SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry goes beta at long last on December 30

Great googly moogly, we wrote about this very application like fifty weeks ago. Fifty, people! Of course, with the drawn-out SlingCatcher drama, lengthy Sling product cycles aren't a terribly big surprise, so we should just all thank our lucky stars we're going to be getting our hands on SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry before the year's out. The app officially enters its public beta cycle come December 30 for the Bold, the Curve 8320 / 8900, the Pearl 8120 / 8220, and the venerable 8820, piping your home teevee right to your handset and usurping any semblance of productivity your BlackBerry otherwise stands for. A 3G or WiFi connection is "strongly recommended" -- which we take to mean "go ahead, give EDGE a whirl" -- but BlackBerry OS 4.5 is a hard and fast requirement, so make sure you come equipped with the goods if you want to waste some quality time in front of the small screen when this goes live.

[Ed @ Dec 18th 2008 1:02AM]

Awesomeness.
Productivity will decrease by a CAGR of -27.4% in the next 4 years, we’ll fall deeper into recession, but Blackberry users will love watching The Office while in the office.

[Dave @ Dec 18th 2008 4:17AM]

So it looks like soon your little Blackberry is going to run a little app called SlingPlayer Mobile. It also looks like my HTC Touch and Touch Diamond are soon going to run a little app called Blackberry. They've already been running the SlingPlayer Mobile app for a couple years now so I guess they're looking for something new to screw around with. But wait my Touch is already messing around and running Android. I guess having a phone that pretty much does everything is cool. My only question, what exactly will the Blackberry app do for me? Seriously, what's the rub on that whole Blackberry thing. I've always heard they pretty much get screwed for an additional data plan add-on but never really understood why. So what am I missing?

[redringofdeath @ Dec 18th 2008 6:16AM]

What they do is they don't crash twenty times a day.

[Dave @ Dec 18th 2008 5:35PM]

redringofdeath, I hate to break it to you but my HTC Touch and HTC Touch Diamond (both Windows Mobile devices) DO NOT crash all the time...and I'd consider myself a power user on these things. Judging by your user name "redringofdeath" (I'm assuming you're referring to the XBOX 360 that doesn't have JASPER onboard) you're a bit concerned with these electronic devices failing. Perhaps you should head on over then to today's article that deals with the fact that over 50% of the Blackberry Storms that have hit the market have needed to be returned due to failure.

[Flurry @ Dec 18th 2008 1:11AM]

Next for the iPhone and the G1 i hope. It really took a long time for sling to hook up the Blackberry. Although id rather wait awhile and get a good working product than some rushed out junk.

[Cheese McBeese @ Dec 18th 2008 1:16AM]

I was so excited by the Sling Catcher until I learned the price. What a joke. Cheaper to lease another set-top-box AND have the installers run the wires. I think Sling Media has lost sight of their value.

Blackberry is so 2006. Give me SlingPlayer on iPhone.

[Umm @ Dec 18th 2008 1:28AM]

If you can't afford a couple hundred dollars, then why are you looking at engadet for leading edge tech/news? you can afford to waste $80+ a month on a cell phone, but not a pay a small one time fee? lol

[Cheese McBeese @ Dec 18th 2008 1:38AM]

It's nothing to do with affordability - it's all about value vs other alternatives.

[Arke @ Dec 18th 2008 1:42AM]

@Umm,
Well, I disagree with your notion of NOT visiting engadget if I don't wanna or can't buy a gadget. If everyone who reads or visits engadget bought at least one gadget, then I guess US won't be into recession.

[tom @ Dec 18th 2008 8:27AM]

@Cheese

How is iPhone any cheaper than the blackberry?

[waterwagen @ Dec 18th 2008 10:53AM]

@tom

He's talking about the Slingcatcher.

[Squid7085 @ Dec 18th 2008 1:23AM]

Lets hope this delay doesn't become a standard for Sling. I have had my Sling Box for quite awhile and as long as I can remember the Blackberry client was "soon" I'm hoping they can get other platforms out the door much quicker, Im looking forward to the iPhone one.

[Cheese McBeese @ Dec 18th 2008 1:43AM]

+1 on the iPhone point

[MastrCake @ Dec 18th 2008 1:48AM]

BlackBerry users rejoice!!!

Now, if only I had a BlackBerry...

[bighap @ Dec 18th 2008 1:57AM]

Lets not support the Blackberry with the largest screen, the Storm. Stupid.

[Alex @ Dec 18th 2008 2:01AM]

The fact that Sling has yet to release an iphone client is almost criminal. If I was an investor in this company, I would be really worried. They are neglecting their core competency.

[Harley3k @ Dec 18th 2008 3:57AM]

I agree on the 'neglecting their core competency' comment.
What's the deal with the sling.com portal anyway - don't we have enough youtubes/hulus/what-have-you?

[Todd @ Dec 18th 2008 4:32AM]

@Harley3k

Sling.com connects to your physical Sling box ( and TiVo ) at home, letting you share what's recorded on those boxes with others. Plus Sling.com lets you watch your home cable/satelite inside the browser from anywhere. That's stuff YouTube and Hulu just don't do.

Here's a video of Sling on an iPhone, so we know it's already up and running, just not released:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8Cdl546xEQ

[Harley3k @ Dec 18th 2008 9:11AM]

@Todd

A web version of slingplayer is a nice idea, but it's still a plug-in. It still requires Windows, and it's just as easy to download and install the full client in my opinion.

Sling.com clearly seems to be geared toward other purposes than just watching your own slingbox. Sharing what I'm watching with others? Does anyone care? The whole video portal/social network concept makes me think the marketing people have taken over sling, and all they want is to collect as many e-mail addresses as they can.

[Jarek @ Dec 18th 2008 2:02AM]

Given that EDGE on my 8100 was barely cutting it for voip (gtalk on tethered N800), I think they may have a point when they strongly recommend 3G or wifi.

[gustin1826 @ Dec 18th 2008 2:06AM]

So does that mean no Storm? It can't be that hard to develop for the device it would work best on would it?

[AdamS @ Dec 18th 2008 9:36AM]

I am sure they will support the Storm once the player exits Beta, just right now they know the program will be the most stable on the models listed above.

[Todd @ Dec 18th 2008 7:03AM]

Where the hell is the Sprint 8130 Pearl in that list?? I am going to be very upset if it won't support that device...

[macgregger @ Dec 18th 2008 9:01AM]

Hey that's great, but who are the Chefs?

[MW @ Dec 18th 2008 9:30AM]

I'm curious, why doesn't this kind of stuff ever come to verizon? I know I know, "Verizon sucks" I'm sure will be spouted, but if someone intelligent enough could post something that makes sense, that'd be great, thanks.

[F1Mikal @ Dec 18th 2008 12:11PM]

no sling for iPhone because AT&T doesn't want a clogging of their network...I believe this was an actual AT&T quote.

so sad cuz we need/must have sling for iPhone.

my 2 p

F1Mikal

[Steve @ Dec 18th 2008 1:01PM]

But it works on the Bold that is also AT&T?

And they are working on an iPhone one...

[munir @ Dec 18th 2008 2:32PM]

that is not an actual AT&T quote. Sling is an approved Apple App Developer, so it's just a matter of time before we see a Sling client for the iPhone. Granted, that "matter of time" might be another 50 weeks.

[Matthew Mace @ Dec 18th 2008 3:42PM]

ME WANT SLING FOR IPHONE. NOW.

[JT @ Dec 18th 2008 10:10PM]

Does anyone have any idea if this will be coming to the Storm? I'm deciding between the Storm and the iPhone right now and if I get sling on Storm, I get Storm.

[wes @ Dec 22nd 2008 10:34AM]

Id bet good money that Apple will be the biggest obstacle to this being released on iPhone. Why would they want us to stop spending (vastly more than we should) money in the iTunes store, and stream content from our PVRs via Sling?

[Dan @ Dec 29th 2008 11:20PM]

I don't think at&t has a issue with it..seeing as orb does the same exact thing. At first the only way to stream video was on wifi..
but a update was quickly added that allowed it over 3G too.

[RN @ Dec 30th 2008 8:41PM]

IPHONE will never have a SLING CLIENT cause APPLE is too controlled. Those of you that have Iphones are controlled by "the Man" Time for you to switch to the real "smartphone" Blackberry! (not the wannabe smartphone - Iphone by Apple).!!!!

GO BLACKBERRY and SLINGMEDIA!!!!!!!!!