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Watching Golf this Week: Deutsche Bank Championship, aka FedEx Cup Round Two

August 30, 2012 by

Welcome to round two of the FedEx Cup Playoffs, three weekends of golf that don’t mean much until week four. In the spirit of Jason Dufner (who skipped the first week) we are taking most of this week off, so here is your bare bones info for the TV watching this weekend. Which doesn’t start until Friday, since it’s Labor Day weekend here in the U.S. and everyone needs sports to watch on Monday… right? Right.

Oh, and in case you forgot… Nick Watney won last week. Exciting, wasn’t it?

DEUTSCHE BANK CHAMPIONSHIP / FEDEX CUP PLAYOFFS

(all times Eastern)
TV COVERAGE

Friday, Aug. 31 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 1 — Golf Channel, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Sunday, Sept. 2 — Golf Channel, 1 p.m. — 3 p.m. NBC, 3 p.m. — 6 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 3 — Golf Channel, 11:30 a.m. — 1:30 p.m. NBC, 2 p.m. — 6 p.m.

RADIO
SIRIUS XM (Satellite)
12 p.m. — 6 p.m. every day

ONLINE
Live@ video is back this week —
Live@ coverage — 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., every day

PGA SHOT TRACKER
If all you want is shots and distances (which can be addicting) get your fix via Shot Tracker, which will definitely be in action at the Barclays.

FACEBOOK PAGE
The Deutsche Bank’s Facebook Page.

TOP TWITTER FEEDS TO FOLLOW

The Deutsche Bank twitter feed.
Geoff Shackelford — well known golf writer. If you’re not following Geoff you are missing the online boat.
Golf Channel — official Golf Channel feed
@PGATOUR — official PGA Twitter feed
@StephanieWei — great golf writer who is a Twitter fiend.
Doug Ferguson is the lead golf writer for AP. Good Twitter insights that often aren’t part of your wire-service lead.

WHAT’S THE COURSE LIKE?
Info on the TPC Boston.

WHO WON THIS THING LAST YEAR?
Webb Simpson.

FEDEX CUP PLAYOFF LEADERS
1. Nick Watney, 3,266 points
2. Brandt Snedeker, 2,694
3. Tiger Woods, 2,417
4. Rory McIlroy, 2,299
5. Zach Johnson, 2,166

See the playoff full standings at the PGA site.

WORLD GOLF RANKINGS
1. Rory McIlroy; 2. Luke Donald; 3. Tiger Woods; 4. Lee Westwood; 5. Webb Simpson.
See the official World Golf Ranking list.

Filed Under: Golf, NBC Sports, PGA Tagged With: , , ,

Samsung is Back with Galaxy Note II Phablet (Phone/Tablet)

August 29, 2012 by

Samsung Galaxy Note II

Samsung is back with its latest tablet the Galaxy Note 2, or to be exact, a hybrid device that is both a phone and a tablet featuring a 5.5-inch screen and all of the functionality of a smartphone. It was one of many announcements the company made at the IFA trade show in Berlin.

The release comes less than a week after Samsung lost its court case vs Apple is US District Court, a lose that could result in fines as large as $3 billion and cause the company to have as many as eight smartphones banned in the US. The court has said that it will hear Apple’s request for a permanent injunction for select Samsung smartphones on Dec 6.

The latest Galaxy Note has a slightly larger screen, 5.5-inches as compared to 5.3-inches, compared to its predecessor. It has been reported that it is Sa

msung’s second most popular smartphone after its Galaxy S lineup. The first generation Note was released last October and sold $10 million units, according to the company.

The device, often called a phablet due to its hybrid nature will feature the larger display that has 1280 x 720 resolution, which is also slightly thinner that the previous version. In addition it will feature a quad core 1.6GHz processor and an 8 MP camera, includes the Android Jelly Bean operating system and it uses a stylus. It has 2GB RAM, and is available in 16GB, 32GB and 64GB storage versions.

There is competition in the phablet space with the LG Optimus VU and an expected one from HTC, the 6435LVW and considering the success that Samsung had with its first generation I would not be surprised to see more players join the field. I was very skeptical about them but I think that the customers that have purchased them simply envision them for uses in ways that I did not. Others also see the potential as market research firm AMI Research has predicted that annual sales for phablets will reach 208 million units globally by 2015

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Filed Under: 4G LTE, Android, Apple, Galaxy Note, HTC, iOS, iPhone, Lawsuit, Samsung, Smartphone Tagged With: , ,

Pac-12-Networks, Ooyala release Pac-12 Now for iPad

August 29, 2012 by

Pac-12 Now for iPad opens up multi-screen viewing

The Pac-12 via its Pac-12 Networks continues to move to enhance its presence in the digital world and with partner Ooyala has now delivered an iPad app that will enable fans to watch both live and video on demand games (VOD).

The app, Pac-12 Now for iPad, is one of the first efforts from the recently formed Pac-12 Networks, an organization that is designed to bring both broadcast and streaming sports and entertainment to fans, in conjunction with its partner Ooyala. Pac-12 Now for iPad is available in the iTunes Store and on Pac-12.com.

Ooyala developed what it calls a graphic interactive program guide (IPG) that enables users to customize the app to meet their individual preferences. It allows a user to prioritize both sports and teams during setup and has a chat feature so that fans can share comments and thoughts when viewing live action via Facebook and Twitter feeds that are enabled next to the video feed so that you do not have to switch to a different app while viewing.

Going forward the IPG will also feature the ability to alert users to events that are currently live and inform them on issues such as games that are tied, close or near the final moments as well as provide social feedback via a social graph that you can ac

cess.

The two plan on continuing to expand the technology so that users with PCs, tablets and smartphones will be able to watch games when not in front of a television or to use it as a second screen, watching two events at the same time. Android is the next platformed targeted and it should be out soon.

The goal is to broadcast 850 live and VOD sporting events over the year as well analysis and commentary, statistics, press conferences, documentaries and other content. By connecting it directly to social media such as Facebook and Twitter it enables a degree of participation for fans that a simple broadcast would not allow.

Aside from the IPG Ooyala also provided what it calls a Stat Server. The Stat Server automatically imports sports stats and timecode data from third parties and tags that with live and VOD content. This enables users to search by stats or event tags and allows the information to be displayed at the proper time when an event is being viewed, regardless if it is live or VOD. The authentication is designed to make it easy to view content across multiple connected devices.

It is very interesting to look at all of the ways in which colleges are reaching out to fans and getting both sports and academic advancements out to alumni and fans. Recently the ACC added YouTube to its digital network. The Big Ten Network has already expanded out to digital devices and recently added Android support.

This is just great for fans, not just mobile ones but also fans of multiple teams or sports-they can now watch a game on a mobile device while also catching a different one on the TV or a computer, enabling them to easily stay abreast with events in areas that interest them.

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Filed Under: Android, Apple, Apps, Big Ten Network, Comcast, iOS, iPad, Live sports via mobile, Live Sports Video Consumption, NCAA Football, NCAA Hoops, Ooyala, Pac-12, Smartphone, Social Media, Tablets Tagged With: ,

Game Fixing in eSports? Say it Ain’t So!

August 28, 2012 by

League of Legends

All of the gamers that I know are fiercely competitive, and would destroy their grandmother (figuratively) if it meant that they could advance to the next level or open up new capabilities and so I was shocked at the news that came out of the Summer Championships from last weekend.

Major League Gaming, the tournament organizer, has revoked the titles and prize money that had previously awarded to the top two teams in the League of Legends tournament, accusing the teams of colluding in the first round.

While the MLG did not spell out exactly how the two teams colluded, it has been speculated that they played an easy version of the game in order to manipulate the rankings for later in the tournament, which ended up having these two teams face each other for the championship.

If this sounds familiar a similar collusion occurred during the recently concluded Summer Olympics with the badminton teams. In the MLG case, the teams still played to win, it is just that they manipulated the system, a move that violates both the rules and the ethics of the MLG.

They have both agreed with the ruling, at least in part, as has Riot Games the developer of League of Legends. The top two positions in the tournament will be vacated, with no team winning those places, but the third and fourth places finishers will get their points and awards.

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Filed Under: Contests, eSports, Major League Gaming, Video Games Tagged With:

NFL Invites Fantasy Fans to Try for $1 million Prize

August 28, 2012 by

NFL Fantasy Perfect Challenge

Pro Football game that count are almost upon us and so many fantasy football leagues are preparing for their leagues drafts by pouring over fact sheets and looking at who has been waived and picked up- but there is another way to use that knowledge by playing in the NFL Fantasy Perfect Challenge.

While I am sure that winning your league comes with some valuable perks, there is the potential to win $1 million in the NFL fantasy game, and I am pretty sure this trumps most league benefits of simply having bragging rights.

The program is free to both join and play and is pretty simple to play. The contest will last for the 17 weeks of the season ending on Jan 20, 2012. Each week you would go to the game page and select your lineup based on the player roster.

You select eight players, fielding a team that features one quarterback, two running backs, two wide receivers, one kicker and one team defense/specialty team. Each week you can use the same or different players as you see fit.

Points are accumulated by a method spelled out in the rules that basically calls for the most points coming from scoring both on offense and defense and you can lose points for fumbles and interceptions. Also yards gained passing and rushing accumulate points.

Defense and specialty teams accumulate points from touchdowns on punt, kickoff, fumble and interception returns as well as sacks safeties and shutouts, among other options. Allowing large amounts of points are negatives to your score.

To win the grand prize a player needs to pick what is called the Perfect Lineup. This means that you need the position player that scored the highest number of fantasy points at each position. For other prizes you need to pick the NFL player and defense/ specialty team for that week.

I can see myself developing an ulcer as some coach brings out the quarterback in the fourth quarter of a late season blowout killing my chances at $1 million. Of course since I have a difficult time separating my emotions from my team it’s likely the rest of the players I have selected will not be at the top of the leader board, but I can always dream!

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Filed Under: Contests, Fantasy Sports, NFL Tagged With:

Mobile Sports Report TechWatch: Lots of Apple News- NASA uses Android

August 27, 2012 by


NASA satellites to operate using Android phones
Gizmodo is reporting that the brains that will operate a set of tiny asteroids that are being built by NASA will use the smartphones running Android. The satellites, called PhoneSats will be made from off the shelf materials and will only cost around $3,500.

The devices will be approximately 4 cubic inches and the next generation is expected to launch next year. NASA already has tested the first generation that uses a Nexus One smartphone for two way communications and other uses.

iPad Mini in October?
The rumor mill has been churning over the features and delivery date for the expected iPad Mini from Apple. The tablet is believed to be a 7-inch tablet, the first from Apple. Now Cnet is reporting that the device will officially see the light of day in October.

Original reports had the device coming to market along side the next generation iPhone, that is expected in early September but apparently Apple had different plans if the most current reports are correct.

IAC has purchased About.com for $300m
Internet conglomerate InterActiveCorp has reportedly purchased About.com from the New York Times in a $300 million cash deal. The Times was probably happy to rid itself of the money losing property, having taken a $194.7 million non-cash write down on the group last quarter.

However the Times originally purchased About.com for $410 million in 2005. About.com is similar to a property that IAC already owns, Ask.com, and is being positioned as a complementary property by IAC.

Samsung shares drop $12 billion after US Court verdict
Samsung, already stung b

y losing big in its court case against Apple in the US, with as much as $3 billion on the line took another hit after the verdict was read. Its stock dropped like a rock, with shares dropping 7.5%, resulting in a loss of $12 million in the company’s market value, according to a report from Reuters.

Apple still dominates tablet sales according to HIS iSuppli
Apple is slowly expanding its dominate market share in the tablet space according to market research firm IHS iSuppli, and now sells seven out of every ten tablets. Apple's 69.6 percent share in the April-June quarter is up from about 58 percent in the first quarter, helped by the release of a new model just as the quarter began.

HIS iSuppli’s top 5 in the second quarter of 2012Here are the top five manufacturers of tablets in the second quarter, as released by IHS iSuppli:
Apple 69.6 percent share
Samsung Electronics Co. 9.2 percent.
Amazon.com Inc. 4.2 percent
AsusTek Computer Inc. 2.8 percent
Barnes & Noble Inc. 1.9 percent
Other, 3 million, 12.3 percent
It will be interesting to see the next two quarters as the Microsoft Windows 8 show as well as the very popular Nexus 7 could have an impact on the standings.

ITC provides Apple with an additional win
The U.S. International Trade Commission ruled in Apple’s favor last week wjhen it stated that the company did not infringe on three of Motorola Mobility’s patents, in a complaint that has been ongoing since 2010. The ITC remanded the investigation of a fourth patent that is under dispute by the two to an administrative law judge.

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Filed Under: Amazon, Android, Apple, Barnes & Noble, Google, iOS, iPad, Kindle, Lawsuit, Microsoft, Nook, Samsung, Tablets, The New York Times, Windows 8 Tagged With: , , , ,
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