
NBA on glass? German company would love to challenge basketball's hardwood-floor foundation
Chris Thornton loves talking about playing basketball on the most fragile-sounding of surfaces: glass.
Advertisement
Thornton is managing director of the Americas division of ASB GlassFloor, a German company building floors made of fused-together layers of safety glass covering LED panels. The courts are a far more dynamic visual feast, with customised playing lines, logos, colours, animated graphics and advertisements for multiple sports.
In basketball, where wood is still king, Thornton sees growth potential for glass courts – already showing up in the NBA and internationally – as a tech-driven alternative to the sport's long-running hardwood foundation.
'I use this analogy a lot: we're at the initial stages of the iPhone being launched,' Thornton said. 'Way back when Apple did that, the design of the hardware has changed, but more importantly the original iPhone was just a phone, a text device and music player. Now you're running your entire life and communicating to the world on it. I see this in the same regard.'
But it's glass!
It seems strange at first blush – big, strong athletes jumping and running across a court of glass while 'pounding the rock' and even diving on the floor. That is a future ASB GlassFloor company envisions, citing technology improvements allowing for a safe and viable surface featuring stunning visuals that can be changed with a few swipes and taps of a smartphone or tablet app.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


South China Morning Post
2 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Apple's most sweeping software redesign disappoints mainland Chinese consumers
Apple on Monday previewed a new software interface design, called Liquid Glass , during the company's annual Worldwide Developers Conference held at its US headquarters in Cupertino, California. For the very first time, the new design extends across Apple's different operating systems – iOS 26, iPadOS 26, macOS Tahoe 26, watchOS 26 and tvOS 26 – which have been rebranded to mark the coming year, rather than a version number. Chinese consumers, however, expressed their disappointment with the new design, as the hashtag 'iOS26 Ugly' became the top-trending topic on Chinese microblogging app Weibo on Tuesday. The platform saw more than 20,000 mainland netizens express their discontent over the new design. Yan Binglu, a 22-year-old iPhone user from Chengdu, capital of southwestern Sichuan province, said she was now rethinking a plan to upgrade her smartphone this year because she found the new interface unappealing. 'This new system looks less beautiful than before,' Yan said. 'I have always updated to the latest iOS on my phone, but I will stay with my current version of iOS this time.'


RTHK
9 hours ago
- RTHK
HK in first simultaneous LNG bunkering, cargo handling
HK in first simultaneous LNG bunkering, cargo handling Hong Kong has successfully completed its largest single liquefied natural gas (LNG) bunkering operation and marked a significant milestone with the first-ever ship-to-ship LNG refuelling alongside simultaneous cargo handling. The operation, conducted at Kwai Tsing Container Terminals on June 5, saw partners CLPe and CNOOC Guangdong Water Transport Clean Energy Company deliver 10,000 cubic metres of LNG to the German container vessel Hanoi Express. By integrating LNG bunkering directly with cargo loading and unloading in a streamlined process, the Hanoi Express was able to refuel within 24 hours, significantly reducing the ship's port turnaround time and operating costs. 'The whole operation is about 20 hours. Try to imagine that if the container ship has to wait or spare another 20 hours just for fuel adding or reloading, then it translates to a matter of time, a matter of resources and a matter of money,' said Ringo Ng, CLPe's managing director. 'When a ship has to park in any particular port, there will be a cost incurred and people incurred. So I think this is very important. There is very high demand from all these international liners.' Ng said this achievement represents a major advancement for Hong Kong's capabilities as a green port and further solidifies the city's position as a leading hub for sustainable marine fuels. Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan said the simultaneous operation will encourage the bunkering sector in the SAR to expand services for vessels using LNG and other green maritime fuels. She added that this operation will enhance international shipping lines' confidence and convenience in choosing Hong Kong for their bunkering and cargo handling needs.


South China Morning Post
11 hours ago
- South China Morning Post
Apple's AI takes back seat to design, iPad revamp at WWDC event
Apple unveiled the most sweeping software redesign in its history, aiming to make the company's device line-up more cohesive and useful, even while doing little to upgrade its struggling artificial intelligence platform. The new interface, called Liquid Glass, was introduced Monday at Apple's annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The approach uses transparent menus and a glassy look, transforming the software on the company's iPhone, iPad, Mac, TV platform, smartwatches and Vision Pro headset. The changes come as part of iOS 26, watchOS 26 and visionOS 26, which have been rebranded to mark the coming year rather than a version number. Apple also retooled its iPad software to make the device feel more like a Mac, something customers have long requested. Liquid Glass is meant to provide a more uniform experience for Apple's operating systems, but the event lacked the kind of breakthroughs that investors have been clamouring for. While tech peers like Alphabet and OpenAI continue to unveil artificial intelligence advancements, the Cupertino, California-based company has been less focused on its AI platform, Apple Intelligence. Attendees watch a presentation during the annual WWDC at Apple Park, the corporate headquarters of Apple, in Cupertino, California on Monday. Photo: AFP The biggest AI announcement was the company confirming plans to open the Apple Intelligence foundation models to developers. That will allow app creators to write their own software and features using the underlying Apple Intelligence technology. The company also rolled out live call translation and the ability to merge two existing emojis into a new image in Apple's Genmoji feature.