Sports

At long last, Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 hits App Store

Konami on Wednesday announced that its official Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 mobile game for iPhone, iPad and iPod touch has made its global debut across 150 countries. The game is available free of charge with non-compulsory In-App Purchases.

Optimized for a realistic football experience on mobile with swipe-to-pass and tap-to-shoot mechanics, the soccer simulation is built on the same game engine used in the original Pro Evolution Soccer console series, providing a fun and realistic soccer experience on-the-go.

Watch the official PES 2017 mobile trailer below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mZIm9Eg2Kow

Featuring local and online multiplayer, official partnerships with club giants FC Barcelona, Liverpool FC and Borussia Dortmund, plus official licenses with top teams and players from Europe, Latin America and Asia, Pro Evolution Soccer is a no-brainer if you're a soccer fan.

Key highlights include:

The PES 2017 mobile experience—Take total control of every action on the field in a way that only the Pro Evolution Soccer franchise can deliver. Natural player movements, precision passing and in-depth tactics bring the true experience of the beautiful game to your mobile device. Swipe to pass, tap to shoot—Controller actions have been optimized to make playing on your mobile device feel as smooth and exciting as a PES action game should. Utilize advanced controls for precise passing and controlled shooting. Classic virtual pad controls are also available. Master your technique and feel the excitement of scoring the winning goal in the ultimate action soccer game. Official club partnerships— Scout and recruit thousands of soccer stars from the best teams in Europe, South America and Asia. Prepare to feel what it takes to play with or against stars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Andres Iniesta and Gerard Pique. The official EUFA Champions League—Experience official visuals from the UEFA Champions League as you compete against the top teams in Europe. Build your winning eleven team—Acquire players through Scouts, Agents or the Scout Auction. Choose the best players to fit your unique tactics (e.g. Giroud has excellent physicality and Ozil excellent balance). Every player is unique and every match is a new experience. Local and online multiplayer—Challenge Friends in Local Match or discover new rivals in Online Match mode. PES 2017 mobile now lets you play PES on-the-go, anytime and anywhere.

As part of the launch, special scouts and agents will be available for a limited time through several in-game events.

Beginning today, you can earn players with high levels of shooting skills, like Lionel Messi and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, by participating in the Great Finishers event. Another event, called Step Up Challenge, lets you play against COM teams under certain conditions and receive prizes based on the number of wins earned.

Kick-Off Campaign bonuses will continue to be available through 4:59 UTC on August 23.

Kick-Off Campaign gives PES fans the opportunity to gain rare, minimum silver status-guaranteed players from partner clubs FC Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool FC.

For more details on these events, visit konami.com/wepes/mobile.

In case you've been sleeping under a rock for the past two decade or so, Pro Evolution Soccer is Konami's flagship series of football action games that have been enjoyed by football fans from around the world for more than 20 years.

The games sold more than 96 million copies worldwide, as of March 2017.

Download Pro Evolution Soccer 2017 for free from App Store.

Facebook signs video deals with Electronic Sports League and Major League Baseball

Facebook has signed major deals with Electronic Sports League (ESL) and Major League Baseball (MLB), bringing fans of eSports and baseball both live and on-demand content in its ongoing streaming video push.

The Wall Street Journal reported Friday that the social network is paying professional video game teams and others in the eSports industry to broadcast on its service.

Earlier this year, Facebook signed contracts with five teams to publish live and on-demand video of players practicing or competing in such games as StarCraft II, Counter-Strike, League of Legends and Overwatch.

ESL said in a blog post announcing the deal that its official Facebook page will soon stream all IEM and ESL One events in up to six different languages along with select national championship and online leagues. Viewers will be able to post comments, highlight up and coming players and more via an exclusive new weekly show on Facebook.

In addition to the 30 hours of weekly Rank S streaming, there'll be a weekly 30-minute hosted by Mark “Boq” Wilson, focused on Rank S and the current happenings in ESEA and CS:GO.

These broadcasts will start next month with Rank S matches.

Down the line, they'll host video interviews with the famous players, competition commentary and more. ESL broadcasts competitions on Twitch and YouTube, too.

You can find the ESEA announcement on their website.

As mentioned earlier, Facebook also cut a major deal with MLB that will result in 20 live-streamed Friday night MLB games via MLB's Facebook page during the 2017 season. US-based Facebook users will be able to stream the games for free. The first game is scheduled to broadcast tonight, Friday, May 19, with the Colorado Rockies and Cincinnati Reds facing off.

New Beats ad features NBA all-stars LeBron James, Kevin Durant & others

Apple on Tuesday released a new television commercial promoting the Beats Studio Wireless on-ear headphones and the Beats Powerbeats3 Wireless in-ear headphones. “Beats powers the world’s greatest basketball players to make their statement on the biggest stage,” notes the ad.

The 30-second commercial, titled “Be Heard”, features NBA all-stars LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and James Harden who can be seen listening to a song by American rock duo “The White Stripes” while warming up with their Beats headphones.

And here it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pcnmfyYETD0

As mentioned, the commercial uses the song “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes from their album “Elephant”. You can purchase their album from iTunes or stream it on Apple Music.

How do you like Apple's new Beats ad?

Close those rings: Apple issues Earth Day 2017 activity challenge

In addition to teaming up with World Wildlife Fund on a praiseworthy money-raising initiative, Apple is also honoring Earth Day 2017 with a new activity challenge for Apple Watch owners. MacStories, which first spotted Apple's notification, explains that Apple Watch owners are being challenged to complete at least half an hour workout on Saturday to earn a new medal in the Activity app and unlock special iMessage stickers.

Five neat tricks Spotlight search can do for you on iPhone

Bearing in mind the numerous ways to invoke Spotlight search on your iPhone today, the feature has clearly become a centerpiece of iOS 10th iteration.

That is because for one, it's the fastest way to rifle through your device for any type of information, however it is also incrementally adopting Siri-level intelligence. You might know about using Spotlight for swift currency and measurement conversions by now, but the list does not end here. Largely undiscussed on the web, here are five more cool uses for Spotlight.

Apple shows off NBA star illustrations created on iPad Pro

Apple today showcased work of the self-proclaimed “Vector Art Monster” aka Rob Zilla, who drew NBA star Kevin Durant with his iPad Pro and Apple Pencil.

The iPad Pro + Apple Pencil combo allows the artist to create illustrations that Mashable has described as “bright, arresting sports imagery.”

To celebrate the Golden State Warriors’ NBA-best regular season record, and star Kevin Durant’s return to the team just in time for the 2017 NBA Playoffs, the iPhone maker has shared images and videos showing off the illustration coming to life from start to finish.

ESPN releases revamped Apple TV app with on-demand content, live streams & more

ESPN today refreshed its app on App Store with an overhauled user interface on Apple TV and other features. Renamed from WatchESPN to just ESPN, the free of charge universal binary now works across your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Apple TV and Apple Watch. It now supports auto-playing live streams, replays and full episodes of on-demand content. The app is rolling out today so check back later if it's not live yet on your local App Store.

Facebook in talks to live stream MLB games this season

Facebook is in talks with Major League Baseball to live stream games this season, reports Reuters. The deal would include at least one game per week, which could be accessed for free by users logged into the platform.

The move comes just a week after Facebook announced plans for a video-focused Apple TV app, as part of the social network's efforts to push further into original programming—a strategy shared by several tech firms.

How to watch the 2017 Super Bowl on iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and other devices

On Sunday evening, millions of people will gather around their TV sets to watch Super Bowl 51. The Atlanta Falcons are taking on the New England Patriots for the title of NFL Champion, and Kickoff is set for 6:30 (ET).

For those of you who aren't going to be around a television for the big game, never fear, iDB has you covered! We've rounded up the best ways to follow along with the action on your iPhone, iPad, Apple TV and other devices.

The best exercise apps for Apple Watch

One of the predominant selling points of Apple Watch has always been the notion of having a chummy, yet inspiring fitness pal on your wrist. Since its inception, Apple Watch’s App Store has therefore given rise to a plethora of apps, offering new ways to conduct and manage physical exercise, ranging from running to yoga companions and everything lying in between.

Focussing on one particular branch in the field of exercise - strength training from the comfort of your home or gym - we have put some time aside to cut through the clutter and size up todays’ most prominent apps in the segment. If you are currently on the lookout for a personal trainer on your wrist, here are the best exercise apps for Apple Watch you will want to consider.

CBS Sports Radio now available on Apple Music

CBS today announced that CBS Sports Radio is now available via a dedicated 24/7 radio channel for Apple Music members. This means that Apple Music subscribers can tune in to CBS's popular sports channel via the Music app on their iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple TV, no desktop using iTunes for Mac and Windows, via the official Apple Music app for Android and on Sonos speakers.

Twelve South’s ActionSleeve puts Apple Watch in a better spot for some sporting activities

Twelve South recently released their new Apple Watch-oriented armband called the ActionSleeve, which relocates the Apple Watch to the upper arm for certain activities, such as rigorous sports, where the wrist isn’t the ideal place to have it.

In this review, we’ll talk about the ActionSleeve’s build quality, comfort, and usability, as well as where you can get your own.