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Should WCA replace Stackmat timers with smart cubes?

Should WCA replace Stackmat timers with smart cubes?

  • yes

    Votes: 13 7.1%
  • no

    Votes: 169 92.9%

  • Total voters
    182

abunickabhi

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Cubing is already a realtively expensive hobby from cubes such as the Gan line (thankfully cubes like the RS3 exist), travelling to and from comps which will be a lot rarer in poorer areas and having hardware to run timing software, many things we take for granted. Having cubes suddenly become a lot more expensive and require an app that can only be used on a smartphone makes this even more of a problem. As previously mentioned, there are also practical issues when ignoring cost, but combined, they give a very good case for this being a bad idea. Smart cubes can be useful, but not as a timing system for the WCA.
I agree that Cubing is an expensive hobby. If we include more technology at competitions it will get more expensive. Also, WCA works as a non-profit, so the funds in the pool is always going to be less.
 

MJS Cubing

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Cubing is already a realtively expensive hobby from cubes such as the Gan line (thankfully cubes like the RS3 exist), travelling to and from comps which will be a lot rarer in poorer areas and having hardware to run timing software, many things we take for granted. Having cubes suddenly become a lot more expensive and require an app that can only be used on a smartphone makes this even more of a problem. As previously mentioned, there are also practical issues when ignoring cost, but combined, they give a very good case for this being a bad idea. Smart cubes can be useful, but not as a timing system for the WCA.
I think cubing is much less expensive than other hobbies. You can buy ever cube you need (except from Gan) for a couple hundred dollars, compared to thousands. But, aren’t they all they all the same?
*cough cough* Cars, Bikes, R/C Hobbies, Fishing etc.
 

PapaSmurf

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Cubing is cheap for the typical American, not for many people in many countries. To be in the global top 1%, you need to earn about $35k per year which is below average for America, but well above average for most of Africa for example. That's also why you have very few african cubers, and the ones who are are from the wealthier parts of relatively wealthy countries. We don't want to exclude more people.
 

OreKehStrah

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Here’s my argument against the use of smart cubes:

1. It is likely the hardware will perform worse than a standard cube. The gap in performance will likely go down but I don’t think they will ever be equal. Even then, normal cubes would be lighter than smart cubes.
2. Even if smart cubes can get to be equal in performance, the electronics would add cost to any base cube.
 

One Wheel

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I agree that Cubing is an expensive hobby. If we include more technology at competitions it will get more expensive. Also, WCA works as a non-profit, so the funds in the pool is always going to be less.
Speaking as a more-or-less avid cuber who probably owns $2-300 worth of twisty puzzles, and a very casual biker debating spending $1000+ on a second bike, cubing is cheap. That's not an argument for using smart cubes in competition, just saying that as hobbies go cubing is cheap.
 

abunickabhi

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Speaking as a more-or-less avid cuber who probably owns $2-300 worth of twisty puzzles, and a very casual biker debating spending $1000+ on a second bike, cubing is cheap. That's not an argument for using smart cubes in competition, just saying that as hobbies go cubing is cheap.
True, but cubing is still quite expensive if you compare it with village sports like kabaddi, kho-kho, cricket, running, wrestling etc. Cubing needs good hardware, and it can get quite expensive sometimes.
 

PetraPine

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I eh don't know about this,
a big part of the skill in smaller events is definitely cube pickup, without it the 2x2 world record would literally just be oh I got a four mover and spammed tps slightly better than you haha L.
(basically same with pyra and skewb)
and I just generally see cube pickup as an interesting part of solving and events and think it would be less interesting without it
 

SH03L4C3

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The orange centerpiece from your main 3x3
This would provide a very unfair advantage to those who can shell out the money to get one of these, as it eliminates challenges like pickup and putdown, two of the most critical things in some events (eg: pyra, 2x2).

Personally, I don't see this happening anytime soon.
As the concept continues to mature, companies will start to provide cheaper options of that concept
high school finance/marketing classes paying off am i right


However, as I said before: Too many holes in the cheese

plus, what about people who like light cubes?
 
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