Sprint Nextel's new FanView helps fans

It's like sitting in front of a television watching the race.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- From his seat high in the grandstands, Lance Ramsey could see every bit of action on the race track. When he yearned for more insight into the race, he needed to look no farther than the device in his hands.
Sprint Nextel introduced its latest contribution to NASCAR this season with the FanView, a hand-held device that will undoubtedly become a must-have gadget for the die-hard gearhead. Part radio, part scanner, part television, part statistic service, the FanView blows away any current race accessories on the market.
"It's like sitting at home and watching TV, but yet you are still at the race. You get all the same info they put on TV right at your seat," said Ramsey, a Seattle-area State Trooper who used the FanView at both Daytona and Las Vegas races this year.
"For the ultimate fan, this is the ultimate device."
Nextel vowed to bring many new technological advances to NASCAR when it took over as the top series sponsor in 2004, and the FanView is its biggest contribution yet. The device launched at Daytona when all 4,000 models were rented out before race day.
Nextel rents them
The company will take more than 5,000 to Phoenix International Raceway this weekend in one of the final test runs before the FanView goes on the market. It currently rents for $50 a day, or $70 for the entire weekend. Its sale price has not yet been determined.
But whatever it costs, fans as devoted as Ramsey will have no qualms plopping their money down.
One of the biggest complaints NASCAR newcomers have is that they are unable to tell what's going on, aside from cars going in circles on the track. They often aren't sure who is leading, who is in the top 10, and aren't always familiar with the drivers.
"If you are into racing, and not just there to enjoy the atmosphere, the FanView is a must-have," said Malcom McGregor of Greensboro, N.C. "When it came to drivers and cars we weren't familiar with, like some of the up-and-coming drivers, it told us who they were.
"When they were practicing, it was letting us know who was the fastest, how many laps they had run. When you go to a race, you can lose track of who is leading the dang thing, or who is in 13th, 14th, or 15th. This thing right here, you just hit the button and there it is."
Weighs just 12 ounces
Sturdy and light -- it weighs just 12 oz., the same as a can of beer -- the FanView attaches to a lanyard and can be worn around the neck. Among the multiple features are:
Video capability which lets users choose between one of seven in-car camera angles (yes, you can watch the race from inside Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car) or the in-house race broadcast.
Audio capability lets the user listen to the team communications of all 43 drivers -- with the ability to rewind and listen to the last three minutes of conversation -- as well as the television broadcast.
A color graphics package that allows the user to follow the real-time race and points standings, the status of every driver, lap times and "Who's Hot."
Next level device
"Fans for years have used the audio scanners," said Michael Robichaud, vice president of Sprint Nextel sports marketing. "We're just trying to take that to another level."
The device can be intimidating to figure out at first, but fans have raved about the walk-throughs they've received at the rental counter. An online demonstration is also available to give users an advance lesson.
The lessons were key for McGregor, who is admittedly cautious when using new technology.
"I am someone who is always thinking, 'If I hit this button, I am going to delete this,' " he said. "But this was very, very easy to use."
Alas, users have found one complaint with the device: With so few currently available, envious fans can be a nuisance.
"The worst part of the thing is that everybody behind you is trying to look at it," Ramsey said. "Everybody asks 'What is that? How does it work? Where do you get it? Can I see it?' Once people see someone with it, everybody wants to have one."
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