This program is being interrupted due to technical difficulties!

I woke up on the weekend to my laptop making gurgling sounds almost trying to converse in baby talk which then escalated to sounds of a plane taking off from a runway. NOT GOOD! I had replaced the hard drive last year but it was obvious that the laptop was on its last breath so I began the tedious task of backing up all my files before it officially dies on me. Immediately my mind starts thinking of a replacement and I begin doing some research for a new laptop. Lo and behold I come to you today writing from my new baby the Sony Vaio VGNSZ220P . Its strange how attatched I was to my old computer tho and it felt so familiar and now its a whole new "getting to know you" process going on with the new laptop. This all got me thinking about technology overall and different ways that it has a big part in my everyday life.

Back in the day before I had a PVR/TiVO if I was going to miss a game it was like oh well I will watch it game in an hour format or watch the highlights but now I can just PVR the game and watch it like its live later on that night or the next day. Chances are though, the longer I wait the less chance there is that I will get to watch the game without knowing the outcome in advance either. Back in the day that was a lot more easier controlled but now all it takes is an MSN nickname "RAPS WIN! RAPS WIN! RAPS WIN!" and all the suspense is gone. In general though there have been a lot of advancements in technology that enhance or improve the experience for a sports fan. With a little bit of research here are some you might want to look into...

HDTV: Sunday Football was forever changed when I watched my first NFL game in HDTV and reverting back to anything less would be a sin. Over the last two years most cable companies have started offering all the major channels in HDTV and almost all sporting events in north America are now broadcast in HDTV. If you haven't had the chance to watch a game in pure crispness (hrmm is that a word?) I advise you do so ASAP 'cuz you are definitely missing out. Before I had experienced it I didn't think it was going to be that much of a difference (kinda how the introduction of progressive scan on DVD players was)but HDTV has been one of the best new advancements made to enhance the home viewers experience of a sporting event. As the prices continue to drop and more people begin to experience HDTV it will become the norm in watching your favourite team from the comfort of your own home but the feel of being at the game. (Addon: just found this article about the linkage between sports fans and HDTV)

SkyBOX: Vivid SKY has come up with a technology which can change the experience of a fan at a sporting event for ever. Their tagline... "Because the game waits for no one". I first read about the SkyBOX in this USA Today article and did some research into the product. Do not have any first hand knowledge of it but it seems interesting to give the sports fan a way to interact while attending a game. A few clicks away on this handheld device would be the slugging percentage of the batter at the plate or you could check laptimes compared to another car at a NASCAR race. It will add a dimension into the game that our generation is already very in sync with. Its all about stats and crunching information and with the www at our fingertips at home we can access all this information and this SkyBox is aiming to give you that feeling of access and more at any live sporting event you attend. If this product can reach its potential it will change the live sporting experience forever.

Satellite Radio: Sirius Satellite radio boasts the largest variety in sports programming and XM Radio offers listeners a healthy dose of sports. Satellite radio hasn't caught on as fast as some might have expected and that has a lot to do with the cost (reasonable I think) but people are not used to paying for radio a service that has been free for as long as I can remember. Living in Canada I was previously pretty much stuck listening to local broadcasts but with satellite radio I get the chance to listen to ESPN radio or catch out of market games. This has helped people who are fans of a team outside their local listening area and are able to get broadcasts of any game they chose and to boot listeners have to sit through fewer commercials on satellite radio.

Slingbox: Slingmedia has come up with a solution to something I have been struggling with for a while now. I travel a lot and at times for several weeks at a time and I hate missing a Raptors or Eagles game. The slingbox allows you to connect it to your pvr and control it from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection also it transmits the TV feed to your computer anywhere in the world. Earlier this year I was in Dubai and they have limited sports coverage and so I resorted to buying NBA audio league pass and stayed up all all hours of the night to catch a live raptors game. With the introduction of a slingbox I can essentially have my PVR record raptor games and when I get a chance get online connect to the box and watch the game at my own time as if I was sitting in my den in Toronto. Sounds insane and hard to believe eh? I actually know someone who has been using this unit for a couple of months and has nothing but good things to say. So if you are one who wants to have access your TV from the road or your office this might be something you want to look into.

Besides the few advancements I mentioned above there have been others implemented that I now cannot live without. Youtube and Google Video both offer clips of sports highlights, videos made by fans, bloopers and all sorts of gems. Google video also has a deal in place with the NBA and you can watch a complete game by paying 4$ the next day of the game. The leagues have jumped onto the bandwagon as well taking control of most of their media. You can become a Red Sox insider and for a flat fee for the year you can get all red sox games online through MLB.tv . The NBA also has audio and video options for their fans to watch out of market games or when you may be on the road and want to watch your team. Most of the offerings through the MLB, NBA and NFL cost more than a fan might be willing to pay but I believe in time it will level out. I also figure I should mention Podcasts and shows like ESPN, Sports bloggers and other sources are putting up shows online for you to directly download to your iPod's for free and listen to them on the go.

Thought I should throw this in... an article I found basically trying to question the role of technology in sports.

All this said... Its an exciting time to be a sports fan!!!