A Slam Dunk For Smart Home!
December 6, 2022
Like a lot of parents, Debbie and I encouraged our kids to be physically active as well as academically focused. When we built our first home in San Antonio we designed our game room for surround sound, large display TV and gaming for the kids but also built-in desk space with a computer for them to do their homework. We also had a slab poured in the backyard for a sport court with a basketball hoop that was used for everything from basketball to roller hockey to cartwheels with roundoffs. And our kids and their friends used it a lot.
Of course they couldn’t get far from basketball because I was working for the San Antonio Spurs at the time. And we were just beginning our run of the first four NBA Championships for the organization. It was a glorious time to be in San Antonio.
As Debbie and I are planning our new smart home I’ve been thinking about a similar set up for our grandkids. While doing some research I ran across a really interesting new basketball backboard by Huupe — the world’s first smart basketball hoop. Our kids would have loved having this back in San Antonio.
Think back over the past three years and how Peleton grew in popularity as fitness came home with gyms closed during the pandemic. There was a lot of smart technology built into those bikes and accessories. Huupe is the upgraded basketball hoop version of that.
It’s the first smart digital basketball hoop that can track your baskets, offer on demand training, and even let you play live with other people around the world. It has a high-definition screen behind tempered glass with 3 cameras on the backboard to track everything you do on the court — makes, misses, swishes, trajectory, vertical jump and more through AI and machine learning. One of the cameras streams between two hoops so you can watch your remote opponent take their shots as you do as well
From one-on-one training sessions to streaming apps — Netflix, HBOmax, ESPN and more — the Huupe is built to entertain everyone. The backboard is regulation size, measuring 67 x 46.8 inches with the TV taking up most of that space — that’s roughly an 80” display. Designed as an all-in-one solution, it comes with built-in 20W stereo outdoor speakers, Wifi, and Bluetooth, allowing you to cue your workout playlist when you’re out there perfecting your jumper.
The hoop can either be mounted in-ground or on a wall, both indoors and outdoors and is completely waterproof. So you’ve got options when it comes to where you want to put your basketball court. But it does require professional installation. When your order is ready to ship, you’ll schedule a day and time for their installers to come by and install your Huupe. Once installed, the Huupe app on your mobile phone or tablet will help you set up your profile and start your shootaround.
The Huupe comes with hundreds of on-demand training programs, pre-recorded workouts and drills that can be tailored to your skill level and goals. You can watch a coach showing drills and practice moves on the display, then you do the same thing on the court. So everyone from new and advanced players to old dudes (like me) trying to just stay ahead of the grandkids can find something here to help them out. Live sessions with certified trainers are also available that can work with your schedule.
The Huupe is currently on pre-order for $3,995 ($100 deposit), with delivery in 2023. So, sorry, not available for this Christmas. And a monthly membership for the training instruction and other services runs $29.99.
I would have loved to have installed a Huupe on our sport court in San Antonio. Sadly they weren’t available then as I know my kids would have loved it for the shot metrics or simply to entertain them in the backyard. I’m going to have to give this some serious consideration if we opt to build another sport court at our new place.
I’m curious if this is something you’d consider. For friends and family with active kids I could see this as a real asset for skills development. Where would you install it? Driveway? Over the garage? On a sport court in the backyard? And how would you have used it … basketball instruction? Shot data and analytics? As entertainment while getting in a little exercise? I could see these also being deployed at commercial gyms, high schools and pro practice facilities where instruction and tracking metrics would be extremely helpful.
Let Debbie and I know in the comments, DMs and emails about your thoughts around home security cameras. Thanks again to all those following Debbie and I through our home building journey. It’s great to hear your success stories and suggestions as we move through the process. And if you like the content I’m posting each week, don’t forget to ‘Like’ and ‘Follow.’ Until next week …
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