SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, SlingPlayer for Mac HD make debuts

Remember that proof-of-concept you saw way back in June of last year? You know, that one involving SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone? Here at Macworld, Sling Media is doing its darnedest to take the spotlight away from the looming Apple keynote by announcing that said app is almost ready for consumption. It'll be demonstrating a functional version in San Francisco, and it's planning to submit the software to Apple for certification sometime this quarter. In case you couldn't care less, it'll also unveil a prototype SlingPlayer for Mac HD, which will enable Mac-using Slingbox PRO-HD owners to stream high-def material to their Mac. As for the good stuff, pricing has yet to be determined for the SlingPlayer iPhone app, but the SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be made available gratis. Full release is after the break.

Sling Media to Demonstrate SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone and Slingbox HD Streaming on the Mac at Macworld

San Francisco - Macworld - January 6, 2009 - Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is demonstrating a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone being developed for the iTunes store at this year's Macworld. Sling Media will deliver a version of SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone to Apple for certification in Q1.

Sling Media is also unveiling a prototype of a new SlingPlayer for Mac HD which allows Slingbox PRO-HD users to stream HD to their Mac desktop or laptop computer. The new SlingPlayer for Mac HD is a web-based version of the SlingPlayer software that will be accessible from Sling.com, Sling Media's recently launched video entertainment web site.

"SlingPlayer Mobile is ideally suited for the iPhone's large touch screen display and I know iPhone users are eagerly anticipating the application's availability," said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. "Add to that HD streaming support for Slingbox PRO-HD customers and live TV support on our video entertainment site, Sling.com, and you can see Sling Media is committed to delivering great solutions for Mac users."

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via your iPhone using a standard network connection (3G Cellular, WiFi). In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road.

Pricing and Availability
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone will be submitted to Apple for testing and approval in Q1. The price has not been determined at this time. SlingPlayer for Mac HD will be available for free via the web-based SlingPlayer within Sling.com later in Q1. Mac customers will be able to use either Safari or Firefox web browsers to get both HD streaming and Live TV within Sling.com.

About Sling Media
Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is a leading digital lifestyle company offering consumer services and products that are a natural extension of today's digital way of life. Sling Media's product family includes the internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox™ that allows consumers to watch and control their living room television shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones and the revolutionary new SlingCatcher™, a universal media player that seamlessly delivers broadcast TV, Internet video and personal content to the TV. Sling Media is also the company behind the video entertainment web site, Sling.com, offering consumers a wide variety of popular TV shows, movies and other entertainment free for viewing online or on the TV using SlingCatcher. For more information on Sling Media, the Slingbox or the SlingCatcher, visit www.slingmedia.com. To watch your favorite TV shows and movies, check out www.sling.com.

[Kanoswrx @ Jan 6th 2009 12:07AM]

Good luck getting AT&T to allow this on the App Store. I hope sling releases this to the community if AT&T and Apple block this awesome app. AT&T deserves some kind of lawsuit thrown against them if this isn't allowed.

[Kanoswrx @ Jan 6th 2009 12:10AM]

PS. oh and they better not pull that $hit where they allow it only on WiFi. 3G was made for this, lets put it to use!!! It worked great on my 8525 and that was 2 years ago. Get with the times Apple and AT&T!!

[aaron @ Jan 6th 2009 12:12AM]

Why wouldn't they? It's been available for WM smartphones for years.

[AndrewNeo @ Jan 6th 2009 12:14AM]

Orb Live is in the App Store, and is capable of playing live TV and streaming video from a computer.

[kanoswrx @ Jan 6th 2009 12:17AM]

"Why wouldn't they"

Do you realize who we are talking about... Apple and AT&T... Not exactly two of the most open and consumer friendly companies. I mean we can't even download an app over 10 megs on 3G let alone download a song over 3G, that would be insane that someone might want to do that!! What makes you think they will let us stream TV at ~400 KB/sec for a couple hours a day?

My fingers are crossed but my hopes are low.

[Flashpoint @ Jan 6th 2009 12:35AM]

+1 for Kano

I hope AT&T allows TV streaming, but, it seems highly unlikely. And the damned shame is that other countries have it on slower networks than we are using.

I'm suprised streaming TV isn't available yet for iPhone.

[Tech_Terry @ Jan 6th 2009 2:08AM]

Why would AT&T not allow streaming over 3G. Just thing of all the data charges an end user would rack up.

[Nouman @ Jan 6th 2009 12:08AM]

wifi in college+ my phone +...oh I get it.

[Sam Zebian @ Jan 6th 2009 12:12AM]

this would be awesome if it came out, then I'd actually buy a slingbox (no reason to right now, have a locationfreeplayer for my laptop). I wasted my money on the orb app, it doesn't even work with my tv tuner and I don't want to always run my pc for tv on the go.

[Sam Zebian @ Jan 6th 2009 12:12AM]

Yeah, first to be flamed. douche.

[Colin @ Jan 6th 2009 12:18AM]

Why not the ipod touch?

[Squid7085 @ Jan 6th 2009 11:45AM]

Really, you haven't caught on to the whole iPhone and iPod touch running the same software thing yet?

[monstachuck @ Jan 6th 2009 12:27AM]

But I could care less, I want it.

[waiownsyou @ Jan 6th 2009 12:31AM]

I like the jailbroken carrier and wifi icon... but why is the clock not centered?

[Dan @ Jan 6th 2009 12:32AM]

I will believe it when I download the app from the App store....not a minute before. Sling seems to be the best company ever at pre-announcing stuff. I guess the benefit is they get to announce stuff two or three times because we're likely to forget the first time.

[Kevin @ Jan 6th 2009 8:13PM]

Agree the Blackberry version of this was announced months if not a full year before it was available.

[jupiterthunder @ Jan 6th 2009 12:36AM]

I'm gonna give bonus points for the "video" being streamed. Even thought it is at least three years old.

41 days to the Daytona 500!

[michas_pi @ Jan 6th 2009 1:08AM]

Forty-one days to >9000 Left Turns 500.

[Dan @ Jan 6th 2009 12:51AM]

ORB Live has been doing it..and when it launched at first..it was video only over Wifi..a few weeks later the updated it
and allowed it over 3G.

The only thing that i don't like about orb is the quality is alright i wish the frame rate was higher.

[shugg @ Jan 6th 2009 1:04AM]

get feeling apple wont allow this one to slip by,and allow high quality slingblade app on 3g/wifi for little money. maybe just too much wishful thinking..,.,.,will have super compatibilty cable,dish direct tv, etc,

[crappyface @ Jan 6th 2009 1:07AM]

I will buy a slingbox the second this app comes out. I will no longer have to take off from work to watch the first two days of NCAA March madness

[shade @ Jan 6th 2009 1:31AM]

Have been using singplayer on my n95 for quite a long time now, works very well in ATT 3G areas. Also own a first gen iPhone, and passed on picking up a 3G iPhone thanks to the lovely premium tacked on to the 15$/mo. medianet plan. May consider one if they do in fact allow the use of slingplayer over 3G, I'd definitely appreciate the increase in screen real estate, supposing the network throughput could make that resolution/screen size inc. worthwhile.

*crosses fingers* definitely hope ATT+Apple let this one into the appstore.

[Geekfather @ Jan 6th 2009 2:01AM]

Please let this happen! I got rid of my Treo to get an Iphone, and nearly went back to it just for the Sling Player.

[dLeet @ Jan 6th 2009 2:37AM]

I don't see why AT&T would have any say in this. It doesn't violate AT&T's terms of service. You can argue that they'll get all up in Apple's face b/c it circumvents AT&T's tv service for cell phones but the iPhone doesn't exactly offer access to any of AT&T's other rip off services (e.g. $2.50 ringtones). As for apple not letting it go without earning some good money for it - let's just look to what's supposedly announced for the BB Bold - I think I saw it was going to be sold for $39 bucks when it leaves beta - compared to other apps in the Apple store (I'm Rich app not withstanding), that will give Apple 12 bucks an app sold - not too shabby.

[Squid7085 @ Jan 6th 2009 11:52AM]

AT&T can use some of that "Use of their network" crap. I think Apple would love the Sling Player on the iPhone, mater of fact, when it gets released I can see it being featured in an ad. AT&T is the one we have to watch out for here. In light of recent network outages, letting millions of potential people stream live TV probably wont help out the network load. I don't go to school in an area with 3G and my campus is covered in WiFi, so I am happy with WiFi only until summer when I come home. However, seeing how the trend has turned away from not letting apps in, I can't see Apple rejecting this, the only thing that seems plausible is allowing it to be used on 3G, thats an AT&T thing. The whole reason we can't download music over 3G is because AT&T wants a "per song" royalty that Apple refuses to pay up.

[delighted @ Jan 6th 2009 2:57AM]

Most definitely the app is real. They've been working with Apple for over a year and a half on this. From what I've seen the app is sweeeeet. -- @Dan - You're certainly right to be dubious. The putz leading SlingCatcher finally got it out the door... after over almost two years. Pretty annoying. But I'm sure that this will happen for the iPhone. The kick-ass woman leading the mobile team and her guys working on it at Sling rock -- and are the only ones who meet their delivery schedules time and again! I'm looking forward to downloading it.

[DjFIL @ Jan 6th 2009 3:27AM]

Wish my parents SlingBox didn't crap out reciently. I'd love to test this app with my iPod Touch over my home network.

[grull27 @ Jan 6th 2009 6:44AM]

Anybody notice the little AT&T logo on the top left? You can only get that by jailbreaking. 0_0

[Chewie @ Jan 6th 2009 8:42AM]

I might almost be excited over this if my Slingbox Pro hadn't crapped out after 18 months. And judging by similar comments on Sling's own forums, I am far from alone. Needless to say, I will not be shelling out the cash for another Slingbox.

[GoonieGooGoo @ Jan 7th 2009 3:23PM]

Sling is very good about repairing their products or replacing them.

I had a SLINGBOX PRO and SLINGLINK TURBO (4port) crap out...and after some troubleshooting..Sling was quick to send me replacement to swap out with.

THis happened 2x with the SlingLink TUrbo.....and also with an AC Adapter.

Ironically I've never experienced any problems whatsoever with my original Slingbox Classic and orginal 1port SlingLink (guess their quality control went down)

Call them....they will be able to help you.

[Offtopic Man @ Jan 6th 2009 10:07AM]

Anyone know if you can get A/V output using the the A/V cable and this app?

[Mike Vaia @ Jan 6th 2009 10:59AM]

Charging for this app seems a bit ridiculous to me seeing as the PC / Mac versions are free. I am not yet a Sling owner since I have been waiting for an iPhone app to be released. If I am going to purchase a Slingbox Pro-HD for $300, I shouldn't have to buy an app to use it too. I realize the WinMo app is also sold separately but I think that is BS too. I guess we'll see what it's priced at but I'm guessing it will probably be around the same as the WinMo app @ $30, which will most likely be a deal breaker for me. It's not so much the $330 price tag as it is the gouging / raping aspect of it all.

[Squid7085 @ Jan 6th 2009 12:03PM]

Really, you haven't caught on to the whole iPhone and iPod touch running the same software thing yet?

[Squid7085 @ Jan 6th 2009 12:05PM]

Argh, stupid 1Password. Sorry, Sling has always charged for Mobile versions, the Desktop version has always been "Part of the purchase" I would love to see it be free, but I understand charging for it. However, the cost they have charged historically is the problem. I think the Palm one was like $30. $19.99 is the most I would be willing to pay for a sling app.

[Mike Vaia @ Jan 6th 2009 1:29PM]

I agree with you, Squid. I think I would be willing to pay $10... maybe $15... $20 is really excessive but I'd probably bite the bullet and pull the trigger. At $30, I just feel squeezed.

[MegaZone @ Jan 6th 2009 2:56PM]

We charge for SPM but I don't think $30 is a major hardship. SPM licenses are transferable, so once you buy it you keep moving it to new devices. (Actually I don't know if we'll be doing that on iPhone since it is the first one we have to sell through someone else's store (App Store) and not from our site, but that's still being discussed and that's what we'd like to do.) A minority of our users use SlingPlayer Mobile, while nearly all of them use SlingPlayer on the desktop. Mobile development is is more work - more platforms, more variations in those platforms, special requirements, more to test, etc. So you have more work being done to support a much smaller group of users. We could raise the prices on the Slingboxes and spread the costs, but that's not really fair to the majority of users who never use SPM. And since only a minority use it, it isn't something that would sell more hardware to compensate.

[JB @ Jan 6th 2009 7:27PM]

That minority is about to become a majority though, I think you'll be surprised how many SB owners have an iPhone and will use the app. But $30 seems pretty steep, $15-20 sounds more fair and I think many more will shell out at that price point. Most of all though, just get it out ASAP... :)

[miller890 @ Jan 7th 2009 11:04AM]

Here is SlingMedia's video demo. Much better than I expected.

http://www.slingmedia.com/go/iphone

[DarkZ @ Jan 7th 2009 12:51PM]

this is finally happening...SWEEET!