Patriots Coach Bill Belichick on Microsoft Surface: 'I Just Can't Take It Anymore' (techcrunch.com)

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Patriots Coach Bill Belichick on Microsoft Surface: 'I Just Can't Take It Anymore' (techcrunch.com)

Posted by BeauHD on Tuesday October 18, 2016 @10:30AM from the firsthand-experience dept.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is not happy with the Surface tablet provided to him via a deal between Microsoft and the NFL. Not only has he physically thrown the tablets at things, but he has verbally expressed his negative opinions of them. TechCrunch reports: When asked about the Patriots' headsets malfunctioning during last weeks game, Belichick instead took the time to let everyone know he's "done with the tablets." While he didn't go into too much detail on the tablets, Belichick essentially said that Microsoft's surface tablets are too "undependable," and there "isn't enough consistency in their performance." In terms of the rest of the sideline technology like headsets, Belichick is essentially fed up with the fact that everything always malfunctions and is impossible to fix during games. So why is the sideline technology so hard to get right? The tablets (as well as the headphones and all other sideline technology) are owned and maintained by the NFL. That means it gets delivered to teams literally hours before the game and taken away when it ends. This makes it hard for teams to test for issues before a game and to troubleshoot when something goes wrong. Belichick's full rant can be read here, which reads in part: "As you probably noticed, I'm done with the tablets. They're just too undependable for me. I'm going to stick with (paper) pictures, which several of our other coaches do, as well, because there just isn't enough consistency in the performance of the tablets. I just can't take it anymore..."

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Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 10:33 · Score: 5, Interesting

How much did Microsoft pay the NFL to force them to use Surface tablets? And how many times have they malfunctioned and been insulted by players and coaches? A LOT.
To top it off, the first year of the deal before all the negative press, the announcers (and players/coaches) kept calling them iPads.
This is one of the worst deals ever, for both parties.
1. Re:Hilarious by bhcompy · 2016-10-18 10:40 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium, rather than the tablets themselves. This is an NFL problem.. iPad, Surface, Galaxy Tab, whatever.. not going to be different until the NFL forces teams and stadiums to provide adequate connectivity.
2. Re: Hilarious by chispito · 2016-10-18 10:45 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  But why? Why use something other than a grease pen on a white board? These aren't software developers, and I don't think there is a pressing need for technology on the sidelines besides the sponsorship deals. And maybe 3M can sponsor them or something.
  
  --
  The Daddy casts sleep on the Baby. The Baby resists!
3. Re: Hilarious by PsychoSlashDot · 2016-10-18 10:52 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Agreed. I get it that there are such a thing as "plays", which should really be called "gambits", but the game breaks down to: throw the ball, catch the ball, run. Less technology* getting in the way of throwing the ball, catching the ball, and running is a good thing.
  
  Yes, yes, with the obvious exception of replay footage to double-check what refs can't necessarily see.
  
  --
  "Oh no... he found the .sig setting."
4. Re: Hilarious by 93+Escort+Wagon · 2016-10-18 10:54 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  But why? Why use something other than a grease pen on a white board?
  At a minimum, a football team at least also needs a Xerox machine.
  
  --
  #DeleteChrome
5. Re: Hilarious by xevioso · 2016-10-18 11:00 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often. These are things a coach can know, or have on paper, but the ability to quickly look things up for an effective response or plan is probably very beneficial.
  What I don't know, however, is why they would need "connectivity." Why do you need wi-fi operating your iPad or Surface if you have all of the relevant info on the device? If they don't have all the relevant info on the device, what do they need it for?
6. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:01 · Score: 2, Insightful
  
  I'm glad someone said it. This is the problem with these luddite jocks when it comes to technology - they blame the thing closest to them instead of trying to figure out what the actual problem is. They spent so much time smashing beer cans on their foreheads that they didn't bother to learn much else.
7. Re: Hilarious by Mr+D+from+63 · 2016-10-18 11:13 · Score: 1
  
  But why? Why use something other than a grease pen on a white board? .
  One key benefit of tablet usage is being able to take a picture of the lineups of the two teams during the game and show that whilst drawing some plays. In the past they'd print out pictures during the game, having them all on the tablet should make everything easier. (I suppose they take video as well). But as another poster said, its useless when there are connectivity issues. Microsoft should consider some sort of local syncing of the content.
8. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:13 · Score: 0
  
  If you read the statement it sounds like he is blaming the entire system and not just the Surface. The ultimate result is that he's ditching the tablet-based system and going back to pen and paper.
  What I don't understand is how a coach that's literally never won a title without an associated cheating scandal, and who has "won" 4 rings, is allowed to remain in the league. Why hasn't the NFL kicked this guy and that team out? Why are they still allowed to play? None of this makes sense.
  Although I'll bet the "issues" with the system are limited only to their stadium and are caused by whatever they're doing to spy on other teams after they got caught the first time.
9. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:20 · Score: 0
  
  I hope so. They only paid $400 million to the NFL for the privilege.
10. Re: Hilarious by David_Hart · 2016-10-18 11:26 · Score: 1
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often. These are things a coach can know, or have on paper, but the ability to quickly look things up for an effective response or plan is probably very beneficial.
  What I don't know, however, is why they would need "connectivity." Why do you need wi-fi operating your iPad or Surface if you have all of the relevant info on the device? If they don't have all the relevant info on the device, what do they need it for?
  Um... Live replay, maybe.... Oh, forgot, the NFL is the No Fun League so "No replay for you....." Actually, they are using it for downloading photos and drawing up plays, same as the paper copy.
  The NHL has gone to live reply on tablets this season. Saw it being used during the Pittsburgh game a couple of nights ago.
11. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:29 · Score: 0
  
  Because the spotters up in the boxes need to communicate to the on-field coaches?
  These guys take screen captures/pictures and mark them up and get them to the on-field guys as well.
12. Re: Hilarious by Woldscum · 2016-10-18 11:30 · Score: 2
  
  Google "Belichick cheating". Team communications are monitored by the NFL during games.
13. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:31 · Score: 0
  
  There are fewer RF-hostile environments then inside a 40,000+ seat arena trying to provide wifi for everyone.
14. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:35 · Score: 0
  
  A coach's job is making decisions. If they want to punch in numbers for data analytics they should have a statistician on the sidelines.
15. Re: Hilarious by PsychoSlashDot · 2016-10-18 11:41 · Score: 3, Interesting
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often. These are things a coach can know, or have on paper, but the ability to quickly look things up for an effective response or plan is probably very beneficial.
  What I just heard is "coaches shouldn't be allowed tablets". Or binders.
  
  Seriously, it's game/sport. Chess grandmasters aren't allowed to consult Watson in between moves. The players play the games. The role of coach mid-game should be more or less limited to deciding when to swap players, and arguing with referees over decisions. Coaching should be happening in between games. During the games it's time for playing.
  
  But that's just my opinion.
  
  --
  "Oh no... he found the .sig setting."
16. Re:Hilarious by im_thatoneguy · 2016-10-18 11:43 · Score: 5, Interesting
  
  My aunt went on a long rant about how much slower her ipad ran after Windows 10 updated. To be clear... she is actually talking about her Apple iPad. But everything wrong in the world, including her slow iPad is because of the windows 10 update.
  I agree with your sentiment, it's almost certainly a wifi issue. Because Wifi sucks... a lot. I developed a wireless device that delivered wifi video to devices and it was a huge pain in the ass. You just had to accept that reliability and range would be shit, especially in a busy environment. How many times has Steve Jobs chastised the audience that they wouldn't get to see a demo if they didn't turn off their wifi?
17. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:46 · Score: 5, Insightful
  
  Seriously, it's game/sport.
  Don't be so naive. It's a business.
18. Re:Hilarious by Trogre · 2016-10-18 11:56 · Score: 2
  
  If your application relies on solid Internet connectivity while on a field, you're doing it wrong.
  
  --
  "Nine times out of ten, starting a fire is not the best way to solve the problem." - my wife
19. Re: Hilarious by werewolf1031 · 2016-10-18 11:58 · Score: 1
  
  Don't be so cynical. It's both.
20. Re: Hilarious by Kernel+Kurtz · 2016-10-18 12:02 · Score: 1
  
  why they would need "connectivity."
  Do they get the same devices back every game? Even if they nominally do, by best practice you would not want to leave anything "strategic" on a device you don't fully control. Ideally they should be wiped clean regularly, both by users and the NFL. Not sure if the users are allowed or the NFL bothers.
  Anyway, it is a stupid idea all around but I guess the NFL makes money off it. Might as well just call the games from the local public library PCs.
21. Re: Hilarious by smooth+wombat · 2016-10-18 12:03 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  Why use something other than a grease pen on a white board?
  
  Because it's technology! It's the cool thing to do because everything is better with technology.
  
  Stop trying to hold us back. Technology is the answer to everything. Didn't you see the trouble the guy in England had to go through to get his wi-fi tea kettle to work? Think of how much easier putting a pot of water on the stove would have been rather than the 11 hours he spent fiddling with technology. The horror!
  
  Don't forget the polished turd which is Ford's infotainment system is known by engineers. Think of how much better it is to look away from the road to figure which part of a screen needs to be pressed to change the song rather than reaching out and touching a physical button. Technology for the win!
  
  And don't get me started on the Internet of Things. It's the greatest. Why, devices hooked to the net, such as refrigerators or toasters, can be used as part of massive botnets. Isn't that great? Who wants, or needs, a refrigerator which isn't connected to everything? Think of how much easier it is to take down a web site you don't like when everything's connected to the internet.
  
  Woo hoo! Three cheers for technology.
  
  --
  We will bankrupt ourselves in the vain search for absolute security. -- Dwight D. Eisenhower
22. Re: Hilarious by sjames · 2016-10-18 12:04 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  If you have good connectivity and the right software. Also if you're used to using a computer with a touchscreen. The latter is probably a bit of an issue for many coaches. Given a concerted effort, I'm sure they'd get it but they are supposed to be paying attention to the game, not the technology.
  For the most part, they're a solution looking for a problem as far as the coaches are concerned. What they were using before was working for them.
23. Re: Hilarious by Gussington · 2016-10-18 12:18 · Score: 1
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often.
  Then why have a coach at all? Just have two teams call each play based purely statistical chance. Then we don't need humans to play the plays either we could just watch a computer generated image of what the likely outcome of each play would've resulted in. In fact I think you can do this now on a Playstation. You watch a demo NFL game on a Playstation and I'll go to a real game with humans and pens and paper and we'll see which one is more enjoyable to watch.
24. Re:Hilarious by Gussington · 2016-10-18 12:27 · Score: 1
  
  I agree with your sentiment, it's almost certainly a wifi issue. Because Wifi sucks... a lot.
  WiFi works ok for me, whether it's low latency gaming or high volume HD streaming, maybe you are doing something wrong?
  
  I developed a wireless device that delivered wifi video to devices and it was a huge pain in the ass. You just had to accept that reliability and range would be shit, especially in a busy environment. How many times has Steve Jobs chastised the audience that they wouldn't get to see a demo if they didn't turn off their wifi?
  Congestion problems can be solved if you design your solution to fit the application, rather than what most people get wrong, they run a consumer grade AP for their industrial app then wonder why it's drops out all the time.
25. Re: Hilarious by omnichad · 2016-10-18 12:31 · Score: 1
  
  Don't forget the polished turd which is Ford's infotainment system [slashdot.org] is known by engineers
  That applies to Sync 1&2. I did take a look at 3, which is powered by QNX and it looks pretty stable - even handles AAC and FLAC files on USB well. In fact, I would have bought a vehicle with it if it didn't add $4,000 to the base model price. I went with Hyundai, where infotainment comes standard (but without native AAC/FLAC support) and has both Android Auto and Car Play.
  But they're shooting themselves in the foot, because not all models will have the new version. They're still putting the buggy version on low-end models. And nobody's going to know the difference - so they will all keep the bad reputation.
26. Re: Hilarious by pierreboulez · 2016-10-18 12:32 · Score: 5, Informative
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often...
  You could, but not in the NFL. These tablets are locked down to a single app provided by the NFL to show still photos of earlier plays in the game. The photos are sent to the tablets during the game, thus the need for connectivity.
  The tablets, the app, the connectivity, and the photo feeds are all provided by the NFL. Probably hard to fault the tablet hardware itself for any complaints Belichick may have.
27. Re: Hilarious by Duhfus · 2016-10-18 12:40 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  The connectivity is needed so the images of the previous play(s) can be streamed to the device. (Currently they print this on copier papers and clip them together.) This way the coaches can teach the players what just happened and make adjustments to their game plan. You can usually see the Offensive Coordinator sit down with the QB in the sidelines going over these papers with a sketch pen.
28. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 12:44 · Score: 0
  
  Dude, playcalling? The art of playcalling is ancient, and knowing which play to call in which situation is a black art that the best coaches do not readily share with others. Statistical analysis to assist in playcalling is fair game
29. Re: Hilarious by jittles · 2016-10-18 12:49 · Score: 1
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often. These are things a coach can know, or have on paper, but the ability to quickly look things up for an effective response or plan is probably very beneficial.
  What I don't know, however, is why they would need "connectivity." Why do you need wi-fi operating your iPad or Surface if you have all of the relevant info on the device? If they don't have all the relevant info on the device, what do they need it for?
  Um... Live replay, maybe.... Oh, forgot, the NFL is the No Fun League so "No replay for you....." Actually, they are using it for downloading photos and drawing up plays, same as the paper copy.
  The NHL has gone to live reply on tablets this season. Saw it being used during the Pittsburgh game a couple of nights ago.
  The San Jose Sharks coaching staff has been using tablets at the bench for probably 8-10 years now.
30. Re: Hilarious by asylumx · 2016-10-18 12:53 · Score: 1
  
  I highly doubt that. The iPad was introduced in 2010 and prior to that, tablets were not known to be very useful.
31. Re: Hilarious by thinkwaitfast · 2016-10-18 13:01 · Score: 2
  
  When technology became for its own end is when I dropped out. I was lucky enough to have seen it through the development of all the useful stuff.
  No regrets
32. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 13:05 · Score: 0
  
  What a classic! Thanks for sharing!
33. Re: Hilarious by youngone · 2016-10-18 13:17 · Score: 1
  
  I Googled "Belichick Cheating", and it turns out the Denver Broncos are the worst cheats in the NFL. They all cheat, and The Patriots are about average.
34. Re: Hilarious by Woldscum · 2016-10-18 13:20 · Score: 0
  
  Let me guess. A Hillery voter?
35. Re:Hilarious by hairyfeet · 2016-10-18 13:40 · Score: 2
  
  As much as I think Win 10 is a spyware ridden joke OS I really don't see how anybody can blame MSFT for this.
  I mean can you even imagine being handed a bunch of tech just a couple of hours before the game, trying to make it all play nice with a flaky Internet connection you have NO control over and then if that wasn't bad enough to have it taken away at the end of the game so you have to start all over the next time? That is a fricking IT nightmare from hell and whomever at the NFL thought that was the way to go? Needs a really good firing.
  
  --
  ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
36. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 13:41 · Score: 0
  
  Don't worry, we'll believe your fanboyism.
  Touchscreens didn't exist 10 years ago, tablets weren't around 10 years ago, smartphones weren't around 10 years ago. It all started with just one company back in 2008.
  riiiiiight, we'll just handwave no and put your hands over your ears. It must not be true because you said so.
37. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 13:47 · Score: 0
  
  You Trump supporters are such whinny little bitches. Your candidate sucks and is going to lose to Hillary Clinton. Do a better job of nominating candidates and you might win the Whitehouse back again.
38. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:10 · Score: 0
  
  This guy's going to straight write in Kaine.
39. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:11 · Score: 0, Insightful
  
  Touchscreens existed 10 years ago, but tablets weren't tablets. They were laptops with swivel (or fold-around) screens and resistive touchscreens that required a stylus (and didn't have multitouch) - they had to be convertible into a traditional laptop, as tablet mode was only useful for specialty applications like checklists, and various other kinds of checklists. The touch screen wasn't a touch interface, but a touch-based mouse-mover on a 100% desktop OS, and it was every bit as easy to use as that sounds.
  Before the iPad, a lot of companies tried to make tablets, but they were, as the poster stated, widely known not to be very useful.
40. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:14 · Score: 0
  
  That just makes things evern worse. If they're just using them as thin clients into their coaching app that runs on the team server somewhere, why are they controlled by the league at all? Just let them bring whatver device they want to. If they're going to pretend they need to be "league standard" devices, then they should have league standard software and only be able to connect to league standard servers.
41. Re: Hilarious by freeze128 · 2016-10-18 14:29 · Score: 2
  
  If they don't have all the relevant info on the device, what do they need it for?
  Candy Crush Saga!
42. Re: Hilarious by youngone · 2016-10-18 14:29 · Score: 1
  
  Hillery voter? Wot me? I don't live in the US, so no. Not even a sympathiser really, although the other option is just as bad as far as I can see.
43. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:59 · Score: 0
  
  as fast as the game goes, the coach doesn't have time for that shit. he has to "play it by the hip" so to speak.
44. Re:Hilarious by Imrik · 2016-10-18 15:06 · Score: 1
  
  Because the people that make the rules and the decisions play golf with the people that own certain teams.
45. Re:Hilarious by guruevi · 2016-10-18 15:09 · Score: 1
  
  What exactly does the tablet need a network connection for? It's used to draw some pictures on it and get a text-based data feed. It has inconsistent performance drawing a picture on the screen, doing its basic "tablet" functions. Yeah, I've used the Surface Pro 1, 2 and 3, it's a piece of crap desktop OS pretending to be a tablet interface. I still have to connect a keyboard and mouse to do anything useful with it.
  
  --
  Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
46. Re:Hilarious by Z00L00K · 2016-10-18 16:45 · Score: 1
  
  As long as the handling is in the way it is there's no solution to the problem.
  Nothing that can't be fixed with an axe though.
  
  --
  If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
47. Re:Hilarious by bhcompy · 2016-10-18 16:55 · Score: 1
  
  Playbook adjustments, video replays, scouting report of last few plays including video and stills, etc etc etc. You don't follow much football if you don't know how much up to date information is used between every single play in the NFL.
48. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 18:42 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  I agree with your sentiment, it's almost certainly a wifi issue. Because Wifi sucks... a lot.
  WiFi works ok for me, whether it's low latency gaming or high volume HD streaming, maybe you are doing something wrong?
  'Low' latency is still higher compared to cable and might be ok for you, but that really depends on your definition of low latency gaming, too. But this is not why WiFi sucks big time.
  
  I developed a wireless device that delivered wifi video to devices and it was a huge pain in the ass. You just had to accept that reliability and range would be shit, especially in a busy environment. How many times has Steve Jobs chastised the audience that they wouldn't get to see a demo if they didn't turn off their wifi?
  Congestion problems can be solved if you design your solution to fit the application, rather than what most people get wrong, they run a consumer grade AP for their industrial app then wonder why it's drops out all the time.
  This is not a problem of consumer grade or industrial ap. The problem is the shared medium. And it doesn't distinguish between consumer grade and business grade. If the spectrum is overused the connectivity degrades fast as more and more collisions happen. That is not a problem if the only reachable access point is yours and has only one active client. In denser populated areas (residential, commercial or industrial) it makes all WiFi a pain and less reliable. I have already seen places with more than 100 APs in reach, all competing on the limited frequencies available. Every AP works at the legal limit to get heared by its clients and tries to drown out the others. In this situation business grade hardware gives you a few metres more reliable connects, but nothing more. Welcome to town where wired networking wins as long as it is switched.
49. Re:Hilarious by stooo · 2016-10-18 18:46 · Score: 1
  
  No. These are definitely MS tablets.
  There's your problem right there, don't blame someone else.
  
  --
  aaaaaaa
50. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 21:19 · Score: 0
  
  I had a 2001 or 2002 Fujitsu, and it was a 'slate' only. Windows wasn't really optimised for touch, but once you were using a note taking application like evernote using a stylus was more functional than a typical tablet now with a blob stylus. The handwriting recognition wasn't perfect, but then I can't always read my own handwriting.
51. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 21:20 · Score: 0
  
  I even got Ubuntu and xournal working
52. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 21:24 · Score: 0
  
  In five years you could probably replace the coaches with Watson, but the advantage of a human coach is that fans can blame them and say how they would have called it better. An algorithm is too impersonal to be hated like that.
53. Re:Hilarious by Yaztromo · 2016-10-18 21:42 · Score: 1
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium, rather than the tablets themselves. This is an NFL problem.. iPad, Surface, Galaxy Tab, whatever.. not going to be different until the NFL forces teams and stadiums to provide adequate connectivity.
  This is the NFL. They aren't exactly poor, so the simple solution would seem to be to use 4G enabled tablets. I can't imagine that cell service is so terrible from within stadiums (indeed, I'd expect cell companies to target stadiums for better reception. Nothing worse for your brand than having a venue that supports 40 000+ people who can't use their devices to tweet pics of themselves wearing a foam finger because your service sucks in a (typically) downtown stadium.
  Yaz
54. Re:Hilarious by dbIII · 2016-10-18 23:20 · Score: 1
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium, rather than the tablets themselves
  Shouldn't it be obvious in this situation to make the software local instead of depending on a network?
55. Re:Hilarious by dbIII · 2016-10-18 23:24 · Score: 1
  
  The simple solution is "bring your own device" instead of not giving people time to learn to use a tool before they have a pressing need to use it.
56. Re: Hilarious by MitchDev · 2016-10-18 23:44 · Score: 1
  
  Where are my mod points when I need them to upmod someone, even if that someone is an AC....
57. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 23:47 · Score: 0
  
  Yeah, you tell Belichick how to do it. What a joke.
58. Re: Hilarious by MitchDev · 2016-10-18 23:49 · Score: 0
  
  Don't worry, Trump has an excuse, the election is rigged *rolls eyes*
  Drink your Flavor-aid already trump-supporters...
59. Re:Hilarious by MitchDev · 2016-10-18 23:51 · Score: 1
  
  Maybe the dumb jocks should stopping bullying the nerds and treat them a little more nicely if they want their high-tech toys to work right for them ;)
60. Re:Hilarious by MitchDev · 2016-10-18 23:52 · Score: 1
  
  Why?
  He sells tickets to the games and generates enough controversy to keep the NFL in the spotlight, that's why.
61. Re:Hilarious by MitchDev · 2016-10-18 23:55 · Score: 1
  
  I look at it this way, MS had to PAY the NFL to take and use the Surfaces, that alone tells you how bad they are.
  If they were any good, the NFL would've had to actually buy them themselves...
62. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 00:16 · Score: 0
  
  The software is local, but the data is acquired and distributed as the game progresses.
63. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 00:53 · Score: 1
  
  Better get out the wading boots Tillie! Tablets not useful? Prior to 2010? Prior to "pads" there were tablets used in triage situations, not useful? Maybe not as secure as today, but useful. Oh, yea, they weren't "pads". And, gee, they were wireless, on networks, and worked. Damn, they didn't have Facebook, now that's unuseful.
64. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 01:36 · Score: 0
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often.
  
  Let's be honest here; if you have a computer you carry around there exists the slight possibility you can do all of those wonderful things. First, someone needs to collect the data. DONE and in spades. Second, someone needs to write the program that allows this to happen AND write an interface to it that runs on your hardware. Third, your hardware needs to be capable of running your software, and Fourth, YOU need to be able to run the hardware. Only one of these steps has been finished.
65. Re: Hilarious by hey! · 2016-10-19 01:51 · Score: 2
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often.
  I'm guessing this is another case of a solution in search of a problem.
  The reason this happens is that as a technologist faced with helping someone solve a problem you have no choice but to imagine what you would need to do that person's job. But if you want to have a better than random chance at success, you have to really understand the people who will use the system and what they would need.
  I'm guessing Belichick of all people doesn't need a computer to give him a statistical analysis of what the best next play is or how to set up his defense -- although you or I sure as hell would. What sets Belichick apart from all the other ruthless, unprincipled, hyper-competitive control-freak coaches is that he's a smart bastard who is obsessive about research. If I had to take a wild stab at what kind of technical aids he needs during a game, the broad theme would be "communication", not "analysis".
  By the way, does anyone else find it bizarre that the NFL provides stuff like computer tablets and headsets, but the teams are in charge of supplying the footballs?
  
  --
  Post may contain irony: discontinue use if experiencing mood swings, nausea or elevated blood pressure.
66. Re:Hilarious by macs4all · 2016-10-19 02:50 · Score: 1
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium, rather than the tablets themselves. This is an NFL problem.. iPad, Surface, Galaxy Tab, whatever.. not going to be different until the NFL forces teams and stadiums to provide adequate connectivity.
  That's not necessarily true.
  
  Even if the root-cause is poor connectivity, how the software (and hardware) handles the situation can be GREATLY influenced by the particular device. Perhaps some Slashdotters that own both an iPad and a Surface Pro can weigh in on this...
67. Re: Hilarious by number6x · 2016-10-19 02:54 · Score: 4, Informative
  
  When you have a tablet, you can do things like punch in what defense the other team just used to provide statistical analysis of what the next best play is, or what kind of defense to run if your opponent is doing X often.
  None of this should be done on the sidelines. This should be done in the team's viewing booth where weather is kept outside. A good connection can be provided for the team's cadre of wonky strategists to use up in the booth, and they can confer without the distractions on the sidelines. Much of this can also be done half a continent away at the team's headquarters. The sidelines are not the place for a data entry team and a data analysis team to do their work.
  Weather is also a complication. For much of the American football season, the weather will be a major factor in trying to use touch screen based technology.
  One of Belichick's complaints, in particular, was that they could not get the series of overhead photographs of the previous play down to the sidelines quick enough via the tablets. A few years ago someone would print them up in the viewing booth and a runner would take copies of the photographs and deliver them to the sidelines. Sometimes a printer would be set up near the sidelines. The older methods were faster than the tablets, probably due to poor connectivity on the field.
  Besides the speed of delivery, the tablets introduced a slew of usability issues that physical photographs did not have. The photographs would be viewable in bright sun, rain and in snow. It was also easier for multiple people on the sideline to view the same set of photos at once (no darkness when looking from acute angles). It was also easier to view multiple photographs at once, as opposed to one at a time using the tablet.
  The tablets are a solution to a problem that did not exist and are acting like an anchor instead of a sail.
68. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 03:35 · Score: 0
  
  Spoken by a true techy with no real world user experience. Have you ever studied your customers to see how they use these devices? This myopic view of how users utilize their equipment is why we continue to have devices that only work in highly restricted modes of operation.
69. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 03:50 · Score: 0
  
  https://www.xkcd.com/904/
70. Re: Hilarious by Grishnakh · 2016-10-19 04:06 · Score: 1
  
  What I don't know, however, is why they would need "connectivity." Why do you need wi-fi operating your iPad or Surface if you have all of the relevant info on the device? If they don't have all the relevant info on the device, what do they need it for?
  This is easy to explain: even though everyone's devices now have many gigabytes of storage built-in (terabytes now for PCs and laptops), no one actually wants to use that storage for anything, and they want to stream everything from "the cloud".
  Why? Because they're lemmings.
71. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:09 · Score: 0
  
  The Wi-Fi tea kettle thing wasn't a lot of trouble "to get it to work". It was an exercise in hacking a working product to work with Amazon's stuff. It didn't natively do this.
72. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:11 · Score: 0
  
  All Hyundai models (other than one, Tucson maybe?) requires the navigation package for Android Auto/Car Play. The navigation package is part of the tech package, which requires the trim package on most models. So the thing about adding $4000 to the base model also applies to Hyundai.
73. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:11 · Score: 0
  
  Happy 50th!
  Seems to be about when folks decide that somewhat current technology is all that will ever be needed.
74. Re:Hilarious by unixisc · 2016-10-19 04:30 · Score: 1
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium, rather than the tablets themselves. This is an NFL problem.. iPad, Surface, Galaxy Tab, whatever.. not going to be different until the NFL forces teams and stadiums to provide adequate connectivity.
  Fair point, but somehow, I have noticed that the iOS devices - be it iPad or iPhone - do a better job at picking up signals than laptops, or Android devices. That said, the Lumia happens to be pretty good at picking them up - almost at par w/ the iPhone.
  Are these NFL Surfaces cellular tablets, which can pick cellular signals if the WiFi is less than optimal, or are they WiFi only? It would seem that Microsoft should have given them the best if they wanted them to be so high profile. On FNC, I've seen the Outnumbered crew use them.
75. Re: Hilarious by hodet · 2016-10-19 04:32 · Score: 2
  
  When it comes to football I disagree. Football is one of the most complex sports there are. You would never know it though because playbooks and even an entire view of the field (known as "All 22" video) has traditionally been kept from fans and viewed as Intellectual Property. They seem to be getting more open with All 22 if you are willing to pay for it, but don't think you have anywhere near the access that teams and the NFL have. That's why they focus on the line of scrimmage. You don't see the game within the game, the routes, the answers to those routes. What you see in the game is such a narrow aspect of it that I would venture to say that almost all but the nerdiest football fans even understands the subtleties of the game. Uncle Fred who hasn't washed his Steelers jersey since they won their last SuperBowl knows pretty much nothing about the game.
  Coaches don't just substitute players. A guy like Belichick is a grand master. You wouldn't even be able to hold a good football conversation with him....and neither would I. When he says this shit don't work I tend to believe him, and he will just do fine with the systems he has developed over the years, which goes way beyond player substitutions and arguing with referees.
76. Re: Hilarious by hodet · 2016-10-19 04:50 · Score: 1
  
  Security updates? :-)
77. Re:Hilarious by barc0001 · 2016-10-19 04:51 · Score: 1
  
  Forget connectivity. Belichick is going back to paper. How much "connectivity" does that have?
  Reading through his rant he barely mentions any specific problem with the tablets other than alluding to a problem shooting video. I'd suspect this is yet another problem with overselling and under delivering on what the technology - in this case tablets - were supposed to do. If the tablets were used to display the same info as the paper he's going back to, plus having additional things like perhaps archives of all previous games' notes archived and indexed - which wouldn't need connectivity - and a handful of modest improvements initially I'm sure the coaching staff would have been pretty happy with them. Instead I'm willing to bet they were sold a half baked load of goods and outlandish capabilities with a bunch of barely usable "apps" that ran like shit and did everything "in the cloud" even when it was completely unneeded.
78. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 05:16 · Score: 0
  
  The teams are the advertising.. the business is filling the stadium and selling food/drinks/apparel
79. Re: Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 05:21 · Score: 0
  
  You're definitely not going in the control group when we see if you can identify the "real game with humans" that's actually a reenactment of a playstation-generated game.
  
  Better yet, we'll mix up tests by having some sessions in sterile conditions and some sessions in your enjoyable stadium environment. Because what you want is "real" statistics, not generated ones. That's what really makes or breaks your enjoyment.
80. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 05:28 · Score: 0
  
  While there's a fair chance this could have been remedied by things they were repeatedly instructed on (nags in the tier of "don't scrub the movie till it's buffered", "don't move the device if currently spinning media", "don't queue prints if no network") this is supposed to be an elite, funded environment where users get idiot-proof usage. Think NASA or DOD's live-fire field gear. Redundant, reliable, NOT conditional.
  
  Otherwise things might get sketchy and suddenly you have big corps angry at each other and lawyerdueling over contract details. Otherwise you have this situation.
81. Re: Hilarious by bobmajdakjr · 2016-10-19 07:00 · Score: 1
  
  i get part of where he is coming from, because all tablets seem to do temperature based throttling. i do car show stuff outdoors and all our ipads slowly throttle themselves down to 0% cpu. funny enough, my surface was the only one willing to let me burn it out to get shit done. i also notice when using the surface as a drawing tablet that the same thing happens, it heats itself up even at the lowest screen brightness and starts lagging. and the ipads i don't even bother since they get too hot to hold.
82. Re:Hilarious by guruevi · 2016-10-19 07:15 · Score: 1
  
  Exactly, those Surface Pro's do not have the power to do "all that". They're underperforming and low-power as is, not nearly powerful enough to render multiple streaming videos while ingesting data. Some crappy app on top of that isn't going to resolve that. The best they can do is probably get a remote desktop to an actual laptop or desktop.
  
  --
  Custom electronics and digital signage for your business: www.evcircuits.com
83. Re: Hilarious by Rakarra · 2016-10-19 09:48 · Score: 1
  
  He was probably a Final Fantasy 12 player.
84. Re: Hilarious by thinkwaitfast · 2016-10-19 18:22 · Score: 1
  
  Off by a decade. I started very young. I'm pretty sure you can objectively demonstrate that it's quite different from it's beginnings. The same thing all new technologies go through - radio, tvs, planes, cars immediately come to mind.
  A lot of new ideas in the beginning as people are trying different things - and everything. Applying the new tech to old problems and trying things that people wanted to do, but couldn't. Then the industry matures. People have tried everything they can think of and it is taken over by the practicalities of business and becomes boring. It's not that the current technology is all that's needed as much as there is no new quantum jump technology like in the beginning, only incremental updates.
  Yeah flash drives are cool, but hardly new and anyone with a few functioning brain cells knew they would replace hard drives. Especially since there were books written on the subject, trend lines plotted, dates predicted, cost savings, great new things that could be done. The jump from Monopoly to Zork was a lot bigger than the jump from Doom to Pokeman3D or VRDoom at eyeball resolution.
85. Re:Hilarious by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-24 10:00 · Score: 0
  
  The Network is fine. Your computer sucks though. This argument is pretty tired nowadays.
  Sincerely,
  The Network Guy.
86. Re:Hilarious by RockDoctor · 2016-10-26 10:52 · Score: 1
  
  The problems that have been announced almost invariably revolve around the connectivity provided in the stadium
  So, early-AD Chinese technology (paper) has better connectivity than 2010s Microsoft.
  I am really going to have to consider a Huawei phone when my Samsung dies.
  
  --
  Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
This rant left me feeling...deflated by TomR+teh+Pirate · 2016-10-18 10:33 · Score: 5, Funny

Grow up, Bill.
1. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 10:44 · Score: 2, Funny
  
  Funny thing is that he's the reason why the NFL maintains control of the equipment. The Patriot's have been caught before spying on other teams using that same tech. As for the MS Surface crap that's just part of a very lucrative deal where MS basically pays the NFL to use it so they can advertise how great it is. Bill isn't the only one caught throwing the shitty things around. Several players and coaches have been seen tossing, smashing and stomping on them. Somehow I'm sure MS isn't happy about the negative image they're getting from this. I think it's funny as hell.
2. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 10:57 · Score: 0
  
  The Patriots were caught filming the Jets signals during a game 9 years ago. I am not aware of any cheating or spying done using "that same tech".
  Please point to where tablets or wi-fi or similar technology was used to cheat - I found no reference to any such scandal.
3. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by woozlewuzzle · 2016-10-18 11:17 · Score: 1
  
  And it's hardly "spying" when the guy holding the camera is standing out in the open with a Patriots sweatshirt. Filming, yes. Spying? That suggests secretive to me.
4. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by David_Hart · 2016-10-18 11:34 · Score: 2
  
  Funny thing is that he's the reason why the NFL maintains control of the equipment. The Patriot's have been caught before spying on other teams using that same tech. As for the MS Surface crap that's just part of a very lucrative deal where MS basically pays the NFL to use it so they can advertise how great it is. Bill isn't the only one caught throwing the shitty things around. Several players and coaches have been seen tossing, smashing and stomping on them. Somehow I'm sure MS isn't happy about the negative image they're getting from this. I think it's funny as hell.
  There has been no "spying" using headsets or WiFi technology. The NFL controlled the wireless technology from the beginning prevent teams from intercepting the radio transmissions from the other team. There have been instances where teams have been able to hear the other team, but this has always been due to configuration or headset issues caused by the NFL tech team. Some like to blame other teams, but the whole thing is controlled by the NFL.
  The biggest problem, as I see it, is that the NFL spends as much money on wireless technology as they do on Referees...
5. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 11:40 · Score: 2
  
  Talking about headsets. For many years teams have had many suspicious incidents in Foxboro. A bunch of coaches talking about headsets that worked fine in every stadium in the NFL.....except the one the Patriots inhabit.
6. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by NotSoHeavyD3 · 2016-10-18 12:17 · Score: 1
  
  http://yourteamcheats.com/ That one gives more than anybody would want to know about how the Pats "Cheated" with "spygate"
  
  --
  Did you know 80 to 90% of the moderators on slashdot wouldn't recognize a troll even if one dragged them under a bridge.
7. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by freeze128 · 2016-10-18 14:32 · Score: 1
  
  Panasonic could make a killing if they gave the coaches TOUGHBOOKS instead.
8. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by Imrik · 2016-10-18 15:08 · Score: 1
  
  Standing out in the open is one of the better ways to spy without being caught. If you look like you're doing something wrong, people will pay more attention.
9. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by stooo · 2016-10-18 18:49 · Score: 1
  
  >> The NFL controlled the wireless technology from the beginning prevent teams from intercepting the radio transmissions from the other team.
  AHAHAHAHA
  That's a good one.
  Nobody else has "Wifi technology", for sure.
  
  --
  aaaaaaa
10. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by stooo · 2016-10-18 18:50 · Score: 1
  
  You don't understand Marketing.
  (don't worry, that's normal)
  
  --
  aaaaaaa
11. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 22:59 · Score: 0
  
  It's sad really. Microsoft's idea of advertisement is basically to pay people to use their POS products. Worked for a company that had a rewards platform and Microsoft paid us a good chunk of money to give out points for people using IE 7 (when it was a new thing) when on our site.
12. Re: This rant left me feeling...deflated by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 23:35 · Score: 0
  
  No, every coach bitches about the headsets at EVERY opposing stadium.
  Also, the NFL, and not the teams, runs the headsets.
13. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 01:04 · Score: 0
  
  The NFL controlled the wireless technology from the beginning prevent teams from intercepting the radio transmissions from the other team.
  It's been an issue since the '60s.
14. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by operagost · 2016-10-19 02:06 · Score: 1
  
  It's so obvious the guy is a Patriots fan when you see sarcastic, biased writeups like this:
  
  PUNISHMENT: As punishment for filming the game from the wrong location, NFL commissioner and former Jets public relations intern Roger Goodell fined Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000, fined the Patriots $250,000, and docked the team their original first-round selection in the 2008 NFL Draft. Why was the Spygate penalty so high? Small picture: because Goodell was really pissed-off that he told Belichick to do something and Belichick ignored him. Since it was his first year as commissioner, he really, really wanted people to respect his authoritah!
  
  PUNISHMENT: When you are consistently outplayed and outcoached by the same team year-after-year (or worse, lose to them in a Super Bowl) you WANT to believe -- you NEED to believe -- that the only reason you can't match up is because of some mysterious Patriots' black magic voodoo cheating. To keep your sanity, you make up fairy tales to soothe yourself. I get that, I really do. I used to feel the same way about the New York Yankees when they were good. I sympathize.
  
  Meanwhile, he reports entries for other teams that had unproven accusations leveled against them as if they were proven. Being a Pats fan doesn't make him an unreliable source, but biased reporting does.
  Butthurt Red Sox AND Patriots fan? Confirmed.
  
  --
  
  Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
15. Re:This rant left me feeling...deflated by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 07:10 · Score: 0
  
  In fact, it wasn't the fact that they were filming that was the problem. The problem was the fact that they were filming from a non-designated location in the stadium. Totally overblown, and hardly cheating, in that it didn't give them any sort of competitive advantage.
16. Re: This rant left me feeling...deflated by amiga3D · 2016-10-19 12:30 · Score: 1
  
  No they don't. Almost all of them say the only place they've had serious comm problems is at Foxboro. The Patriots seem to think that if you're not cheating then you're not trying hard enough.
Your own fault by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 10:33 · Score: 2, Insightful

Maybe, just maybe, if cheaters like Mr. Belichick didn't exist in this league, the NFL wouldn't need to lock down their equipment.
Corporate IT in a nutshell by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 10:33 · Score: 0

Glad to see it isn't just the cubicle drones that have to put up with this crap.
1. Re:Corporate IT in a nutshell by lister+king+of+smeg · 2016-10-18 12:13 · Score: 1
  
  Glad to see it isn't just the cubicle drones that have to put up with this crap.
  Yeah but the drones aren't allowed to abuse/distroy the hard/software or equipment in a fit of rage. I know some systems I would like to do that with. (especial the f#cking automation software that shits itself every daylights savings time change, Oh sure the firm that makes it claim they have fixed for reals this time, twice a year.) but I digress...
  
  --
  ---Saying gnome 3 is better than windows 8 not so much a compliment as it is damning with light praise.
can't cheat with a Surface by turkeydance · 2016-10-18 10:34 · Score: 1, Funny

can't do anything else, either
1. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 10:45 · Score: 1
  
  how is it for games?
2. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by BronsCon · 2016-10-18 10:51 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  I hear it runs Ultimate Frisbee pretty well. No battery life issues, either.
  
  --
  APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
3. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by Tablizer · 2016-10-18 10:59 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  His footballs and tablets both fall flat.
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
4. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by Mr+D+from+63 · 2016-10-18 11:16 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  It has to be deflating. Particularly when he's under such pressure.
5. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 11:41 · Score: 1
  
  Hmmm...windows is pretty good for games usually.
6. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by BronsCon · 2016-10-18 11:52 · Score: 1
  
  This discussion isn't about Windows, it's about the Surface. Which is not good for games. Actually.
  
  --
  APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
7. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 12:12 · Score: 1
  
  Ah...I thought the big thing was the surface was a tablet that runs windows. Still, if it wont play games then it's pretty useless.
8. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 12:27 · Score: 0
  
  You are dumb as a fucking brick.
9. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by negRo_slim · 2016-10-18 12:32 · Score: 1
  
  Depends on what surface you get. Something with an i7 is going to play a great many games. Maybe not the latest triple A's but certainly Civ, Skyrim, tons of indie stuff. It really would be quite a nice product for gaming as long as you go in knowing its limitations.
  
  --
  On the Oregon Cost born and raised, On the beach is where I spent most of my days
10. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by BronsCon · 2016-10-18 13:08 · Score: 1
  
  Too small of a package; limited thermal profile. In reality, an i5 with a decent GPU will make for a better gaming rig than an i7 with integrated graphics. Too bad no Surface model comes with an even half-way decent GPU.
  
  --
  APK quotes people (including myself) without context and should not be trusted. Just thought you should know.
11. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by amiga3D · 2016-10-18 17:03 · Score: 1
  
  You need to quit sucking so much dick, it's robbing your brain of oxygen keeping that lip lock going so long.
12. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 23:13 · Score: 0
  
  You're obviously speaking from experience.
13. Re:can't cheat with a Surface by TheCastro1689 · 2016-10-19 04:49 · Score: 1
  
  Well when you pass out sucking some guys dick, he notices.
Steve McGarrett disagrees: by fsagx · 2016-10-18 10:40 · Score: 2

They always work great on Hawaii-Five-0. The Lumia phones too!
1. Re:Steve McGarrett disagrees: by Tablizer · 2016-10-18 11:01 · Score: 1
  
  They always work great on Hawaii-Five-0.
  
  But it's obsolete, Hawaii-Six-0 is out.
  
  --
  Table-ized A.I.
2. Re:Steve McGarrett disagrees: by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 12:01 · Score: 0
  
  That is only because they can cut the failures so you never see them...
3. Re:Steve McGarrett disagrees: by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 02:14 · Score: 0
  
  Next thing you know, he's saying, "Surface Book 'em, Dano."
  That said, I have a Lumia 950XL and it's probably the best phone I've had yet.
  Previous phones include:
  - the original iPhone (Slow, but basically just an iPhone)
  - an HTC Touch Pro 2 running WinMo 6.5 (Ugh. This is why Windows Mobile has a bad reputation.)
  - a Samsung Galaxy S3 (Android was great when it was new, then it got outdated, slow, and broken. There were no further updates for it past 4.4. But for me, only 4.3 becase of T-Mobile.)
  By comparison, Windows 10 Mobile (and the unlocked hardware it runs on) shines like a gleaming beacon of non-suckiness.
Support Time? by lymond01 · 2016-10-18 10:46 · Score: 1

If the IT team grabs the equipment after the game, they have a whole week (at least 4 days) to reconfigure and test. And I imagine, given how much the NFL spends on things, they have their "Field communications equipment IT Team" to deal with the Surfaces alone, never mind the headsets and such which fall under the "Field Audio Equipment Team". There's always a chance they've skimped on IT and spent it on extra gatorade bottle holders, but that would surprise me.
1. Re:Support Time? by Imrik · 2016-10-18 15:16 · Score: 1
  
  I would guess that the NFL IT team's only responsibility is checking the devices to make sure they haven't been tampered with. Configuration and testing is likely each team's responsibility in the few hours they have before game time.
Re:5ghz? by mveloso · 2016-10-18 10:50 · Score: 1

Has the NFL heard the good news about the 5ghz band? It's less crowded and more reliable than the in-stadium 2.4. Maybe they should check it out.
Found the problem by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 10:50 · Score: 0

>"The equity rule that's involved there on certain aspects of the communication system but not on all aspects, meaning what happens on one side, then the other team has to have the same."
I think I found your problem, Bill. When your tablet stops working, look for a giggling assistant coach on the other sideline. I know that if I could make you throw your tablet at things, I wouldn't be able to resist turning mine off at random just to see you do that.
I want to love the Surface, but... by TomGreenhaw · 2016-10-18 11:04 · Score: 1, Interesting

its getting ridiculous - it seems every time I turn it on it wants to do updates that take forever.

--
Greed is the root of all evil.
1. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 01:17 · Score: 0
  
  This. This is the problem with Microsoft's devices. Even ignoring that they are syping on me, they just make it so hard for users to actually use them in a hurry.
  If I am turning something on, I want to use it. I don't want to sit there waiting for it to update. If it has to update, dot it fast and do it in the background. Just let me work (or watch cat videos, or whatever the hell I am actually trying to do). I am not paying someone money to sit for 5 minutes watching an update screen every time I want to use a device.
  Turning off is possibly even worse. Often I am in a hurry and need to leave. The last thing I want is for the device to sit there and not shut down when I am taking it with me...
2. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by operagost · 2016-10-19 02:11 · Score: 1
  
  Is that any different from Windows 10? It would be faster than Windows XP even was, except it has to spend 15 minutes updating Defender at 100% disk I/O every time I start it.
  
  --
  
  Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
3. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by TomGreenhaw · 2016-10-19 02:22 · Score: 1
  
  My Surface is running Windows 10.
  
  --
  Greed is the root of all evil.
4. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by thegarbz · 2016-10-19 10:18 · Score: 1
  
  its getting ridiculous - it seems every time I turn it on it wants to do updates that take forever.
  Then set the update timer to a sane value. If you see automatic updates while you use your device, you're doing it wrong. The only thing I ever see is a notification that an update was applied.
5. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by TomGreenhaw · 2016-10-20 02:08 · Score: 1
  
  Tried that; the update issue is on restart. It seems worse on upgraded computers. The fresh install systems seem to behave differently. The only thing that seems to work reliably for me now on many systems upgraded from 8 to 10 is to disable the Windows Update service. I have to now manually enable it periodically and do updates manually.
  
  With extra effort, the issue can be dealt with, but Windows default behavior is getting close to unusable for many applications. Have you had to reload SQL Server after an update yet?
  
  --
  Greed is the root of all evil.
6. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by thegarbz · 2016-10-20 07:59 · Score: 1
  
  The fresh install systems seem to behave differently
  I have some good news for you. Windows 10 reintroduced the much loved feature of Windows 9x series, the periodical re-format. You'll have a freshly installed copy of Windows in no time ;-)
7. Re:I want to love the Surface, but... by TomGreenhaw · 2016-10-20 09:08 · Score: 1
  
  Yep - that's how I know the fresh install works better. What a PITA
  
  --
  Greed is the root of all evil.
Let Gronk Handle It by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:05 · Score: 0

Let Gronk handle it after a touchdown.
Datto
Hashit by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:06 · Score: 0

The tablets (as well as the headphones and all other sideline technology) are owned and maintained by the NFL. That means it gets delivered to teams literally hours before the game and taken away when it ends.
And guess who maintains the tablets? You got it. It's the Indian dude who lied on his resume and doesn't know shit about IT. He got the job because he wanted half the salary anyone else requested. Well, you get what you pay for.
Clippy by Tablizer · 2016-10-18 11:07 · Score: 4, Funny

"It looks like you are trying to tamper with the ball. Would you like help?"

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Table-ized A.I.
As useful as a hat for your cat... by theodp · 2016-10-18 11:11 · Score: 0

...as Microsoft likes to say: Microsoft's latest Surface Pro ad takes another swipe at Apple
Then you can somewhat blame the software. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:12 · Score: 0

Then you can somewhat blame the software, I would think anything that can be done on paper, can be cached locally and not need consistent connectivity.
Old ways work by p51d007 · 2016-10-18 11:13 · Score: 3, Interesting

Modern aircraft carriers, the handling room, where they have an outline of the aircraft carrier, and use colored nuts and bolts to represent where the aircraft and other details on the flight deck, works better and quicker than the electronic version they tried years ago. They said the computerized version was too slow, which impacts performance on the deck, so they scrapped it and went back to the old way. Sometimes, old stuff works better than the new stuff.
1. Re:Old ways work by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:18 · Score: 1
  
  But you have to convince the masses that OLD=bad and NEW=good so that you can sell them a continuous stream of disposable shit....this is how money is made...
2. Re:Old ways work by Zak3056 · 2016-10-18 11:52 · Score: 2
  
  They should definitely keep using the old stuff until they figure out how to build something that is actually a useful replacement. I've never managed an aircraft carrier flight deck, but I imagine it would be pretty useful (and probably have some good knock on effects) if you could see more than just the deck RIGHT NOW. What if you could see it ten minutes ago, yesterday, trend out what moves where and when, have pre-loaded configurations (including least cost pathfinding) to respot equipment...
  Yeah, I don't have any trouble believing that whatever LockMart delivered was a piece of shit, but "nuts and bolts on a board" is not the end all be all.
  
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  What part of "shall not be infringed" is so hard to understand?
3. Re:Old ways work by omnichad · 2016-10-18 12:35 · Score: 1
  
  But that's because they used government contractors to develop it. THIS was developed by Microsoft, so it's so much better...
More likely than not a different issue entirely by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:13 · Score: 0

Anyone consider that it may be software or network and not the tablet itself? That's a major problem in the industry these days, end users often don't even know how to accurately define their problem.
Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by mmell · 2016-10-18 11:15 · Score: 1

I more than half suspect that the problem is coaches such as Mr. Belichick (not having grown up on a continuous diet of technology) either don't know how to effectively use the technology or (more likely) expect the technology to do a better job of implementing the "dwiw()"* function.
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* dwiw() - Do What I Want (null function - a return code should be unnecessary)
1. Re:Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by Goragoth · 2016-10-18 12:02 · Score: 2
  
  Not sure I'd blame the coach here (though that's probably part of the issue). But as the summary says and several other posters have pointed out: the equipment is owned by the NFL and handed to the coaches at the games. That means little time for the coach to practice using the equipment and no control over it. I also suspect that the software is probably implemented as some abortion of a webapp that runs somewhere in the cloud so that the NFL can keep 100% control over it (and any data that it uses). So some corporate weenie somewhere probably made a decision to guard the precious IP that then hamstrings the final product (would certainly explain inconsistent performance, if network connectivity issues caused operations to take far longer than they should).
  That's just speculation on my part of course, but the Surface (Pro) tablets are certainly fast enough that any non-complete-turd software should run plenty fast on them.
2. Re:Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by 0100010001010011 · 2016-10-18 12:37 · Score: 1
  
  Sounds like an opportunity to develop an opensource app. Import and export from some format. Plenty of highschools and colleges would move to the right app.
3. Re:Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:39 · Score: 0
  
  Honestly, your technology diet has relatively little to do with your expectations of technology. Millions of people have grown up on computers and smart devices at this point, and they're still terrible at understanding what technology can and can't do. I think it has far more to do with your general curiosity and willingness to experiment. The people that have realistic expectations tend to be the same people that go into a settings menu and don't immediately say, "But I don't want to break anything," and exit as quickly as possible.
4. Re:Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by Imrik · 2016-10-18 15:19 · Score: 1
  
  Except that they wouldn't be allowed to use the open source app.
5. Re:Man, I hate to defend MS . . . BUT . . . by Rakarra · 2016-10-19 10:50 · Score: 1
  
  I more than half suspect that the problem is coaches such as Mr. Belichick (not having grown up on a continuous diet of technology) either don't know how to effectively use the technology or (more likely) expect the technology to do a better job of implementing the "dwiw()"* function.
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  * dwiw() - Do What I Want (null function - a return code should be unnecessary)
  From the summary, it sounds very much like he hates the problem that most computers and handhelds and tablets and apps have these days -- they are slow. They are unresponsive. The contact databases that are slow. They connect to networks that are overloaded and are slow.
  These are devices used under circumstances where instantaneous response is not an reasonable demand. If every operation is.. is.... is........ connecting... connecting, syncing, please wait... yeah, I would want to throw it against the wall too.
  Then pair that with the environment, where the devices are given to them at game time, a high-pressure time when you can't debug them, yet that's the only time they could be debugged, and you have a recipe for failure.
The league owns the equipment by FrozenGeek · 2016-10-18 11:38 · Score: 3, Informative

From the summary, the league owns the equipment and provides it to the team only during the game! So the users don't really get to learn to use the freaking things before the games!!! Make no wonder the users hate the things. They have to try and figure out how to use the tools at the very time that they are at their busiest. That's a planning fail on the part of both MS and the NFL.

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linquendum tondere
1. Re:The league owns the equipment by UnknowingFool · 2016-10-19 00:44 · Score: 1
  
  Well it also shows that teams are unwilling to purchase them for normal everyday use. I can only assume it is because the league ones have specialized software not available to teams or the general public so buying them for the team would not be useful.
  
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  Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
Just restore to factory by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 11:49 · Score: 1

Used to sell these at a computer retailer. Surfaces were constantly crashing on customers in demos and at home. As usual with Microsoft, nice idea poor quality control. I think they get 98 % to goal and call it quits and ship the turd. You're better with a straight Dell portable workstation or an iPad. One's not as portable the other is software crippled. Can't have the it all.
Haha. by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 12:07 · Score: 1

That's a "Fuck You" Microsoft. -sincerely the NFL
Bottom line by Archfeld · 2016-10-18 12:09 · Score: 2, Insightful

Whiney Bill Bellicheat is having trouble receiving a WIFI signal from both the legal league feed and the illegal installed cameras and mics in the visiting teams locker room. Get over it.
First it was a sport, then it was a business, now it is a joke.

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errr....umm...*whooosh* *whoosh* Is this thing on ?
1. Re:Bottom line by Infiniti2000 · 2016-10-19 01:36 · Score: 1
  
  Why is this troll given insightful +5? The Pats aren't even in the TOP HALF of the league for cheating.
2. Re:Bottom line by Rakarra · 2016-10-19 11:55 · Score: 1
  
  But they're definitely in the TOP HALF of "Your Team Sucks" discussions!
Actual Audio about 12:38 by bongey · 2016-10-18 12:22 · Score: 4, Informative

http://www.patriots.com/news/2...
1. Re:Actual Audio about 12:38 by bongey · 2016-10-18 12:26 · Score: 3, Insightful
  
  Not much of rant either. Logical complaints that he wants the crap to work.
2. Re:Actual Audio about 12:38 by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 14:32 · Score: 1
  
  It's kind of a rant in that he just says, "There are problems," over and over without elucidating on the problems he's talking about. Saying, "The tablet doesn't work," for example, is basically meaningless. Does it not turn on? Does it not connect to whatever network it needs to be on? Is it "slow"? Does it just not do the things that you need it to do even though you know what you're doing?
  I'm not going to say the problem doesn't lie with the NFL not knowing what the hell its doing because it probably does, but this is just a random frustrated grandpa complaint at this point.
I hate football by Lord+Kano · 2016-10-18 16:56 · Score: 4, Insightful

but I have to say that coaches like Belichick are the reason why the NFL feels the need to take such precautions. If they didn't, some coach would get the idea to use spotters and/or directional mics to eavesdrop on opposing teams and send the information to the coach, who would then relay it to the men on the field.
LK

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"Hi. This is my friend, Jack Shit, and you don't know him." - Lord Kano
As the French say by hcs_$reboot · 2016-10-18 19:14 · Score: 1

Don't shoot the ambulance!

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Slashdot, fix the reply notifications... You won't get away with it...
"undependable"... LOL by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 20:55 · Score: 0

Typical American, can't remember the right word, so makes a new one up. I think he means "unreliable". I've never, ever seen the word "undependable" before.
1. Re:"undependable"... LOL by Infiniti2000 · 2016-10-19 01:40 · Score: 1
  
  It's in the Oxford dictionary, run by the English. Seriously, though, you couldn't even be bothered to look it up before commenting?
2. Re:"undependable"... LOL by coofercat · 2016-10-19 04:59 · Score: 1
  
  So, apparently, is 'unpossible' (https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/unpossible) - it doesn't make it a word you should use though.
New Americanism by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-18 23:19 · Score: 0

Hate the winners.
In other words by ThatsNotPudding · 2016-10-18 23:56 · Score: 1

The Patriots' (oh-so-fitting) electronic surveillance of the other teams communications interferes with the Surface tablets.
Ad folks: Please save that footage for later! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 01:45 · Score: 0

The throwing of the Surface would make a great clip for a TV ad. "Do you find your new mobile device to work worse than expected?" [insert clip of Surface being thrown] "Then bring it to Geek Squad, official IT support team of the NFL." Or maybe the official Internet provider of the NFL can use it to stress the importance of good WiFi: "Does slow wifi leave you frustrated?" [insert clip] And so on and so forth. The possibilities are endless, within the constraints of the NFL, a/k/a "show me the money."
Wow - film at eleven! by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 01:54 · Score: 1

Generic consumer product no good when pushed into a specific industrial use case, when product was set up in a marketing deal and was not selected to meet defined project specifications or to achieve a specific analytic improvement? Color me surprised!
I wonder if the coaches could actually get away with using real iPads? And/or how the League will pressure Robert Kraft to get Belichick to shut up?
I'd like to know more about these problems by acoustix · 2016-10-19 01:58 · Score: 1

Are they really the tablet's fault? Is it a networking issue, buggy client/web software?
If the teams only have access to the tablets for 5-6 hours during game day do they really know how it's supposed to be used? Have they been tested thoroughly?

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"A plan fiendishly clever in its intricacies"- Homer Simpson
Bill's smart by Thud457 · 2016-10-19 02:03 · Score: 2

He knows unlike electronic tablets, paper playbooks can't be large-scale hacked by the opposing team with no indication that you've been P0WN3D.

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the preceding comment is my own and in no way reflects the opinion of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
It is probably not the Tablets Fault by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 03:21 · Score: 0

Having used the NFL app on my iPhone, I would look more at the software being an issue then the tablet. The NFL app is the biggest POS app I have ever used. It crashes frequently, audio cuts in and out, won't update scores without killing the app. The app could be so much better with just a little bit of effort. And if this app is any indication of how well their development team is, I feel really bad for people who have to depend on any NFL apps.
MSFT Sucks... by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 03:31 · Score: 0

...Windows 10 sucks, their update process sucks, and so on. Technology at the speed of bureaucracy.
NFL at fault here, not Microsoft by Kevoco · 2016-10-19 03:47 · Score: 1

The NFL withholds the sideline tech equipment from the teams until game day.
If there's an issue, the teams and their own tech people can only do so much.
1. Re:NFL at fault here, not Microsoft by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:21 · Score: 0
  
  I think they should try eliminating all tech equipment. Players and coaches use their eyes to see how the other side is playing the game and their brains to figure out their next play. And bring all those coaches/trainers in the skyboxes down to the sideline. Only the fans get to see everything from a perch.
Old people by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:11 · Score: 0

Old people always seems to have a problem with technology. Its cause they're stupid.
because they're using the wrong criteria... by green1 · 2016-10-19 04:18 · Score: 1

So why is the sideline technology so hard to get right?

Because the criteria for selecting all of the equipment was solely which manufacturer paid them more to use it as opposed to who had a product suitable for the purpose? When your selection decisions don't include end users, or even an evaluation of their needs, nor do they compare the product to those needs, it's not a surprise when it doesn't do what your users need.
I had a good tablet 10 years ago by Anonymous Coward · 2016-10-19 04:27 · Score: 0

Tablets were a mature medium in 2006. I bought one then that I still use.
Windows Vista, for all its flaws, had wonderful tablet friendly software.
Microsoft OneNote is an absolute joy to use on a tablet.
See this link for the tablet I owned:
http://www.tabletpcreview.com/tabletreview/lenovo-thinkpad-x60-tablet-pc-review/
I had to choose from MANY serious competitors. I was a mature market in 2006.
Kneel on it by Bratch · 2016-10-19 06:11 · Score: 1

Maybe Bill should kneel on the Surface to protest Microsoft's deal with the NFL.

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Beware of the Redittor who loans you a Sharpie.
I know it used to be hip to slam MS on /. by TJ_Phazerhacki · 2016-10-20 05:15 · Score: 1

But why is Billy the only coach who seems to be having extensive, media-prevalent tirades about this crap? 32 teams in the league, and Belli-ache is the one who is the most vocal about issues.

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Physics is nothing like religion. If it was, we'd have an easier time trying to raise money!