Just one week after previewing SlingPlayer for iPad the developers at Sling Media pushed out the app into Apple’s App Store. So if you own a SlingBox go and get it!
But not so fast! There are two stipulations that must be discussed. First, SlingPlayer for iPad is only compatible with Sling SOLO and Sling PRO-HD boxes; all the rest are left in the dust, unfortunately. According to Engadget Sling will soon offer a $50 voucher for those who are itching to upgrade to a newer box. What’s interesting is that SlingPlayer for iPhone has a wider compatibility range; it works with the aforementioned boxes and the SlingBox PRO. And that brings me to point number two and more bad news. If you already purchased the $29.99 app for iPhone, you’ll have to shell out another thirty bucks to use the iPad version of the same app. Well, it’s not exactly the same app since the iPad version is tailored for a larger screen, but still. Sling assures that users can use the iPhone app to stream content on the iPad in a “Compatibility Mode”, but these users will not experience the “higher quality resolutions” provided in the iPad version. If I may quote Jigsaw from Saw, the choice is yours. Full PR after the break.
[Via Engadget]
App Transforms iPad into a TV
FOSTER CITY, Calif., Nov. 24, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — Sling Media, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS), today announced the availability of the SlingPlayer Mobile™ player for the Apple iPad. Available for purchase on the iTunes App Store, SlingPlayer Mobile software for iPad lets Slingbox® owners extend their living room TV experience to their iPad and takes advantage of the iPad’s high-resolution, 9.7-inch LED-backlit display for great video quality. The revamped program guide uses the iPad’s intuitive native interface, and a recent channels feature puts a viewer’s recent channels at his fingertips.
“A Slingbox is the perfect accessory to an iPad,” said John M. Paul, executive vice president of products at Sling Media. “When combined with the new SlingPlayer Mobile app, now anyone with an iPad can enjoy a beautiful, personalized TV experience anywhere in the world.”
How it Works
When connected to a Slingbox SOLO or PRO-HD, the award-winning SlingPlayer Mobile software makes it easy to watch your home TV on your iPad. Now Slingbox owners with iPads can change channels, control their DVRs and watch their favorite shows anywhere they have an internet connection. They never have to miss another show or game, no matter where they are.
Pricing and Availability
SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad is available now for U.S. $29.99, UK GBP Sterling 17.99, and 23.99 Euros from the App Store on the iPad or at http://itunes.com/apps/slingplayermobile. SlingPlayer Mobile for iPad can be purchased from the iTunes Store, downloaded, and installed in minutes.
The SlingPlayer Mobile application for iPhone will continue to work in “Compatibility Mode” on the iPad at no extra charge. The iPhone version of the app streams from all Slingboxes, but not at the higher quality resolutions required for the iPad.
About Sling Media
Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (Nasdaq: SATS), is the leading provider of video place shifting products and services for consumers and television service providers. 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 internet-connected PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones. For more information, visit www.slingmedia.com.