Image via NCAA/NCAA.com
The most exciting sports event of the year is upon us: March Madness. In following the yearly tradition, the personal bracket is completed, a winner is chosen, and now you’re making plans to fully engage in the entire 63-game tournament no matter the locale. That’s a challenge for even the most avid college basketball fan to achieve, but not impossible. With the help of several media-centric gadgets, you can hear, monitor, and view nearly every game at your own leisure. So whether it’s in the crib, on vacation, or at work, here are 10 Devices To Help You Consume March Madness Wherever You Are.
Samsung Galaxy Note Pro 12.2
Price: $749.99
Screen real estate means everything when viewing content on the go. And in terms of tablets, you can either go big or settle for a smartphone. The latest line of Galaxy Pro devices rank near the top in terms of multimedia and screen quality with the Pro 12.2 leading the pack courtesy of its beautiful 12.2-inch (2,560x1,600) display. Not to mention features like Multi Window encourage users to watch games on one window and launch apps on another—simultaneously.
Vizio M-Series Razor LED 60-Inch 3D HDTV
Price: $1,399.99
The centerpiece to any man cave or sports bar is an awesome HDTV. Vizio’s recent series of premium televisions boast gorgeous visuals and tons of media features to enhance the b-ball viewing experience. Solid 3D output intensifies the atmosphere to the point where it’ll feel like you’re rushing onto the court during those Cinderella upsets.
Harman Kardon NC Headphones
Price: $299.95
Comfy, stylish, and well-engineered—Harman’s retro-looking sound cans match the soundstage and stellar noise cancellation of the Bose QC 15, keeping viewers immersed into the live college atmosphere. So whether at home or on the streets, the NCs are made to block ambient noise and sound great in any environment.
Samsung Galaxy Note 3
Price: $199.99 - $349.99 (w/ two-year contract)
Nowadays, it’s standard to favor smartphones for media over any other device. Why break from the norm? The Galaxy Note 3 carries the features and spec sheet to enjoy seeing the Final Four on a mobile. Its large 5.3-inch panel promotes great viewing angles, plus the company’s full suite of productivity apps remains intact. Google’s also upgraded its Now service to manually add NCAA basketball teams to the Sports card, therefore making it easier to track your favorite team’s progress.
MacBook Air 13-Inch
Price: $1,048.99
Corporate suits and Starbucks mongers have the luxury of taking in the month-long tournament directly on their laptops. And there’s no better option to travel with than the most lightweight and sexy MacBook created yet. New Intel fourth-gen processors will keep the machine running faster and longer than 12 hours, where as its 13.3-inch display ensures better picture quality than most portable PCs in its class.
Verizon Jetpack 4G LTE Mobile Hotspot
Price: $49.99 (w/ two-year contract)
Streaming content on a laptop, smartphone, or tablet sucks up bandwidth like crazy. Rather than share the same network with tons of other subscribers, secure your own fast-speed wireless connection using Verizon’s LTE hotspot. The Jet Pack will get you online instantly when out and about. It’ll offer real-time data usage and long battery life too.
Epson PowerLite Home Cinema 2030
Price: $899.99
Those inspired to pull a Kanye and screen the Road to the Final Four on a building wall can spread the college basketball love amongst the neighborhood via PowerLite Home Cinema 2030. The high-end projector produces full 1080p HD in 2D and 3D, and comes equipped with a three-chip LCD screen to help eliminate rainbow effect. Up to 6,000 hours of lamp life in ECO mode should get you through the entire tournament.
Pebble Smartwatch
Price: $149.99
Trapped in meetings as Day 1 of the tournament kicks off? Don’t play yourself by pulling out a smartphone to check scores. Stay incognito by monitoring all the action and game updates on the Pebble, which now supports its own Android app store and a number of app partners: including Facebook, Twitter, and Time Warner Cable. Flashy ballers can upgrade for the more sophisticated look by purchasing the Steel version for an extra Benjamin.
Google Chromecast
Price: $35
With so many people ditching their cable service due to high costs, it’s going be a challenge keeping tabs on the bracket without ESPN and TNT. Google’s HDMI streaming-stick can fill the coverage void by allowing users to watch any form of content online and mirror it directly to any HDTV. Just be sure to have a few sports streaming sites bookmarked and it’s an open layup from there.
Xbox One Titanfall Edition
Price: $499.99
Microsoft’s all-in-one entertainment system opens the court to watch NCAA games on one screen, while monitoring your fantasy college basketball league on another window through Internet Explorer. Or there’s always the option to squeeze in some NBA 2K14 time. The Xbox One allows players to set their favorite sports channels and switch between games with just a few button presses. We recommend the competitive types pick up the Titanfall bundle, especially since it shares the same price tag as the regular console.
