Sling Media iPhone app reaches full potential with lifting of 3G restriction
My 11-year-old son was watching the Canadian women's team trounce an overmatched Swiss squad as we drove to the airport. No Wi-Fi. No big-screen TV in the comfort of our cozy family room. He watched it live on my new 3-inch TV - otherwise known as my iPhone. And he did it over AT&T's 3G network.
Anticipation is the only thing that can make a 10-1 hockey rout satisfying.
What does that have to do with personal technology?
Consider that my 11-year-old son was watching the Canadian women's team trounce an overmatched Swiss squad as we drove to the airport. No Wi-Fi. No big-screen TV in the comfort of our cozy family room.
He watched it live on my new 3-inch TV - otherwise known as my iPhone.
And he did it over AT&T's 3G network.
It was the most highly anticipated 45-minute trip I can remember.
Once AT&T announced Feb. 4 that it would allow video streaming over its 3G network via Sling Media's iPhone app, I could hardly wait for the update to hit Apple's app store.
That happened Feb. 15, just hours before our trip to the airport. I'm sure I was one of the first to download the app.
For the uninitiated, Sling Media sells a device that lets you watch your expensive cable or satellite television package outside your home, using an Internet connection to stream the signal to wherever you happen to be. Sling calls it "placeshifting" your TV.
When the iPhone reinvented the cellphone market three years ago, Sling quickly pushed out an app for its legion of followers. It already had software for BlackBerry and Palm users, but tiny screens on those devices made it difficult to watch anything. The iPhone promised to change that.
But when the app emerged from Apple's stringent approval process, it was stripped of its ability to use 3G. So much for truly mobile TV.
It was never really clear who put the kibosh on the app - AT&T because it feared video streaming by Sling owners would cripple its already-taxed network, or Apple because it didn't want iPhone owners watching something for free that it might be able to charge for.
For Sling owners, it was a travesty that the initial iPhone app was Wi-Fi only. At $29.99, it was one of the more expensive apps in a universe where 99-cent pricing rules. Yet many Slingbox owners took the plunge, figuring TV-on-the-go over Wi-Fi was better than nothing at all.
So it was huge when AT&T decided to uncripple the app.
Sling spokesman Jay Tannenbaum wouldn't disclose sales numbers, but he eagerly acknowledged a surge in downloads. (The update is free for those who bought the Wi-Fi-only version).
"The response has been clear and overwhelmingly good," Tannenbaum said in an e-mail.
"At one point last week, SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone was No. 2 in the top-grossing app category in the app store. ... We were not in the top 10 before the 3G restriction was lifted."
Can mobile TV on the iPhone replace your family room? No, but it sure beats catching a replay on ESPN's SportsCenter hours later or watching an episode of 24 on Hulu the next day.
The app not only brings live TV to your iPhone but also lets you control your DVR from your phone. You can watch recorded programs or set your DVR to record on those days when you're stuck at the office and won't get home in time to catch The Office.
Generally speaking, the app is easy to use and intuitive.
As for video quality, there's no distinction between watching TV on 3G vs. Wi-Fi. That's largely because the Sling software is highly proficient at buffering, making playback as smooth as possible. Technically, the signal isn't live.
It's on a several-second delay to let the software do its job in preventing the stop-and-start video that drives people crazy.
The only drawback - and it's a small one - is getting used to the DVR controls in the app. Choosing a recorded program is a little cumbersome, though the playback works flawlessly. I suspect I'll get better at it with more use.
Battery life could also be an issue. On a full charge, I got just under two hours of continuous TV watching before the low battery indicator popped up. That's long enough to take in a couple of hourlong shows or a basketball game. But it won't get you a full football game, and we know how important that is around here. You'll want to have a car charger handy for the road.
Everything else about Sling over 3G is a breeze. It sure makes that initial $29.99 investment seem worth it now.
That brings me back to the anticipation.
Here's how Dallas Morning News technology writer Victor Godinez recently summed up the arrival of Sling over 3G on his tech blog:
"As cool as this is for iPhone users, though, it could be an even bigger deal for iPad buyers.
"Because now all of a sudden the iPad is a 10-inch television in addition to being a Web browser, e-book reader, etc."
Did I mention that I can hardly wait for the Apple iPad?
SLINGPLAYER MOBILE FOR IPHONE
Pros: What's not to like about having all of your cable channels and recorded programs at your disposal, watchable anywhere you can get a 3G signal?
Cons: DVR controls are a little cumbersome at first; watching TV drains your battery pretty quickly.
Bottom line: Getting mobile TV for a one-time charge of $29.99 (assuming you already own a Slingbox and a decent cable or satellite package) is a good buy. There's no reason to miss your favorite show or sport again.
(c) 2010, The Dallas Morning News.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.