SlingPlayer Mobile

The Slingbox’ first trick was pretty amazing by itself: fork over $249 and you could broadcast your favorite TV shows and DVR recordings over the Web right to your laptop. Now Sling Media has released SlingPlayer Mobile ($29.99, free for registered customers from March 23 until April 15), the company’s software for devices running Windows Mobile 4.0 or 5.0. We had a chance to check out the client on UTStarcom’s PPC-6700 (with Sprint service) and came away wowed with its flexibility and pleasantly surprised with its performance.

To get SlingPlayer Mobile on your device, simply download it from Sling Media’s site and then sync it over to your Windows Mobile phone using ActiveSync. The synchronization process will automatically import your Slingbox’ Finder ID, so you can simply open the app on your smart phone, click on Slingbox Directory, and be connected to your home TV feed in about seven seconds.

The appeal of this program is true remote viewing, whether you want to watch the game while waiting at the airport or catch last night’s The Daily Show while riding the train on your way into work. The software includes a remote control interface, so you can change the channel on your cable or satellite box with a tap of the screen.

You’ll get the most out of SlingPlayer Mobile if you have a TiVo or other DVR. By clicking on the Menu command with our smart phone’s stylus, we could watch recorded programs like 24 from anywhere. You can even start recording from a remote location by tapping on the REC button.

To make it easier to change channels and perform certain commands, SlingPlayer Mobile includes two rows of seven boxes the user can populate with channel logos, as well as shortcuts like Last Channel and Instant Replay. We noticed a slight delay of three to six seconds when changing channels and navigating TiVo’s Now Playing screen. A little patience is in order to not overshoot the target channel or menu option.

Performance Hits & Misses

Running SlingPlayer Mobile over Wi-Fi felt as if we were watching cable TV, albeit on a small 2.8-inch display. We also liked that we could switch from portrait to landscape mode to get a larger view by simply sliding the keyboard down.

Watching TV over an EV-DO connection was good, but less than stellar, with some blurriness when a scene had lots of motion. For example, highlights of the Big East Men’s Basketball Championship were a bit tough to follow.

On the other hand, The Family Guy was enjoyable when we tried tuning in on a bus ride from New Jersey to New York. SlingPlayer Mobile’s optimization software does a fairly good job once you’ve watched a given channel for 20 seconds or so. Note that watching video when you’re out of your carrier’s EV-DO coverage areas is possible but not recommended.

For now, SlingPlayer Mobile supports only Windows Mobile devices with an integrated touchscreen. However, the company promises an upgrade for smart phones that lack a touchscreen, such as the Cingular 2125 and upcoming Motorola Q, for sometime in the second quarter.

Assuming you’re willing to fork over $300 or more for a smart phone, $15 per month or more for a data plan, and an additional $249 for the Slingbox itself, SlingPlayer Mobile is the best way to watch TV wirelessly. Unlike V CAST and other services, you can watch live local channels as well as shows recorded on your DVR. Plus, there’s no monthly fee. We only hope the wireless carriers don’t block this application, which was rumored as a possibility as of press time.