Sling Media
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Sling's CEO on being acquired by EchoStar: "We are going to rock"
So now that the EchoStar acquisition is public, Sling Media's CEO, Blake Krikorian sat down with SlingCommunity's Matt Whitlock and talked about how the deal is going to affect the place-shifting upstart. In his usual candid way, Krikorian said Sling is going to stay independent, and while the company is obviously going to try and leverage Dish Network's huge install base and software library, it's not going to rule out deals with other content and delivery providers -- in fact, Sling will continue to work with EchoStar's arch-rival DirecTV on things like NFL Supercast. Sadly, there are no juicy product details, but Krikorian did say that "there's some interesting things we're going to be able to cook up." Overall, Krikorian seems incredibly stoked about the acquisition -- which probably means good things for all you place-shifting hooligans out there.[Thanks, Jeff]
SlingPlayer Mobile for S60 goes gold
Sweet, we can stop drooling from afar at 3's exclusive on the Symbian rendition of SlingPlayer Mobile -- and just in time, what with the N95-3 launch and all! Following Windows Mobile and Palm OS versions, the commercial version of SlingPlayer Mobile for S60 offers some exciting new features, namely support for WiFi and a full-screen landscape viewing mode that's sure to be a fan favorite. In the US, Sling is officially supporting the Nokia E65, N75, and N95 with the software, while Europe gets the 6120 and N73 as well. If you're lucky enough to have scooped an N95 in the US, hang onto your dimes -- Sling's putting a deal in place to offer the player to you free of charge -- but otherwise, pick it up for $29.99, $34.99 in Canada, or £19.99 in the UK.
Hands-on with Sling Media's Slingbox SOLO
Considering that the cat's out of the bag, we couldn't help but take the opportunity to get a closer look at the newest Slingbox. The unit boasted a small frame and plenty of ports, but it still rocked that tried and true Slingbox look throughout. Go on, check the gallery below to get up close and personal with the SOLO.%Gallery-7835%
Slingbox SOLO gets official, includes built-in component jacks
Earlier this month, Sling Media's Slingbox SOLO surfaced courtesy of the FCC, and now the firm's first box to be released with built-in component jacks is finally official. Granted, we already know that this FCC-exposed Slingbox is set to include these coveted ports as well, but this bad boy should be the first of the two to hit store shelves. Furthermore, it'll boast passthrough outputs to save you from scrounging around for a splitter, the ability to control a single set-top-box and support for incoming HD signals. Oh, and while the actual purpose of the built-in USB port has yet to be confirmed, we've all got external storage (and WiFi) on the brain. As for pricing and availability, look for this sucka to ship very soon for $179.99 in the US, $199.99 in Canada and £129.99 in the UK.
EchoStar announces Sling Media acquisition -- Sling totally "psyched"
EchoStar -- parent Co of Dish Network -- just announced intent to purchase Sling Media for a cool $380 mil. Not a total surprise given the similarities of those logos. More telling, perhaps, is the fact that EchoStar was an early investor in the people responsible for the Slingbox and SlingPlayer software. The acquisition, expected to be approved before the year is up, gives EchoStar access to more displays and more locations thanks to Sling's streaming solutions in and outside of the home. And Blake Krikorian, co-founder, chairman and boss of Sling Media, reaction to the prospects of the new union? "We are psyched to make this announcement" as it "paves the way for the development of a host of new innovative products and services for our subscribers, new digital media consumers and strategic partners." Yeah bro, totally... like the SlingCatcher, eh dude?
Slingbox SOLO and Slingbox Catcher pass through FCC
Ok, we can tell you precisely nothing about the final version of the Slingbox Catcher (recently delayed) or the fresh new SOLO we're just now hearing about for the first time (thanks a LOT, FCC), but we can tell you they're both approved by the government for use in the US of A, and that usually means it won't be long until we'll see them on store shelves. Also, in case you didn't notice, they're referring to the SlingCatcher as the Slingbox Catcher now. Hmph.
Slingbox Pro with built in component jacks hits the FCC, Krikorian promises HD box for January
The Sling Media family have been quite the busy bees of late. First, the TV-transporting company has just gotten approval on a brand new, unnamed variation of the Slingbox, which forgoes the external Slingbox HD Connect cable used with the Slingbox Pro (that gives you component ins / outs) and instead includes a single set of component hookups right on the box. Additionally, during a Revision3 interview with Blake Krikorian (Sling Media's CEO) the venerable Om Malik managed to get Blake to let loose new about the now-rumored Slingbox HD, which (after some arm-twisting) Krikorian says is coming in "January," though in what year he wouldn't say. Honestly, if it's any later than 2008, it's too late. Read -- Slingbox FCC report Read -- The GigaOm Show Episode 3 - Sling It, Baby
Sling's SlingCatcher pushed back to fall
If you're anything like us, you're probably wondering where the hell Sling's SlingCatcher home media streamer is. Well, we put it out there and heard back from Sling: apparently that summer launch was a little "aggressive", and the release has been silently moved back to fall. Bummer, because we were really stoked to fool around with this sucker. Ah well, as long as Sling isn't too worried about the Apple TV eating the SlingCatcher's lunch, we'll sit quietly like well behaved gadget nerds.[Thanks, Cole]
SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS goes gold
Concluding a rather lengthy beta (or at least it seemed lengthy to those impatiently waiting for it), Sling has finalized its SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS for retail. With Windows Mobile 5, Windows Mobile 6, and Palm clients now all widely available, carriers may want to get cracking at shoring up those HSDPA and EV-DO towers, because we have every intention of watching this football dude again and again. And again. Grab SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS -- officially supported on the 700p and 755p thanks to their 3G radios, though other models should work -- now for a penny shy of $30. Now if we could only get our hands on that elusive S60 client, we'd be all set.
Sling quietly releases the SlingLink Turbo 1 Port
Although we'd caught glimpses of it in the press photos for the SlingLink Turbo 4 Port, the existence of a 1-port version of Sling's 85Mbps powerline networking adapter was strictly rumor until today, when the eagle-eyed placeshifters over at SlingCommunity noticed that the $99 box was up for sale on Sling's website. You're looking at basically the same HomePlug 1.0-compatible box as the SlingLink Turbo 4 Port, but with only one Ethernet jack -- and no need to blow an extra $50 on three extra jacks at the head-end of a powerline setup. No word on whether these things actually pump bits at 85Mbps, but it's not like we can replace our rat's nest of CAT-5 at this point anyway.[Via SlingCommunity]
Major League Baseball still barking up Sling Media's tree
While some broadcasters are actually utilizing the Slingbox and appreciating its benefits, leave it to Major League Baseball to further alienate its dwindling fanbase. After cable customers were just barely able to get back in on the Extra Innings love, it appears that Sling Media is still being blacklisted in the eyes of MLB, as a recent interview with Michael Mellis, Senior VP and general counsel of MLB Advanced Media's offices reinforced the friction between the two. Most recently, Mellis and friends seem to be mulling a lawsuit against Sling, as he claims that the Slingbox "allows viewers to circumvent geographical boundaries written into broadcast rights deals," and moreover, had no shame in admitting that profiteering was at the forefront of their minds by suggesting that "if the league can't protect the rights it sells, that doesn't bode well for future contracts when it wants to resell the rights at higher margins." Reportedly, the CEA has indeed come to Sling's side by proclaiming that this case is a "classic instance of copyright owners trying to suppress innovation purely because it empowers consumers." Of course, we hope you don't let Mellis' words get you too riled up -- after all, he also stated that "there's no guarantee that Slingbox would be around next year as it's just a startup." Let the snickering commence.[Via CNET]
Slingbox and EV-DO: the low cost way to deliver broadcast news
While some news channels are busy busting out HD feeds of the six 'o clock rundown, San Francisco's CBS 5 is cutting costs in a huge way. By placing some 20 low-end cameras in various locales throughout the city, the station is utilizing Slingbox Pros and wireless EV-DO cards to beam live footage back to the station. According to a video interview with the news operations director, the traditional method of wheeling a fully-stocked van to the scene, begging for the FCC's blessing, and clogging up even more California roadways runs them "around $8 per minute." Their Sling-enabled system rings up at a measly $59 per month for each data card, and it also relieves them from having to purchase the $25,000 van-loaded rigs that many channels currently use. Of course, they admit that their money saving tactics aren't likely to remain exclusive for long, but be sure to hit the read link to see the interview and catch a few shots from the Slingbox on duty.[Via CNET]
SlingPlayer for Mac 1.0 with Apple TV support
We've mentioned the SlingPlayer for Mac client several times since it was first publicly revealed back at Macworld and now Sling Media has officially released it after several months in beta. This version includes support for the Apple TV (as we mentioned before) and word on the web is that it is considerably more Mac-like than the early betas, supposedly sporting a revamped interface compliant with Apple's Human Interface Guidelines.So if you've been interested in a Slingbox for "placeshifting" video content across the internet, now might be a good time to pull the trigger. SlingPlayer for Mac is a free download from Sling Media.Thanks, Lee!
Sling Media wants to stream to iPhone
We mentioned a while back that Sling Media was working hard to add support for the Apple TV to their Sling Box placeshifting device. Now the company's CEO Blake Krikorian revealed at NAB that the company is courting Apple to allow Sling to offer their client software on the iPhone. This would effectively allow iPhone users access to their entire home media collection as connected to a Slingbox. Presumably, this would have to be over WiFi since the the iPhone's EDGE connection would be too slow for video. Perhaps unsurprisingly, Apple is not commenting on this. For my own part, I think this would be an absolutely killer feature for the iPhone, though I would not be surprised if Apple had in mind developing something in house rather than letting Sling offer their client (which already runs on Mac, PC, Windows Mobile, and Palm). [Via MacNN]
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for Gadget of the Year
This is it, the moment you've been waiting for. After all these long months you can finally cast your ballot for the 2006 Gadget of the Year! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Wednesday, April 18th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best gadget in all of 2006 win! The nominees: Apple MacBook Pro, Dell 3007WFP-HC, HTC Hermes / 8525, Nintendo Wii, SanDisk Sansa E280R, Slingbox PRO, and Sony PlayStation 3. %Poll-368%
The 2006 Engadget Awards: Vote for Home Entertainment Device of the Year
Now's your chance to cast your ballot for the 2006 Home Entertainment Device of the Year! Our Engadget Awards nominees are listed below, and you've got until 11.59PM EST on Sunday, April 15th to file your vote. You can only vote once, so make it count, and may the best tech win! The nominees: DirecTV HR20, Slim Devices Transporter, Slingbox PRO, Sonos ZP80, Sony BDP-S1 Blu-ray player, TiVo Series3, and Toshiba HD-XA1 HD DVD player. %Poll-276%
Sling Media working on compatibility with Apple TV
Dave Zatz, an employee at Sling Media, is confirming reports that they're busily bringing compatibility with the Apple TV to their cool Slingbox placeshifting device. The Slingbox connects to your home AV sources (cablebox, Tivo, DVD player, etc.) and your router, and allows you (via the SlingPlayer client) to watch that video stream anywhere in the world over the internet. It even includes an IR blaster that lets you control your source as if you were in your living room with your standard remote (which appears on your screen, like the Apple Remote to the right). Now the Slingbox Pro will apparently connect to your Apple TV (via the component outputs) giving you access across the internets, not only to your video, but to your entire iTunes library (via audio only mode) on your Mac, PC, Palm or Windows Mobile device. Nifty![Via Engadget]
Sling Media working on Apple TV compatibility
So we just got it straight from the horse's mouth -- the horse in this case being Sling Media's and Zatz Not Funny's own Dave Zatz -- that the company is hard at work on adding Apple's Apple TV to the growing list of devices compatible with your SlingBox. As Dave points out, not only will Apple TV compatibility allow you to placeshift your video content, you'll also be able to stream your entire iTunes library thanks to the 'Box's audio-only mode; who needs an iPod when you can access all your music directly from your Windows Mobile, Palm, and possibly J2ME-equipped cellphone sometime in the future? As usual, we'll let you know when you can start slinging your Apple TV swag, and of course, if and when Team Sling does decide to build a Java client (hint hint, nudge nudge).
Sling lets its latest boxes loose in Canada
It took them a while, but Sling Media has finally seen fit to officially release its current batch of Slingboxen in Canada, carting its Slingbox Pro, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner across the border. Canadians hoping for a little something extra given the delay, however, will likely be a bit disappointed, with the only changes coming in the currency. In Canadian dollars, the Slingbox Tuner will set you back $180, while the Slingbox AV carries a slightly higher $200 price tag, and the Slingbox Pro tops things off at $300 -- the HD Connect cable and SlingLink Turbo 4-Port will also both be available in Canada, running $60 and $180, respectively. In addition to the hardware, Sling also took the opportunity for officially announce its SlingPlayer Mobile software for Windows Mobile and Palm OS devices in Canada, with the former version now available for $35 Canadian and the latter still open for beta testers.
SlingLink Turbo and friend get their glamor on
As if we needed any more verification of the existence of such a device, Sling's SlingLink Turbo just go peeped from all sorts of angles for some fancy press shots, and seems to be accompanied by another new SlingLink model that keeps the sexy design but loses the Ethernet hub. What a charming couple.%Gallery-1702%
