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Brazil's World Cup host cities first in line to get 4G upgrades

Donald Melanson — Mon, 23 May 2011 06:54:00 EST

Well, it looks like folks in Brazil that live in one of the twelve host cities for the 2014 FIFA World Cup now have another reason to be glad their city was chosen. The Brazilian government has just announced that those cities will be the first in line to get 4G service when the country's long overdue network upgrades eventually begin. Unfortunately, it's still not clear exactly when that will happen -- a government official only said that companies will go through a bidding process to win the contract for the network, which should presumably roll out sometime before the World Cup kicks off in three years' time.

Brazil's World Cup host cities first in line to get 4G upgrades originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 23 May 2011 06:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Qatar building fleet of remote control 'clouds' for World Cup 2022

Joseph L. Flatley — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:17:00 EST

When Qatar, an insanely wealthy Arab emirate roughly the size of Connecticut, won the bid to host the 2022 World Cup, one of the stipulations was that its newly constructed open-air soccer stadiums would be air conditioned. Of course, this is Qatar we're talkin' about here, so the solution would have to be as extravagant as its insanely wealthy Arab emirate status implies. That's why it was no huge shock when The Peninsula reported plans to cool at least some of the nine stadiums by using a fleet of solar powered "clouds," designed and constructed by a certain Dr. Saud Abdul Ghani and his team. Dr. Ghani, the head of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering at Qatar University, said that the aircraft (more accurately described as really, really slow drones) will be operated by remote control, made of 100 percent light carbonic materials, and will initially cost half a million dollars each. But, really, what's a few million dollars when it's for a good cause?

Qatar building fleet of remote control 'clouds' for World Cup 2022 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid

Paul Miller — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:43:00 EST

Look, we don't know anything about World Cup bids. They probably have a lot to do with "infrastructure" and "taking turns" and stuff like that. But really, world? You couldn't pick Japan just this once? Japan's incredibly great 2022 World Cup bid involved projecting 3D holograms of the games live onto soccer football fields around the world, allowing folks that can't make it to Japan for the actual games to get a pretty great simulacrum, while standing next to people that look like them and are probably rooting for the same team. "I have to admit that the idea of this blows my mind away," said Japan's committee chief Kohzo Tashima. Did you get that, world? Japan was offering you 3D holographic full field broadcasts, and you just turned a cold shoulder. Congrats, Qatar, we hope you're happy with 2022, and we're sure you earned it based on whatever arbitrary metrics FIFA uses to select World Cup countries. But you'll never earn our hearts. Video of Japan's bid is after the break.

Continue reading World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid

World disappoints us once again: Japan loses 2022 3D holographic World Cup bid originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 03 Dec 2010 14:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D Blu-ray review

Richard Lawler — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:05:00 EST

It's hard to believe that the 2010 World Cup was just a few months ago, but even though many 3D events have come since, it was certainly the biggest broadcast at the time and this week viewers at home can archive it with Sony's The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D disc. This 3D Blu-ray disc (don't even try it in 2D players, we have no idea what will happen but the warnings are very somber -- we suspect a universe eating wormhole) captures 64 minutes of action from all the key games and matchups from South Africa in the highest quality you'll find. While we're currently experiencing an unprecedented flood of movie releases on Blu-ray 3D, this is our first opportunity to dive into some real sports action, check after the break to see if we found it worth the effort.

Continue reading The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D Blu-ray review

The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D Blu-ray review originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony queues up The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D on Blu-ray for November

Richard Lawler — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:57:00 EST

Just in case you missed out on the 3D broadcast of this year's World Cup or if you simply want to relive the experience, Sony has followed through on its promise of a Blu-ray 3D release, scheduled for November 16. If there's any disappointment (other than remembering the United States team's exit against Ghana) it's that despite a $39.95 MSRP ($27.99 on Amazon currently) it has a running time of a mere 64 minutes and no extras are listed yet. Of course, if you're looking for something to hold you over until 2014, we guess this will have to do, but even if you don't purchase we're sure this is a demo disc that will be playing in Sony Style stores for quite a while.

Continue reading Sony queues up The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D on Blu-ray for November

Sony queues up The Official 2010 FIFA World Cup Film in 3D on Blu-ray for November originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan still looking into holographic broadcasts for World Cup 2022

Richard Lawler — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:59:00 EST

Sure, we'd prefer if Japan spent its time working on giant mecha suits to combat any potential alien threats, but right now the National Institute of Information and Communications Studies seems focused on trying to create holographic broadcast technology in an effort to secure Japan as the location for the World Cup in 2022. According to Variety, the team has already developed real time color holography in 3D for small toys and other objects, and plans to show off the technology using 8K Super Hi-Vision Cameras at CEATEC in October. Research leader Taiichiro Kurita compares the work done so far to the decades it took to perfect high definition TV and supposes live holographic broadcasts could be as little as 15-20 years away. Of course, to get there, they'll need more funding to continue research and so far the commercial giants are unsure if there's real product coming anytime soon -- we've got $5 on it, anyone else?

Japan still looking into holographic broadcasts for World Cup 2022 originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Jul 2010 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba reneges on promise of free laptops and TVs if Spain win World Cup

Vlad Savov — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:22:00 EST

Buy a Core i5 laptop or a Toshiba TV, and if your country wins the World Cup Final, we'll refund your money. Simple and to the point, don't you think? Toshiba ran this advertising campaign in Germany, England, Portugal, Italy and Spain in the run-up to the global football tournament, but now that one of those nations has actually gone and scooped the silverware, refunds seem remarkably hard to come by. As it turns out, the small print on that ad included instructions to see Toshiba's site for further details, which elucidated a requirement that all claimants must register their product by the 17th of June. Naturally, that's now led to a whole heap of peeved Spaniards feeling cheated, and big time consumer association Facua arguing that such a major condition to recovering your cash shouldn't have been hidden away online. In the absence of it being clearly marked on the promotional materials, it argues, Toshiba should honor everyone's receipts irrespective of registration. We're inclined to agree -- maybe the Japanese company can recover any losses from the wages of its cheeky advertising staff.

Toshiba reneges on promise of free laptops and TVs if Spain win World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 14:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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World Cup ball gets NASA's official mark of disapproval

Vlad Savov — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EST

If you've been following World Cup tourneys through the noughties, you'll have noticed that criticizing the official tournament ball has turned into something of an unspoken tradition. The latest offender of football purists' stringent standards is the Adidas Jabulani ball, which was introduced especially for World Cup 2010. That wouldn't be notable in itself, but this time it's apparently gotten bad enough for NASA to pipe up and drop some science on the subject. The aerodynamics experts (at least we hope they're experts) of the American space agency have said that the 440-gram ball becomes unpredictable when propelled at over 44mph, resulting in the unnatural swerves and deviations that have been plaguing footballers this year. So there you have it, England, Italy and France: a rock solid excuse to pin your lackadaisical exhibitions of mediocrity this year -- it was the ball's fault.

World Cup ball gets NASA's official mark of disapproval originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 09:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Poll: Are you still watching the World Cup?

Richard Lawler — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST

We'll admit it, not long ago it still looked like the US had a clear road to the semifinals and by Jingo, the Engadget HQ was in full World Cup frenzy mode. But then came a major disappointment vs Ghana, and we're wondering if anyone else is still hanging on to a game most of us ignore outside of this once every four years event. The quality of the games being played hasn't dropped a bit (Germany and the Netherlands, wow) and the broadcasts are looking good in HD and 3D, so let's have it, who's still tuned in?

View Poll

Poll: Are you still watching the World Cup? originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 03 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIFA to again explore 'goal-line technology' after blown World Cup officiating (updated)

Thomas Ricker — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:05:00 EST

Maybe it's just us, and by "us" we mean the US -- a country accustomed to using technology as a means to validate human officiating during our professional sporting events. As such, it came as a shock to Yanks, many of whom were watching international ~~soccer~~ football for the first time, to learn that FIFA had no such system of checks and balances in play at what is without a doubt the Earth's most important sporting event: the World Cup. In particular, the USA, England, and Mexico teams suffered severely at the hands of FIFA referees... and the tournament hasn't even reached the quarter-finals. Today, FIFA President Sepp Blatter apologized to England and Mexico for refereeing mistakes that helped eliminate the teams from the competition. Importantly, he said that FIFA would "reopen the file" on the use of video technology when the rule-making panel meets in Wales next month, adding that it would be "nonsense" not to consider such changes. Let's just hope that a solution can be applied to keep the game beautiful without turning it into some kind of stuttering bureaucracy played by men in short trousers. Regardless, surely it's time to inject a little proven technology into the game instead of relying upon the hand of god to guide FIFA's officials?

Update: The New York Times has a more detailed account of Blatter's statement that specifically excludes consideration of "video replay." According to the NYT, Blatter said, "The only principle we are going to bring back for discussion is goal-line technology. For situations like the Mexico game, you don't need technology." Okaaay, then what's the solution Sepp? Afterall, it was the video replay that instantly showed the world that Argentina's Carlos Tevez was offsides when scoring against Mexico, something your officials on the field missed completely.

[Image courtesy of iA]

FIFA to again explore 'goal-line technology' after blown World Cup officiating (updated) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 07:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung 3DTVs put to the test with World Cup, Monsters vs. Aliens and... iCarly?

Richard Lawler — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:04:00 EST

Of course we've talked 3D to death and back, and we've seen several reviews and previews, but Technologizer took some time out to grab a more "man on the street" impression of the technology. With a mini focus group intact they checked out the Samsung Experience in NYC, taking time to focus on the top of the line 55-inch C9000 LED LCD HDTV. With not much 3D content (the initial viewing was before the world Cup started) they checked out some regular 2D content converted by the display into 3D, while viewers were surprisingly receptive to The Daily Show and Transformers 2 that way, iCarly and American Idol didn't fare quite as well. Still, viewers seemed excited by the 3D Blu-ray movie pack-in, and a short time later, some German 3D fans were impressed by the World Cup presentation, though like our impressions the effect varied based on the camera angle. Ultimately, none of the people asked seemed ready to buy a 3DTV yet, citing lack of content and prices as their main reasons. click through for the full impressions, we'll wait a week or so and see if there's a followup when there's two or more 3D channels and Blu-ray 3D movies to watch.

Samsung 3DTVs put to the test with World Cup, Monsters vs. Aliens and... iCarly? originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ITV HD fails to show England's first World Cup 2010 goal to the home fans (video)

Richard Lawler — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:51:00 EST

While ESPN's World Cup presentation has improved by leaps and bounds over the 2006 effort, UK watchers got a nasty surprise on the high definition feed of ITV during yesterday's highly anticipated United States / England match. At the exact moment England scored its first goal, ITV HD inexplicably switched to a commercial (archived on YouTube after the break) ruining the first great moment of the tournament for many fans. Apparently this isn't new for ITV, which had a similar mistake last year when it made an automated switch to commercial just in time to miss the winning goal in the FA Cup. In this case, what's done is done and the network has already apologized for the "transmission error" (sounds familiar) let us know in the comments -- especially those outside the US -- how your network of choice is handling the beautiful game.

Continue reading ITV HD fails to show England's first World Cup 2010 goal to the home fans (video)

ITV HD fails to show England's first World Cup 2010 goal to the home fans (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 13 Jun 2010 00:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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PlayOn adds ESPN3 streaming for your World Cup viewing pleasure

Richard Lawler — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:49:00 EST

PlayOn's apparently been hard at work to make sure it's worthy of the new premium pricing, and now is ready to offer ESPN3 among the channels it shunts from PCs to connected TV devices including the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii. That means if you have a provider who offers ESPN3 and a TV that doesn't have a cable box on it for some reason, but does have one of the supported devices, you can stream the game live or watch archived videos from the site whenever you please. Of course, ESPN3 and PlayOn's other notable service, Hulu have both been the subject of rumors indicating they'll be available directly on consoles. Any announcements are potentially due in a few days at E3 2010, but the 14-day trial period should give plenty of time to see if any new deals appear on the horizon -- or if your team doesn't make it past the initial group phase.

Continue reading PlayOn adds ESPN3 streaming for your World Cup viewing pleasure

PlayOn adds ESPN3 streaming for your World Cup viewing pleasure originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 15:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Exclusive: a look around ESPN's 3D Master Control room

Darren Murph — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:08:00 EST

Not sure if you knew, but today marks the launch of ESPN's first dedicated 3D channel, predictably titled ESPN 3D. For now, the channel will only be active whenever 3D sporting events are being aired, starting with a full 25 FIFA World Cup matches from the Republic of South Africa. It's a pretty monumental launch for the world leader in broadcast sports, and it's obviously taking a pretty big leap with only a smattering of 3D sets available and an obviously limited amount of content at its disposal. That said, there's hardly a better way to enjoy 3D content than to see sports in the third dimension, which makes the appeal of this new station that much stronger. We're here live at the company's kickoff event in Bristol, Connecticut, and we'll be bringing you lots of coverage from behind the scenes.

One important piece that has yet to be revealed to the public is exactly how this material is getting from the field to the consumer, with Comcast, DirecTV and AT&T (U-verse) signed on from day one. During our shooting for The Engadget Show (don't worry -- we'll be cutting it up and getting it live as soon as possible!) we were able to stop by ESPN's 3D Master Control room, a box no larger than the average American kitchen but infinitely important in the grand scheme of things. Amazingly enough, the room pictured in the gallery below didn't exist six weeks ago, and in an insanely short period of time ESPN has managed to create a control room that sucks feeds in from all over the world, adds graphics (along with a specialized ESPN 3D "bug"), ensures that everything is aligned properly and then pipes it out to the aforesaid carriers.

Gallery: A look inside ESPN's 3D Master Control room

Continue reading Exclusive: a look around ESPN's 3D Master Control room

Exclusive: a look around ESPN's 3D Master Control room originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:08:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

Ben Drawbaugh — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:12:00 EST

It's official, one of the most popular networks in the US (if not the world) kicked off its 3D branch in style today, and we made the trek to ESPN's campus in Bristol, Connecticut to experience it first hand. Put simply, the campus is any gadget or sports nerd's paradise; technology is oozing from every corner of every building, including the one we gathered with other press today in order to witness the start of a monumental three-dee journey. At the front of the large conference room was a 72-inch Samsung DLP, which was delivering the 2010 FIFA World Cup kickoff in 3D from Johannesburg, South Africa. It should be noted that none of the 25 World Cup matches that'll be delivered in 3D aren't being shot by ESPN; instead, FIFA has contracted HBS to shoot and distribute a "world feed." We didn't notice too many glitches during the opening match, but ESPN assures us that native transfers will look even better once they kick things off here in the homeland with the MLB Home Run Derby from Anaheim on July 12th. As for the tech side of things, ESPN was taking in the 1080i50 side by side 3D signal and converting it to the US-friendly 1080i60 side by side, and since DLP sets expect the checkerboard 3D format, a RealD POD was used to make the link between the cable set-top-box and the TV. The glasses were supplied by XpanD, but not the same universal shutter glasses that we expect to be available at retail soon.

Afer we took in the setup, we sat down to enjoy the match, which was opened with a handful of pristinely shot 3D commercials -- of course. A Sony spot kicked off with a soccer team practicing, and naturally ended with a goal exploding in slow motion; without a doubt, this was one of the more spectacular uses of 3D that we've seen, though we're guessing that the budget for the ad was somewhere near the stratosphere. The other commercials weren't any less impressive, with another trio concerning a Gillette razor, Toy Story 3, and a downright comical 'This is SportsCenter' ad where Niel Everett gets a little too close to a pricey 3D camera with his trusty Louisville Slugger. We'll be bringing you more coverage from here in Bristol as the day continues, with the grand finale coming in a special Engadget Show segment that should go up next week. For now, head on past the break for a few impressions from the 1-1 draw.

Gallery: ESPN 3D launch: live from Bristol, CT

Continue reading ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol

ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: live from Bristol originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 12:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Looking for ESPN 3D on Comcast? Get an MPEG-4 cable box first

Richard Lawler — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:19:00 EST

We're just minutes away from the first match of the 2010 World Cup, and the first match broadcast on ESPN 3D. If you're on Comcast and not yet seeing the channel on your guide, it will probably be helpful to know where to look. A few posters on AVSForum have pointed out where to find the guide number for your area, and also that this broadcast is different from the previous Masters 3D event in several ways. First, not everyone will get the channel automatically, while it's provided at no additional charge, it will require a call to add the package to your service, and in some cases, a new cable box -- TiVos won't work this time. Give the FAQ a once over to make sure you're ready to go, then slip on those 3D glasses and enjoy the kickoff match between South Africa and Mexico.

Want to know how things are going? Check @bjdraw on Twitter for live updates on the 3D broadcast straight from ESPN's headquarters in Bristol.

Update: We've confirmed with Comcast that the suddenly restrictive cable box requirements are because ESPN 3D (and future 3D content) is being transmitted in the MPEG-4 format, instead of older MPEG-2 compression. That should ease up any bandwidth concerns, but unfortunately means most people will need to swap their cable box to get the new channel. Is living in the future fun yet?

Continue reading Looking for ESPN 3D on Comcast? Get an MPEG-4 cable box first

Looking for ESPN 3D on Comcast? Get an MPEG-4 cable box first originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 09:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Twitter gets behind World Cup as rest of America fiddles

Thomas Ricker — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:19:00 EST

While the US has its annual World Series competition representing oh, two countries, the rest of the planet looks forward to the World Cup. An event so magnificent it can only be held once every four years for fear of causing economic collapse as businesses shut down to watch their nation's sons play ~~soccer~~ football. Twitter gets it, and has launched a special site that aggregates tweets on a global and per match basis allowing you to voyeuristically share in the human drama via a real-time twitter feed. All without risk of getting punched in the eye. Twitter's also making it easy to connect with players and teams, at least those of whom have not been restricted from using the service, right Holland? Check it out as the first match between host South Africa and Mexico begins shortly.

Twitter gets behind World Cup as rest of America fiddles originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Jun 2010 07:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Samsung announces Adidas-branded N150 Plus netbook

Donald Melanson — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST

The big technology news out of the World Cup this year may be 3D broadcasts, but any sporting event of this size wouldn't be complete without some product tie-ins, and it looks like Samsung has now come through on that front with a little help from Adidas. They've announced this new Samsung N150 Plus Adidas Special Edition netbook, which is apparently identical to Samsung's regular N150 netbook, with the exception of an Adidas design on the lid, and the addition of a Bluetooth 3.0 module -- not to mention a matching mouse and "gift pouch." No word on pricing or availability just yet, but we have a sneaking suspicion it will be limited to places that play "football" instead of "soccer."

Samsung announces Adidas-branded N150 Plus netbook originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Jun 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Japan proposes holographic 3D broadcasts for 2022 World Cup

Richard Lawler — Thu, 20 May 2010 07:58:00 EST

While we're limited to merely 3DTV depictions of the 2010 World Cup, Japan is letting its freak flag fly in a proposal to host the 2022 matches with a concept envisioning matches captured by 200 HD cameras, then projected as fully 3D images onto real fields in other countries. Just in case technology hasn't advanced that far in the next decade plus, there's also the possibility of positioning mics underneath the playing surface to catch every sound, with all of this powered by solar panels plus the kinetic energy created by a stadium full of fans. Even committee director of technology Jun Murai admits the proposal "smacks of science fiction" but seriously, this is Japan we're talking about -- if the beautiful game is still being played by non-augmented human beings and not a squad of robots we'll be surprised. Either way, someone should put Wolf Blitzer and Will.I.Am on standby just in case.

Japan proposes holographic 3D broadcasts for 2022 World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 May 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sky+HD issues limited edition 1TB set-top boxes for World Cup watching

Richard Lawler — Tue, 18 May 2010 10:58:00 EST

Sky just can't quit with the limited edition set-top boxes, issuing its latest edition in honor of the 2010 World Cup. these Sky+HD boxes feature a 1TB hard drive inside and prints from fashion designer Wayne Hemingway, illustrator Gerald Scarfe and actor Phil Daniels on the outside. The pricetag is £249, plus installation fee, but we guess the real question is you can afford not to have a box celebrating 1966 when the games kick off June 11. Think about it.

Gallery: Sky+ HD Limited Edition World Cup STBs

Continue reading Sky+HD issues limited edition 1TB set-top boxes for World Cup watching

Sky+HD issues limited edition 1TB set-top boxes for World Cup watching originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 May 2010 10:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN 3D will be on Comcast in time for the 2010 World Cup

Richard Lawler — Wed, 12 May 2010 11:58:00 EST

Count distributor number two (after DirecTV) and the first cable affiliate for ESPN 3D, now officially coming to Comcast when it launches June 11. That follows up on the Masters 3D event broadcast last month and will give 3DTV owning subscribers with digital cable their first linear channel and VOD package (albeit part time, at least for the first year) starting with the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Not into soccer action? The Winter & Summer X-Games are on deck as well as the 2011 BCS National Championship game next January, and whenever someone catches a football star behaving badly in a bathroom on their new 3D cameraphone, you'll know where to go for the highlights.

Continue reading ESPN 3D will be on Comcast in time for the 2010 World Cup

ESPN 3D will be on Comcast in time for the 2010 World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 May 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony and FIFA release more details on World Cup 2010 3D broadcast

Richard Lai — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:36:00 EST

Sony and FIFA have just released a list of World Cup 2010 games that'll be broadcast in 3D, with ESPN taking care of the US audience, Sogecable for Spain, and more partners to come (including eight matches for selected 3D cinemas around the world). Out of all ten stadiums, only five of these -- Soccer City and Ellis Park in Johannesburg, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth -- are chosen for the 3D broadcast, which sadly leaves out Rustenberg and its England-USA match that most of us here anticipate. Each venue will have seven 3D-camera positions with three above the pitch and four on pitch level, and don't forget the two "3D Outside Broadcast" trucks that'll be busy shuffling between stadiums to process the footage for us all. If you end up totally loving the 3D experience, a Blu-ray 3D compilation disc will be available within 2010. This souvenir should go nicely with the updated PS3 by then -- we were told by Sony that its console's expecting its 3D upgrade around the same time as the launch of its 3D TVs, which just so happens to be around E3 as well. Boy, June sure going to be a fun one this year.

Continue reading Sony and FIFA release more details on World Cup 2010 3D broadcast

Sony and FIFA release more details on World Cup 2010 3D broadcast originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Apr 2010 08:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DirecTV will have ESPN 3D at launch, next to its own N3D channel

Richard Lawler — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:15:00 EST

Not that we ever doubted they would, but DirecTV and ESPN have made official plans to make ESPN 3D available to the satellite broadcaster's millions of customers as soon as it launches June 11 with the South Africa / Mexico World Cup game. Better news? There's no additional charge for ESPN 3D, at least for now, though of course you will need a 3DTV to make any use of the signal. The only other new news is a name for DirecTV's native Panasonic-sponsored linear 3D network, now dubbed N3D (Get it? In 3D? ...Yeah, we didn't either.) Now the only wait is to see if DirecTV can shove its own 3D exclusive in the competition's face (doubtful) or if we hear about any other carriage announcements between now and NAB 2010.

DirecTV will have ESPN 3D at launch, next to its own N3D channel originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup

Vlad Savov — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST

When Humax introduced the UK's first Freeview HD set-top box last week, quite a few of you were understandably disappointed that it didn't come with PVR functionality. Well, you can now strike that off your list of worries, as Toshiba has just gone official with its own Freeview+ HD PVR box that packs a healthy 500GB of internal storage alongside two HDMI inputs and one output, a duo of USB ports and Ethernet connectivity. Equipped with dual tuners, it'll allow you to record a pair of simultaneous broadcasts, while the internal hard drive -- good for storing 120 hours of video -- should be augmentable with external variants. Toshiba makes sure to include DivX and MP3 playback support in the HDR5010, so it should also make for a decent media streamer when it makes its admittedly distant debut in June for £349 ($545).

Toshiba HDR5010 marries Freeview HD to a PVR in time for the World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Feb 2010 14:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Castrol builds freakishly large robot to kick a soccer ball, break legs of silhouette defenders

Tim Stevens — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:46:00 EST

Soccer players are generally such crybabies that we can understand why you'd want to replace them with robots, and sometimes that's done with great success. We don't think we'll be seeing this latest player on the pitch anytime soon, though. It's something of an exhibition robot, a creation sponsored by Castrol to beat the legendary leg of Cristiano Ronaldo, who can kick the ball at 130km/h. This bot from Castrol can top 200km/h, which is mighty impressive -- until you see the size of it. We're pretty sure we saw limos smaller than this out in Vegas, and we're positive that even they are more useful than this thing. Still, check out the video after the break, and watch that plywood defender's leg go flying.

Continue reading Castrol builds freakishly large robot to kick a soccer ball, break legs of silhouette defenders

Castrol builds freakishly large robot to kick a soccer ball, break legs of silhouette defenders originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 26 Jan 2010 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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ESPN 3D launches in June with World Cup soccer -- our football to follow later

Richard Lawler — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:42:00 EST

Need any more proof this is the year of 3D? USA Today is reporting ESPN 3D will start broadcasting this summer with a World Cup soccer match, with additional content coming from the Summer X Games (we won't have to wait for the flick to hit theaters this time) NBA games, and college basketball & football. DirecTV still hasn't confirmed its rumored plans for 3D, but CableLabs CEO Paul Liao is quoted calling the level of engagement 3D sports presents viewers as "unprecedented." More details on exactly how 3D in the home will happen are sure to come throughout the week -- we've already been blown away by 3D sports, it looks like everyone else will have their chance in just a few months.

ESPN 3D launches in June with World Cup soccer -- our football to follow later originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 05 Jan 2010 01:42:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Univision & Telefutura en HD starting Monday

Richard Lawler — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:22:00 EST

Spanish speaking HDTV owners in the U.S. can expect the other shoe to drop this week, with Univision and Telefutura stepping up to high-definition broadcasts starting Monday. The cutover will be staggered, with New York and LA going first at 12:02 a.m. Monday morning, followed by other markets throughout the week. The network's first all HD program will be the Tournament of Roses parade broadcast January 1. As promised, it's followed Telemundo to higher quality in plenty of time for the World Cup next year, sadly now we're just wondering when they'll switch over to 3D.

[Thanks, Andres]

Univision & Telefutura en HD starting Monday originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 05 Dec 2009 13:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony and FIFA team up to make the World Cup 3D

Donald Melanson — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:29:00 EST

It's no secret that plenty of companies are hoping that 2010 will be the year of 3D, and it looks like Sony has now gotten a big boost by lining up a partnership with one of the biggest events of the year: the FIFA World Cup. As the pair have announced today, the new arrangement will see at least 25 World Cup matches produced in 3D using Sony's 3D cameras, which will be viewable through a variety of means. That includes special public viewing events in seven cities around the world (none in North America, unfortunately), an "Official 3D Film" that will be previewed at Sony Stores and other retail outlets and, last but not least, a Blu-ray of said film that will be made available at some point following the World Cup. This won't be the first time a soccer match has been broadcast in 3D, however, and it looks like it won't be your only option for catching some games in 3D next year either.

[Thanks, Matt]

Sony and FIFA team up to make the World Cup 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 03 Dec 2009 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Univision going HD in time for the 2010 World Cup

Richard Lawler — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:16:00 EST

Just when we were wondering about Univision's plans for HD, comes word that it is rolling out high definition throughout the 2009-10 broadcast season, ready in time for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. also to be in HD? Video on-demand packages, as well as broadcasts on the Telefutura group, but if soccer / football isn't your thing, don't worry, there should be plenty of telenovelas and other entertainment specials in the coming year as well.

[Via Multichannel News]

Filed under: New content

Univision going HD in time for the 2010 World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 14 Apr 2009 23:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Africans to see 2010 World Cup in HD after all?

Darren Murph — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:40:00 EST

We were completely and utterly dismayed after hearing that South Africa -- the host nation of the 2010 World Cup -- would not be able to catch the action in high-def in its own backyard. Thankfully, it seems that someone with some clout was able to change all that, or at least that's what we've gleaned from a recent writeup praising the country's sole HD channel (DSTv). Put simply, the writer states that "all [2010] World Cup games will be televised in high-definition," and he also states that locals can catch said HD action "on big screens at one of the many fan parks that will be dotted about the country." We're sincerely hoping these fan parks come to fruition -- can you imagine the excitement of a people experiencing HD for the first time as they watch the beautiful game?

Filed under: Misc, Sports

South Africans to see 2010 World Cup in HD after all? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Dec 2008 21:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sony shows off curved multi-panel HDTV display at FIFA event

Darren Murph — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:20:00 EST

There's not really a practical in-home use for the display array you see pictured on the right, but it sure demands attention at trade shows and special events. Demonstrated at the FIFA Confederations Cup Final Draw at the Sandton Convention Centre in South Africa, the highly unique display consists of nine individual HDTVs mounted on a curve aluminum structure. The whole lot was coordinated to form a single image via Sony's Ziris Canvas HD technology with split visual HDTV renders running on a "proprietary PlayStation 3 hardware solution." According to the report, this is just the fourth time ever that this tech has been used, and it's the first time in South Africa. Man, would 3D material be trippy on this or what?

Filed under: Misc, Displays, Other formats

Sony shows off curved multi-panel HDTV display at FIFA event originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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South Africa to host 2010 FIFA World Cup, not see it in HD

Darren Murph — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:28:00 EST

What, is this some sort of sick joke or something? The host nation of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, South Africa, will be unable to watch the action happening in its own backyard in high-definition. According to a recent report from Johannesburg, the SABC "has no plans to broadcast the 2010 FIFA World Cup in high-definition for South Africans." Instead, Switzerland-based Host Broadcasting Services (HBS) will film the games in HD for other countries. The trouble is that an overwhelming amount of South African citizens would need to procure a digital set-top-box in order to view the content in high-def, and considering that HD adoption in the nation is already low, it's simply not a high enough priority to bother with. Of course, political pressures could lead to change in all of this, and for the sake of the locals yearning for more high-def (and technological progress in general), we certainly hope so.

Filed under: Sports

South Africa to host 2010 FIFA World Cup, not see it in HD originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FIFA to trial chipped soccer ball in Japan

Darren Murph — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:33:00 EST

The referees at the upcoming Club World Cup in Japan will likely be taking a little less flack from the fans if a ball manages to come dangerously close to slipping into the net, as FIFA is deploying a type of "goal-line" technology that more precisely indicates whether debatable shots really crossed the line. At the heart of the system are four sensors that are placed around the goal and a single microchip within the so-called smart-ball; if the ball does indeed cross over the goal line, an encrypted message is instantly beamed out to a referee's watch, leaving no doubt as to whether or not a point should be awarded. Apparently, the system will be widely used at the 2010 World Cup if testing proves successful, but unfortunately, this same technology can't be used to embarrass the multitude of players who will inevitably take a dive in order to draw a card.

[Via AFP / Yahoo, image courtesy of FIFA ]

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

FIFA to trial chipped soccer ball in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 07:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Live Earth delivers 24 hours of HD concerts July 7th

Richard Lawler — Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:37:00 EST

Satellite heavyweight Intelsat is shaking up the summer programming schedule from its usual list of reruns and walking dead cancelled TV shows by sponsoring Live Earth: The Concerts for a Climate in Crisis. The 24 hour concert scheduled for July 7th, will be its largest HDTV undertaking ever, eclipsing even the World Cup, with uplinks from 8 stages around the world sending high definition feeds of artists including Snoop Dogg, Madonna, The Police and others to an estimated 2 billion viewers. The only channel with the full event in high def will be Universal HD starting at 4 a.m. on the 7th. We can't decide which is the better cause, environmental awareness, or something in HD to watch this summer, but with this we don't have to choose.

[Via Multichannel News]

Filed under: NBC, Universal-HD, Satellite, New content

Live Earth delivers 24 hours of HD concerts July 7th originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 01 Jul 2007 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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SABC unveils HD broadcast unit for 2010 World Cup

Darren Murph — Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:12:00 EST

While the World Cup in Germany led to skyrocketing HDTV sales, additions of channels, and worldwide recognition (South America notwithstanding), things have remained up in the air regarding the HD status of the next go 'round. While we've found that HD would be coming to South Africa at least partly in response to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, we still weren't exactly sure if everything would pan out so smoothly. While Sony's hoping to get into the football madness itself, SABC -- the host broadcaster for the matches -- has officially (and finally) acquired its first "outside HD broadcast unit" featuring "the latest in high definition technology." Moreover, the nearly $15 million unit is said to be "the first of its kind" on the entire continent, and will hopefully deliver the crystal clear picture and sound we HD sports lovers crave. If you're troubled that such a luxurious unit must wait three agonizing years to be put to good use, take heart, as SABC is already broadcasting "international cricket matches" with its newfangled toy.

Filed under: Media streamers, OTA, Satellite, Sports

SABC unveils HD broadcast unit for 2010 World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Nov 2006 00:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Robo-One Robot Battle Ball -- heck yes

Paul Miller — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:25:00 EST

Sure, that crazy idea of soccer bots besting the human World Cup champs by 2050 will be plenty fun 44 years from now, but how about a bit of entertainment in the here and now? Robo-One has just the thing with their new Robot Battle Ball competition, which mixes the tried and true dynamics of soccer, but throws out all the lame rules like "no hands" and "no head-butting." The result is a rather entertaining game, and though the contestants are currently remote-controlled, we're sure these little bots will figure out the necessary maliciousness on their own before long. So peep the read link, watch the related video of Robot Battle Ball action and get ready for the next big thing in sports. At least until NFL starts back up again. Oh wait, nevermind.

Filed under: Robots

Robo-One Robot Battle Ball -- heck yes originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 07 Aug 2006 18:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LCD price drops could be ending soon

Matt Burns — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:54:00 EST

The good 'ol days could be coming to an end soon. Analysts are indicating that the predictable nature of LCD TVs could stop soon and it's kind of our fault. You see, around here, we report all these cool, new products that are coming out soon and in turn, you don't buy the current model. Plus, there was that whole World Cup fiasco where the manufactures hiked up the production lines but people didn't buy nearly enough of 'em. Because of both of these things, primarily the second one, there is an over-supply of these panels and the predictable price dropping nature of flat-panels maybe coming to an end soon. This isn't to say that they won't drop in price overtime, just not to the extreme they have been over the last few years.

Filed under: Industry, Misc

LCD price drops could be ending soon originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Global plasma shipments only rose 3% in the second quarter

Matt Burns — Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:46:00 EST

This last quarter was suppose to be another 'golden quarter' for display makers thanks to the most watched event in television history. These manufacturers were expecting the World Cup to help flat-panel shipments score. (sorry, had to) While shipments did raise 3%, it wasn't the goal (sorry again) that they were expecting. Plasma makers were expecting somewhere near 8% instead of the 3% they ended up with. The World Cup just didn't garner the amount of demand that was expected.

Filed under: Industry

Global plasma shipments only rose 3% in the second quarter originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 24 Jul 2006 11:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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More on HD in Africa for the World Cup

Erik Hanson — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 23:36:00 EST

Following up on a story we reported last week about preparing Africa for the World Cup in HDTV, Sony released some news about the 4k (or 4,000-plus-pixel capable) projectors they demoed at this year's World Cup broadcasts in South Africa. Using a projector that is capable of 4k resolution (four times the normal 1080 lines of high-definition resolution), Sony claims their Silicon X-tal Reflective Display (SXRD) projector helped with the first live HD transmission on the continent.

The projector can drive either four different 1920x1080-pixel screens, or be combined into one 4096x2160-pixel monster display. At up to 18,000 lumens, it's also obviously designed for outdoor venues and movie theaters, but it's great to see yet another area getting exposure to the superb detail and color of high definition. We thought HD was all over the place for the 2006 games, but it's clear we can expect even greater display and broadcast technologies when the 2010 games roll around.

Do you think we'lll have to wait for the World Cup games in 2010 to get the ultimate in HD display and transmission technologies like these, or will all this be old news by then?

Filed under: Misc, Sony

More on HD in Africa for the World Cup originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 14 Jul 2006 23:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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MLS pushing "The Beautiful Game" on HDNet

Richard Lawler — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:33:00 EST

In case you didn't have your fill of high definition round-ball football action during the World Cup on ABC & ESPN, Major League Soccer wants you to remember we play some soccer in HD over here too. They've scheduled 10 of the remaining 15 HDNet broadcast games, 7 of which will be exclusive to the network. All are broadcast in 1080i and 5.1 surround, the list of games scheduled so far follows.

Continue reading MLS pushing "The Beautiful Game" on HDNet

Filed under: Programming

MLS pushing "The Beautiful Game" on HDNet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jul 2006 19:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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