NextVR announces multiyear NBA partnership and Daydream compatibility

By Nick Hastings Updated January 3, 2017

NextVR, one of the few companies providing fans with access to live sporting events in virtual reality, has partnered with Google and with the NBA to expand their services and their global footprint entering 2017.

Previously, NextVR content was only available on Samsung Gear VR headsets. With the introduction of Google Daydream compatibility, owners of specific phones (and Daydream headsets, of course; the list of compatible phones can be found here) can now stream sports and entertainment content from NextVR for no additional charge. Daydream is currently available in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Germany, and Australia.

Google Daydream View

Since the beginning of the season in October, NextVR has broadcast one NBA game live in virtual reality each week via the association’s League Pass program (the full schedule can be viewed here). Additionally, fans in the U.S. have access to full on-demand game replays and highlights in virtual reality.

Following Tuesday’s NextVR broadcast of the contest between the San Antonio Spurs and the Toronto Raptors, on-demand game replays will be available internationally, excluding China. Viewers outside the U.S., though, won’t be able to access live broadcasts at this time — only on-demand content.

NextVR’s suite of content isn’t limited to basketball, though, the company also offers NFL highlights, as well as content from Fox Sports, NBC Sports, and various athletic competitions. The company deploys a host of unique cameras at events that capture the action live, as the feed switches between camera angles to provide fans with the best viewing experience possible.

Each of the cameras captures footage in 6K resolution — higher than any headset can currently support, but the company is planning ahead. Advancements in technology arrive quickly these days and NextVR plans to lap the competition before it even appears. The secret to NextVR’s success is a mixture of live video and 3D rendering effects, which combine to create an experience that truly feels like you are at the game.

NEXTVR

To access NextVR content on your Gear VR or Daydream headset, simply download the app on your smartphone, connect the phone to your headset, and open the app. For detailed instructions, see here.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick is a Portland native and a graduate of Saint Mary's College of California with a Bachelor's of Communication. Nick's…

Entertainment

The best animated movies on Netflix right now

A cat points a bat at another cat in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

While Nimona has been the big Netflix original animated film of the summer, it's far from the only addition to the lineup. Netflix is making sure that animation fans are well served in August with the first two Despicable Me movies, Bee Movie, and Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2. However, Netflix's biggest recent addition is one of 2022's biggest animated hits: DreamWorks' Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

Netflix's deals with Sony Pictures Animation, DreamWorks Animation, and Universal Pictures have given it a powerhouse library of animated films. And that's before we even get into Netflix's impressive originals like The Sea Beast. To help you keep track of what's new and what you can stream right now, we've updated our list of the best animated movies on Netflix.

Entertainment

From Barbarella to Howard the Duck: the 7 cheesiest sci-fi movies ever

Howard the Duck in "Howard the Duck."

The science-fiction genre has a vast smorgasbord of cheesy films stretching way back to the early days of cinema. Such pictures are known for their weird stories, unrealistic dialogue, low-budget productions, and exaggerated acting.

While many of these films have been panned by critics and audiences alike, some of them have garnered success for being "so bad, they're good." Whether or not they have been held up by a dedicated fan base, these seven movies stand out as the cream of the cheesy sci-fi crop.
Flash Gordon (1980)

Entertainment

10 best Batman stories ever, ranked

Batman Year One cover

Bounding from rooftop to rooftop, the Dark Knight never misses his mark. He operates like a well-oiled machine tracking bad guys, beating them to a bloody pulp, and throwing them in the slammer - or Arkham Asylum should they be anyone of Gotham's notable supervillains. As the brainchild of Bob Kane and Bill Finger, an artist and writer duo, Batman has been pounding the pavement of Gotham ever since his debut in Detective Comics in 1939. He's undergone a number of changes since his original conception ultimately becoming the brooding powerhouse we know today.

Most understand the basic tenants of Batman these days. His parents were murdered before his young eyes leading him down this path of personal vindication and pursuit of justice. Batman, in most iterations, never resorts to killing -- the one crime that separates his outlaw vigilante operations from the real criminals. Of course, it wasn't always that way. In Batman's earliest days, he had no qualms about ending the lives of baddies on the streets. Even now, some stories and films like Tim Burton's gothic take on the character depict him looking on with cold and uncaring glares as criminals meet their end. Regardless, Batman is mostly a well-established hero simply seeking justice and there are countless stories of the Caped Crusader. Let's take a look at the best among them.
10. Hush