BiGR AUDIO's Wristboom - Features to love and safety first

Side View Wristboom

Product testing results below

Tom Clancy's The Division SHAREfactory /PS4

GAME:  Tom Clancy's The Division

Mission:  Lincoln Tunnel   

SOLO RUN:

Casey Julian a.k.a Random Samples on YouTube.  (Link below)

PS4/SHAREfactory 

Warning: Adult Content Language  (it's New York City tough)

Follow the link below to see solo player.  Of course, the game can be played with multiple players.    (click on link and it will take you to YouTube) 

The Division - Lincoln Tunnel

What is Innovation anyway? Guest Blogger, Andy Marken

Innovation is About Thinking Different, Not Copying Different

By Andy Marken

        “You don't know anything about space.” – Skipper, Gilligan’s Island, CBS, 1964-1967

When I grow up, I want to be one.

One what?

The CIO (Chief Innovation Officer).

Obviously, he or she is smart, a tastemaker, a visionary.  After all, the CIO understands innovation when it comes to or is presented to him/her.

If you’re not quite sure about the job, Wikipedia describes innovation – “a new idea, more effective device or process.Innovation can be viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, inarticulated needs, or existing market needs. This is accomplished through more effective products, processes, services, technologies or ideas effective that are readily available to markets, governments and society. The term innovation can be defined as something original and more effective and, as a consequence, new, that "breaks into" the market or society.”

Do you really have a clue as to what that says?

Writers and speakers do.

They use it in every other headline, every tenth word in a news release and every other conference presenter proclaims an innovation, engineers/product designers pitch it to their bosses. The CEO (Chief Executive Officer) tells shareholders/analysts the company is delivering true innovation to the marketplace.

When they’re really cool; they write, talk about disruptive innovation.

Now that is freakin’ awesome!

What is it really?

-        Change that cannibalizes existing profit streams

-        Change that usurps prior businesses

-        New products/services that are better than, less expensive than those used today

-        Different ways of doing things faster, more easily, more economically

Translation – it’s different.  Maybe better, maybe worse; but only time is going to tell.

Outta’ Sync – Innovations and market acceptance are totally out of sync and they always have been.  Gartner’s hype cycle follows bleeding-edge users and media drumbeats while consumers adopt technology/products at a much slower pace which Geoffrey Moore described in his chasm.  The “innovators” abandon products long before they gain widespread sales/usage.

The problem is we have two bell curves – Gartner’s Hype curve and Geoffrey Moore’s chasm curve – and they are not in sync.

By the time most of us get what the innovation is, the innovators have forgotten about it and moved on.

We only know by looking in the rear view mirror if the new whatever is a good new or a bad new. If it fails, the innovator can say it was a good innovation but execution doomed it.  If it succeeds, the innovator can put another winner on his/her resume.

However, as David Ogilvy, a pioneering ad man, said; “In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.”

TECHIEGEMS (copyright by Carolyn Rhodes)

TECHIEGEMS

This website is copyrighted.

RACING at CES VEGAS FORD

FORD MUSTANG
RACING SIMULATOR
2016 CES

BLACK WIDOW SPIDER ON A HOT SUMMER NIGHT THEY ARE BACK

Black Widow Spider in my yard

It's a dark summer night and we open the patio door. I switch on the night light.  It's the night before garbage pick up and my son ties the tie on our last trash bag for the weekly pick up.  Off to the left in the corner of the patio step is a web.  He inspects it.  

"It's a black widow. Holy Cow! I'm going to spray it and then carefully place it in a jar, very carefully." 

 He identifies it by the red hourglass shape on its abdomen. It packs a venom as strong as a rattlesnake bite.  And this one is a mature female about 1"long.  Now I'm listening because if he misses, this "spider woman" will become aggressive.

I don't fear spiders and most are good insect eaters. After this catch, I think I'd better take some of these creatures very seriously.  Easy to say they are nocturnal and not interested in biting humans for no reason -- but neither are rattlesnakes!  

Proceed with caution 

HABITS:

The black widow spider is timid and reclusive, preferring to make its home in dark, protected areas, such as in boxes, among firewood and under ledges. It is nocturnal, which means it only becomes active and does its hunting at night. *

The black widow spider's web is usually located within a foot of the ground. It is slightly erratic in appearance and made with stronger silk than most other spider webs. *

The web is used to catch prey and to hang the female's cocoon of eggs.Black widows are usually found in dark corners of the house or around the edges of your yard or garage where their webs will have a lesser chance of being disturbed.*

 They may also be found under vehicles, even those that are being driven periodically. Check for webs near the tires, or under/around the engine.Black Widows are territorial so you will often find their webs spaced about a foot apart.*

If bitten, go to the emergency room immediately.  You life will depend upon it.  Without urgent care, death may follow.   

Don't kill any spider. They are necessary in our ecosystem and most are quite harmless.  

ULTRASOUND PEST REPELLENTS
Bell and Howell makes an ultrasonic pest repeller  for indoors . I have placed one in each room. It is for rats, mice, spiders, ants and roaches.  So far, after 2 weeks, I have had complete success and it really works!  


* For more information on the elusive Black Widow, go to www.wiki.how and google your question. 

ENGADGET Guest Post News: Endangered Rhinos and wildlife. Let's help.

Thanks to Engadget for this article and raising awareness that there is hope through technology to catch these poachers. Please follow the link below for full story.  And, the organization we can support to protect our endangered species. Photos from wearprotect.org

http://www.engadget.com/2015/07/21/rhino-horn-camera/?ncid=rss_truncated

Please read above Engadget article.  Technology is here to save the day -- cameras and the lives our our dwindling Rhino population? Can we save them from poachers!

And, please support http://weareprotect.org/protectrapid.html   RAPID (anti poaching device)

FITBIT TRACKER HAS YOU COVERED with ALTA and BLAZE 2016

Here is my story about 2 years later .. 2016
 :
FITBIT  still rocks a great product.  OK, the band on my  "new" CHARGE, which replaced the one I sent back a year ago stretched out again recently, after a year.

I don't wear it in shower or get it wet or abuse it. So, I guess the bands are bound to stretch out and lose the shape.

However, this Charge is still working well and I'll deal with little stretching around the face of it .. . I rely on it for steps, call alerts, time, alarms, etc .. and it keeps me in shape .. wanting to do at least a mile a day .. I know -- I do more .. but let's say, there are days which if I am honest, I am writing and not doing over 6,000 steps ..
..
There is a CHARGE which measure HR (heart rate)  and I am sure it has the same band problem.  I haven't heard or read about any complaints .

The ALTA seems to a nice upgrade in that they must have noticed the bands were flimsy and went ahead and made inter changeable bands. So, you won't have to worry about that problem. The mechanism works without a hitch really.  

I got a good look at the BLAZE and it's probably going to be my next purchase when the price goes down .. It's around $189 .. already down from $229 .. It's got a nice sophisticated look in the form of a watch .. and it looks like my next purchase .. even though there are so many others out there competing ..

These days I count on Customer Service and the way corporate treats their customers.

FITBIT has filled that requirement.  And, after 2 years, I am still not tired of tracking my day.
                 ......................................................................................

2014-2015

My story below was and is still true. I will stick with Fitbit.

You can find similar version under "community news," on the Fitbit website.

Hello everyone . 

I love my Fitbit.  I have worn it "around the clock," since November, 2014 ....

t have followed most of the rules to keep my Charge in good working order.

--- keep it clean for one  and out of water. .  Learn how to optimize all the features. 

 Nothing wrong with the mechanism, however, my band warped before the warranty was up after about 9 months.

 I was pleased that when I called and asked for instructions on how to "fix" the band, they said they would just send me a new Fitbit Charge.   I thought that perhaps the extreme heat while on vacation in Florida may have done it, but, whatever it was.. I may have gotten it wet at some point at the beach ... no explanations needed as they honored the one year warranty. 

 .. I'm glad the customer service team was helpful and sent me the new one.   I'm not worried about sleeping wth it or exercising with it... it's a baby bear. ..   Honestly, it really keeps its promises .. tracks sleep pattern with good accuracy. Occasionally I have to sync it again, and, or, get notifications back on, but, it's a small price to pay for working on fitness goals.

 By using all the features -- tracking your daily activities, you'll appreciate all you really do (or don't do) every day.  

 Follow how to learn to get the most out of it .. on the site for one  and the instructions, of course. 

Fitbit Charge -- Burgundy has pink OLED  (organic light emitting Diode) .

Go to:
write your own experiences

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Share-Your-Story/Around-the-clock/m-p/859015#M17384

Uncharted 4 Intro, By, Casey Rhodes

SHAREFACTORY

The Maverick .. only $94,000 ..Come fly with me -- to the next town.

 

 Take a look at your latest dreamboat/car.  Sure it can fit in your garage -- no problem!  I think the only downer is that it can only fly for about 400 miles.  But heck it's enough to fly me from Tuscaloosa to Panama City,both small airports .. I think!


, 

GUEST BLOG: KIDMIX APP -- Kids Social Network and Playdate Planner LAUNCHES:

McKendall Communications
Lisa@Mckendall.com 

KIDMIX

New Kids Social Network & Playdate Planner Launches Go to link www.kidmixapp.com for features.  (Safe, Secure and Free.)

Rockville, MD (June 16, 2016) – The first social network designed by parents for kids ages 5-12, KidMix, launched today.  KidMix provides a new way for kids to connect with friends and to plan their own playdates all within a private, secure, monitored environment.  KidMix is COPPA compliant and membership is free.   

“We created KidMix because we were looking for a way for our children to schedule their own playdates online and to be able to communicate with their friends in a safe, kid-friendly way,” said Clay Goldberg, Co-Founder of KidMix along with his wife, Lisa.  “KidMix is a first step in helping kids become more independent and for parents to become comfortable with kids’ online communication.”

Children can use KidMix to connect with their classmates, sports teams, neighbors, camp friends, relatives and many more.  KidMix allows kids to share their thoughts and photos, and message friends while parents monitor all activity using the integrated parent dashboard.  Children will learn how to use social media in a safe positive way and will gain independence by planning some of their own activities while parents are able to simply accept, deny, or change them.  By using KidMix, parents are no longer burdened with the task of coordinating a playdate for their kids, they just have to approve the request!

Since KidMix is kidSAFE COPPA + Certified, all members are verified according to the FTC’s compliancy law for child online privacy protection.  The robust parental ID verification process requires parents to verify their ID before they are allowed to create an account. KidMix is able to ensure that all members are not only who they say they are, but are using the platform with both parental awareness and permission.  The registration process is simple, quick, and free.  The KidMix App is available on iOS, Android, and Amazon.

KidMix includes a proprietary Parent Dashboard that enables parents to oversee all activity and allows them to set parameters of how they want their children to use the network. As a social network, KidMix not only enables younger children to communicate and socialize with each other but they can also learn about a variety of subjects in KidMix’s SmartZone.  The SmartZone includes thousands of curated videos kids can view and share with friends.

KidMix membership is free and parents oversee all communication from friends, groups, photos, and invitations allowing for appropriate communication at all times. KidMix can be found at www.kidmixapp.com.

Book Review: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO DRONES - Build - Choose - Fly - Photograph

The Complete Guide to Drones: Whatever Your Budget
     by Adam Juniper

 $19.95 US/$23.95 Canada
Publisher: Quattro Publishing Group, USA Inc.
Produced in London, England

Softcover

144 pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-57715-132-6
2016 Produced in London, England

Book Reviewed by
 Carolyn Rhodes

 CES Reporter  

Adam Juniper’s The Complete Guide to Drones:  Whatever Your Budget answered many questions I would never have thought to ask.   Whether you are a beginner, a professional photographer,  a seasoned aficionado, even a curious consumer, you won’t be disappointed.

 Juniper, a skilled pilot from the United Kingdom demonstrates the “how-to” on drones with expert instructions and diagrams throughout the chapters. His talents don’t fall short of “worldly” as author and an expert on anything drone related.  Adam is a photographer and videographer as well as a descriptive writer on the subject of flight.  In an ever changing 21^st century technology of things – this Guide will help you reach a wise decision before purchasing.     

 I gave it a chapter-by-chapter, page-by-page perusal.  I don’t own a drone but I found this Guide easy to understand and educationally entertaining with fun trivia in the mix. 

     

For example, the Introduction of Marilyn Monroe, a movie star beauty from the 1940s, helped assemble drones during World War II.  She was first spotted at a munitions factory in California and she models in the photo. That caught my attention – drones from the 1940s.  Who knew?
 .

In the chock full of history chapter, Adam makes reference to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and attendees’ favorite exhibition in the 2010 show in Vegas.   Parrot, then a little known company from Paris, attracted crowds to their “dancing drones.” I attended as a reporter and it is one of the favorite crowd pleasers.    Year after year, Parrot brings drones to life with even more precise and complex moves. However, while Parrot remains on top of the world,   others have joined the competition. You will be able to read about the many choices – some drone companies are ones you may have already heard of.

  From the exhibition floors to marketing into the homes of millions, drones are flying all around us.  According to CES 2016 Daily Magazine -- sales reached over $105 Million in 2015.  One year later, Vegas CES 2016 Unmanned Systems Marketplace featured 29 exhibitors with sales up 208% from CES 2015 stats.  Drones are now in the homes of hobbyists and in the hands of professionals.

 Juniper has hit the market with impeccable timing. Buy or build a drone or just figure out what they are all about.  There’s one for every budget and lots to consider. Juniper opens up the wide eye view lens so a consumer can see the whole picture from charts to community drone groups for all levels of drone enthusiasts.

From Chapter 1: Drone Basics, you’ll get a detailed history lesson from military to prosumer drones to toy drones and more.  The history section details information with visuals to connect to  explanations . This format is consistent in every section.  You can go back in time or into real time  “what to expect”.  It’s an eye catching layout too throughout all chapters.

 In Chapter 2: Powertrain explains, again in detail, each and every component from motor to the landing gear. Even a professional can learn something new.   Chapter 3:  Ace Pilot takes to the skies. Once take-off is mastered, the reader can enjoy the scenery.   Chapter 4: Videos and Photos, will take you to spectacular views and by the time you reach Chapter 5 – Build Your Own, you can take a look at precision diagrams and instructions on just how one can build a model, even in addition to your store bought drone.     

This Guide can be referenced as needed. You’ll want to get familiar with choices in cameras, like Go-Pro and other accessories such as Oculus Rift’s 360 virtual reality glasses. Options are endless.  When it comes to a decision on budget, buying and or even building your own, Adam Juniper has a well written and much needed Guide which I intend to keep on my bookshelf.

Last but not least, the world may be your oyster, but, the skies are governed by laws for the safety of all.  This author gives you all the details and few other international laws in a sideline.  You will learn regulations before flying in foreign countries and in the USA.   Know the laws before your flight into the wild blue yonder.  You might pay a hefty fine if ignored.

Adam Juniper (and his team)  have laid out all the tips and trips you’ll ever need to become a well-informed pilot and drone owner.  He has a channel on YouTube and maintains a website, so you’re never too far from the latest additions.   I recommend this book without reservation to anyone and just about everyone. It’s a keeper.

www.TameSky.com  (Drone website)  

Purchase from Amazon. com 

     

GIBSON TENT SHOWCASED from traditional to high tech

GIBSON does not disappoint. Every year I stop in for some relaxing time off from the hustle and bustle of CES at Las Vegas  Convention Center. Follow the path to the big white tent outside.

 This year I was escorted into the VIP room where Gibson staffers gave me a seat and served me some lunch and coffee.  A few short conversations with others and time to check out what's new for 2016 as I reminisce the traditional.

 Looking around at the showcase guitars directly across from my comfy little corner of the tent, i learned that the lineup (to the left)  displayed guitars from the traditional Les Paul to the latest technologically advanced ones.    Nothing is ever less than high quality workmanship.

Music lovers know and appreciate the greatest sounds . Some are listeners while others are entertainers.

Several guests did just that by hamming it up for a fun interactive video, while others made a record to take home. All done in rock star star style.   Pick up a titanium fret too. I had no idea but it's got to be the best.

I am told that GIBSON headphones are completely wireless  -- not a hint of a wire anyplace.  Now, that's all new.

Performance Stage and guests

I enjoyed reminising along with a local Vegas artist who got my attention with "Chances Are," a voice qute like that of Johnny Mathis from old school ..    He  looked like Jesus and  had a sweet disposition.   Follow the link for a little nostalgia and to hear this fabulous artist sing and strum. . 

You Belong to Me 

Go to:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX90mko24wI 

CTA (Computer Technology Association) shares the scorecard on your state

  Massachusetts ranks on the top of tech innovation. Does your state support innovation?   Go to the link and find out

 CES 2016 (photo by Rhodes)

https://www.cta.tech/scorecard

CES 2016 Vegas -- It's a wrap!!

BB . You can buy this darling robot who debuted in the film for around $150

 Annually I attend  the Consumer Electronics Show (CES).  As a reporter I have a few privileges. I can attend press events, get a nice lunch and interview people from around the world and the USA.    I'm amazed how far we've come and even more entirely confident about the future as a Nation as we grow within and with our global community.

2016 U.S. Consumer Technology Outlook:
(Forecasts report reflects the U.S factory sales to dealers. Information provided by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA)

Smartphones: $155 Billion; Tablets: $18 Billion; 3D Printers: $152 Million; Smart Homes: 1.2 Billion; $Drones: 953 Million; Wearables Smart Watches and Fitness Trackers: $15 Billion; Virtual Reality : $540 Million; Televisions: 4K Ultra HD- $10.7 Billion; Smart TVs $15.8 Billion; Laptops and 2 in 1 computers: $17.4 Billion.

BMW Showroom- some things are not for sale

M-8 BMW Dream Car. I am the passenger at the BMW track. with my associate editor at the wheel
 This one is a hybrid.. I loved it but cost $140,000.

VIRTUAL REALITY from 180 to 360 

Skyworth  Clarity
and Beauty .

What's new in TVs?  Try 8K on for even more clarity

DJI Drones. Many  drone companies on the showroom room 

Keep your eyes to the skies as Drones Out of Stores, Guest Author, Andy Marken

Keep Your Eyes to the Skies as Drones Fly Out of Stores

“These people, they have no jobs, no food, no education, no future. I just figure that we have two things we can do. Help, or we can sit back and watch a country destroy itself on CNN.” – Eversmann, “Black Hawk Down,” Revolution Studios, 2001

Below is a bird's eye view of drones ownership . Give it a good thought. And enjoy some of the humor. CES 2016 had many drones flying in cages. The FAA had lots of information for potential buyers. (Techiegems)

It’s estimated that 1M UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) or drones if you prefer were gifted this Christmas.

All I can think of are my two favorite orators:

-        Will Rogers – “You can’t legislate intelligence and common sense into people.”

-        George Carlin – “Just think how stupid the average person is and then realize that half of them are stupider than that.”

The industry is so exciting there’s a convention every other week, professional/casual publications, training/educational schools, professional organizations (like the Drone Coalition) and clubs cropping up everywhere.

I get it.

I understand all the drone paranoia:

-        they’re unproven - don’t agree with this one

-        they’re dangerous – see Will’s, George’s comments plus really nasty folks

-        threatening to privacy – of course they will (see above)

That’s why I’d suggest:

-        Go online with the FAA (Federal Aviation Agency) and register your (or kids) drone

-        Get some training  because fines for ignorance can run $27,500 - $250,000

-        Get some good personal liability, medical drone insurance (see above) and you know people will want to sue

Problem is the excitement surrounding drones is a fever as big as it was around tablets, smartphones and is around wearables, IoT (Internet of Things) and IoE (Internet of Everything).

Drone Bundle – Seemingly out of nowhere, drones or UAVs flew off the shelves for recreational flying.  They have already caused their share of problems for the general public and firms that want to use them for a wide range of commercial applications.  Proposed regulation of the free-flying aircraft is still a work in progress.

It’s all because people like Teal Research, CBInsights, others estimate that worldwide sales of drones, accessories, apps, etc., will leap to $90B by 2024.

The rapid growth is not just drone sales but all of the technology that goes into them like chips that power/control them, apps that manage specific operations and activities and obviously the capture/storage of the data.

There are industry leaders most of us never heard of until a couple of years ago.   China’s DJI leads the pack with a complete family commercial and recreational UAVs followed by 3D Robotics, Parrot and a herd of others.

That herd received over $100M in startup funding in 2014 from VCs (venture capitalists).  Probably a ton more last year.

Then there is the world of cheap knock-offs that copies its way in to sell a crap load of crap at a cheap price to anyone who’s got $50 - $200.

In addition to the toys there are some seriously good applications for drones.

Commercial Use – While retail package delivery may have garnered early headlines for UAVs, they have already been in widespread use in commercial applications.  Leading the demand for using the aerial devices are the photo and film industries.

They are being used quietly and successfully in farming/land management, firefighting, disaster relief, search and rescue, mapping, surveying, scientific/environmental research, law enforcement, education, real estate, conservation, utility monitoring/management and especially M&E (media and entertainment).

People in each market segment say theirs is the most important, exciting drone market but M&E really is (ok I’m biased).

Drones are increasingly being used for television, film production, covering breaking news (disasters, crimes) and sporting events from new and unique viewing angles.

In the U.S. news folks are making a case for their First Amendment rights to use drones as governing entities struggle to develop privacy and safety guidelines.

Actually what the NMC (New Media Coalition) said was privacy, bureaucracy and tech logic doesn’t fit with their journalistic protection.

Jeezz, folks!

Fortunately there are sane and professional organizations that are trying to help the M&E industry get it right, do it right.

NAB (National Association of Broadcasters), IBC (International Broadcast Convention and national/regional/local events are doing a lot to ensure content producers (and people in other industries that use video) act and work in a responsible manner and still get the shots they want/need.

Follow the Rules – Filmmakers like Jeff Foster, of Sound Vision Media, have found a growing demand for drone film work for commercials, businesses and creative story telling.  But he’s equally concerned that without proper training of pilots, the recreational and mischievous use of UAVs could make it more difficult for commercial users to carry out their work.

At AVW/DroneWorld they got all the scoop on new gear, techniques/apps, educational/training services and especially new legal guidelines/responsibilities for the operation of their aircrafts to keep their butts from being sued and their gear confiscated.

Actually regulators abroad have moved more quickly than in the U.S.

In Australia, Britain, France and Sweden, drones are allowed for commercial use if they receive permission from the government. The European Commission is working on a set of rules to allow for commercial drone operations across the Continent.

In hopes of bypassing overly restrictive and stupid requirements manufacturers, retailers, legitimate user organizations developed some safe and sane proposals the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) and DOT (Department of Transportation) adopted most of it with minor tweaking (bureaucracy).

If the Christmas drone weighs over a half pound (250 grams) the pilot has to register.  There are already a bunch of websites that will “help” you but it ain’t that tough:

-        name address, and optionally email address and phone number

-        display a government-issued registration number on each craft

-        swear you’ve studied and understand the safety and piloting information – something they call Know Before You Fly

My kid can do it in no time!

I understand making them easy to buy/use – great for manufacturers and retailers.  But even a one pound drone traveling at 30 mph has got to smart.

Drones are already soaring beyond their practical and recreational uses and are in the hands of troublemakers and pranksters.

Incidents – Flown by poorly trained, troublemakers and pranksters, there is an increase in the number of reported incidents such as the drone that struck the Seattle Great Wheel.  Professional pilots and emergency personnel are increasingly concerned that drones will be involved in accidents and loss of life.

There are plenty of reports of in-air incidents (it was too damn close) with commercial aircraft, folks flying planes/choppers wildfires to put out the blaze and SAR (search and rescue) efforts.

There’s been a lot of news coverage of units crashing at soccer matches, the U.S. Open, football games and buzzing people in parks and it’s going to get worse before it gets better.

Once the individual gets his/her hands on their UAV to do neat stuff like spy on their neighbors, smuggle stuff into prisons and lose control over the gear so it goes who knows where.

There will be more!

Folks like DJI want to dodge the over legislative bullet by adding software that limits recreational flying heights and prevents the drones from flying into restricted airspace.

As Jesse Ventura, Minnesota’s colorful former governor said, “You can't legislate against stupidity,” which also applies to crime and greed.

The advisory group explained the simplicity of the registration process by saying, "Any registration steps more burdensome than these three simple steps may jeopardize the likelihood of widespread adoption and would undermine the overall registration philosophy that enabled the Task Force to come to consensus."

The registration is designed to hold drone pilots accountable for violating things like FAA drone operation rules, suggesting penalties for violations (leaving fines, actions up to the FAA/DOT).

Drones were sold by the squadron this past holiday as intelligent machines but they’re really just tricked out remote-control planes.  Few have the common-sense necessary to detect/avoid obstacles, figure out where they’re at or how to get home.

Buying a drone should include pilot training rather than trial-and-error.

Growth Opportunities – Business and commercial applications for UAVs have only just begun to emerge, but the potential far outweighs the unit sales for recreational and military applications.

I didn’t talk to a person at Drone World who wasn’t 100 percent for pilot education and training.

People who were kicking the rotors at the show discussed a range of commercial applications - construction, firefighting, monitoring and repairing infrastructure, agriculture, search and response, Internet and communications services, logistics and delivery and wildlife preservation.

But key industry analysts note that the most interesting applications will be those we can’t even predict today.

Filmmaker Jeff Foster, head of Sound Visions Media, co-founder of the Drone Coalition and consulting reviewer to leading drone manufacturers; is a firm believer that drone pilots should be well trained before they take the controls.

He also thinks UAVs will take news coverage and filmmaking to new, exciting heights.

Teal estimates that about two million consumer (about $1.4B) drones were sold in 2015, one-third in the U.S.; and in 2016, sales could double.

“Responsible firms are working on some excellent technological solutions so that things like crashes and near-misses will soon be things of the past,” Foster said.  “But between now and then, we’ll experience a lot of turbulence.”

Or, as McKnight said, “Yeah, for you two, circling above it at five hundred feet its imperfect. Down in the street, it's unforgiving.”