With just three days to go, the ICC World Cup 2011 has reached fever pitch. It's one of those times when the entire country has only one thing on its mind. When the match is on you can see hordes of people gathered outside showroom windows trying to catch a glimpse of the match, or employees mysteriously falling "ill" just so they can stay home and watch the match. However, with broadband internet fairly common now, mobile internet getting cheaper, and the arrival of 3G, you don't have to take such drastic steps just to stay updated on your favorite teams. Here are some ways you can make sure you stay connected to your favorite sport no matter where you are.
ICC Wold Cup 2011 App for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 7
The first one is the official app for the ICC Cricket world Cup 2011 and is available on all major platforms like iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7. This app gives you all the latest news and updates of the world cup, details of the participating teams, event schedules, etc. One thing to note is that the apps offer slightly different functionality on different platforms. The iPhone app will have exclusive Match Videos feature that lets you watch certain replays and so on that aren't available on the other platforms.
ICC Wold Cup 2011 App for iPhone, Android and Windows Phone 7
The first one is the official app for the ICC Cricket world Cup 2011 and is available on all major platforms like iOS, Android, Windows Phone 7. This app gives you all the latest news and updates of the world cup, details of the participating teams, event schedules, etc. One thing to note is that the apps offer slightly different functionality on different platforms. The iPhone app will have exclusive Match Videos feature that lets you watch certain replays and so on that aren't available on the other platforms.
Download iOS App
Download WP 7 App
The Android app can be found directly in the Market place from your phone itself.
UPDATE: Unfortunately the same app for the iPhone and Windows Phone 7 is not available for Android. You can use any of the free apps in the market place for this or you can use the ESPNcricinfo app which is also free.
SMS Updates
You need not worry if you do not have a fancy smartphone, as you can still get SMS updates sent to your phone. You will have to subscribe to this service and the rates will vary depending on your telecom service provider. If you have a WAP enabled phone then you can also check the portal of your service provider like Airtel Live for instance. You can get the latest cricket updates from here as well, but beware of the rates that are applicable before you use these services.
If you're looking for a free service then you could try Alertrix. You will be charged Rs.1 to 3 for the initial activation SMS (CRI to 56070) but after that you'll receive updates on scores free of charge. Some other services that you could try are SMSGupShup where you need to first find some cricket groups and then send an SMS - JOIN "Groupname" to 567678. SMSGYAN is similar to Alertrix as you just send an SMS like Worldcup to 56161 to get updates.
Live Streaming
If you have a good broadband connection at your home or office, why not watch the match online? If you have a data card you could also do this while traveling, on your laptop. There are a number of places where you can watch the live streaming of the match online from February 19 onwards. We've listed a few links below.
You need not worry if you do not have a fancy smartphone, as you can still get SMS updates sent to your phone. You will have to subscribe to this service and the rates will vary depending on your telecom service provider. If you have a WAP enabled phone then you can also check the portal of your service provider like Airtel Live for instance. You can get the latest cricket updates from here as well, but beware of the rates that are applicable before you use these services.
If you're looking for a free service then you could try Alertrix. You will be charged Rs.1 to 3 for the initial activation SMS (CRI to 56070) but after that you'll receive updates on scores free of charge. Some other services that you could try are SMSGupShup where you need to first find some cricket groups and then send an SMS - JOIN "Groupname" to 567678. SMSGYAN is similar to Alertrix as you just send an SMS like Worldcup to 56161 to get updates.
Live Streaming
If you have a good broadband connection at your home or office, why not watch the match online? If you have a data card you could also do this while traveling, on your laptop. There are a number of places where you can watch the live streaming of the match online from February 19 onwards. We've listed a few links below.
ESPN Star .com
FromsportCOM.com
UStream
Crictime.com
Bollym4u.com
Desktop widgets and Browser Extensions
If you want something discrete that you can use in the office without your boss freaking out, then a desktop widget is a good place to start. ESPN Cricinfo have developed an official widget for Windows, Mac and Linux. For live scores you can use this widget.
If you want more discretion, then how about a browser extension? ESPN has an extension for Chrome and Firefox. After the install, you get a little icon next to your address bar, which when clicked, gives you alerts, score updates, etc.
Now that you're armed with the knowledge of these different ways to stay connected, there's no stopping you in fully enjoying your favorite sport.
