Tech:NYC Digest: October 23
Friday, October 23, 2026
Welcome to another Friday edition of the Tech:NYC Digest, featuring our favorite five highlights in New York and tech this week.
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The Knicks’ championship rings are finally here. So is a ‘Jalen’ baby name boom in NYC (The City Reporter)
It’s been four months since the Knicks won their first NBA title since 1973, but New Yorkers aren’t done celebrating yet. 🏀🏆
The Knicks unveiled their championship rings this week, featuring nearly 800 diamonds and sapphires totaling 22 carats, plus a miniature Madison Square Garden that pops up from the ring. Fans can purchase replicas for nearly $20,000.
New York City is also experiencing a baby-naming boom inspired by its NBA champions, with 32 newborns named Jalen between March and early October, more than double last year's total, in honor of Finals MVP Jalen Brunson.
Meanwhile, one fan recreated OG Anunoby’s legendary Finals game-winning tip-in with skeletons, a pumpkin basketball and a 12-foot Victor “Wem-bone-yama.”
And, let’s not forget newborn “Knickson Fyve” named after, well, you probably figured it out.
The Midtown office that’s also a Leonard Bernstein museum (Curbed)
Talk about an office with a soundtrack. When political consultant Stu Loeser moved his PR firm into a Midtown penthouse, he discovered that legendary composer Leonard Bernstein had lived there in the 1940s. So naturally, he turned his new workplace into a miniature museum. 🎹🏙️
The office still features the fireplace and rooftop terraces where Bernstein spent time shortly after his career took off.
Loeser has filled the space with vintage photographs, concert programs, records and memorabilia, dubbing it the Leonard Bernstein Microseum. Even the bathroom signs get in on the act, featuring a shark and a jet in a nod to West Side Story.
Transit Tech Lab unveils proof-of-concept results from 2026 cohort focused on infrastructure modernization (Mass Transit)
The Transit Tech Lab just unveiled results from 17 companies testing new technology with the MTA and Port Authority, exploring how AI, sensors, and smarter data systems could make getting around the region more efficient. 🚇🤖
Over eight weeks, startups tested tools ranging from sensors that detect rail maintenance needs to digital twins that simulate electrical problems and AI software that recommends better transit routes and schedules.
Some results are already promising: Hazel AI helped the LIRR cut technical drafting time by 40%, while another company assessed electrical risks across 472 MTA stations. Since its launch, the lab has supported 126 proofs of concept, 64 pilots and 23 commercially scaled technologies.
At 83, he’s training for his 50th NYC Marathon. Here’s what he’s learned (Washington Post)
Eighty-three-year-old Dave Obelkevich is preparing to run his 50th NYC Marathon on November 1, extending a record streak that began when he stumbled upon runners in Central Park in the 1970s. 🏃♂️
The retired music teacher has completed 115 marathons and more than 200 ultramarathons, including every five-borough NYC Marathon held since 1976. His fastest New York finish was an impressive 2 hours and 40 minutes back in 1982.
These days, Obelkevich runs alongside his stepdaughter, who helps guide him after he developed balance difficulties. His advice for tackling big challenges is simple: “Just keep moving.”
Have a complaint about the MTA? She’s listening (New York Times)
New Yorkers finally have an official outlet for their favorite pastime: complaining about the subway. The MTA is inviting riders to share their opinions through its latest Customers Count survey, and chief customer officer Shanifah Rieara is making sure those complaints reach the right people. 🚇
Riders can rate everything from subway punctuality to bus service and station conditions. There are “lots of opinions about the cleanliness of the restrooms,” says Rieara.
The MTA credits past surveys with helping spur improved station lighting, platform barriers, and onboard cameras.
That’s all for this week. Have a complaint-free weekend, New York! 🗽
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