Place-shifting technology developer Sling Media confirmed this week that it’s working on a new HD version of its SlingPlayer Mobile video application for Apple’s iPad tablet, guaranteeing a better viewing experience optimized for bigger screens.
For SlingPlayer users, the iPad is going to turn into a great portable, high-resolution TV. Instead of surfing the web on the couch while the TV plays, the iPad user could watch whatever he wants without fighting for the remote. Could there be a better reason to buy an iPad?
Sling Media said the new app will not be available immediately when the iPad launches, but the company’s existing iPhone app will be available to run on the iPad. The video quality here is much lower since it’s optimized for the iPhone’s screen size, so it’s hard to know if this will be a worthwhile experience. Waiting for the iPad app is likely the smart move.
“When it makes a noticeable difference in quality, we will definitely provide higher resolution streaming,” Sling Media’s Dave Eyler told Zatz Not Funny. “The iPad is a good example of a device where we are hard at work on delivering higher resolution.”
SlingPlayer Mobile allows users to stream live and recorded TV content from their home SlingPlayers. It runs $29.99 and, as of February, supports streaming on AT&T’s 3G network.
The first app launched in May 2009 and took nearly a year to leave its Wi-Fi-only cocoon, but it’s unclear if the iPad app will follow the same metamorphic stages. Many are projecting the device will initially sell in heavy numbers for its Wi-Fi-only model, but predictions about the sales of the 3G model are mixed. AT&T and Apple might allow the app to work on 3G from day one if they don’t expect a heavy drain on the network.
Sling Media also said it is moving toward a new H.264 compression standard for its Android application – improving upon previous quality predictions – and the company’s planned Windows Phone 7 app will run on Microsoft’s Silverlight.