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Verizon's FiOS playing big role in Super Bowl XLIII
If you can't quite afford a ticket to attend Super Bowl XLIII, you may still be able to get close enough to feel the noise. If so, there's a decent chance you'll be enjoying the action nearby courtesy of Verizon. This year, said operator has become the first ever "non-partner" vendor allowed in the NFL Experience, as it was selected to wire the Tampa Convention Center and several affiliated hotels in the area with its FiOS fibers. All told, the outfit laid some 14,000 years of fiber in downtown Tampa is preparation for the big game, and FiOS TV will power 143 TVs throughout five downtown venues. Additionally, 116 FiOS TV set-top-boxes were installed along with 138 data lines, though there's no telling if any of this will remain after fans pack up and head home. More details are just past the break.
Super Bowl XLIII airing in 230 countries, over half in HD
Man, what a difference a year makes. In 2008 we saw that Super Bowl XLII would be aired in 28 countries around the world, and this year that number is increasing substantially to 230. A grand total of 61 international broadcasters will televise the game in 34 languages, with the high-def signal going to 19 broadcast partners in 152 countries. DTS also notes that its Neural Surround technology will be tapped in order to deliver "5.1-channel" sound to international viewers through "any consumer surround sound system." The live action kicks off at 6:00PM ET this Sunday, and given the abundance of partners, you should be able to catch it (even in HD) almost anywhere in the world.
VIZIO does it big time with own Super Bowl ad
We've always respected those who practiced what they preached, and we've got to give it to VIZIO here -- it's definitely standing by its word of switching marketing gears from discount to high-quality. The company famous for delivering HDTVs at rock bottom prices has just announced that it will air a commercial in this year's Super Bowl, and at around $3 million per slot, you know it'll be worth watching. Of course, you probably shouldn't expect scantily clad females or overdone explosions, as the company's co-founder and VP of sales and marketing Laynie Newsome has stated that the spot is one that's "simple and speaks directly to its customers." Low-key and Super Bowl? Those don't mix, do they?
What recession? CEA sees the Super Bowl selling 2.6 million HDTVs
Despite the economy, it looks like a lot of people love their in-laws, with things looking good enough for a Consumer Electronics Association survey to indicate 2.6 million HDTVs will be sold as a result of the Super Bowl (are you ready?), up from the two million predicted last year. For the year the group sees sales rising to 29.8 million (out of 34.5 million total digital TVs), topping 2008's tally by a good three million, mostly because prices have continued to drop. Probably due to that price factor, plasma TVs are expected to make up only 10 percent of the year's sales. Still not buying an HDTV for the Super Bowl? Don't worry, there's always March Madness, the Oscars, World Cup, World Table Tennis Championships, the day after next Tuesday...
Survey finds that HD Super Bowl could bring families together
We've seen some pretty outlandish survey results before, but this might just take top honors. A Samsung-commissioned poll has revealed that "an HDTV can entice your spouse to visit the in-laws, even for the Super Bowl, if it means viewing football in high-definition." Heard that? Your family could actually grow fonder of one another if your in-laws are showing the Super Bowl in high-def. The actual results were that 43 percent would make the trek to their in-laws if they could count on watching the big game in HD, with 50 percent of that subset being men and 34 percent being women. The survey also found that 81 percent felt image quality was more important than food, and we're left to wonder what on Earth those other 19 percent are drinking so heavily. Check the read link for even more laughs.[Image courtesy of PBase]
Madden 09 predicts Pittsburgh Steelers victory in Super Bowl XLIII
The Super Bowl is only a few days away, and as expected, EA has run a Super Bowl simulation using this year's Madden. This year, the publisher expects the Pittsburgh Steelers to achieve a narrow victory over the Arizona Cardinals, with a final score of 28-24.The annual Madden prediction has been fairly successful, with the exception of last year's surprise victory from the New York Giants: 2004 - Madden: Patriots ; Reality: Patriots 2005 - Madden: Patriots ; Reality: Patriots 2006 - Madden: Steelers ; Reality: Steelers 2007 - Madden: Colts ; Reality: Colts 2008 - Madden: Patriots ; Reality: Giants Super Bowl XLIII kicks off February 1st, when the NY Giants will somehow manage to pull off an even more startling victory this year. Go NY!
Prepared for Super Bowl XLIII? Here's how.
Believe it or not, Super Bowl XLIII is but days away. If you've been putting off that home theater expansion, the time to get serious is now. We've hosted up a handy guide to get your abode totally ready for hosting a rather monumental bash, so why not head over to Engadget Classic and check it out? We're not responsible for the condition of your wallet should you follow each and every recommendation, but we are guaranteeing that it's a darn good recipe for joviality.
Super Bowl XLIII to boast interactive commercials
For years now, companies have sought to produce the most engaging advertisement on the eve of the Super Bowl here in America. In just a few months, however, they'll be vying for something else -- your clicks. Canadian sportscaster Le Réseau des Sports has confirmed that both SD and HD broadcasts of Super Bowl XLIII will feature commercials that are "enabled with interactive functionality permitting viewers to opt-in and hyperlink directly from the RDS network to long-form video content." Additionally, viewers will be able to bookmark that content for future viewing. Details of how the links and on-demand material will work are still fuzzy, but it's apt to function a lot like the TV-to-Internet ad platform that's already out courtesy of Backchannelmedia. The bar just got raised a few rungs higher, and we're pretty stoked to see what happens next.
