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SlingPlayer for BlackBerry Public Beta Coming Dec. 30!

by Kevin Michaluk on 18 Dec 2008 08:25 AM
27
 

It's been a longgggg time coming, but good news for all you SlingBox owners... the word is that come December 31st SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones will officially enter its public beta. Very sweet! I know a bunch of our members have been on the private beta for weeks now, so any of you that are reading feel free to give us a heads-up in the comments for how much you're loving it! You can read the press release after the jump and learn more at Sling's website.

 

Press Release

SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry Smartphones Coming December 30th!

Dec. 18, 2008 -- Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is pleased to announce SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry® smartphones will be available for download as part of a public beta beginning Dec. 30, 2008.

For information on SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones including device support, operator support and system requirements, please visit http://www.slingmedia.com/go/blackberry.

Sling Media will make SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones available to Slingbox customers in the U.S., Canada and the UK at launch. SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones will be available as a free download during the public beta period.

The following is a list of BlackBerry smartphones that will be supported at launch.*

  • BlackBerry Bold
  • BlackBerry Curve 8900
  • BlackBerry 8820
  • BlackBerry Curve 8320
  • BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220
  • BlackBerry Pearl 8120

SlingPlayer Mobile requires BlackBerry device software 4.5 or greater. To see if your phone meets the minimum requirements, please visit the following URL using your BlackBerry smartphone's browser: http://mobile.slingmedia.com/go/bbcheck. We will check your BlackBerry smartphone and let you know if it is supported, if it needs a device software upgrade (available from your carrier), or if it is not supported at this time.

*Sling Media continues to work with Research In Motion, to bring SlingPlayer Mobile to additional BlackBerry smartphone models. In addition, device support is dependent on your location and carrier. Please reference http://www.slingmedia.com/go/blackberry for more information and specific device and carrier support.

[ Source ]

Filed Under: News & Rumors; Tags: video
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27 Comments

Posted by paulmike3 Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

No Storm support?! pshhhhh...

 
 
Posted by lovetocruiserccl Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

What about The Storm?????

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Why no Verizon devices? That is probably why no Storm. Slingbox only lists AT&T and T-Mobile devices

 
 
Posted by Cowchip Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

No 8330...

I've been waiting for this so I could get a Slingbox, but it looks like they won't be getting my dime any time soon. F'n Slingplayer...

 
 
Posted by Scott Beerhaven Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Is it just me or are all of those WiFi enabled devices?
Something tells me the obvious, they don't have carrier/rim support because it's going to be a bandwidth hog.

Between this and the Slacker application have been my only holdouts on a iphone.

I love my berry but if you announce an application be sure it's really something you can produce!

Guess this one will not make the Wired.com's vaporware list!

 
 
Posted by BigVDawgy Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

They are all WiFi devices, notice the asterix that says Sling is only supported when using WiFi for all the devices except the 3G capable Bold.

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Tester Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Slingbox mobile will only officially support Wifi but there is support in the program for it to run over the mobile network.

It does install on non-wifi devices but Slingbox won't support it.

 
 
Posted by baller88 Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Im new to slingplay and just curious to what it is and what it does>

 
 
Posted by jforce Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I don't have a slingbox, or one of the supported berries, but I intend to get both...soon. Then I will be that much more...productive.

 
 
Posted by djrobbdjrobb Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I'm also disappointed there will be know initial support for the Storm. I wonder if it can be forced to work in compatibility mode. Anyone have a theory? I have a slingbox and it would be pretty novel to watch it on the berry.

 
 
Posted by logicalthought Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

...as my Treo 700P (a Verizon device) works great with Sling Mobile. I'm guessing it has something to do with how Blackberry devices in particular work on CDMA. Hopefully, the Sling folks can "crack this code", because I really want to get a Storm!

 
 
Posted by Xopher Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I can see why they are only supporting WiFi-based devices. Streaming video can be a bandwidth hog very quicly. I would think trying to watch over most carrier's data networks would either cause bandwidth problems for them, or unhappy customers with streaming video problems. It's probably best to beta test over Wifi to start.

That being said, I'm excited to see this finally making it out to the public! I can definitely seeing updating my BB to add this feature (if Niagra really does have WiFi support)!

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

It works over the mobile network surprisingly well.

They won't officially support it because of carrier push-back (*or that's my guess, only the folks a slingbox know why they won't officially support mobile network streaming)

 
 
Posted by fyrfyter Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

All these devices are GSM and WiFi. This is not looking so good after all. Maybe Sling still doesn't have what it takes to stream over the Cellular network, and you will still need wifi to make it work. Totally, and completely useless. Crap, even the freebies like Orb.com can stream stuff to your BB from your PC.

 
 
Posted by pkcable Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

There is a good posibility that the Bold version will work on the Storm. I know I plan to try on or around the 30th. Hopefully they will let me transfer the Winmo license so I don't have to pay the 30 bucks again. :) Probably the beta is free, but the software on release will most likely have the Slingplayer mobile fee.

I guess I wasn't picked for the closed beta because I have a Storm, shame on them! :p

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

This WILL work swith Sprint and other phones on OS 4.5. They just cant advertise it as such because they dont have carrier approval....

 
 
Posted by mentalcase Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I will not currently work with sprint or verizon on the mobile network. It has to do with how the blackberries work on CDMA. They are working on it though, so it is just a matter of time.

 
 
Posted by mjpoke Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I have the Storm and just called Slingbox regarding SlingMedia come to the Storm. I'm sure you all figured, but they are working with RIM to be able to put SlingMedia on the Storm. There are two hurdles that they have to get over before working full steam ahead on it:
1. RIM has to approve updating their program for the Storm to be able to support SlingMedia.
2. Working SlingMedia with the touchscreen.
It sounds to me that we are awhile away from watching TV on our Storms, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

For what it's worth, I used SlingMedia on my Samsung touchscreen I had prior to the Storm and it worked very well.

Like to hear your thoughts.

 
 
Posted by jharo Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

It should work on the storm if it works on the bold. The screen works like a trackball if the program is not intended for a touchscreen by scrolling your finger on the side of the screen.

 
 
Posted by Avanderlinde Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

This is cool but I see the Storm is still not on their list?

 
 
Posted by stewdaddy Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

NO NO NO NO NO!
Slingplayer mobile used to work just fine on my POS Treo 700P on Verizons mobile network. You're telling me after all this time they can't make it work on my BB?

Boooooooooooooooo!

 
 
Posted by jay0heavenly Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

I love the BOLD!!!!!

It'll work day numero uno on my 3G, or wifi...gotta love that!

 
 
Posted by pmich Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Hey Folks,

I've been waiting for this for a while. I'm just curious though. Do you think that the slingbox pro HD will stream to the bold sufficiently? Is there enough bandwidth to do this? Or is the regular slingbox my best bet? I'm all about quality so i'd prefer HD streaming if i could but only if my bold could handle it on the rogers network. (3G or WIFI)

 
 
Posted by pmich Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Actually it looks like to stream high def, you need an upload speed of 1.5Mbps and Rogers cable internet only upstreams a max of 1.0Mbps. That bites...

Can anyone comment?

 
 
Posted by LocoStrange Thursday, Dec 18, 2008 1150 days ago

Am I the only person who find its annoying when someone keeps saying "ummm......"

 
 
Posted by cvberry Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 1149 days ago

I'll be looking for when the Storm is supported for the Slingplayer. I have a slingbox pro and have been dying for a version that would support any of my phones. I've had a Treo 680p and a Curve 8310 before my Storm and they didn't have a player for those models either :(

 
 
Posted by Anonymous Saturday, Dec 20, 2008 1148 days ago

How does the new sling.com work on the storm? Can you connect to your slingbox via the online interface they have now on the storm?