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NFL Network and RedZone Channel coming to Time Warner Cable (Update: Officially confirmed)
You don't have to look high (or low) to find a litany of complaints regarding Time Warner Cable's service, support or pricing, but it's evidently aiming to right one particular wrong later today. According to Bloomberg, the National Football League has inked a deal with TWC to bring the NFL Network and RedZone Channel to its systems. The move comes just months after the NFL ushered its networks onto rival Cablevision, putting TWC is a particular bind in the greater NYC market. It's still unclear where the channels will be positioned and how much extra you'll have to pony up to get 'em, but hey -- it's cheaper than moving to a FiOS neighborhood. (Though, admittedly, less satisfying.) Update: Both parties have confirmed it, NFL Network and NFL RedZone Channel are coming to Time Warner Cable and Bright House Networks starting September 23rd. NFL Network will be included for customers on the Digital Basic and Sports Pass tiers, while NFL RedZone is on the Sports Pass package only, check the press release after the break for the relevant details and self-congratulatory affirmations.
Epson joins fitness market with world's lightest GPS watch
In the world of electronics, the size of a device directly relates to its ability to pull ahead of the competition -- especially when it comes to fitness-tracking gadgets. The latest and greatest in this field has emerged from the most unexpected of places, with Epson, a company known for its printers and projectors, releasing the world's lightest GPS watch. This timepiece, specifically designed for runners, reportedly offers more accurate readings and better battery life (up to 12 hours on one charge) than competing products from Garmin, with acute data on distance, speed and pace, all due to its newly-designed 13mm-thick module. If sweat is an issue, the water-resistant casing offers protection against a full submersion of up to 50 meters -- you can wipe your brow with a sigh of relief. Pricing and availability on the company's latest concept is still unknown, but you can let your eyes do the jogging as you peruse the press release just past the break.
Motorola considering Nike+ SportWatch contender?
It looks like Motorola might be prepping to give the Nike+ SportWatch a run for its money. An intrepid tipster sent along a screenshot from a recent survey showing off what looks like a tricked out nano watch. Described as an "all-in-one fitness and music personal fitness device" (redundant much?) that packs a GPS for "accurate performance tracking," the as of yet unnamed gadget also sports a "smart music player" that compiles a list of songs based on the tunes that help you sweat your best. It also lets you wirelessly sync to your PC for workout analysis, and apparently does the same for Android devices. Among the possible names listed in the survey is the MotoActive, hinting at, but certainly not pinning down, Motorola branding. Of course this is just an online survey, so we wouldn't get too excited about your new running mate just yet. [Thanks, Anon]
Super Bowl XLV Media Day: Packers split on iOS / Android, Cowboys CIO talks mobility
We woke up this morning in Dallas to 20 degree temperatures and a parking lot covered in ice. Not exactly the kind of weather the NFL was hoping for when it selected the new Cowboys Stadium to host Super Bowl XLV, but it didn't stop both teams and media from making their way -- however slowly -- to Arlington for Super Bowl Media Day. Naturally, the likes of ESPN were there in full force, but rather than picking apart defensive schemes and seeing who could outgun Troy Polamalu for the longest mane in North Texas, we spent our time asking about mobile OS preferences and soaking up knowledge from Cowboys CIO Pete Walsh. With a price tag well north of $1 billion on the new Cowboys Stadium, the home to the world's largest HD display is certainly one of the most technologically advanced in the world. It's packing 884 wireless access points throughout (not to mention an internal network operations center that constantly monitors activity on each one), 260 miles of fiber optic cabling, capacity to handle over 100,000 simultaneous wireless connections, over 3,100 IPTVs and micro cell towers for each major carrier within -- you know, so that kickoff video that just can't wait actually sees its way onto YouTube prior to the start of the second half. Head on past the break to catch of a video of us talking smartphone platforms with Green Bay Packers center Scott Wells, as well as a lengthy (and insightful) interview with the Chief Information Officer of the Dallas Cowboys. Everything from the Cowboys' rejection of FanVision to their hopes to blanket the stadium with gratis WiFi is covered, and we're even given a hint that contactless payments and mobile food ordering systems could be just a season or so away. %Gallery-115523%
Ripxx ski app out now for Android, still has no idea what the street value of this mountain is
The closest we have ever come to a ski race is the worn out VHS copy of Better Off Dead we still have in the back of our closets somewhere, but if you're an Android-lovin' ski bunny jealous of all the attention Ripxx has been giving the iPhone, you're in luck. That's right, your fave open source smartphone OS has its very own version of the Ripxx Ski and Snowboard app. Version 1.1 features over 200 mapped out resorts, GPS tracking, stats recording (including speed, distance, and vertical drop) and more. Not bad for $5, eh?
Ripxx ski app for iPhone great for athletes, useless for Epyx Winter Games
We received an interesting email from Ripxx this morning, stating that due to an unprecedented outpouring of comments on our previous post for its sports GPS, the company's gone and developed its very own iPhone app. That's right, instead of planning your ski trips around a piece of dedicated hardware, you can now do it on the same device you use to read Texts From Last Night while sitting on the loo. The Ripxx iPhone Ski App, as it's called, features trail maps from over 200 North American ski resorts, Google Maps integration, the ability to track time, speed, distance, and vertical drop for your various trips down the mountain. Whatever that means. But hey -- it's only five bucks! And it's available now. Video after the break.
NFL 'currently talking' with Verizon to distribute programming on tablets
Ah, so now we understand Verizon's intentions to hastily roll out LTE service to NFL cities. The NFL, which has sided with Sprint over the years when it comes to cellular distribution of content, is apparently in even deeper talks with newfound partner Big Red in order to get its prized content into even more hands. As the idea of watching NFL games on-the-go because more and more sensible, the league is apparently mulling the decision to distribute games (and potentially more) on the next big thing. You know, tablets. Brian Rolapp, the NFL's senior vice president of media strategy, recently said the following: "The NFL will be on a tablet. It's a question of what shape or form. We are currently talking to Verizon about it." VZW declined to comment on the rumblings, but it's really not a shocker -- the carrier's doing everything it can to get a live LTE network here in the States, and inking a deal with America's most popular sporting league would obviously bring in boatloads of revenue. The real question is this: what tablet is the NFL eying, and if it's not the Samsung Galaxy Tab, what's Verizon's second tablet going to be? Inquiring minds would love to know.
Sensor-laden SensoGlove helps you make smarter decisions than Tiger Woods
You scoff, but it's true. Do you honestly think Tiger Woods has the luxury of looking down as his golf glove while on the Masters' greens and seeing if his grip is too tight? Indeed he doesn't, nor will he ever if we understand anything about PGA regulations. Germany's own Sensosolutions has just revealed what it's calling the planet's first "digital golf glove," with the $89 SensoGlove boasting a handful of sensors that "continuously read the user's grip pressure." In real-time, users are shown that data on the sweat-proof 1.2-inch LED monitor, and it's even capable of outputting information via aural commands. Put simply, it can give you a warning if you're exceeding your target grip pressure level, and it can even show you exactly which fingers are squeezing too tightly. What it can't show you, however, is just how closely your wife is monitoring your extracurricular phone activities -- but hey, there's always version 2.0, right?%Gallery-103286%
FanVision handheld makes NFL nosebleeds far more bearable
Dolphins owner Stephen Ross has just made public his own Kangaroo TV operations, but the end product is something far different than just in-stadium televisions. The FanVision handheld (shown above) has been reportedly shopped to every single NFL team, but only a dozen of 'em decided to take Mr. Ross up on his offer (along with the University of Michigan, curiously enough). Essentially, this here handheld works only while within the stadium, enabling fans to view instant replays from multiple angles, out of town games, real-time stats from around the league, NFL Red Zone, live fantasy football updates, on-demand video from your home team, a cheerleader cam (yeah, seriously), highlight reel of the game and the actual network telecast of the event that you're at. 'Course, this type of fan customization isn't exactly new -- the Mariners have been offering something similar to Nintendo DS owners for awhile now -- but given the high absurd price of front row seats, we'll take any extra angles we can get. FanVision will be available within the stadiums of the signed-on teams (listed after the break) for $199 without any activation or recurring fees, though the MSRP is tagged at $259. Sure beats paying for PSLs, huh?
New Exilim golf-friendly digicam hitting Japan; the Pro from Dazaifu never had it so good
Golf fanatics will stop at nothing in pursuit of upping their game, and as you know, all sorts of gadgets have been modified to suit their purposes, from PNDs to digicams. Apparently Casio's Exilim line has been a favorite, and now its golf-centric camera is getting something of a spec bump. The Exilim EX-FC160S sports a 10 megapixel backside illuminated sensor, 5x optical zoom at 37mm, and support for 240fps video with an optional 30fps slow-motion playback. Available in Japan come August 27, in a limited production run of 5,000 units.
Ripxx exercise GPS adds Mac OS support to its other EXTREME! qualities
We're all basically huge jocks here at Engadget </sarcasm>, so anytime we can combine our love of cross training with our love of consumer electronics it's a pretty good day. Only a thousand times less interesting than Dancepants, the Ripxx Personal Measurement Device (as you may recall) integrates a GPS, accelerometers, and gyroscopes for tracking your performance and movement in all three dimensions. And now Apple users can get in on the game (or least train and then sit on the bench), with an upgraded Ripxx Suite Version 2.1 that includes not only full Mac support but Improved activity reports and graphs and lap time measurements. If this is your bag, hit up the PR after the break. As for us, we're going to get back to this quart of Chunky Monkey and VHS copy of BASEketball.
Trust in Casio's Japanese Exilim EX-FS10S, it'll turn your bogeys into birdies
Sure, we could rattle off a list of specs -- and if you're curiuos, it's a 9.1 megapixel sensor with 3x optical zoom and 720p video -- but you know what's really gonna have Casio's Exilim EX-FS10S flying off shelves? The ability to stand it behind your tee and show you exactly how you screw up your swing, with special help of the company's trademark 1000 frames per second burst mode. The catch is, while the EX-FS10 is already available in US, only the Japanese model seems to have your golf buddy. Bummer.
Ripxx debuts Personal Measurement Device for exercise nerds and Olympic athletes
If we're being candid, the Ripxx Personal Measurement Device (or PMD, as the hip kids call it) looks a lot like the original SPOT with the addition of a display. But aside from the physical likeness, there aren't too many similarities between the two gizmos. Launched this month, the handheld fitness tool is apt to be a surefire winner for any competitive athlete, not to mention competitive individuals in general who just need a statistical way to track their dominance. Essentially, an integrated GPS tracker pumps out ten tracking signals every second during, let's say, a ski run. That information, coupled with data gathered from a trio of accelerometers and gyroscopes, is used to record your location, orientation, speed, vertical drop, rolls, spins, turns and just about any other movement you make. Once you're done, those points can be plotted on a map for review. We're told that the U.S. Olympic team is already using a prototype to train for the 2010 winter games, though mere lay people won't be able to buy one until mid-December for $329.
Rugged, waterproof Predator VX360 wearable camcorder destined for X Games
Had your daily dose of Sal Masekela? No? Shame on you! Though, we have to say, if this here wearable camcorder takes off, you could very well hear that very fellow doing color commentary over some pretty sick footage. The Predator VX360 is a rugged, waterproof wearable video camera that's engineered to withstand abuse from the elements while popping 1080 kickflips on the halfpipe, and unlike many head-worn alternatives, this one has its recording module (complete with a built-in LCD) strapped to an armband. The "eyeball camera" is still meant to cling tightly to your dome, but details are scant when it comes to resolution and the like. It's available now for daredevils in the UK, though the £549.99 ($892) sticker is apt to keep most of 'em at bay.[Via I4U News]
Apple patent filing shows off activity monitor for skiers, bikers
Fans of more extreme sports will probably be stoked to hear that Apple just might be developing a device with them in mind. Apple Insider's discovered a recent patent filing that could possibly signal the development of a monitoring device (much like Nike+) which can detect, track, and display a visual and quantitative measure, for instance, of a skier's speed and air time. The device looks like it would contain one or more loft sensors (in one photo it is shown installed in a snowboard) and a microprocessor subsystem to determine loft time. There are of course, no guarantees that a product like this will ever see the light of day, but we sure hope so: runner favoritism must end. One more page of the filing after the break.
iriver, Speedo suit up for new Aquabeat underwater MP3 player
Another Spring, another opportunity for iriver Japan and Speedo to sell a few MP3 players designed for underwater use. Yes friends, the Aquabeat you've grown to know, love and disassociate with overly tight swim trunks has a successor, the Speedo LZR Racer. Design wise, you won't notice a lot of differentiation from the first, but this waterproof-to-three-meters device has twice the internal memory (2GB) and a built-in rechargeable battery good for around eight hours of continuous playback. It's said to be shipping now in Japan for ¥12,800 ($128), though we hear it won't be coming to America without first nailing down a Michael Phelps endorsement. Not that said task will be too tough or anything.[Via Impress]
Video: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft's iPoint 3D Pong match gets heated
After hearing that Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft was bringing its newfangled iPoint 3D setup to CeBIT, we simply had to make the 5.9 mile hike from Hall 26 to Hall 9 to check things out. As with most things that this outfit touches, iPoint 3D was also a sight to behold. Without any goofy glasses, players and onlookers alike could easily detect depth in the display, and while we're some of the toughest 3D critics you'll find, even we were taken aback at just how not-gimmicky it was. An overhead motion detecting system fed signals to a nearby computer, which then translated the hand gestures into paddle movements within the simple two player Pong game. The gals we recorded seemed to have a pretty good time with it, and if you don't believe us, just check out the winner's victory dance at the end of the clip -- it'll make your day, and that's a Billy Mays guarantee.%Gallery-46448%
Top 10 HD sports broadcasts of 2008 -- do you agree?
We know, they're essentially meaningless in the grand scheme of things, but there's something about these "top lists" that just warms our hearts. Arlen Schweiger over at Electronic House took a long, hard look back at all the sports he consumed over the course of this year in order to compile a best-of-the-best list for HD content. We don't want to give away any spoilers before you give the read link a visit, but let's just say "Texas tips Oklahoma," "Giants Freeze Packers" and "Celtics Return to Glory" are scattered about in there somewhere. And while we're on the subject, what's your top 10 high-def sports list of 2008?
EA Games aiming to bundle peripherals with games
Oh, brother. Let the onslaught begin. Now that games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero have proven to be huge money makers, not to mention how profitable those ridiculous shells for the Wiimote are, we're betting that EA Games is just the next of many that will soon bundle peripherals with games. According to EA's David McCarthy, his firm will be "using a peripheral strategy to some extent, even over the course of the next 12 months." Thankfully, he did note that extras would only be bundled "if it really does enrich the experience of gameplay and doesn't create a barrier to entry for consumers." We can see it now: $80 sports titles that create all sorts of relationship problems with the partner who actually values a kempt living room.[Via Joystiq, image courtesy of HouseOfNintendo]Read - McCarthy speaksRead - McCarthy elaborates
HD offerings gluing Americans to their couches
You won't color us impressed on these statistics, but it's finally becoming a bit more apparent that HD offerings are making more and more Americans park it on the couch for longer periods time. While we've given you plenty of reasons (that you probably didn't need) to gander at HDTV, recent numbers are showing that folks are watching HD broadcasts at times for no other reason than the fact that it's in HD. In a recent survey conducted on ESPN's behalf, a whopping "22 percent" of sports fans said they watched events now that they would've never even glanced at if it weren't in HD, while another 22 percent said that HD converted them into sports fans altogether. Although ESPN has been a frontrunner in the push for total HD programming, their offerings are apprently transforming folks who were previously indifferent about March Madness and Rivalry Week into dedicated viewers of all sorts of HD content, and we couldn't possibly agree more. Moreover, an astoundind one-third of all reposndents said that having the program in HD influenced their decision to watch or pass, so maybe there is something magical going on in that 720p / 1080i hubbub, after all.
