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.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2009 12:23AM]

GODDAMNIT I JUST SOLD MY SLINGBOX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sigh, oh well, back to Amazon for me.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2009 4:05AM]

I don't blame you. It's been vapor ware for how long? :(

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2009 10:01AM]

It still is vaporware until they release it. Sling never does anything on-time.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2009 11:58AM]

Love SlingPlayer on WinMo. Can't wait to see it on Android!

Ranters who complain about late prog development should become developers,
so they can show the world they can do more than sit & pout about what the world owes them.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 6th 2009 2:55PM]

Good luck trying to use it without buffering in the east coast.

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 7th 2009 1:59PM]

I like the AT&T logo in the carrier part of the iphone

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 7th 2009 2:16PM]

CAN NOT WAIT!!!!!!!! WILL BE WORTH WHATEVER THEY CHARGE!!!!!! (Under $40 is reasonable)

I just wish they'd offer they original customers buy-backs of their gears for cheap upgrades like tivo does!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 8th 2009 12:00AM]

I was considering buying a fuze just to watch my slingbox. Now as soon as the app store gets the player all I need is copy an paste on my iPhone and I am good to go!

[(Unverified) Posted Jan 15th 2009 12:42PM]

In regards to G1Fan's comments - don't be a horse's ass. Anyone that even tries to make the case that it's reasonable that there's a sling player mobile client for f*****g Symbian and Palm and not the iPhone in January 2009 is a fool.