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It looks like Sony's 10-year-plan for the PS3 is over
Yesterday, Sony announced that MLB The Show 17 will launch on PS4 next March -- but it won't be coming to the PS3. As the previous year's edition of the sports game was the last first-party title to come to the aging console, this probably means Sony won't put out new content. If so, we've reached the end of the company's 10-year-plan to support the system. Goodnight, sweet prince.
Smart sleeve warns you of impending forearm injuries
Wouldn't it be great if you could know that you're about to injure yourself moments before you actually do? A pair of students out of Rice University believe that they've developed a wearable that can do just that. Ziel's M2 Sleeve is a prototype device that's designed for baseball pitchers to monitor the stress on their forearm. Using a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes and muscle sensors, the unit can track motion and raise the alarm just before someone does some real damage.
MLB's At Bat app now plays highlight videos on your lock screen
With iOS 10, Apple has expanded its devices' 3D touch applications from gimmicky afterthoughts to quick feature accessibility. It's also opened up what kind of interactions are possible from the lock screen. Some savvy developers have already combined the two, like those working on MLB's official At Bat app. Its latest upgrade pops up videos as notifications on your locked screen, which play with just a bit of 3D touch pressure.
Twitter is livestreaming weekly MLB and NHL games
Twitter's live sports streaming plans are expanding well beyond college games, the NFL and tennis. It just unveiled plans to livestream weekly Major League Baseball and National Hockey League games for free with occasional ads. This won't replace a TV or internet video subscription (you can only watch if you're out-of-market, for one thing), but it'll be widely available: MLB games will be available in most countries worldwide, while NHL matches will be available across the US. You won't need to log in to start watching, either. And this is apparently just the start, as Twitter is also promising regular programming regardless of the sports you watch.
Cardinals scout sentenced to 46 months for hacking another team
Last June, the FBI began investigating the St. Louis Cardinals for hacking computers of the Houston Astros to access confidential scouting reports on the teams players. Christopher Correa, the Cardinals' former director of baseball development, plead guilty to five charges of unauthorized access of a protected computer back in January. Today, the FBI in Houston announced that Correa was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for tapping into the Astros' player files without permission. He's also required to pay $279,038 in restitution for the incident.
Intel brings 360-degree replays to Major League Baseball
Intel is determined to make 360-degree replays a staple of the sporting world. The chip designer has announced that it's bringing 3D capture technology to Major League Baseball games, starting with the All-Star Week events at San Diego's Petco Park (the All-Star Futures Game, the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game) between July 10th and July 12th. Its technology will string 28 cameras around the field to show plays from nearly any angle. In short, there shouldn't be any doubt whether or not that runner is safe -- you'll almost always have a good view.
Blast Motion's swing sensor data is coming to baseball broadcasts
Major League Baseball had already approved Blast Motion's swing analyzer for use in training sessions, but now that the gadget is official hitting sensor of the league, it's going to be used for a lot more. Data from the $150 device will be used in television broadcasts, starting with the MLB All-Star Futures Game on July 10th. While that matchup is only an exhibition of the baseball's up-and-coming young talent, Blast says other "select television broadcasts" will feature stats collected by the swing tracker.
AP now automates news for most minor league baseball games
The Associated Press announced plans to automate financial stories back in 2014, and last year the media outlet started doing the same for college sports. Expanding its partnership with Automated Insights, the AP will now generate coverage for nearly every minor league baseball team. This is an expansion of existing bot-powered sports writing as it will now handle game storylines for 142 teams in 13 leagues. To put it another way, every Triple-A, Double-A and Single-A team is included with only Rookie Leagues left out.
Major League Baseball team uses VR for batting practice
Virtual reality made its way into the NFL last year, when the Dallas Cowboys became the first team in the league to use the technology for training. Now, on the Major League Baseball side, a similar path is being followed by the Tampa Bay Rays. The team has started utilizing a simulator from EON Sports VR known as iCube, which lets players step inside a virtual batting cage and practice their swing. Coaches are fans of this method because it takes less physical wear on an individual, plus it allows batters to experience throws that mimic those of pitchers across MLB -- like Giants' own Madison Bumgarner.
Major League Baseball approves wearable tech for in-game use
Major League Baseball season started this week, and the league's rules committee will allow wearables to hit the diamond for the first time. During games, MLB players can wear a Motus Baseball Sleeve to keep tabs on elbow stress and the Zephyr Bioharness heart and breathing monitor. For now, those are the only two approved devices for in-game use. Yes, this means gadgets like Jawbone, Fitbit or other more consumer-friendly devices are still prohibited.
Zepp's redesigned sport sensor tracks your swing more accurately
For Zepp Labs, a young startup from Los Gatos, California, the goal with its first multi-sport sensor was clear from the beginning: To help baseball, golf and tennis players improve their game. Now, more than two years after the introduction of that product, the second-generation Zepp has arrived. At its core, the new swing-analyzing gadget remains nearly the same, but there are notable developments both on the inside and outside.
Yahoo expands sports streaming with daily MLB games
Opening Day is like Christmas for baseball fans, and Yahoo is giving them another reason to celebrate. 180, to be exact. Yahoo Sports announced today that it will stream one Major League Baseball game per day throughout the 2016 season. That's right, you'll be able to tune in free of charge to a daily matchup until the postseason begins. Each game will have commercials and, unfortunately, will remain blacked out in local markets as is typically the case with MLB broadcasts. There will also be plenty of analysis with Yahoo's Big League Stew baseball blog.
Apple and the MLB team up to put iPad Pros in the dugout
When the commentators during a baseball broadcast refer to the tablets Major League Baseball coaches are holding as "iPads," unlike pro football announcers, they'll actually be correct. Apple and the MLB have signed a deal that'll put 12.9-inch iPad Pros in dugouts and bullpens around the league, offering up everything from performance stats, videos of plays from past games to pitcher-batter matchups, according to The Wall Street Journal. All that data comes from a custom app co-developed by Apple and the league, MLB Dugout.
Major League Baseball takes Snapchat to the dugout during games
Snapchat isn't new to sports coverage, but with Major League Baseball this season, the social channel is making a big push at the ballpark. The collaboration between the app and the league kicks off next Friday (March 11th) when MLB will allow players to use cellphones in the dugout for the first time. Before, during and after Spring Training games, players will be permitted to post their own snaps and selfies. Oh yeah, there's a special selfie stick for the occasion: the SnapBat. Yes, really.
Zepp and Old Hickory debut bat with integrated swing sensor
Zepp tipped its hand on integrated swing sensors for baseball bats and tennis rackets back at CES. With MLB Spring Training in full swing, now's as good a time as any to pull the wraps of the finished version. The sports-tracking company teamed up with wood bat manufacturer Old Hickory for the Mike Trout Old Hickory Smart Bat. If you're unfamiliar, Mr. Trout is one of the best hitters in Major League Baseball over the last few years and a long-time fan (since high school) of Old Hickory's sticks.
MLB.tv's baseball subscription is $20 cheaper after lawsuit
Major League Baseball was due in court last month to answer for its practice of region-locking games. The policy basically meant that a die-hard Red Sox fan in the southeast US had to pay extra for things like Extra Innings package through a cable provider or an MLB.tv streaming subscription. Even with the latter option, in-market games were still blacked out or unavailable locally. In other words, if you didn't have cable, you weren't be able to watch your in-town team because of existing TV deals. MLB settled before the class-action lawsuit got going in court, agreeing to offer MLB.tv single-team packages priced at $85 a year. However, if your team doesn't do well, you won't be able to stream the playoffs or World Series.
The lawsuit that can change how you watch Major League Baseball (updated)
Major League Baseball is in court today to defend its practice of region-locking game broadcasts, Bloomberg Business reports. MLB's broadcast deals force some fans to purchase bloated TV and internet packages like DirecTV's Extra Innings or MLB.TV in order to watch the games they want, plaintiffs argue. Comcast and DirecTV join MLB as defendants against a class of fans certified by US District Judge Shira Scheindlin.
Former Cardinals official pleads guilty to hacking another team
The Justice Department announced back in the June that it was investigating the St. Louis Cardinals for allegedly accessing another team's scouting reports. Today, the Cardinals former director of baseball development plead guilty to five charges of unauthorized access of a protected computer after accessing the Houston Astros' player files without permission.
A virtual baseball simulator could change how hitters train
EON Sports VR is on a mission to change sports training as we know it. The young, Kansas City-based startup recently teamed up with retired MLB player Jason Giambi on Project OPS, a virtual reality baseball trainer powered by a consumer headset. But that's not the only novelty EON Sports VR has been working on. Last June, it teased an interactive baseball hitting simulator, one that allows players to step into a virtual batting cage and practice their swing. Today, at CES 2016, I had the chance to try it.
Zepp wants rackets and bats to pack integrated sensors
Now that any athlete (or wannabe) can measure their baseball, tennis and golf swings with standalone sensors, Zepp figures that the next step is putting them directly into the sports equipment. The company announced that it's working with several equipment manufacturers to integrate its sensor and cloud tech directly into baseball bats, tennis and badminton rackets, cricket bats, glove gloves and other products. It also wants to partner with companies and sports' governing bodies to develop open-source sensor standards for both professional and amateur athletes.
