Sling working on player for iPad, Windows Phone 7 Series
By Laura June 
posted March 30th 2010 10:42AM
posted March 30th 2010 10:42AM
Looks like Zatz got the goods from the folks at Sling, who have a few interesting tidbits currently in the development pipe. Zatz not Funny is reporting that Sling's Mobile Product Marketing Manager, Dave Eyler, has told him that the company is "actively moving towards H.264" and Silverlight support, as well as delivering streaming with resolutions beyond the current 320x240. Though there are no firm details or timelines yet, this means we should definitely be expecting SlingPlayer Mobile versions for the iPad and Windows Phone 7 Series. While Sling says it won't have anything ready for the iPad's launch, we've got our fingers crossed that we'll see it soon.
Are you kidding me? What happened to ANDROID DAMN IT!
@derrickONLINE
Theyre working on it and will be out this summer.
Just in time for EVO.. SOLD!!
@derrickONLINE if it converts to H.264 I think it will work on the Android OS. I could be wrong and if I am please let me know. I would like to know if my N1 would have this functionality. That would be a great reason to purchase a sling box.
@HerbieDerb We've been hearing "COMING SOON" for years!
@derrickONLINE I love my SlingBox - I use it every day as my TV in my office is the second screen of my computer.
But it really seems like this company is phoning it in. Their remote profiles are outdated, the boxes get rare updates, and sometimes I wonder if they're even still in business. They're out of stock of their own product on their website, months after it's been released.
@derrickONLINE
Sling for iPad will rock bur will suck for WP7.
/sarcasm
@derrickONLINE
...and iPad users will end up shelling out at least $30 for the SlingPlayer app because the iPad doesn't run a proper web browser with Flash support. On a laptop I can just venture over to Sling.com and with a small plug-in be connecting to my SlingBox. Boy, this "no Flash support" is really gonna add up for those iPad users that actually want to do stuff with their iPad.
Bending over...there's an app for that.
My SlingPlayer is collecting dust.
@derrickONLINE same here. And while Uverse will soon be doing mobile view/record, I wonder if i'll ever use my SlingBox again.
same thing they said when the Palm Pre came out.... still nothing there either
@dutchman71
Exactly. First thing I thought was "Where's the love for WebOS?", then I remembered they were developing something for Palm months ago that is still vaporware at this point.
@Booksmart Devil Yeah, it's been months since that post on precentral. i bet it is schedule the same time as flash for webos too! ahhahaahhha
The ipad is the best websurfing experience ,the best email experience,the best photos and movie watching experience..it's gonna change the way we do the things we do everyday
@facethefire
It already changed the way I look at you, moron.
@facethefire
I love Scott Forstall's like...
"you don't even have to think about it...just... DO!!!!!!!!!"
hahahahh
@facethefire Invasion of the bodysnatchers.
@facethefire
You've tried it?
You are what's wrong with the world!!!!
Stupidity in its most unapologetic personification.
@Wesscoast
It exceeds my ability to understand how it works making it sort of magical
@facethefire
+1 Sarcasm. Sorry no one else go it :P.
I Sling I'm going to pass.
I choose to ignore the second part of that sentence.
*turns up his nose
So if the iPhone version was $29.99, what will this one be, $99.99? I will be majorly disappointed if they don't offer a discount to people who bought the iPhone version.
@kyleaa
Don't expect a discount because the App Store currently doesn't offer a means to offer a lower price on Product A because you already bought Product B, as far as I am aware.
@Kelmon
They could do an in-app purchase if they wanted to offer existing customers a discount.
@kyleaa I agree. I just bought the app a few weeks ago for my iPhone because they said it would also work on my iPad. I'll be annoyed if they release a separate iPad version and not just an updated version to support both resolutions.
Yeah just like the Palm Pre at launch ("premiere launch vendor" my ass).
Sling player on the EVO. Finally, I will never need to leave my bathrooom.
If the rumors are true (and they come from credible sources), then this year's iPhone could be the first smartphone from Cupertino worth respect, and totally obliterates WP7S (which will ship with no multitasking, no flash, almost no apps).... not to mention Android Fruyo phones coming along the way. In a way, I'm grateful for Microsoft's early announcement which will serve the consumers good by firing up the competition.
@TareG
If you think the new iPhone is going to ship with flash you need to pinch your arm and wake up.
@fourthletter
Flash is alomst never coming to iPhone. Which is why Android will rule 2010.
@TareG
kindly define "rule," please. Severe fragmentation? Less mindshare than Apple or RIM?
@TareG
Given the volumes of iPhones that have been sold, I honestly don't think that people think that Flash support is as important as people here think it is. Flash is not a "killer app" because it is something that you don't even think about, possibly until it is too late. Google Navigation, however, is something that customers would find much more interesting.
@Kelmon
Yeah I'm sure nobody on the iPhone went to a website with flash video and asked himself, "Hey, why isn't this working?"
@TareG
Help me understand why the iphone will obliterate WP7? Lets set our clocks back to when the first gen iphone came out. How did the iphone workout without those feature. Mega numbers. Im not saying thats what WP7 will do when it launches but for you to say it will obliterate is a terrible call. Why does it have to be one or another in these threads. You guys are killing me.
@eminisp
Help you understand? If you need help understanding the difference between the iPhone's competition in 2007, and WP7S's competition in 2010, then I'm afraid, no, I can't help you.
@TareG
It was a hypothetical question chap...
I understand the competition very well. You did not answer on why the iphone will obliterate the WP7. Dont give me or anyone else the "it doesnt have this or that" argument but instead a thorough analysis as if you were pitching it to investors on why we should long or short the two companies.
I say the iphone wont obliterate WP7 or any other OS for that matter. How many Americans to date have a smart phone? Not all 300 million (give or take) We can both agree on that. lets say a quarter or close to half the americans have a smartphone. How many does that leave left? There is enough room for APPL, MSFT, and GOOG to grab their share of consumers remaining.
Lets also look at it like this. How many people (broke college students, poverty stricken consumers, thirfty shoppers) will want to pony up a couple of hundred for a iPhone? That leaves MSFT, GOOG. The average Joe will go the free phone LG, Samsung, or HTC will provide (GOOG, MSFT) with a two year extension.
I hate to break it to you but competition is going no where.
@TomSawyer I resent when people refer to it as fragmentation. Besides AT&T's decision to go with Yahoo search on the Backflip, all "fragmentation" has been a pretty face and some widgets. It's nothing different than the "fragmentation" between the extensions that jailbroken iPhone users choose to install. The core is still there, the apps are still there, the functionality is still there.
When sling says it's "working" on something, that means a release towards the end of the decade.
I bought a sling HD about year ago and it's by far the most poorly supported piece of hardware I've ever owned (excluding foreign knockoff type junk).
As they've said (they being Apple) that several of the current iPhone apps will work on the iPad, I wonder if the iPhone version of SlingPlayer will work in some way/shape/form?
@ghc
Uh... I'll let you in on a little secret.
...
All Apps work on the iPad. All of them. All 175,000.
I figured that was ... part of the 'its just a big iPod touch' talking point..
@Wesscoast
Won't it do the resolution upscaling thing? I would think the video quality would be very crappy.
@Wesscoast What resolution do they run at then? Resolution blurred?
@DoctarPeppar
I believe that you have a choice of displaying the application (which, in the case of the Sling Player, should include the video it is showing) at either its native resolution or upscaled. Either way you aren't going to get an image as good as a native iPad app will display but I expect that it is better than nothing if you don't want to pay for the application again.
That's exactly what I'll be using my iPad for. I've got my Slingbox Pro hooked up to my TimeWarner Cable PVR and I use it to watch my recorded shows wherever I have my MacBook Pro in the house. The iPad will be lighter to carry around and the battery life will be better. The iPad will fill my need for a light portable perfectly. I just wish there were more free WiFi spots in the NYC. TimeWarner is supposed to implement free WiFi for current customers and there are a couple of parks in my neighborhood that they show coverage for. I'll be anxious to try them out.
Ah, Sling Media -- the WORST company in the world.
Said they would support Android almost 2 years ago.
Entire operating systems have been coded in the time it takes them to make a streaming video player. They must have some real idiots working for them. Also where's support for the HD2 and other WM 6.5 devices out now? Hm? Palm Pre? Symbian S60v5? Do yourself a favor, if you're thinking about getting a slingbox -- don't. They have the worst support ever and are very slow to give updates, if at all.
soon for sling often means another 2 years.
As long as its released in time for the World Cup, i'm happy :D
Buying an iPad for on-the-go World Cup coverage would be worth it alone...
Lets all circle our calendars for a July release. July 2014.
Ah man, I just got a Sling for my new iPad!
This is one of the applications eventhou very cool, that will drive ATT to raise the $19.99 price of their 3G plan that comes optional to the iPad. Very data Angry. Unless AAPL puts the clamp down and and limits the device as an ebook and casual streaming content, not an oversized ipod for movie watchin on the 3G network. Wonder how this plays out