With a wide variety of cable and streaming services available, sports fans might have trouble knowing where to watch their teams play. Some channels may carry a delayed broadcast, while streaming might show a live feed. Luckily for fans, Google is rolling out a new Google Search feature to help find live games. 

Google Search for Sports

If you’re an NBA or MLB fan, you could just type in your request in the Google Search bar. Type “where to watch the Lakers game today,” and Google will give you a list of TV channels hosting the live game. Even just a general query like “Mets game” and Google would still tell you where to watch it through a “Live on” button.

In the Gizmodo report, Google says the service is only available for the MLB and NBA for now. The company does plan to add more pro sports leagues to the service in the future. While Google Search only shows available TV broadcasts now, the company also says it plans to add digital viewing options.

Google is upgrading search to make it easier to find live sports and TV shows https://t.co/xZ3ziegPD8 pic.twitter.com/vMZWwmerrK

— Gizmodo (@Gizmodo) August 13, 2020

For Movies and Live TV

In 2019, Google had rolled out a recommendation tool for Search. With this tool, a simple “what to watch” search can get recommendations for several movies or TV shows. Now, the company is also adding live TV shows from cable and broadcast providers to the tool. 

Google Search for Streaming

A simple “what to watch” or “good shows to watch” query will also reveal options for live and streaming shows. If you’re planning a night of binge-watching, you could even check which of these shows are “On TV now” or “On TV later.” 

With this update, Google hopes to bring content to everyone’s homes. 

The post Google Search Now Lets You Find Live Sports and TV first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Sam Arnold

NBA fans have many reasons to rejoice. The pandemic may have stopped people from watching the games live, but the league plans to do something about that. As the NBA season resumes on July 30, the association intends to project fans onto the games using Microsoft Teams.

The NBA Teaming Up with Microsoft Teams

Gizmodo reports that the NBA has partnered with Microsoft to “project more than 300 fans live courtside during games.” If you’re one of the 300, you’ll get to see your favorite team as close to live as possible. Each fan will appear on separate screens. With Microsoft Teams, they can even interact with each other. The NBA says this will give fans the feeling of watching games live, without leaving their houses.

Likewise, Microsoft also tweeted out how the screens will look.

Starting on July 30th, the @NBA will outfit each game court with 17-foot-tall LED screens that wrap three sides of the court. pic.twitter.com/GBYJP0Jwws

— Microsoft (@Microsoft) July 24, 2020

How Microsoft Teams Will Work Out for the NBA

Microsoft Teams will use its new feature, “together mode,” to make fans feel like they’re watching the same game together, in the arena. With this mode, they can look at everybody in the group as if they were all in the same place. This mode uses “AI segmentation technology” to use a single background for every member of the meeting.

Fans can also use Microsoft Teams to cheer on their teams. They can even affect the visual effects used in the arena. Using the NBA app or website, fans can do “virtual cheering.” Gizmodo says their cheers will appear on the arena’s screens, and they will have “graphics and animation.” 

How the NBA Plans to Resume the Season with Microsoft Teams

The NBA will play the rest of the season inside a “bubble” at the Walt Disney Resort Complex in Orlando, Florida. 

The post NBA Links Up with Microsoft Teams to Give Fans “Live” Experience first appeared on Tekrati and is written by Sam Arnold