Despite Macintosh Issues, NBC Records Record Audiences for Sunday Night Football Online Streams

Even though Macintosh users are now second-class citizens when it comes to watching NFL games online, NBC this season has still racked up record numbers of online streams of live action, according to NBC.

The NFL’s season opening game, carried by NBC on Thursday Sept. 5, accounted for more than 20 million minutes of online streaming, making it the biggest-ever online sports event that wasn’t a Super Bowl or Olympics, according to NBC. And this past Sunday’s game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks racked up another 18 million-plus online minutes, making it the new #2 such online event (surpassing the Week 1 Sunday night show, which totaled nearly 12 million online minutes, according to NBC).

“It’s safe to say we’re definitely seeing a significant increase in online viewing,” said an NBC spokesperson, who spoke with us via phone on Tuesday.

In regards to the issues we (and some of our readers) had in accessing the live game streams from Macintosh computers, NBC had this official response:

“We [NBC] have the ability to stream our linear Sunday Night Football coverage to all desktops, and to tablets through the browser. However, for the 2013 season, we do not have the ability to stream our enriched package, which includes alternate camera angles, to non-Microsoft operating systems.”

Why are Mac platforms second-class citizens this year? It’s an educated guess, but it can probably be traced to the NFL’s deal with Microsoft made earlier this year, though we have no official confirmation of that being the reason. You make the call. What does that mean for Mac users? On Sunday night online, only Windows devices will have access to the “enhanced” online features, including multiple camera angles and social media links. Mac users should still be able to view live action, but only using Safari browsers — Chrome or Firefox won’t work.

So why do some Mac users see no video at all? In my case, I suspect that my reluctance to upgrade my desktop OS or an older version of Safari (which I only use sparingly) is behind my inability to see live video. While some readers said that de-installing Safari AdBlocker allowed them to see live video, others were like me, and couldn’t get the stream to work at all. The NBC spokesperson said they aren’t seeing or hearing about any widespread problems; readers who still have problems next week Sunday, please let us know!

It’s possible that all the problems of favored or shunned client platforms could become a thing of the past in the short-term future, when new NFL TV contracts kick in next year. Part of the problems are simply that technology is moving faster than TV rights contracts — the last time the NFL signed TV deals, tablets didn’t exist at all, so there was no legal language spelling out who could and who couldn’t use them to access live action. Verizon’s NFL Mobile package suffers from similar restrictions, with viewers able to only use cellphones and not tablets via a cellular connection to view live action via the NFL Mobile app. It’s a mess right now, and viewers are paying the price in more ways than one.

What is clear is that many more viewers see online as just another method to access content they have already paid for, either via a cable contract or a cellular or a satellite deal. The onus, I think, is on the league and its content partners to take better care of its customers, who are just trying to watch their favorite sport. They shouldn’t have to both pay and experience the pain of little or no support.

MLBAM adds Ticket functions to At the Ballpark App

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Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) continues to push the envelope in providing fan friendly apps that do everything from allow you to listen to games on the road, seat upgrades to ordering food at select ballparks and has now expanded its At the Ballpark app to allow access to tickets.

MLBAM has developed the feature with Tickets.com to create MyTickets Mobile, a feature that will reside in the already shipping At the Ballpark app. The app is designed for not only season ticket holders but also fans that have purchased a single game ducat.

Using the At the Ballpark app a user can access their ticket, which will include what is expected such as opponent, seat, row, section, game time and secure bar code that are on a printed ticket. So now the ease with which you can show a plane boarding pass or pay for your coffee at leading outlets is also available for baseball fans.

The app will also support users of Apple’s Passbook so that tickets can be stored there for use and overall the app is supported by both Apple iOS devices as well as ones that run the Android operating system.

The program will not be available at all ballparks upon release with only these 12 teams supporting the program: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Kansas City Royals, Miami Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, New York Mets, Oakland Athletics, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants. MLBAM said that additional clubs are expected to support the app at some point in the future.

SideDraft App Designed for Peer-to-Peer NFL Fantasy Betting

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So you have won your NFL Fantasy League for 2 years running and are now looking for greater fields for your talent? Then you might give a new mobile app, SideDraft, a try and see how you do with the cash prizes as the goal at the end of the rainbow.

The app, slated to be released Sept. 17 by Blue Ox Entertainment, is a departure from traditional fantasy football programs in that a player’s lineup is different each week, or against each new opponent, so while your powerhouse team may not be able to dominate for a season, conversely if several of your star players turn out to be monumental busts you are not stuck with them for 16 games either.

A player funds his account and then SideDraft has a player draft each week. A player selects a payout that can range from nothing to $1,000. They then select an opponent and the two have a draft, each alternating for six selections each.

Then the real players hit the field and accumulate points for their respective teams, and obviously the one with the most points wins. The app tracks the games in real time and afterwards it’s time to brag or hang your head low, depending on the outcome. That and collect your winnings if you fell into the first category.

Depending on your confidence and budget a player is not limited to a single match each week but can offer multiple challenges and field a number of teams, using the week between games to conduct the drafts needed to fill out their fantasy rosters.

SideDraft officially launches Sept. 17 and initially will only be available on iPhones and iPads.

The area of sports and social betting is one that apps have been addressing for some time, and while it’s hard to judge it does not look as if any have really risen to the top of the pack. In part that is likely because there is such an overwhelming number of apps out there that even interested parties have a tough time sorting through the chaff to find the gems.

This is Blue Ox Entertainment’s second dip into the betting pool, with its SideBet app having been released in 2011 and then updated and enhanced last year, an app that enables individuals to bet against each other. There have been a variety of other betting apps released such as 2Bet2, GrabFan and Pickmoto.

Pro Football seems like it has the potential to be the space that breaks open this market. Its national viewership is massive. According to Fantasy Sports Trade Association (FSTA), more than 23 million Americans will play fantasy football in 2013, and NFL betting is the single largest betting segment at sportsbooks, so SideDraft has a huge potential market to draw from. It will be interesting to see if it can gain the market awareness needed to break out in this space.

Apple Breaks out the new iPhone, Times Two

To the surprise of only those who have no access to the Internet Apple’s event at its Cupertino, Calif. headquarters resulted in the first multiproduct offering in the popular iPhone family, with a lower cost model to tag along with the latest high end offering.

This was of course just part of the event as Apple never allows a major event to pass by without discussing the current state of the business and discussing a host of other products either here today or on the very close horizon.

One of the key areas is the next iteration of its operating system, iOS 7. It will have better search features, a more interactive calendar, more active reminders, iTunes Radio and approximately 200 new features in the OS that the company plans to launch September 18.

The first of the two new phones introduced is the iPhone 5C, which will be available in white, red, yellow, blue and green. The phone, Apple’s first low cost offering, is powered by an internally designed A6 processor and will start at $99 with 16GB of storage and a two year contract. It will jump to $199 with a 32GB. A case will be available for $29. It appears to be basically an iPhone 5 in a lower costing case.

Before delving into the details of the new iPhones, it’s worth highlighting the importance of personalization in the world of smartphone accessories. One popular accessory that allows users to express their individuality is a customisable phone case. These cases not only provide protection for your device but also serve as a canvas for showcasing your unique style and personality. Whether you prefer sleek and minimalist designs or vibrant and eye-catching patterns, a customizable phone case offers endless possibilities to tailor your device to your liking. Now, let’s delve into the exciting features of Apple’s latest offerings.

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The second offering is the iPhone 5S, available in gold, silver and space gray and it will be the first from the company with a 64-bit A7 processor. The new iOS 7 and all existing apps should be capable of running on the 64-bit processor. A key technology is the M7 processor (different from the A7) that is being called a motion coprocessor and uses the phones sensors such as its accelerometer and should enable a new generation of sports apps.

As expected it has a fingerprint sensor as an additional level of security, and can be used with either hand or which can unlock the phone and perform a few other functions. Other new features include an improved camera and new lens and a new home button.A 16GB version will be available, with a 2 year contract, for $199. Both phones will be available September 20th.

An interesting move by the company is that it will not be lowering the price of the existing offering, the iPhone 5, as it has always done in the past when it released a new model, but instead will simply replace it with the two new models. Apple said that next month it will ship its 700 millionth iOS device with over 380 million iPhones

What was not here
While Apple pleased some and undoubtedly disappointed others with its two new phones there was a phone that was not here that received a good deal of attention as well, and that is one with an even larger screen. Earlier in the year it had been rumored that the company would join the growing phablet space offering a device that is both a phone and a small form tablet, possibly with a 6-inch screen.

New iPad and iPad mini are expected later this year so that fans wanting new tablet updates to match their new phones will probably not have too long to wait.

Sony hits the market with an 11.6-inch Windows 8 Tablet

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Sony continues to search for the right mix in the tablet space and its latest offerings is the VAIO Tap 11, an offering that will be running Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system and comes with a host of additional features.

Sony is being coy about some details such as exactly which processor it is using, although it does say that it s one Intel’s latest quad-core offerings. The Tap 11 at 9.9mm thick, without keyboard, is one of the slimmest on the market.

It supports a maximum of 4GB of RAM and 516GB storage with a HD 1920 x 1080 11.6-inch display. The display comes with a digital stylus and a magnetically attached keyboard cover, enabling users to have a variety of input and operating options.

It has an autofocus 8 megapixel rear facing camera as well as a front facing HD camera that also includes autofocus capabilities. There is a variety of interconnect capabilities including WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n; USB 3.0 with USB charge (x1); Bluetooth standard Ver. 4.0 + HS.

The tablet s expected to go on sale this fall, with the pricing to be announced at a later date. Microsoft has struggled to establish a solid presence in the tablet space since its introduction of Windows 8 and Sony has struggled to move up into the ranks of Apple, Samsung, and a few others. The pricing on this platform could be key for helping to reverse the fortunes of Sony and Microsoft in this space.

Friday Grab Bag: New iPhones Next Week-FIFA Qualifiers this Weekend

The Major League Baseball Advanced Media arm has signed a multiyear deal with baseball sabermetrics research firm Baseball Prospectus that will call for the two of them to share data and analysis that will result in new features from both parties.

The relation starts immediately with Postseason Probabilities, an interactive visualization of each teams’ current standings and their chances of winning the division or wild card, or securing a postseason berth. If you have never heard on Baseball Prospectus before, it is where ESPN analyst Nate Silver got his start.

Apple having press event next week
For those waiting for the official announcement of the next generation iPhone from Apple, it looks like that wait is just about over as the company has sent out press invites for an event that is scheduled to take place Sept. 10, kudos to All Things Digital which was the first to nail the date.

If you are considering buying a new iPhone, traditionally available about two weeks after introduction, Apple and some of its partners are doing a buyback program on older phones. Now about the pending iPads — well the rumors seem to indicate that there will not be a September rollout so don’t hold your breath for one just yet.

Microsoft’s next–gen tablet details leaked
Amid all of the hubbub of new tablets this week was a rumor about the features for the next generation tablets from Microsoft, called the Surface Pro 2. According to Slash Gear it will be powered by a next generation Intel Haswell-based Core i5 processor.

Other details are that it will go from 4GB to 8GB in memory, improved battery life and will have a new kickstand. No pricing or rollout date was mentioned. Meanwhile the current Surface Pro now has a permanent $100 price cut.

Don’t bite this Kit Kat
New versions of Google’s Android operating systems have been named after candy for some time — most reading this are running a version of Jelly Bean right now. Well in the future it looks like you will be Kit Kat.

It looks like Google and Hershey, the candy bar maker, have entered into a financial relationship that allows Google to use the trademarked name.

ESPN to develop RedZone for Soccer?
Fans of the NFL know the program called RedZone, a program in the NFL Network that switches between games as teams enter the Red Zone, or inside the opponents 20 yard line for those of you not on the know, and shows the team scoring, or failing to.

Now it looks like ESPN is taking that successful format and moving it to to its broadcasts of the World Cup qualifiers this weekend. It is launching a program called “FIFA World Cup Whiparound-Quest to Qualify” for 36 matches, mostly of which are only available on ESPN3 that will feature live look-ins and highlights from all of the major matches taking place, according to Awful Announcing.