun images they will use throughout the games!

NBC Pre-selling 2008 Beijing Olympic Highlights DVD a week before the games start

Wow, the games are still a week away and NBC is pre-selling the highlights to them! I find it funny that they already have the description in past tense.

With all the HD coverage it would be nice to see this on Blu-ray.

Details from their online store:
2008 Beijing Olympic Highlights DVD
It was merely 36 years ago that a U.S. President first visited China, a country previously secluded and unfamiliar. But behind the Great Wall, phenomenal growth and modernization occurred, culminating in the selection of Beijing as host of the 2008 Olympics.

Athletes from all corners of the globe descended upon this ancient city, remade with spectacular architecture as an ultramodern capital. Though separated by geographical origins and cultural backgrounds, all competitors shared the undeniable attributes of athleticism and determination. Each venue provided exhilarating performances…from the swimming pool to the beach volleyball court…from the track to the soccer field, and from the gymnastics center to the basketball court.

In the end, while some athletes were fortunate to celebrate their achievements on the medal stand, others were able to fulfill their dreams simply by competing. But the captivating and unforgettable moments of those two weeks in Beijing will last forever. Relive all the drama and excitement…from the pageantry of the Opening Ceremony to the extinguishment of the Olympic flame… all captured on the official Olympic DVD from NBC Sports.

Ancient clock displays Olympic calendar and astronomical cycles

My take: Amazing!! Watch the video link below. It's particularly interesting.

From boingboing.net by David Pescovitz:

The Antikythera Mechanism is a two-thousand year-old clock made in Greece that was discovered a century ago in a shipwreck. Two years ago, scientists studying the bits and pieces that survived under the sea were able to figure out that the device was used to calculate astronomical cycles. Now though, British mathematician Tony Freeth, part of the original research group, has determined that the Antikythera Mechanism also shows the timetables of the Olympic Games. Freeth and his colleagues published their findings in this week's issue of the science journal Nature. The magazine also posted a fascinating video telling the clock's story. It's a marvelous tale of technology, history, and curiosity. From Nature News:

The device had intermeshed toothed wheels that represent calendar cycles. By turning the wheels, a user could figure out the relationships between astronomical cycles to deduce the relative positions of the Sun and Moon and forecast eclipses.

But after two millennia under the sea off the island of Antikythera, near Crete, all that remains of the device are 82 fragments of flaking bronze, including parts of 30 gear-wheels2. The numbers of gear teeth are crucial, but must be inferred from the partial wheels that remain. And most of the inscriptions are hidden under corrosion and surface accretions. To read them, the researchers used a method called microfocus X-ray computed tomography, which provides X-ray images of slices through the sample, revealing inscriptions buried beneath the mechanism's surface.

Antikythera Mechanism video
"Complex clock combines calendars" Nature News article
"Calendars with Olympiad display and eclipse prediction on the Antikythera Mechanism" paper

IOC Unveils New Website

On Monday, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) unveiled a dramatically improved web site, with new interactive games, Flash animation, videos of highlights and other features that make it a one-stop source for information on the Olympic Games.

The enhanced web site, www.olympic.org, is a vital resource for anyone with an interest in the Olympic Games, and an invaluable guide to the upcoming Beijing Games. The site will provide continually updated results from China, as well a behind-the-scenes look at activities in Beijing. Another feature, the “Olympic Express” e-journal, provides information tailored to the pre-teen audience. The Games will run from 8-24 August.

Site users can activate Flash animations explaining Olympic sports, and compete online against contestants from around the world. They can also find training tips and other advice from renowned Olympic athletes.

“Olympic.org is the ultimate resource on the Olympic Games and the Olympic Movement,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said. “The web site is an important part of our effort to keep the Olympic spirit alive for future generations. The Olympic values do not change, but we are always looking for new ways to share them, especially with young people.”

The site offers users a chance to play, learn and explore while experiencing the drama and excitement of the Olympic Games.

Play
- Compete with contestants from around the world in online Olympic events
- Watch dramatic highlights from past Olympic Games
- Activate animations that explain Olympic events
- Create and share photo and video playlists from the Games
- Manipulate 3D views of Olympic torches and medals, and light the torch

Learn
- Track athletic performances over time

- Compare today’s athletes with athletes from the past

- Track the history of Olympic events (BMX is in. The tug-of-war is out).

- Enjoy inspiring profiles, photos and videos of Olympic heroes

- Tour the Olympic Museum online

Explore

- Search the extensive database of sports records and details of past Games

- Discover a section devoted to Olympic medals, posters and other collectibles

- Find out what’s happening behind the scenes in Beijing; hear from volunteers and fans

In related news, ESPN has revamped the Olympic Sports section of their website as well...

You can visit the site by clicking the image above.

Video: Beijing Olympic Torch Promotional Film

Olympic tickets to be embedded with bearer's personal information

"In a move unprecedented for the Olympics, tickets for the opening and closing ceremonies are embedded with a microchip containing the bearer's photograph, passport details, addresses, e-mail and telephone numbers." Link. Via.

USOC working on TV network?!

SIGN ME UP!!

The AP Article:
By EDDIE PELLS, AP National Writer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP)—The U.S. Olympic Committee’s aggressive plan to start its own cable network is moving forward, though officials are giving no indications that the network will be on the air before the Beijing Olympics, as the federation had once hoped.

The USOC has secured rights to televise events from more than half the individual sports, but the strategy of bringing them to air has been slow to develop and nobody inside the organization’s offices has been willing to provide specifics.

“I can’t comment on it now,” chief operating officer Norm Bellingham, who is in charge of the TV project, told The Associated Press this week at the USOC board meeting.

The idea was hatched two years ago and given a working title, the U.S. Olympic Sports Network. The plan was to air live events and archival footage, along with a few shows that mix sports and lifestyle topics.

The goal was to increase exposure for Olympic sports, many of which are quickly forgotten once the Olympics end. There was also a long-term hope of making the Olympics a more valuable commodity when negotiations for future network contracts come up. NBC owns the American TV rights through 2012 (at the cost of $2 billion total for 2010 and 2012), and the timetable for bidding for 2014 and beyond has not yet been announced.

Those are still the plans, but the USOC would not say whether its network will be on the air prior to the Beijing Olympics, which are less than three months away.

“The honest answer is, a lot is going on and a lot of work is being done, but we’re not in any place to give adjectives,” chairman Peter Ueberroth said. “We can’t say how it looks, how it doesn’t look, whether it’s close or not close. We’re just working hard.”

Like any newcomer trying to find a spot on the ever-expanding dial, the USOC is looking at three options: Starting its own network, acquiring another, or leasing blocks of time on an existing network for so-called “USOC” days.

Starting a network is doable, especially if there’s plenty of content available, but getting clearance on cable and satellite systems across the country is no guarantee, as the recent and well-publicized fighting between the NFL Network and providers has shown.

Buying an existing network would be expensive; deals to buy well-known cable networks and their assets can run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. And even if that network had a spot in current cable and satellite lineups, there’s no guarantee that spot would be held for the new USOC entity.

Leasing time might be the most viable option for the USOC, though that wouldn’t necessarily serve the purpose of creating an easily identifiable, one-stop outlet for Olympic programming.

No matter what the format, the USOC will be in for the same struggle as any network in this era: Finding an audience—one that’s loyal, if not necessarily huge.

“We’re taking the challenge for any marketer or TV entity, which is to find a way to get fragmented audiences that exist today and get them together,” CEO Jim Scherr said, in talking about the plan in 2006.

Speaking about the project again this week, Scherr said the goal remains the same.

“We’re still pursuing it. It’s still on the table. We’re still working at it and going forward,” Scherr said.

Google Holiday Logos: Sydney 2000 Summer Olympics

I remember seeing these a while back and was able to find all of the Google Holiday Logo's for the olympics dating back to the Summer Olympics of 2000 in Sydney. I'll start with Sydney and post the others from time to time so as not to blow the fun all at once! ;)

NBC's 2008 Olympics website to use Microsoft's Silverlight Technology

The best part of this announcement for me is this, "The new site will host 2,200 hours of live event video coverage, with more than 20 simultaneous live video streams at peak times. An additional 3,000 hours of on-demand video will be available, including full event replays and highlights. " This is absolutely great news!! Let's hope this new software from Microsoft works the way they say it will. It would be great to be able to watch a few events on a lunch break during the Olympics. Hopefully if this is something that works out well for them they'll continue to have this sort of massively available coverage.

From TechCrunch.com:

NBC announced today that they are working with Microsoft and MSN to build nbcolympics.com. That announcement alone is a snoozer. What’s interesting is that they’ll be using the Microsoft Silverlight platform to “deliver deeply immersive user experiences.”

The partnership was announced by Bill Gates at the CES keynote this evening in Las Vegas. The new site will host 2,200 hours of live event video coverage, with more than 20 simultaneous live video streams at peak times. An additional 3,000 hours of on-demand video will be available, including full event replays and highlights.

Silverlight will be used for an “enhanced playback mode” and will allow full screen viewing “that is as good or better than anything on the Internet today.” There will also be metadata overlays that enable viewers to additional content like results, statistics, bios, rules and expert analysis.

This is good news for Microsoft and their nascent Silverlight platform. What I want to know is how much Microsoft paid NBC to use this. It’s highly unlikely they chose it without an additional nudge. Testing a new platform at the Olympics carries significant risk. And since no one really uses Silverlight yet, this will require millions of people to download the Silverlight framework before they can use the advanced features of the site.

Reuters News Report on the Anncouncement

Lenovo says "no thanks" to Vista for 2008 Olympics

From engadget.com:
Poor Vista, you really can't buy a break. First you've got legions of users angrily awaiting a decent update for a whole slew of problems, then there's the CEOs taking pot-shots at you, and now, Lenovo, supplier of the 2008 Olympic Games' computer systems says it's sticking with XP. Word on the street is that all vital computing tasks for the Games will be handled on XP-enabled PCs, while some internet lounges used by athletes will be equipped with Vista systems. According to Yang Yuanqing, chairman of Lenovo, "the Olympic Games require mature, stable technologies and it's not a place to try new technologies." Yang, we're pretty sure a legion of Vista users feel similarly about their desktops. You can almost hear Microsoft's sharp intake of breath from here.