MOBILE MARCH MADNESS
March 17, 2009 by R.C. Cola
With the Madness delivering an overwhelming amount of college hoops action over the next few weeks, it can be intimidating keeping up with who’s winning, who’s getting upset, and who’s rolling through the tournament like a buzzsaw through a two by four. But a lot of the games happen while you’re in the office or class. Luckily, you’ve got everything you need to keep on top of things in your cellphone.
Perhaps the next best thing to watching the NCAA Tournament with your buddies or sneaking some time on your office PC is catching the games via your cellphone. There are several options out there, if you’ve got the right phone.
Phones that can run AT&T’s Mobile TV service can access all the games live - a free service the telco is using to lure you into the $15 a month service. But right now, AT&T is offering two months of free Mobile TV service, which you have the option of canceling later on. Unfortunately, not every AT&T phone is compatible with the service.
If you’ve got a Slingbox at home, download SlingPlayer Mobile to get your tv feed shot into your smartphone. The service costs $30, but there’s a 30-day free trial period which would coincide perfectly with the tournament. It works on Blackberrys, Palm, Nokia and Windows Mobile smartphones.
For the millions of you with Apple iPhones, there’s CBS Sports’ March Madness on Demand, an app that allows you to stream any game. The catch is you’ll need to be at a Wi-Fi hotspot to do so. Without Wi-Fi, you’re stuck with just an audio broadcast of the game. The app is $5 and found through the iTunes App Store.
If you’re not hung up on video, iPhone users can download iMadness, which sets up a bracket where you can pick your winners and losers. As the tournament goes on, the bracket automatically updates. The program actually syncs with ihoopmadness to create leagues for players to compete against each other. You can also see how others are performing. For just the stats, there’s SportsTap NCAA Tournament Edition, which provides up-to-the-minute scores, previews, betting odds and breaking news. The apps are free.
But not everyone has an iPhone, even if they do tend to pop up everywhere. For those that don’t, there are still some good options out there. ESPN, Fox Sports, and Sports Illustrated all have dedicated March Madness sections, although it may take some scrolling to get to. All of them offer breakdowns, columns, previews and the latest news. As the games progress, expect near-live statistical updates.
For just the stats, you can download e-Mobile Sports from Handango. The program provides a comprehensive and constantly updated news feed, and you can use it to follow certain teams. The program is a bit pricey at $19.95, but it’s not just limited to the tournament.
Any way you follow this year’s tournament, it’s going to be fun. Judging from the upsets and stunning finishes during the conference tourneys, you’re not going to want to miss a minute. With these programs handy, you won’t have to.
You can also set up a bracket at The New York Times web or mobile site
http://ncaabracket.nytimes.com/
http://mobile.nytimes.com/bracket/
Hi, I’m a mobile product manager at Sling Media and SlingPlayer Mobile costs $30 to purchase. There are no monthly fees!