http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/player.swf?mediaId=3440591 Who here’s been watching Euro 2008? All you English lads, I’m sure, and right from your living room. Anyway, I only mention the Euros because of this neat camera technology ESPN has this year, Axis. It’s a 360-degree camera the network uses to show instant replays. It makes plain ol’ telestrators look genuinely pedestrian in comparison. Moving on, I bet those of you who had money on Holland prior to the tournament’s start are happily holding onto your betting receipts right about now. Speaking of which, just how illegal is online betting here in the U.S.? Anyone with any experience in the matter, please don’t hesitate to contact me. → Read More
At first glance, I thought “Oh, hey, a gimmicky remote with an ESPN logo” but after I started reading about it, it dawned on me that this thing is perfect for sports addicts. It’s basically a universal remote that controls all your A/V stuff, sure, but it also has built-in Wi-Fi and can update real-time scores and stats on the 2.2-inch QVGA screen. The ESPN Ultimate Remote is the sports fan’s ultimate companion. Clear the clutter off your coffee table with a universal remote designed not only to unify your existing remotes by controlling virtually countless devices, but to wirelessly download program guides, sports scores and play-by-plays, and more. As you watch the big game, get advanced team and player stats right on your remote. Get up-to-the-minute scores from all the latest games. Even keep up to date with your ESPN.com fantasy teams without ever leaving the couch. You can also get weather info, news, TV listings, and even send text messages. Text messages! There’s also a built-in ambient light sensor which automatically adjusts the control’s brightness and you can control up to 18 devices. It’s available for pre-order on Amazon for $299 and should be released “just in time for Father’s Day”. ESPN “The Ultimate Remote” Universal Remote [Amazon.com] → Read More
How about some on demand college basketball on your Xbox? Microsoft and ESPN announced yesterday that Xbox Live users will be able to download ESPN programing, including college basketball, college football and shows like “Madden Nation.” Does that include “SportsCenter” or “Jim Rome is Burning,” I wonder. Shows will be available within 48 hours of their conclusion and will cost $2 for the standard def version and $3 for the HD version. The question is, what sense is there in downloading games well after they’ve finished? Good luck avoiding the score for two days. Microsoft adds ESPN programing to Xbox [AP/Yahoo] → Read More
If you’re into action sports, you’ll be able to watch every flipkick, ollie and even every incredible crash from the X Games on your mobile handset. ESPN, MediaFLO USA, a wholly owned subsidiary of QUALCOMM, and Verizon Wireless have teamed up to launch EXPN for V CAST Mobile TV, a channel to deliver the action from the from X Games 13. Coverage runs from 11:30am PT on August 2 until 3pm PT on August 5, and during this time you’ll be able to watch live competitions, behind-the-scenes coverage and commentary. Additionally, from July 22 through August 1 you can tun in for “Best of the X Games,” while X Game 13 replays will air August 6 and 7. “X Games fans want to see the action as it happens. By teaming with MediaFLO USA to offer this channel through Verizon Wireless, ESPN is reaffirming our commitment to our fans by showing all the extreme action while expanding our multi-platform approach,” stated John Zehr, senior vice president, digital media production, ESPN. “Through this dedicated channel, X fans will see Travis Pastrana’s practice runs or Shaun White grab big air during the skateboarding finals even if they aren’t near a big-screen TV.” Verizon Wireless Mobile TV MediaFLO USA EXPN → Read More
It’s one thing to watch over-the-air HDTV on giant, 70-inch plasma display, but it’s quite another to watch such programming on your MacBook or iMac (or whatever other Mac you have nearby). Elgato’s Mac-only HDHomeRun combines a digital TV tuner and EyeTV software in one smart, if not awfully named, package. You’ll need to supply your own ATSC antenna or unscrambled cable TV connection for this to work, mind you, but once you do you’ll be in high-def heaven, provided your processor is up to the challenge. (To be able to view 720p or 1080i programming, you’ll need a dual G5- or Intel Core 2 Duo-based Mac.) The HDHomeRun is network-compatible, meaning that if you set it up appropriately, you’ll be able to watch high-def content on any of your networked Macs. Pretty cool. → Read More
Leading cricket portal Cricinfo has been acquired by ESPN. The site is considered by many to be the online bible for cricket. Although not popular in North America, Cricket has an audience in the billions with fanatical support across the former British Empire. The purchase by ESPN is said to be part of the push by the cable sports network to broaden its appeal outside of the United States. Cricinfo is one of the oldest online sport portals, first launching in 1993. The site now has in excess of 7 million unique visitors per month and is ranked in the top 300 sites online according to Alexa. Cricinfo was a pioneer in developing online sport related services, from living blogging test matches through to extensive user friendly and searchable databases of players. The acquisition price was not disclosed. (via The Age) → Read More
Now that ESPN Mobile is long gone and dead as a doorknob (or Babe Ruth), the company can now focus all its energy into the new mobile application that’s launching for Verizon. Verizon users who pay the $15 a month for the VPak service will be able to download the ESPN application at no additional cost. The software will feature sports scores, live updates, sports video, trivia, etc. — all the normal, fun stuff you’d expect from a sports network teaming up with a mobile carrier. If you do sports and have Verizon, I suggest taking a look at it before you blow it off completely as there could be some juicy, exclusive content to gawk at. Verizon Wireless to offer ESPN mobile application [Reuters] → Read More
As our sister site is already reporting, Verizon Wireless will now offer ESPN Mobile application. This wireless venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone will be the first to sell the service since the Walt Disney Company shut down the ESPN-branded mobile phone service in September. That service had only launched in February of last year, using network space rented from Sprint Nextel. Apparently sports fans – no matter how much Sports Center they watch – weren’t interested in switching to the ESPN service. This second coming of ESPN application will be available to Verizon users who pay the $15 a month for the VPak service at no additional cost. The downloadable software will feature sports scores, live updates, sports video and trivia. Game on! Verizon Wireless to offer ESPN mobile application [Reuters] → Read More
ESPN Mobile, the late MVNO that piggybacked on Verizon’s network, is being reborn, in a sense, as part of Verizon’s V-Cast service. Subscribers will be able to download the ESPN application for their handset, essentially giving it the unique features the ESPN phones enjoyed. In addition, a $3 a day or $15 a month subscription allows the phones to display up-to-the-minute streaming sports scores and stats, as well as other jock-related information. The deal is still in the works, but when finalized will be offered to any V-Cast subscribers with a compatible phone, and will likely be co-branded as ESPN for V-Cast by the end of March. Verizon is hoping that the exclusive deal will help drive adoption of the premium V-Cast service, as ESPN joins luminaries such as YouTube in being accessible from the mobile phones. Mobile ESPN to relaunch with Verizon Wireless [Yahoo! Business] → Read More
Bloops. I guess we missed this news earlier. Looks like ESPN Mobile is officially closed and if you’re a subscriber you can use your ESPN phone until the end of the year but you won’t have ESPN mobile to push around anymore. The company has signed up only tens of thousands of subscribers since it launched the service in late 2005 and began advertising early this year, with commercial spots appearing regularly on ESPN’s cable TV broadcasts. Too bad for them. AP ESPN pulls plug on cell phone operation [AP] Earlier ESPN Mobile: First Half, Score 0-0 → Read More
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