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'Rocket League' is getting a basketball mode
It's already pretty tough to argue against Rocket League being the best multiplayer game of 2015, but things are about to get a lot more fun. With March Madness almost upon us, Psyonix, the team behind the smash-em-up soccer car game, has teased a new game mode they're working on -- and it looks incredible. Get ready, because Rocket League will soon let you swap goals for hoops with the launch of a new basketball mode.
Fox Sports will stream the Big East hoops tournament in VR
Between the news that March Madness Live will be available on more devices than ever this year and TuneIn partnering with the NBA to host live game audio, it's been a pretty interesting week for hoops fans already. But Fox Sports isn't content to sit on the bench while others boost their draft prospects, announcing it'll be broadcasting the last seven games of this year's Big East Men's Basketball Tournament in virtual reality.
NCAA March Madness Live streams games to even more devices
Oh, March Madness. The time of year when productivity takes a nose dive as sports fans follow along to see who will win the office pool. NCAA March Madness Live is the home for all your streaming needs when it comes to the tournament, and this year the live basketball action is available on more devices than ever before. In addition to the web portal and mobile apps, March Madness Live also streams to Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and Roku gadgets. What's more, the mobile apps also feature Google Cast and AirPlay, should you need to beam the footage to a nearby TV or in-game audio to a wireless speaker.
TuneIn strikes deal with NBA to stream live audio from games
As part of the ongoing efforts to expand its premium radio services, TuneIn has announced a partnership with the National Basketball Association. This new multi-year deal will let TuneIn stream live audio from NBA games to subscribers, including those from the preseason, regular season, playoffs, the finals and All-Star weekend. Last October, TuneIn also struck similar agreements with MLB, NHL and the NFL, so the addition of the NBA only makes the paid app more appealing to sports fans.
'NBA 2K' is having trouble capturing Steph Curry's greatness
When it comes to sports games, virtual players tend to be capable of feats no real person could accomplish. And then there's Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. The reigning NBA MVP dazzles with new moves nearly every time he steps on the court, and Curry's real-life skills are giving the folks behind the NBA 2K fits. In an interview this week, the title's gameplay director Mike Wang admitted the studio is having trouble capturing the star's on-court antics.
Studio sues makers of 'NBA 2K16' for using player tattoos
Sports video games attempt to offer an experience that's as lifelike as possible, which includes details like players' tattoos. NBA 2K16 is a title that does just that, and the pursuit of accuracy may land it in legal trouble. Take-Two, the parent company of 2K Sports that makes the basketball game, was hit with a lawsuit this week from the designers that created some of the big-name players' tattoos. Solid Oak Sketches, LLC claims that Take-Two should have to pay up for using the artwork in the game. Tattoo copyrights don't exist, but Solid Oak argues that the "pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works" of the artists should be protected by law.
Watch LeBron James' training on your Gear VR
Did you get a shiny Gear VR headset as a gift? If so, you already have something new to try with it. Oculus, Samsung and Uninterrupted are launching Striving for Greatness, a 12-minute Gear VR "experience" that shows what training is like for basketball superstar LeBron James. As with the Patriots' football practice, this probably isn't going to go too deep -- the teasers hint at a look-at-how-good-my-life-is vibe. All the same, it's worth a peek (in the Oculus Store or Milk VR store) if you're a hoops fan eager for some more immersion.
Kobe Bryant decides to announce his retirement online
Kobe Bryant announced his retirement at the end of the NBA season through the web and social media -- not by press conference. Sure, Twitter retirement announcements aren't a new thing: Shaq did so in 2011, not to mention David Ortiz and Steve Nash. It wasn't a completely Twitter-specific announcement. He linked to his farewell message / poem in full on The Players' Tribune (a site launched by fellow former-athlete Derek Jeter). The site, which allows pro athletes to self-publish (and say what they want to), meant Bryant gets to say his piece -- although it's not specific. That said, it's already been retweeted over 70,000 times, and half an hour later, the NBA followed up itself on Twitter. The response was so strong that Jeter's site crashed under the strain. It's back online now, so if you'd like to see a portrait of Bryant whispering his farewell sonnet into a basketball, here's where to go.
Wilson's X connected basketball is fun, but not ready for prime time
I am not a good basketball player. I am average at best, which is ironic for someone who loves Jordan sneakers. Still, that doesn't keep me from playing the sport recreationally, even if I end up making a fool of myself most of the time. But because I love watching NBA and NCAA games on TV, I enjoy hooping every now and then to pretend I'm the closest thing to Tim Duncan since Anthony Davis. The sad truth, though, is shooting just isn't my forte. That's part of the reason I wanted to take the Wilson X connected basketball for a spin. Launched in September, it promises to improve your scoring skills by keeping track of valuable performance data, including how many shots you're making or missing and your most efficient spots across the court. It is supposed to be the basketball of the future.
Wilson's connected basketball helps hone your skills on the court
Connected sporting goods are nothing new, and Wilson's a smart basketball that tracks every shot you take on the court is adding to the fray. The Wilson X, which was first announced last year, uses an embedded sensor to tally makes and misses in real time alongside a companion app for iOS devices While it'll only play nice with Apple gadget right now, it'll be available for Android this fall. The mobile software also offers four modes for shooting drills. There's a Buzzer Beater mode that offers the challenge of making the game-winning shot as the clock winds down, for example. Wilson says that this high-tech ball and app combo is made for shooters as it isn't designed to track shots within seven feet of the basket.
ICYMI: Internet of balls, telepresence tourists and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-122321{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-122321, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-122321{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-122321").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: A new basketball has a tracking chip that can tell the difference between a swish and airball. It also syncs with an app that tracks stats and lets the user know how they're doing. Now even the ultimate staycation lazybums can still tour museums and famous spots around the US with telepresence robots. Here's hoping they don't meet the same fate as HitchBot. And Tesla has some competition from Porsche, as it unveils its concept car for an all electric luxury ride.
Valve and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot made 'Team Fortress 2' football
Back when Valve and JJ Abrams' Bad Robot production company announced a partnership involving games and film projects it came as a complete surprise. That theme continues with the duo's first collaboration: a mode for Team Fortress 2 combining soccer, hockey and basketball dubbed "PASS Time." It's only in beta as of now (a concept that Bad Robot found immensely intriguing, apparently) though. The official game description is as follows: "RED and BLU face off in an epic battle to score more goals than their opponents. Coordinated passing, aerial shots, interceptions, team-based formations and plays, defensive lines and the like make for strategically chaotic play."
2K is reportedly bringing college basketball back to its games
For the first time in years, college basketball teams may soon be playable in a video game. ESPN's Darren Rovell reports that 2K Sports has licensing deals in place with ten schools and plans to include them in an upcoming title. That list of teams includes Arizona, Kansas, Louisville, Michigan, UCLA and more according to SB Nation -- some of college basketball's big-name programs. If you'll recall, EA cancelled the 2014 installment of its college football title after a lawsuit over the use of player likenesses and the NCAA pulling its licensing deal. When it comes to college hoops, though, there hasn't been a game in several years, so this would be a welcome release for folks who've been waiting.
Recommended Reading: Wearing Google Glass every day for two years
Recommended Reading highlights the best long-form writing on technology and more in print and on the web. Some weeks, you'll also find short reviews of books that we think are worth your time. We hope you enjoy the read. Two Years Through the Looking Glass by Allen Firstenberg I'm pretty sure there's nothing I've done every day for the last two years. Maybe I've taken a vitamin, but I'm sure I missed a day here or there. Allen Firstenberg is way more dedicated to habit than I am, though. He's been wearing Google Glass since he received the headset two years ago and has a load of observations about the past, present and future of the tech.
Sling TV is sorry for messing up your Final Four basketball stream
Dish's Sling TV streaming service got its first big stress test during the NCAA's Final Four games this weekend... and, well, it didn't cope gracefully. The company has apologized after Sling TV buckled during the college basketball semifinals, producing errors and otherwise keeping many people from following the action. Reportedly, a combo of "extreme sign-ups and streaming" triggered the meltdown -- Dish wasn't prepared for the flood of new customers, and had to juggle the load across its networking partners to get things back to normal. That's an auspicious sign for Sling TV's future (there's clearly a lot of demand for live sports online), but let's hope that it's better prepared for the next big wave of cord cutters. [Image credit: Chris Steppig/Getty Images]
Get your March Madness highlights and analysis on YouTube
While you'll want to venture over to CBS Sports to stream the March Madness live action, YouTube is gearing up for the Big Dance, too. The video library will provide highlights, pre/postgame shows and more on the March Madness channel during the postseason schedule. Of course, those who prefer to catch the action on live television can watch on CBS, TBS, TNT and truTV when the tournament begins on March 17th. NCAA tournament highlights will arrive on YouTube just weeks after Google and the NFL agreed to circulate pro football clips on the site. No matter how you plan on watching, though, it'll be interesting to see which team will be this year's Mercer. My money's on North Carolina Central.
Pelicans' Holiday is T-Rexing in NBA 2K15 glitch video
We're fairly certain that New Orleans Pelicans basketball player Jrue Holiday has perfectly functional arms in real life. As demonstrated by YouTube user wEEman33, it appears that NBA 2K15 disagrees. As seen in the video shared shared above, a recent glitch in the game caused Holiday's arms to seemingly retreat into his body following a server-side update to its MyTeam mode, leaving his hands to jut out from his shoulders like fish fins with opposable thumbs. To make matters worse, the shirtless Holiday was also missing part of his torso and occasionally disappeared, but none of it stopped him from sinking multiple three-point shots. According to Operation Sports, the special armless "Sapphire" version of Holiday no longer exists, as Visual Concepts issued a patch to squash the bug yesterday. 2K Sports' basketball game is no stranger to horrifying glitches; NBA 2K15's face-scanning feature resulted in numerous monstrosities for created players. The publisher had fun with the issue, offering fans Halloween masks based on the face-scan glitch to print out and wear. [Image: 2K Sports]
When you jump, VERT tells you how high
The majority of fitness wearables concern themselves with walking or running, but what happens if your exercise is more vertical in nature? Step forward VERT, a wearable jump-rate monitor that tells you how fast you can jump, how high you can jump and, er, additional jumping-related measurements. Clip the Fitbit-sized unit to your shirt and connect to the companion iOS app and you, or your coach, will be able to see how well you're leaping into the air and how best to improve. It may be a niche technology, but it's already being used by the US women's Volleyball team, so if you want to join in, you can grab a unit for $125.
Settle those sports arguments with Who Won Sports
Many of us love to argue or rather have animated discussions about a variety of topics, politics, religion, where to go for the best hamburger and the king of argument starters: Sports. Now with Who Won Sports you and your friends can settle those disagreements by just pulling out your phone and using this free universal app. Who Won Sports is a simple app that tells you at a glance just what the name implies, who won. You will find team championships, individual award winners and more for all the major sports. Choose your sport, then select which category you want and Who Won Sports in most cases, provides you with a list of winners by year going back as far back as the beginning of the competition or as long as the award has been given. In the baseball category you can choose from twenty-two different championships or awards. You will find World Series winners going back to 1903, Cy Young winners, home run champs, Gold Glove winners, Manager of the Year awards for both leagues and many more including the winners of the College World Series in Omaha and the first player picked in the annual amateur draft held each summer. Did you know Rick Monday was the very first player picked back in 1965? You would if you had Who Won Sports. Overall the app has eight categories from which to choose: baseball, football, basketball, soccer, tennis, golf, hockey, and the Canadian Football League. Golf and tennis feature the four grand slam events in each sport. Tennis includes the Women's winners but no LPGA winners in golf. However the app does include Ryder Cup winners. Who Won Sports makes it much easier to access all this data than using a browser and search engine on your phone. The navigation within the app is a breeze. However I did find a couple of issues that troubled me. For baseball and hockey you will get the winners in whatever year you select but nothing about which team they beat or how many games the series took. However, in the NBA you get a paragraph detailing the outcome of the series and the number of games. In the football category the listing is for NFL Champions but only goes back to the first Super Bowl in 1967. For each winner it tells you what number Super Bowl it was, where it was played and the two teams that played. Why do they provide more details for two of the sports but not the others? Also what about all the NFL Championship games that were played before the Super Bowl started. And what about the American Football League? After all without the success of the AFL, we would have never had a Super Bowl. A little more attention and information would have made this app more complete. I believe you will find Who Won Sports a handy app to keep on your phone and for the most part it will settle a lot of discussions about who won what. You won't find the answer to who is the greatest NFL quarterback of all time but you can see who won the 1928 Stanley Cup if that become important - It was the New York Rangers if you need to know.
Shot Tracker's wearable basketball coach launches today
If you love nothing more than dunking slams and rolling fingers, then you may be wondering where the consumer-level basketball technology is. Sure, there's some high-falutin' coaching setups and a connected Nerf ball, but for everyone else? Step forward Shot Tracker, which is launching a wearable platform that'll turn your smartphone into the only coach you'll ever need. The system comprises a sensor that you clip to the net and a wristband or compression sleeve that monitors your shooting motion. Disregarding other movements like dribbling, passing and pirouetting, the gear can identify errors in your game and show you how to fix 'em. If you're interested in tracking your stats, goals, workouts and getting the whole coaching experience, then you can grab Shot Tracker for $149.99 from right now - although we don't know if your Android or iOS device will give you a hug if you miss that lay up in the 2nd.
