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Sports fans have been buying new gear to complement their fandom for years. Binoculars, FM radio headphones, portable Televisions, and satellite radios have all made the rounds as the latest and greatest gizmo. Times change though, and technology waits for waits for no man.
BOXEE BOX
As set-top boxes go, the Boxee Box has to be one of the most intriguing. Boxee itself is an offshoot of XBMC (Xbox Media Center) and is available for Windows, Linux, and OS X. The Boxee Box hardware is a joint venture between Boxee and Dlink, and features one of the most distinctive profiles you will ever see. For the sports fan the Boxee Box supports MLB.TV, bringing the experience to your living room and allowing you to watch the full complement of games on your big screen. Hockey fans get both NHL GameCenter Live and NHL Vault, which gives you access to classic games. The Boxee Box can be found at a number of online retailers in the neighborhood of $200.
ROKU XDS
Though Roku hardware isn’t nearly as edgy as the Boxee, The Roku XDS offers similar functionality for a lower price. Like the Boxee Roku integrates with NHL GameCenter Live and the NHL Vault. NBA fans can get their game on with Roku, watching League Pass games live. Even UFC fans get some love from Roku, getting live and on-demand match video and more. The Roku XDS can be purchased from Roku or other electronics dealers for $99.99.
XBOX 360
We all know of Microsoft’s Xbox 360 as one of the premiere gaming systems on the planet, behind the PC of course. But if you have an Xbox Live Gold account and a qualifying ISP your Xbox has access to all the sports video that ESPN3 has to offer. ESPN on the Xbox also fully supports Kinect, meaning you can control the entire experience with your hands and your voice. Kinect also facilitates a social watching experience, allowing your Xbox Live avatar to interact with those of your friends while watching your games.
SAMSUNG EPIG 4G
Though the Epic 4G isn’t the only Android device that supports Sprint’s exclusive applications, with the 4” SuperAMOLED screen and 4G connectivity it’s certainly one of our favorites. The Epic 4G gives you access to Sprint Football Live and the associated news, statistics, video, and insider information that every sports fan craves. Fantasy Football die-hards will get their money’s worth with the wealth of information available through Sprint Football Live.
Racing fans won’t know how they lived without NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile. Live radio broadcasts, live in-car audio for the various drivers, and more statistics and data than you will know what to do with are at your fingertips, always available on your mobile phone.
If neither Football nor Racing are your thing, Sprint doesn’t stop there. Sprint TV offers ESPN MobileTV, SPEED, and NBC Sports on your mobile phone. The best part is that on Sprint all of the previously mentioned apps are free with a data plan. As an Android phone the Epic 4G has access to thousands of apps in the Android Market. There are a host of sports-related apps from ESPN, Major League Baseball, Yahoo, and countless others.
SLINGBOX
A Slingbox is a device that “place-shifts” your TV signal, or allows you to watch your TV signal from somewhere else. The Slingbox itself is a device that connects to your home network and your TV connection and currently comes in two models, the Slingbox Solo and the Slingbox Pro-HD. The hardware talks to a service that allows you to watch a live stream in your web browser or within a smart phone app. Best of all the device is smart enough to communicate with your satellite, cable, DVR, or other set-top box. Simply configure the device once and you will be able to view all of your TV channels while on the go.
APPLE IPAD 2
Apple’s iPad devices certainly have their limitations, but there is a place for them in the sports fan’s bag of tricks. Even for simple web browsing there is a lot of value to having such a lightweight device as a companion while watching games on the weekend. Scores, statistics, and fantasy trades are a couple of taps away with an iPad.
The real benefit to using an iPad instead of an Android tablet or one of the many competitors cropping up these days is simply a matter of apps. Almost all of the usual suspects in the sports world have built apps for the iPad, and most of them have made good use of the larger screen. Most are free, though there are a few that will set you back a few dollars.
ESPN makes use of its various services by offering multiple iPad apps. ScoreCenter XL is ESPN’s standard app for tracking scores, news, and statistics and allows you to log in to your ESPN.com account in order to remember your favorite leagues or teams. WatchESPN allows you to watch live ESPN streams on your iPad (though we may have found a bug that disabled audio through the internal speaker. The issue appears to be related to the iPad's mute switch being configured as a screen orientation lock). Many of the sports leagues themselves even offer viewing of their streaming video services through their iPad apps, though regional blackout rules still apply.
Your favorite sports magazines are available on your iPad through ESPN the Magazine and Sports Illustrated apps. Podcasts offer another wealth of free content that spans all niches. Fantasy sports lovers will find a massive array of apps that support their favorite leagues and services.
Technology enhances every facet of our daily lives, and sports entertainment is a perfect example of an area where this is true. Regardless of what sports you follow there are a plethora of ways to enjoy your favorite team. The key is to know where to look for services and gadgets that will give you access to more games, or provide increased flexibility to follow your games while on the go.
One difficulty for sports fans is the college sports. College football for example has no single league to fall back to, and games may not be scheduled for a time or specific media outlet until a week or two before the game. Fans are required to take this on a game-by-game basis to determine the best way to follow a particular team. Also different conferences such as the SEC may have their own method of delivering games on-demand after the fact. The key is to educate yourself on the various outlets that are available to you for the specific league or teams for which you are most interested.
We know this isn’t an exhaustive list of every sports-related technology out there, and would love to hear what you use to get your game on. Let us know in the comment section what sites, services, or gadgets enhance your life as a sports fan.
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