NFL considering partnership with Google to stream games

The NFL is arguably the biggest name in sports media and rakes in billions of dollars per year, but the Wall Street Journal is reporting they are disappointed in the ratings of its own network's Thursday Night Football. According to their sources, they are so annoyed that they are in discussions with multiple outlets of adding a possible second Thursday night game to their season's lineup.

The bigger story is that not just cable and dish providers are being approached. The Journal claims that both Netflix and Google have been contacted on streaming rights. The NFL started a new schedule this year to air 13 games on its NFL Network on Thursday nights. Unfortunately, the newest addition to the NFL lineup has not obtained the powerhouse ratings of other prime-time games on Sunday and Monday nights.

The league feels that offering a doubleheader  scenario, via two different outlets, could help fill the ratings void. Some of the Thursday night ratings drop could still be that the NFL Network is still not offered in every market, or with basic cable. Live NFL games on YouTube could be the venue to fill that gap in viewers. There also multiple reports that Google exec Larry Page and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had a sit down meeting back on August 20. Can you say game changer?

Source: Wall Street Journal

Read More

Tuesdays at the Polls: Do you think Chrome OS is legit?

In this weekly feature we want to give our readers the opportunity to provide some point-and-click style input on some of the questions we have been pondering. Got a great poll idea? Drop us a note!

Google has long been playing with their "other" OS built on Chrome. There have been multiple laptops sporting Chrome OS, and this morning has brought a new addition to that family. HP has announced the Chromebook 11, which makes for a pretty sturdy offering for the Google desktop OS.

Google seems to be slowly making a dent in the old netbook market by supplying a budget alternative to a full-fledged Windows, or Mac, laptop. My question to our readers this week is this: Do you see Chrome OS as a legitimate desktop alternative? Or is it simply a browser on steriods? Could you make it your make it your only OS?

Read More

Tech News Roundup for Monday, 10/7/13

In this series we round up the technology-based articles from around the web that have caught our eye in the last week. Have something we should know about? Send us a note!

Weekly Roundup

• Up until now, AT&T has exclusively carried the Moto Maker design studio for the Moto X that allows users to customize their model to any color combination they choose. Now, Moto Maker may be making its way to Verizon as soon as Nov. 11.

• It seems as though Google may be building its Chrome OS browser to run inside of Windows 8, allowing its app ecosystem to run inside a Windows environment. [The Verge]

• Well what do you know? It seems every couple of days we see more and more leaks of the upcoming Nexus 5. Next on the list is a purported service manual that leaked on line, detailing many more specs of Google's next flagship. LG has since asked original leaker's Android Police to remove the images. A copy of the manual can still be found at Engadget (also taken down). [Android Police]

• Could this be the voice of Siri? An Atlanta woman claims to have recorded voice overs for iOS's personal assistant as far back as 2005. [CNet]

• Owners of the Moto X on AT&T can finally get the fixes for the camera they've been waiting for. So far, the results have improved the camera shooting experience. [CNet]

• Adobe Systems suffered a major break in of their internal network as hackers steal the personal information of over 2.9 million customers along with source code of several of the company's products. [Computer World]

• We had all kinds of gloomy Blackberry news on our Roundup from last week. This week, Reuters is reporting that Blackberry may be in talks with Google, Samsung, and other major players about a potential sale. [Reuters]

• Android Authority has a huge gallery of purported screen shots of Android 4.4 KitKat running on a Nexus 4. They can't yet confirm the images are real, but they may provide a sneak peak of what Google has in store for their next mobile OS update. [Android Authority]

• Dell revealed an extensive lineup of new tablets last week, anchored by the $499 Venue 11 Pro with Windows 8.1, 2GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, and 11 hours of battery life. [The Verge]

• T-Mobile subscribers can now grab the Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or the Galaxy Gear smartwatch as of October 2. The Note 3 can be purchased outright for $708 while the Galaxy Gear can be had for $299.99. [Androidcentral]

• Hulu can now be found Google's Chromecast TV web streaming stick. The company is slowly gaining support from media streaming services to compliment its $35 dongle which can be connected to any HD television. [All Things D]

• Images have surfaced that show Logitech may be working on a gamepad controller for the iPhone which can turn the phone into a full fledged mobile gaming machine. Evleaks has the images in its Twitter account. [EVleaks Twitter]

• If you're looking to get your hands on the rumored iPad mini, you may have one heck of a time doing so if reports via Reuters and Cnet hold true that supplies to build it may be hard to come by. [The Verge]

Galaxy Note 3 and Galaxy Gear Review Roundup

• Samsung Galaxy Note 3 review (Global Edition) [Engadget]
• Galaxy Gear Smartwatch Review: A Pain in the Wrist [Gizmodo]
• Galaxy Note 3: Even more features packed into a (slightly) bigger body [Computerworld]
• Samsung Galaxy Gear initial review [Androidcentral]

Odds and Ends

This is either the most terrifying thing I've seen, or the coolest. Like something out of a Terminator movie, Boston Dynamics' Cheetah  robot has come untethered and is now able to run outdoors by way of a really loud motor. Its name is the Wildcat. Be afraid... very afraid...
Credit: Engadget via Boston Dynamics Youtube

Read More

Moto Maker could land on Verizon November 11

Are you a Verizon customer who really wants the Moto X, but find black or white just too bland? Your wait could soon be over. AT&T secured an exclusive launch period for the Moto Maker customization website back in July and left other carriers out of the mix and match madness of designing your very own Moto X.

The length of the deal has yet to be revealed, but EvLeaks has announced via Twitter that the service will soon find its way to Verizon. The leak experts have pegged November 11 as the launch of Verizon availability of the Moto Maker program. While Verizon has yet to confirm the date, it would seem that Moto Maker will be available for other carriers sooner rather than later.

Source: The Verge; @EvLeaks

Read More

Google Chromecast now supports Hulu Plus

Google's $35 dollar streaming solution, Chromecast, just got a little bit better. Today, Hulu is pushing out an update that adds "casting" support to the Hulu Plus app for iOS and Android. Chromecast is dead simple and uses your smartphone to launch content on your television.

 Much like the previous apps, Hulu Plus has added the Chromecast button at the top of their application. Press the button, select the Chromecast as your device, and you are good to watch all those Office episodes you missed.

With limited partners at launch in July, Google promised other content providers were in the pipeline. It's nice to see Mountain View offering Hulu Plus in a relatively timely manner. Makes you wonder who else is on the way...

Source: Official Google Blog

Read More

Tuesdays at the Polls: Do you want a Nexus 5?

In this weekly feature we want to give our readers the opportunity to provide some point-and-click style input on some of the questions we have been pondering. Got a great poll idea? Drop us a note!

The next Nexus device is always a buzzing topic inside the Google community. Recently, the rumor mill has significantly picked up around Google's next iteration of the Android handset. We've already seen what the newest Nexus tablet will look like, but were somewhat disappointed that a smartphone was no where to be found at I/O.

Recent FCC filings and leaked photos have started to fill in some of the blanks. It would now seem that the Nexus 5, and KitKat, are just around the corner. However, the newest member of the Google family now has some stiff competition, and we want to know: Are you interested in buying one on release? Are you biting your nails to pre-order? Or did you just buy an iPhone 5s/c? Or does your new Moto device make you happen unless the Nexus is just a SuperPhone? 

Read More