MarchMadness2014
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March Madness 2014 was live streamed nearly 70 million times
Hey, look, we all know the Super Bowl is a pretty big deal. But March Madness isn't that far off, both in terms of viewership and the great dose of excitement it injects into fans. And there are numbers to prove it too. According to Turner Sports, an NCAA partner, March Madness Live 2014 shattered all previous online viewing records for the tournament, netting a total of 69.7 million live streams. That statistic takes into account the different platforms in which the service was available this year, which included a website as well as apps on iOS, Android, Kindle Fire and Windows devices. In retrospect, Turner reports that March Madness Live 2014 streams grew by 42 percent compared to last year, while TV Everywhere (aka sites and apps from pay-TV providers) also saw an increase in usage during the basketball tournament, with an 85 percent growth from March Madness 2013. All in all, the NCAA can be pleased by the response from people in 2014, who clearly took advantage of the streaming options it was able to provide in association with CBS, Turner Sports and cable/satellite companies. [Image credit: Charlie Neibergall/AP]
Moto X gets new college colors and a lower price in time for March Madness
When you've got Moto Maker, you don't always need accessories to show support for your favorite sports team. With March Madness only days away, Motorola has thrown nine new back colors and three new accents into its Moto X paint pot to create the "College Collection," a set pre-configured color combinations that'll match upwards of 40 school teams. It's no secret that Motorola's flagship is struggling to sell, so it's embarking on yet another price reduction, this time giving students the chance to snag an off-contract Moto X for just $339 (regular price $400) with a qualifying .edu email address. Incidentally, Motorola won't print your school's logo onto the back of your fresh Moto X, so you'll have to buy one of Uncommon's $35 clear cases instead -- because phones need lettermans too.
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March Madness Live app dribbles its way to Windows Phone 8 this year
This year, Windows Phone 8 users can watch all 67 NCAA men's basketball games too, now that the March Madness Live app has arrived (there's also a new app for Windows 8, if the browser doesn't cut it). The streaming app was previously available on iOS and Android only, and long ago, it even cost $10 a pop to download. Now the app is free, but any game aired on TNT, TBS or TruTV still requires a cable TV subscription for viewing. There is a brief preview period before users need to log in, and anyone can stream games aired on CBS. As a bonus for cable subscribers, each semifinal round will have three different feeds that viewers can choose from: the game coverage itself and team-specific presentations. Other than these new features, the apps also got a new interface that make them more suitable for phone and tablet screens. The March Madness Live apps aren't exactly available yet, but as the name implies, they're slated to hit the App Store, Google Play and Windows Marketplaces sometime this March.
