sling.com

It's really official this time: Sling.com launches to the public

Last week, we reported that Sling.com, the streaming site of Slingbox maker Sling Media, was moving from the private beta phase and launching to the public. Well, that move is now official, as Sling has sent the site live to the world--though the "beta" moniker remains.

Much has been written about the impending launch of Sling.com. A partial list of partners has been circulating the last few weeks, but Sling's PR reps wanted to use today's announcement to showcase the full list, which naturally is "growing each and every week."

I'd … Read more

Sling takes its video portal public

Sling.com, the streaming site of Slingbox maker Sling Media, has emerged from private beta and is opening up access to its video content to the public.

With the move, which was expected, Sling.com delivers TV episodes, clips, full-length movies, and professionally produced Web videos to a single destination. The free content is provided by the NBC-Fox partnership Hulu, along with CBS (parent company of CBS Interactive, CNET's publisher), PBS, BBC America, and Web video sites like College Humor and Break.com.

Viewers can subscribe to the video feeds of shows currently on the air like The Soup … Read more

Sling.com almost ready for its close-up

Sling Media no longer wants to be put into a box--the theoretical kind, anyway.

Previously just a maker of hardware like the Slingbox, and related software, the company is now thinking bigger. With the official launch of Sling.com fast approaching, the small Silicon Valley company--bought last year by EchoStar--is making a bid to be taken seriously as an entertainment company.

Currently in private beta until November 24, Sling.com is a shiny new video portal that pulls in TV episodes, clips, full-length movies, and professionally produced Web videos to a single destination. The free content is provided by the NBC-Fox partnership Hulu, along with CBS (parent company of CBS Interactive, CNET's publisher), PBS, BBC America, and Web video sites like College Humor and Break.com, to name just a few. There are short ads before and during the videos.

Up until now, Sling had been mainly in the business of creating hardware and software that allow consumers to get their TV channels from remote devices.

The Slingbox, which allows owners to watch their own subscription TV channels remotely from a computer, marked the first introduction to Sling Media for many consumers. Then the company began releasing the SlingPlayer as downloadable software for Symbian, Palm OS, and Windows Mobile that lets Slingbox owners also get their TV channels on mobile phones. BlackBerry and iPhone versions are on the way.

Sling then turned from just moving TV to the Web, and began pushing the idea of moving Web video to the TV with its SlingCatcher product, which started shipping last month.

Now, by creating a new Web destination, the company is turning the Internet into yet another destination for its customers to watch the channels they subscribe to along with a host of free, ad-supported content. … Read more

After long, hard trip, Sling.com's almost ready

DANA POINT, Calif.--Jason Hirschhorn said negotiating with Hollywood has been "a soul-killing, ego-destroying experience."

But Hirschhorn, president of Sling Media Entertainment Group, also said it's been worth it. Sling is getting ready to roll out some big new projects that he hopes will make it more than the company that made the Slingbox.

In a panel called "A Hard Reset for Hollywood" at the beachfront WebbyConnect conference, Hirschhorn, the former chief digital officer at MTV Networks, talked about Sling.com, a video hub that's is currently in private beta and promises to deliver … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 827: Unbreakable ... because it's QUANTUM

Natali Del Conte joins us today for a discussion of quantum mechanics, Apple laptop pricing, super satellites, click-jacking, and crowd-sourced baby names. It sounds kind of heavy, but it's surprisingly goofy. We think you'll enjoy it. Also: stop Skyping us! Listen now: Download today's podcast Episode 827

WiMAX launch http://cnettv.cnet.com/9742-1_53-50004011.html

Apple notebook launch! https://twitter.com/natalidelconte/statuses/952901666

It’s official: Apple to talk laptops on October 14 http://www.cnet.com/8301-18603_1-10062305-73.html

$800 Apple notebooks? http://www.inquisitr.com/4834/exclusive-apple-to-launch-800-laptop/

Touchpanel EEE PCs to debut at CES 2009 … Read more

SlingCatcher finally sees light of day--and may get a boost from Sling.com

You can finally remove the SlingCatcher from the vaporware list. Following reports that it was popping up on store shelves around the country, the $300 product officially begins shipping today, ending a wait that began more than 18 months ago when it was first unveiled at CES 2007.

The SlingCatcher is a playback device that's designed to pull digital content from three sources and display them on your TV. It can play a variety of digital video files from an attached USB storage device (anything from a thumbdrive to a hard drive); display anything on your PC screen (including … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 822: It's all about the benzenes

Stuck with a stinky new Mac Pro? Good news: it might be toxic! (No proof of toxicity has been determined.) Also, Tom Merritt reveals himself to be a ruthless murderer of Firefox downloads. And the state of Pennsylvania takes it upon itself to make the streets safer by making old people smarter. Love it! Listen now: Download today's podcast

EPISODE 822

Nintendo officially unveils Nintendo DSi and online store, coming Nov 1 in Japan for $180 http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20081002-nintendo-shows-off-new-dsi-with-camera-app-store.html http://kotaku.com/5057870/nintendo-announce-new-ds-the-nintendo-dsi

Toxic fumes from Mac Pros? http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=08/10/02/1223203 … Read more