EDITOR'S LETTER: A technological lifeline
by Paul Doocey
February 11, 2013
“That’s the future…What a
fascinating modern age we live in.”
—Captain
Jack Aubrey, Master and Commander
For those unfamiliar
with the movie Master
and Commander, it involves the trials and triumphs of an 18th century British navy
frigate sailing the waters of South America looking to engage and capture a
larger, better-armed, more technologically-advanced French ship. The only
reason I bring this up is because when it comes to technology, I feel much the
same way as Captain Aubrey—astounded and sometimes shocked at the current pace
of innovation, but also interested to see how the latest thing will impact the
world in which I function.
Naturally, this interest is subject to the actual
application of these technologies to my life. I recently came across an article
on NBCNews.com that attempts to forecast some of the technological advances and
trends we’ll see over the upcoming year. I read with interest the products that
I could see potentially transforming and improving my personal and professional
activities. These included the growing trend of embedding Internet-connectable
sensors into physical products, giving me the capability of checking their status
and otherwise communicating with them through Web-enabled mobile devices. The
article described athletic shoes that monitor your workout to let you know
exactly how many calories you are burning and personal wireless lighting
systems that allow you to alter the color and intensity of home lighting
systems from your couch. I would love to
have this technology in my car, which I currently park on the street, to alert
me when its being tampered with or if there is a parking space available closer
to my home. From a professional perspective, Web-enabled products can augment
the casino environment in a number of consumer-friendly ways—for example, chair
sensors can let customers know instantly when their favorite slot is available
for play or a space has opened at a popular table game.
Of course, this article also described technology trends
that were of less interest to me from a personal perspective and which I
immediately dismissed. After all, who needs technology that you can wear;
devices that are literally woven into clothing that will allow you to stay
connected to social media 24/7 or photograph every moment of your entire day in
30-second intervals? But there’s a nagging question here even with devices I
deem to be silly—am I letting personal prejudices color a technology that could
dramatically alter my business life? How do I know I’m not missing out on the
next big economic trend?
This is where events like our upcoming Gaming Technology
Conference, which is taking place March 12-13 at the Green Valley Ranch in Las
Vegas, can come in handy. The two-day conference and trade show features
knowledgeable speakers who will discourse on a wide variety of technology
topics. Sessions include getting connected and staying connected to your
guests, Cloud and wireless strategy, mobile marketing, Internet gaming
operations, regulatory updates and social media strategies. The program is
designed to appeal to technology professionals, and also to decision makers who
are responsible for the creation and success of projects, campaigns and
programs. It will also give attendees a chance to communicate with their gaming
peers, and determine whether a technology is truly transforming and worth
pursuing, despite what they may think about it personally. For more details and
to register for Gaming Technology Conference, visit
www.gamingtechnologyconf.com.
I suggest you take the time to drop by the event and
peruse the sessions and show floor to keep abreast of the latest technological
initiatives happening in the gaming industry. After all, you probably don’t
want to be a commander of an 18th century ship trying to navigate 21st century
waters.
Paul Doocey
is editor of Casino Journal magazine. He can be reached at dooceyp@bnpmedia.com.
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