Slingbox Goes Mobile in Public Beta

Sling Media on Thursday released a public beta of its SlingPlayer Mobile application, allowing Slingbox owners with Windows Mobile smartphones and PDAs to access television content while on the road.

The application is available for both Windows Mobile 5.0 and Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition, with a version for non-touch screen smartphones due in April. While the beta is currently free, Sling Media said it would begin charging $29.99 USD on April 26.

There is a way around the fee, however; those who purchase a Slingbox unit before the deadline would receive a free license for the product. Sling Media said it would not charge a monthly or reoccurring fee for use of the software.

Similarly, there is no charge for the service itself, only the $249.99 USD fee to purchase the Slingbox device.

"SlingPlayer Mobile delivers the complete home TV experience on any compatible Windows Mobile device and works with your existing Slingbox," co-founder and CEO Blake Krikorian said. "Best of all, we are making it available for free for a limited time so if you are thinking about becoming a Slingbox owner, now is the perfect time."

The SlingPlayer Mobile is essentially the same as the PC version of the SlingPlayer in that it allows you to control your TV and DVR remotely from anywhere with the application installed. Sling Media says the program works on over 30 devices, functioning best over a high-speed cellular data connection.

Microsoft lauded the release of SlingPlayer Mobile, saying the application added a lot to the Windows Mobile platform. "This is an exciting time for people who want a single mobile device that does more than e-mail," mobile and embedded devices general manager Scott Horn said in a statement.