Hot on the heels of their Facebook Slingbox app, EchoStar has just officially unveiled a SlingPlayer for Connected Devices. While it’s been in beta testing for some time and we expected to see initial support for Google TV, the Boxee Box (~$180) is up first.
The Slingbox (~$150) has always allowed one to view their home television on the go or around the house, yet there’s never been a way to do so in a lean-back fashion… beyond the half-baked SlingCatcher. So this SlingPlayer for Connected Devices effectively turns gadgets we already own into virtual Catchers for TV-to-TV viewing. And, I’m pleasantly surprised to see it’s being offered without a one-time or recurring fee.
Unfortunately, this first iteration is probably Flash-based like the aforementioned Facebook app, limiting it’s distribution and potential – due to the small number of Flash-capable set-top boxes and Adobe’s abandonment of “digital home devices”. An even better solution? Non-Flash Slingbox apps for Roku and Apple TV.
(via TechCrunch)