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Because a Harmony remote just wasn’t enough for the world (among the millions of other all-in-one remotes), ESPN decided to come out with a remote of their own, and all things considered it doesn’t look that bad. While the specs have already been discussed earlier, the folks over at Zatz Not Funny have gotten their hands on the yet to be released remote, and to be honest, I’m kind of envious. The remote looks pretty slick, I mean, come on, what guy wouldn’t want a remote with Wi-Fi. And for those of you who aren’t a fan of the ESPN red color, it looks like you’ll also be able to get it in black. The cost is $299 and its still expected to be available for Father’s Day. For the wives out there reading this, if you like quality time with him, you may want to skip the ESPN remote.

Via [Zatz Not Funny]

It’s either the perfect Father’s Day gift or the perfect excuse for initiating divorce proceedings: ESPN has announced the coming of its branded Ultimate Remote, a $299 universal remote control designed to give the sports fan quicker and easier access to games, stats and excuses not to engage in “honeydew” chores on weekends.

The ESPN press release doesn’t give a launch date, just that it will be available in time for the third Sunday in June and can be pre-ordered at Amazon.com. But a list of cool-sounding features is there: Wi-Fi Internet access, text and email, quick setup that doesn’t require a nearby PC, the ability to let sports fans surf games on TV, surf team standings and info on the web, the ESPN logo at the top of the device, and the Sportscenter jingle (dah-dah-DAT, dah-dah-DAT) every time you press a button.

Okay, I made up that last feature. I’m not sure I want to give the ESPN marketing gurus any more ideas. As it stands, the Ultimate Remote has a better chance at success than the initial version of the ESPN-branded cell phone if only for the fact that sports fans have a much closer relationship with their TV’s and home theater systems than their phones on game days.

Read [ESPN Media Zone]

Back when it was an MVNO, Mobile ESPN downright failed.  After several months of offering the service to customers, they just couldn’t pick up the amount of subscribers required to make it worth it.  Now, Mobile ESPN and Verizon have announced plans to start the service back up, as part of Verizon’s VCAST offering.  Looks like we could be seeing the ESPN channel on their MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service soon as well.  I assume we’ll see an announcement in the next week or so.

Read [Yahoo News] Via [Engadget]

Apple just loves messing with us by filing for patents, don’t they?  Just when the rumors about the touch screen iPod were floating around, they filed a patent for a touch screen mobile device.  Now, just when the wireless iPod rumors are gettin’ hot ‘n heavy, we learn that Disney - which is largely owned by Steve Jobs - filed a patent for wireless streaming of realtime ESPN content to devices like the iPod.  That’s right, they actually mentioned the iPod, by name, in their patent application.

“For example,” the company wrote, “systems and methods of the present disclosure may be applied to other mobile electronic devices, such as PDAs, pagers, etc., and to other handheld electronic devices, such as, e.g., the iPod digital music player (available from Apple Computer, Inc.).”

Now if that’s not foreshaddowing, then maybe I’m missing something.  In other news, Mobile ESPN failed just a few weeks ago.

Read [AppleInsider]

Mobile ESPN will quit training and retire from a hard year of workouts but few games. ESPN has immediately suspend sales of new handsets for the Mobile ESPN service after struggling to build a large enough customer base, even in an area that typically harbors consumer fanatics.

ESPN said it will continue licensing sports-related content to other wireless providers. The company also said it is currently in discussions with other carriers about licensing its Mobile ESPN application. Consumers just didn’t want to buy an ESPN-branded cellphone to get access to ESPN content. Current Mobile ESPN wireless voice and data customers will continue to receive service until at least Dec. 31, ESPN said. Customers who purchased ESPN handsets will receive a full refund when they pay their last bill, the company said.

The announcement will have no impact on Disney Mobile, but I wouldn’t bet on it succeeding much more.

Read [Gizmodo] Read [WSJ]

Mark Cuban, the co-founder of HDNet, had declared his love for the largest high-definition TV in the world but he will have to wait. The 103” plasma 1080p high definition display will debut tonight on NBC. Panasonic will supply two of the 103-inch plasma TVs to NBC Universal, one for each side of the set at the new show Football Night in America which features Bob Costas. Though NBC’s will be the first commercial installation of the Panasonic display, you can go out and buy one for $70,000.

Pioneer has secured a multiplatform sponsorship of the ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD college football telecasts. The agreement provides Pioneer high profile exposure on both ESPN HD and ESPN2 HD, placement throughout the sports channel’s website with exclusive sponsorship of ESPN.com’s College Football Play-by-Play, as well as the new online high-resolution photo gallery, ZOOM.  Pioneer also receives positioning in all TV scheduling web pages on the site.

Read [Cnet] Read [Pioneer]

Our biggest complaint when reviewing Mobile ESPN a few months back, was the sleek but large Sanyo handset, which lacked some key features (i.e. Bluetooth). Mobile ESPN and Samsung have now ‘teamed’ up to offer sports fanatics a more stylish handset for the ultimate sport addict experience. The Samsung ACE (also known as the A900 or incorrectly known as the ‘Blade’) offer mobile users access to personalized sports news and information, fantasy sports team management and audio and video content exclusively from Mobile ESPN.

The Samsung ACE features ESPN’s signature look and feel with a red and black keypad, complete with ESPN’s trademark logo and unique numerical font style. The functions are basically the same as the Sanyo, including the convenient “E” button in the center of the keypad. The ACE adds a better speakerphone, Bluetooth, voice recognition, voice memo a personal calendar, and a much slimmer design.

The ACE is going for $99 while the Sanyo MVP has dropped down to $29.99 before hitting retirement.

Read [Mobile ESPN]
Read [Mobile Tracker]

Excited that the World Cup began earlier today, we certainly are, as well as the other billion people who have already started tuning in. The content here in the US will be carried via newspapers, radio, internet, and your TV. Your listening only options include both Spanish and English but unfortunately for you non-satellite subscribers, will only be available on XM radio. Game will be broadcast on TV on ABC, ESPN, and mostly ESPN2. Here on the east coast we have Optimum/Cablevision and wish that ESPN2 was already offered in HD at least we have ABC and ESPN. No matter where you are you should certainly get ABC-HD as well as ESPN-HD (some companies charge), less providers have ESPN2-HD.

Here is the listing of games with the broadcast time and channel.

Apple, the company that has sold itself as the pure alternative to big business (specifically Microsoft), will be adding graphic ads to iTunes to increase their revenue stream. The introduction of ads could be the first step to allowing ads in other content areas or on iPods. Apple CEO Steve Jobs has supported the idea of ad-supported podcasts, so adding a visual component to the existing audio ads isn’t much of a stretch.

While users typically don’t tend to mind today’s advertising tactics (everyone you know is using MSN, Google, and are reading blogs), adding ads to a service that was previously pure (iTunes) or when you have your headphones in and are trying to unplug from the world (iPod/MP3 player) doesn’t typically fair well with consumers.

That may be why Apple’s current plans call for the ads to appear only in the lower-left corner of the iTunes library while users listen to podcasts from their computers rather than from portable devices. But it’s a big step for the service, which has so far limited ad intrusions to audio spots embedded in some of the podcasts offered via iTunes. ESPN Radio, which supplies some of iTunes’ most popular ad-supported sports podcasts, is working with the service on the new advertising offering.

For now, the TV networks are making money from iTunes’ ad-free model, charging viewers $1.99 to download an episode of a show. J.P. Morgan analyst Spencer Wang estimates the networks make $1.44 per iTunes sale compared to 57 cents per viewer in ad revenue for every episode aired on broadcast TV. Even still these networks are testing their own ad avenues. ABC is going to offer free versions of several of the same shows it sells on iTunes on its own site with ads that can’t be skipped. NBC will launch free original Webisodes this summer of its hit “The Office.” AOL’s In2TV plans to offer free, ad-supported original fare and just signed a distribution deal with A&E Network.

Not only does iTunes face distribution from content owners’ sites, it will soon face competition from other digital download sites. Amazon has announced it will enter the game, and MTV is weeks away from the Beta test of Urge, the digital media service it created with Microsoft.

I guess it all comes down to whether consumers prefer to pay for convenience and portability or just want free content but whenever they can get it.

Read [Ad Age]

Product: Mobile ESPN
Price: $99.00 for the Sanyo MVP Handset, plans start at $34.99 per month
Rating: Very Good 7.0/10.0
Pros: Screen graphics, access to up to the minute scores, ESPN news stories and columns, tracking favorite players and teams, daily videos, alerts, and the ability to manage fantasy teams.
Cons: Currently limited handset options, lacked Bluetooth, non-major sports are not included in the service (such as tennis, Olympic sports, and NASCAR).
Overall:This is the ultimate service for the sports fanatic. Mobile ESPN is one of the best MVNOs out there, lets just hope they add some better handsets in the future (though the MVP for $99 is a great buy).

Mobile ESPN is the essential MNVO for die hard sports fans, fantasy addicts, and anyone else you know that spends more time watching the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network than out with their friends. The software currently comes on Sanyo’s, less than impressive, MVP handset and is provided wireless service by Sprint.

The experience - 8.5 - The dedicated ‘E’ button on the 5 way navigation buttons brings you to the Java enabled sports lair where your boyfriend (or you) can get lost for hours. It takes a few seconds to load but nothing to complain about, they even offer a trivia tidbit while loading. Mobile ESPN has the ability to get favorite teams, ESPN News, ESPN alerts, scores, game-casts, SportsNation, columns, Answer Guy, ESPN Video, track fantasy teams, Hot Corner, and an ESPN search all in the palm of your hand. The service is easy to navigate through by making use of a left-docked vertical menu bar and constant updates are given across the scrolling ticker. It took some time to download any of the 15 video clips available. You can line up a cue for downloading which is good, but the video function is currently over rated, especially compared to other carriers video offerings. Scores will refresh, player to team tracking is a cinch with tons of information and links, as long as you are looking for a major sport (NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, NCAA). Read on for the rest of the review.

Design - 5.5 - The MVP is currently available for $99, which makes it worth the price, but also makes one wonder if a new handset will be released shortly. The flip phone is based on Sanyo’s MM-9000. I was very impressed with the main LCD screen, sporting 262,000-color internal LCD, but the 1.1-inch external LCD was certainly no touch down. The phone also has a 1.3 MP camera, and a Mini SD slot. The MVP requires a pitch hitter in the Bluetooth department. The phone came in extremely nice packaging and with tons of accessories. The MVP itself is covered in a slick black gloss and red accents. As stated above, the keypad features a dedicated ‘E’ button to launch the ESPN service as well as web, call history, shop, and settings keys.

Service - 7 - Pricing plans for Mobile ESPN range from $35 a month for 100 minutes to $225 for 4,000 minutes. All of these plans come with unlimited data bandwidth and allow you to use Mobile ESPN as much as you want. Unfortunately, alerts sent to your phone are sent as text messages and only 100 come with a plan, a number we wish was raised. This stacks up well against other MVNO plans and the major carriers. You should find yourself with the same service quality as Sprint customers and can purchase the handset/service at Best Buy, over the phone, online, and at select Sprint stores.