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Telerobotics helps sick teen toss a baseball 1,800 miles

There are some baseball players known for their strong arms, but a lot of people probably stood up and took notice when 13-year-old Nick LeGrande threw a baseball 1,800 miles today.

Before you scoff at the physical impossibility of such a notion, take solace in the fact that technology was very much behind LeGrande's feat, telerobotics to be precise. The Kansas City, Mo., teen, who suffers from severe aplastic anemia, a rare blood disease, threw out the ceremonial first pitch before the Oakland A's-New York Yankees game in Oakland, Calif., tonight. … Read more

Smartphone ownership reaches critical mass in the U.S.

While debate rages over whether Android devices, iPhones, BlackBerrys, or Windows Phones are better, there's no question that people increasingly prefer smartphones to feature phones.

And the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project just released the numbers to back that up.

In the U.S., 56 percent of adults are now smartphone owners, according to a study published Wednesday by Pew. This is the first time since Pew began tracking the numbers that the majority of the population owns a smartphone.

Currently 91 percent of people in the U.S. own a cell phone and 35 … Read more

The 404 1,281: Where we take our dosh to the bank (podcast)

Spotify's "Most Viral" songs of the week:

1. Bubble Butt - Major Lazer feat. Bruno Mars, 2 Chainz, Tyga & Mystic

2. Blurred Lines - Robin Thicke

3. Royals - Lorde

4. Take Me - Tiesto

5. We Own It (Fast & Furious) - 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa… Read more

MLB brings live game streaming to YouTube, but not in U.S.

Major League Baseball is about to begin live streaming America's pastime to fans on YouTube for free, but there is a catch: The arrangement will pass over fans in the U.S. and a handful of other countries where the sport is already dug in.

YouTube announced on Monday that fans in countries other than the U.S., Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan will be able to view two live games per day during the regular season on the video-sharing site. Fans in all countries will be able to view game highlights "about a day or two&… Read more

See a pro photog's beautiful Instagram view of baseball

San Francisco Bay Area photographer Brad Mangin -- a veteran shooter of baseball games and other sporting events for Sports Illustrated -- uses a high-powered dSLR for most of his work, but turned to an iPhone and Instagram to capture a more personal view of the 2012 Major League Baseball season. His upcoming book, "Instant Baseball: The Baseball Instagrams of Brad Mangin," features many sights only a pro photographer would have the chance to observe. The book comes out in late April. … Read more

Michael Dell to use own money to seek majority control -- report

Just weeks after reports surfaced that Dell was looking to go private, the company's founder appears willing to put his personal funds where his mouth is.

Michael Dell may kick in equity financing of $500 million to $1 billion combined with his 15.7 percent stake in the company to seek majority control of the company, according to Bloomberg. That would push his ownership stake past 50 percent.

With the investment, Dell would be contributing more than half of the total $8 billion to $9 billion equity check. The remainder of the takeover would be financed by debt and &… Read more

Landlines, you're out! T-Mobile to make MLB bullpen calls wireless

T-Mobile has finally made the big leagues.

The wireless carrier has has signed a deal with Major League Baseball to beef up certain stadiums with its own brand of wireless technology.

Coming up to bat will be a new wireless "on-field communication system" connecting managers in the dugouts with their coaches in the bullpen. The carrier will replace the old-fashioned wall-mounted phones with new cell phones, giving managers greater flexibility. The dugout-to-bullpen system will start to roll out to select stadiums this year.

As part of the multiyear MLB deal, T-Mobile will also tap into its growing 4G … Read more

Groupon scores Major League Baseball partnership

Groupon announced a partnership with Major League Baseball today, promising discounted game tickets and exclusive perks for all 30 of the league's teams.

The multi-year agreement with MLB's media arm is good news for the daily deals company, which has had trouble convincing Wall Street of its worth. It's a big name for Groupon to add to GrouponLive, its local live entertainment offerings, and builds on Groupon's baseball game discounts offered during the regular 2012 season and the post season.

GrouponLive General Manager, Greg Rudin said fans can expect exclusive access, luxury seats, and clubhouse and … Read more

Apple's Passbook scores home run with Major League Baseball

Passbook has already found one big fan in Major League Baseball.

Still in its initial innings, Apple's new electronic ticketing system scored well in a recent test conducted by MLB. In the final two weeks of the regular season, four teams tried out Passbook. Among 1,500 e-ticket buyers, 12 percent chose to receive their tickets via Apple's service, reports The Wall Street Journal's MarketWatch.

"That adoption rate really floored us -- there is no question our fans want digital tickets," Bob Bowman, CEO of MLB Advance Media, told MarketWatch. "Fans can use the … Read more

How to load up on apps for back-to-school season

The new school year can be hectic enough.

So I figured that I would round up some useful smartphone apps for students trying to survive their first few days back at school. While I assume this column will be read by college students starting a new semester or quarter, I can only imagine younger kids and parents can find some use in this as well.

Given the increase in smartphone use across all ages, I wouldn't be surprised. Fortunately, much of the advice applies to everyone.

Some of these may be obvious, but hopefully not all of them are. … Read more