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Seahawks and Mariners fans can buy concessions with their fingerprints
Sports fans in Seattle now have the option of using the biometric services offered by Clear to enter stadiums, buy concessions and verify their age for alcohol purchases. Seahawks and Sounders FC fans will be able to use their fingerprints to get through security lines and to make purchases at certain concession stands at CenturyLink Field. Additionally, while Clear already allowed Mariners fans to use their fingerprints at Safeco Field's security checkpoints, game attendees can now also use Clear at select concession spots. The Seahawks are the first NFL team to partner with Clear. This also marks the first time in the US that biometric data has been approved to replace both IDs for age verification and credit cards for purchases.
Visualized: Seattle Mariners unveil 'largest screen in Major League Baseball'
This week, the Seattle Mariners showed off a new 3,840 x 1,080, surface-mount LED display at Safeco Field -- one the team's PR department touts as the "largest in Major League Baseball and among the largest in all of sports." At 201.5 feet wide by 56.7 feet tall, its surface area of 11,425 square feet places it behind massive screens at Charlotte Motor Speedway (16,000 square feet) and Cowboys Stadium (11,520 square feet). That's good enough, the team said, to rank as the third-largest sports-venue display in North America and surpasses Kauffman Stadium's HD scoreboard as the largest in baseball. Roughly 1,200 individual panels make up the screen, offering a total of 4,147,200 pixels -- more pixels than the 2.6-megapixel Cowboys Stadium display, the team pointed out. To feed their new HD beast, the team revamped its video control room and upgraded to high-def cameras throughout the stadium. A 64-bit operating system called VisionSOFT allows the team to mix in multiple video sources, from in-house animations and HD video feeds to out-of-town footage from broadcast partners. All told, the HD upgrade required about 3,000 feet each of power, video coax and Cat5 cables. Along with showing ads, stats and replays, the team will take advantage of the HD resolution to display social media updates from fans during games via Twitter, Google+ and other sources. You can check out more shots of the new screen in action after the break.
Early DirecTV 3D reviews take the good with plenty of the bad
Now that n3D is live on DirecTV, there's an opportunity to see whether or not the 3D revolution is actually ready for takeoff. Judging by early impressions from CNET's David Katzmeier and HDGuru Gary Merson, like the early days of HD and Blu-ray before it, quality 3D experiences are unfortunately mixed in with mediocre to awful ones. CNET had mixed impressions of the Guitar Sessions segments featured on n3D, while the effect seemed forced at times, though enjoyable at others. Unfortunately both reviewers cited African Adventure: Safari in the Okavango for its terrible presentation, with Merson going so far as to request it be taken off the air until the 3D issues are corrected. It wasn't all bad, as he gave Encounter in the Third Dimension and S.O.S. Planet much higher ratings, along with an overall favorable impression of this past weekend's Mariners/Yankees broadcast despite a few camera tracking issues. If you have a 3DTV experience of your own let us know in the comments, or check out these reviews to know what to watch (or avoid) until there's a bit more to choose from.
YES, FSN sign up additional providers for Yankees/Mariners 3D broadcast
Since we last checked in, the YES Network has expanded the networks with the first 3D MLB broadcasts as the Yankees play the Mariners this weekend. Verizon had previously mentioned it would have 3D baseball on FiOS, while Multichannel News says Blue Ridge Communications, Cablevision, Comcast, Cox, Service Electric Broadband Cable and Time Warner Cable will all make the games available on July 10 and 11. Besides these special events, FiOS says it's continuing to prepare a full 3D offering for the winter holiday shopping season, when it figure more customers may find new 3D-capable HDTVs and glasses under the tree, but for now subscribers can catch the game on channel 575. Cox lists channel 784 in its press release, and encourages interested fans to stop by the Manchester or Meriden Best Buy stores to check out the games. Left coasters aren't left out either, besides DirecTV, they can catch 3D games on FSN NW on Comcast and Time Warner Cable, while the network is apparently still discussing expanding to other operators.
Nintendo updates DS baseball app with live ESPN data
For the 2009 baseball season, Nintendo has announced new updates to the Nintendo Fan Network, the suite of utilities and games available only at Seattle's Safeco Field. The new version of the Nintendo Fan Network features ESPN content including news about Mariners baseball and other sports, ESPN baseball columns, fantasy sports information, and "ESPN Zoom Game, a photo-matching game for sports." The new updates also feature closed captioning for PA announcements!The Fan Network retains its previous features, including weather information, video, networked trivia games, and a food and drink order service.If you don't have a DS with which to access the service, or if you just want to mess with a DSi, NIntendo is offering free rentals of the device for the first 150 people to ask for one during home games in the season's first three months.%Gallery-4854%
Nintendo to promote Mario Super Sluggers at Safeco
Seattle residents, Nintendo is going to be promoting Mario Super Sluggers this Friday at Safeco Field, where the Mariners will be taking on the New York Yankees. There, Mario will throw out the opening pitch, as well as kiosks to demo the game. What's even better, though, is that Nintendo will be randomly giving away a Wii console and copy of Mario Super Sluggers during each inning. For those of you unfamiliar with the sport, that's nine consoles and copies of the game. That is, if the Mariners and Yankees don't go into extra innings.%Gallery-24326%
Video walkthrough of the Nintendo Fan Network
For the majority of you, our write-up long ago about the DS Fan Network service at Safeco field provided more than enough information on what it's about and what you can expect. But, we understand there are some of you out there who don't like to go over tons of screenshots or read long, desriptive passages (uh, what are you doing now?) and want an in-your-face video showing off some of the features of the newly-free service in real time. Well, thanks to the community over at GameTrailers, someone has done just that, as they've labored through the pain of watching the Seattle Mariners (they're not that good, we hear) all in the name of DS education. Check out the video above to see some of the features in action, then hit up our gallery below if you find you want to see more.%Gallery-4854%
Nintendo's DS-accessible Fan Network now free at Safeco Field
Nearly a year after the innovative (albeit not-entirely-practical) Nintendo Fan Network went live at Safeco Field in Seattle, the powers that be have decided to nix those pesky access fees and give every DS-toting guest access gratis. That's right, folks who show up to catch a Mariners game can now check out other MLB scores, dig deep within player stats, order up grossly overpriced grub and even watch a terribly pixelated version of the game they're currently at without handing over one red cent. The nosebleed section never had so much potential.[Via Joystiq]
Seattle Mariners' in-stadium DS service goes free
Seattle Mariners fans tired of paying money for the Nintendo Fan Network -- Nintendo's questionably useful in-stadium DS service that premiered last fall -- will be encouraged to hear that the service will now be offered for free to any Safeco Field attendee with a DS. The service lets you view MLB stats and scores, order overpriced food, and watch grainy, laggy video of the game that is actually going on right in front of you at the park if you'd just look up from the screen for a second jeez!Nintendo also promises undisclosed "new features" will be coming soon, but even without them, The Slog's Sam Machkovech thinks the Network has some potential as a free service. He even urges his fellow Seattle brethren to "descend upon Safeco in droves, stare at your tiny screens mid-game, and be satisfied!" Now that's something we'd pay to see.
Nintendo offers free Fan Network access for all Mariners home games
Nintendo is making it worth your while to be packing your dual-screened beaut when you attend any Seattle Mariners home game this year, as the company has announced the Nintendo Fan Network is free for use at Safeco Field. Now you can check live stats and partake in some baseball trivia, as well as order food and have it delivered to you!Some of you may remember the service itself was pretty cheap ($5) before, but now it's considerably more cheap. And considering how cheap general admission tickets at a baseball game are, we'd suggest you attend a game and see what it's like for yourself. %Gallery-4854%[Via press release]
Non-Seattleites can now buy a limited DS that is irrelevant to non-Seattleites
Thanks to some enterprising eBayer, the limited-edition Seattle Mariners DS Lite is available outside of the confines of Safeco Field. We aren't really, uh, sports people, but we do know that extreme team fandom usually coincides with proximity, meaning that the people who are all about having the Seattle Mariners logo on a DS Lite probably live close enough to just go buy one. But that doesn't take into account the crazies who collect systems. Crazies, this auction is just for you. The good news is that eBayer diet_bill isn't asking any more than the $195.99 the unit costs inside Safeco Field. The bad news is that the picture he's using for the auction is the same one used when the Lite was first discovered back in May. It could be that this guy is a) too lazy to take his own picture, b) actually the same person that took it before. But with even the slightest amount of evidence that this isn't an actual picture of an actual product, we advise that you proceed with caution.[Via GameSniped]
Nintendo and Mariners hook up the fans
Nintendo, who you already know have quite the stake in the Mariners franchise, are celebrating with the fans on September 15th. As thanks to the fans, the first 1,500 attending patrons will be able to hook up to the Nintendo Fan Network for free. Not only that, but Nintendo will be hooking 16 lucky people up with limited-edition DS Lites, completely decked out with the Mariners' logo and autographed by select team members.Any of you west coast readers plan on attending the game on Saturday?
DS Fanboy Review: Nintendo Fan Network
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/In_depth_look_at_Safeco_Field_s_DS_Fan_Network'; Nintendo's Fan Network allows Safeco Field attendees to enhance Mariners games with software downloaded onto the DS. For a $5 fee, baseball fans can order food, watch live video, play networked games, learn about the players, and even keep up with other baseball games, right from their seats.The Fan Network finally delivers on some of the promise of one of the least-used features of the DS: download play. It is possible with download play to create context-sensitive DS games and services that can be given away freely (or sold) to any DS owner within range, and to add Internet-based bonus content to events. I hope that, based on this example, more downloadable DS services become available and expand the functionality and enjoyment both of the DS and the events to which people bring their systems.
Touching is good at Safeco Field
The Seattle Mariners baseball team is trying a new pilot program at Safeco Field that lets fans watch replays and live feeds of the game, answer trivia questions, and even order food from the relative comfort of their sticky bleachers. Sound interesting? Oh, we forgot one detail: all of this uses the DS.For a $5 fee ($30 for 10 games), access to the Nintendo Fan Network software is granted. Two download points in the stadium broadcast the software wirelessly. We're glad to see Nintendo getting some mileage out of that baseball team they bought. They've certainly got our interest with this context-sensitive non-game. We want to go to a baseball game now.[Thanks, Dave and Matt!]
Nintendo's DS Lite orders food, shows replays at Safeco Field
Those looking for a little more interaction at Safeco Field this season need only bring their DS Lite and a few extra bucks. This season, Nintendo is trialing the Nintendo Fan Network at the home of the Seattle Mariners, which enables onlookers to "order food and drinks, watch the live television feed of the game, access stats and scores, and play trivia from the comfort of their seat." The quietly introduced pilot program has brought several kiosks to the park, which uploads a program to the DS Lite and enables the WiFi-equipped handheld to take part in the bonus festivities. Eventually, the Big N hopes to expand the system into other stadiums, but for now, Mariners fans can get in on the action for $5 per game, or $30 for ten games.[Image courtesy of Flickr]
