SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone Release Imminent? Wi-Fi only?

[mrklaw]

hopefully it'll be out in the UK store soon too - there isn't any additional testing needed is there - you can make it a 'global' app? Just wondering because of all the complaining about AT&T, the app could be released in lots of countries with 3G plans, it may not just be AT&T having an issue with this.

I have an ipod touch so I don't mind. And I'll hopefully be transferring my symbian license over (slingplayer mobile doesn't work on the nokia 5800)

 

[JW008]

For all the phones that AT&T DOESN'T have an exclusive on, they allow Slingplayer. For the one phone they DO they block it on 3G. This has nothing to do with bandwith - this is about exploiting the exclusivity of the iPhone.

I think I am walking when my contract is up. If other carriers have the iPhone at that point I am DEFINITELY walking (I was a very satisfied Verizon customer for 10 years until I reluctantly switched because I wanted an iPhone). And I don't even care all that much about Slingbox. But if AT&T is going to single out people with the iPhone to treat like 2nd class citizens (no tethering plan, sling, etc), I am sure they won't stop here. We have the most expensive base price they have for a phone/data/texting plan, but we get less. Maybe they have a RIGHT to do this, but it is terrible business. They funnel all this money to Apple to save themselves with the iPhone (look at all their new customers - do they think ANY of them are their because they wanted to switch to AT&T?), and then they turn around and alienate them by refusing them services all of their other customers (and all of the smartphone customers on other carriers) get. So they're gonna have a lot of irritated customers counting the days until exclusivity ends.

This is the sort of thing that happens when there is a monopoly - iPhone lovers are a captive audience, so we have to accept a certain amount of getting dumped on. But we can also remember how we were treated, and split as soon as we can.

Extremely well said. As a Bellsouth/Cingular/AT&T customer since the day I got a cell phone, I’ve never been on another network and have been relatively happy, but that might only be because I don’t know any differently. I’d never really sat down to consider the fact that iPhone users do not even have the ability to pay extra for things like tethering. I originally applauded AT&T for their part in bringing the iPhone to market. Don’t fool yourself here, cell phone companies suck in general, but some measure of credit needs to be given to AT&T for taking a chance on a network-taxing phone like the iPhone and, in turn, allowing us to be having arguments like this one.

All things considered, it’s time for AT&T to take another chance and start doing things to ensure that customers will stay with AT&T as soon as they lose their exclusivity. While we do not know the whole story, I think it’s safe to assume that AT&T is the culprit here in not allowing Sling over 3G/EDGE. Honestly, I understand AT&T’s view on this that it could really tax the network and lead to more dropped calls and generally slower internet usage. That being said, AT&T needs to get its network in order with the ability to handle things like Slinging. I have no attachment to AT&T and will leave if Verizon offers cheaper prices and/or more features when it gets the iPhone.

Also, I’m a little surprised that very little ire is directed at Sling. $29.99 is a ridiculous amount to be charging for this app with its ability to connect Wi-Fi only. With iPhone OS 3.0’s ability to charge for upgraded app features, they should really be charging $9.99 for Wi-Fi only and then charge a $20 upgrade fee when AT&T finally lets it on the cell networks. I’d buy this app for $10, but not for $30. Honestly, though, I’m not too worried about this. I have a feeling that most consumers feel this way and the market will soon drive the price of the app down. That’s a raw deal for Sling since the development cost were the same no matter what, but you have to think they’d have some inkling that AT&T would never allow this much strain on their network. It’s a bad situation all around and not one with a magically easy answer.

 

[aristobrat]

If it is so taxing on other phones, at&t would suing Slingbox from developing and profiting from an app that blatantly breaks the terms of service and use of at&t networks.

There is a double standard here....
Why go out of their way to stop one phone and not another?...

IMO, the double standard is that Apple basically gave AT&T direct control over what apps can be loaded onto the iPhone, whereas AT&T has zero control over what apps can be loaded on the BlackBerry Bold, Palms, Windows Mobiles, etc.

AT&T's ToS is binding to the people that agreed to them. AT&T's ToS has nothing to do directly with Slingbox or their apps. AT&T can't sue Slingbox for making an app that uses 3G data services (especially since AT&T doesn't run the only 3G network in the world).

Basically, to make things fair and end the double standard, AT&T needs to block Sling on all other devices, like BlackBerry Bolds. That is what their ToS says. Is that what you want?

 

[ZbadhabitZ]

I've been lurking around here a while, and following this thread. I find it surprising, as far as I can tell, that nobody has addressed a possible delay/limitation for this app to be because of 3.0. From watching the 3.0 announcement video, it's obvious that the new firmware allows developers to take advantage of new kinds of video implementation (i.e. the ESPN app that was demoed), and I thought from the get-go that Sling would have to revamp their entire app to take advantage of the new firmware.

Thus, I wonder if this lengthy approval and now Wifi-only requirement has as much to do with AT&T wanting to limit bandwidth, or if it has to do with giving a major company like Sling time to revamp their app, and this is just the interim. The price, however, I find a little shocking.

My reasoning is that an iPhone user could go on NBC.COM, CNN.COM, etc. and watch videos until their heart's content over 3G, and I don't know how that would be any different from Sling. Perhaps, however, as 3.0 allows developers to deliver content directly to the user based upon their current connection, rather than having to encode for the lowest common denominator, that a new version of Sling is currently in the works?

 

[mikearnez]

Slingplayer

Go to the App Store and read up on this application: Remote Jr. Try this before you spend your money. Maybe this will help solve some of your problems.

 

[aristobrat]

I have no attachment to AT&T and will leave if Verizon offers cheaper prices and/or more features when it gets the iPhone.

I guess I don't understand the "walking" part.

Every US carrier has in its Terms of Service a specific part that says "you can't use apps like Sling".

And as more and more people start buying smartphones of all kinds, and as more and more load is placed on carriers' data networks, at some point, the carriers are going to start enforcing the rules of their Terms of Service.

So what's the point of walking away from AT&T over to Verizon, when everyone's guessing that Verizon is eventually going to do the same thing?

IMO, the problem isn't that AT&T is enforcing this on just the iPhone.

The problem is that every US carrier has this part in their ToS that they can choose to enforce at any time, if they want to.

AT&T doing this now with just the iPhone version of Sling is a symptom of that problem.

 

[robdam1001]

This is BS IMO. I won't be paying $30 for a WiFi only Slingplayer app thank you very much. Make it available on 3G and I'll pony up $30. If not, LOWER the price for the crippled app to ~ $10

 

[obakri]

Flood AT&T and Apple with complaints!!!!

Can anyone post to contact #'s for apple and AT&T so we can all flood them with our deepest concern that iPhone owners are being treated unfairly because other sling platforms are allowed to gain access via 3g!!! Let's stick together on this one and make a change!!! Who is with me???

 

[JW008]

I guess I don't understand the "walking" part.

Every US carrier has in its Terms of Service a specific part that says "you can't use apps like Sling".

And as more and more people start buying smartphones of all kinds, and as more and more load is placed on carriers' data networks, at some point, the carriers are going to start enforcing the rules of their Terms of Service.

So what's the point of walking away from AT&T over to Verizon, when everyone's guessing that Verizon is eventually going to do the same thing?

IMO, the problem isn't that AT&T is enforcing this on just the iPhone.

The problem is that every US carrier has this part in their ToS that they can choose to enforce at any time, if they want to.

AT&T doing this now with just the iPhone version of Sling is a symptom of that problem.

I probably worded this poorly. My point is that competition does wonders for feature sets. An excellent way for Verizon/Sprint/Nextel to lure me from AT&T would be to change those terms of service to allow Sling or to provide cheaper prices, or free tethering, etc. The only deal-breaker for me is whether or not the network has the iPhone. Besides that, I'll go to whichever network has the best features set at the best prices.

Obviously this a future-based argument as that none of the networks have the iPhone. My point is that AT&T needs to start doing more to make sure that I don't jump ship when they lose exclusivity of the iPhone.

 

[rwdebes]

Some of you are forgetting that the iPhone & the Slingbox are sold in many more countries outside the United States. Myself being from Canada, I have a 6GB data plan for my iPhone 3G, and my wireless provider does not care what passes thru the device, in fact they hope people go over so they can cash in from the overage fees. They do not block tethering or streaming content to the other smartphones like WinMo & BB's.

If Apple's decision to allow only Wifi streaming is based only because of their relationship with AT&T, then their decisions is severely flawed.

so if the software blocks 3G conection and only allow wi-fi ??
is that possible ? because if not , im starting to think we can use outside US..

 

[freeny]

Can anyone post to contact #'s for apple and AT&T so we can all flood them with our deepest concern that iPhone owners are being treated unfairly because other sling platforms are allowed to gain access via 3g!!! Let's stick together on this one and make a change!!! Who is with me???

AT&T Customer Support: 1-800-331-0500
I would wait for the app to actually be released

 

[aristobrat]

I probably worded this poorly. My point is that competition does wonders for feature sets. An excellent way for Verizon/Sprint/Nextel to lure me from AT&T would be to change those terms of service to allow Sling or to provide cheaper prices, or free tethering, etc.

You worded it great, ... I'm just trying to do work at work and keep up with this thread, and I misunderstood in the switching back and forth. I definitely agree with your "luring" thought.

 

[JW008]

You worded it great, ... I'm just trying to do work at work and keep up with this thread, and I misunderstood in the switching back and forth. I definitely agree with your "luring" thought.

Ha! Isn’t that what we’re all doing? My suggestion is to type your posts in Microsoft Word documents so that you look like you’re working on something work-related and then copy and paste it to the forum!

 

[asrermd]

Its a shame!!

Luckily I will be saving $30 buy not buying the one app I was waiting for. Wi-fi only is a joke. My use would be when I travel. I already have sling on my macbook which i can use over wi-fi. The main use for me would be over 3G. Shame on Apple, AT&T and sling for putting out an app that disapoints us all!!!

 

[lifeinhd]

Here is a good protest - lets all turn on YouTube and watch several 10 minute clips every night while on the cell phone data network. The amount of data is not that much for every phone, but taken together, it will sap the ATT system.

I don't care if anyone else does it, but I'm doing it.

That's a horrible protest. It will only reinforce ATT's point that having video stream over 3G would tax their networks too much.

 

[Poll Smoker]

can u read ??? NO 3G SUPPORT ! WI-FI ONLY !
for 30 bucks ? and only support the new models ?

NO THANKS.

**** slingmedia , ill sell my sling AV and get another brand.

Can u read Einstein?

Jailbreaking allows you to fool the iPhone into thinking it's on Wifi when it's actually on 3G.

 

[bbyrdhouse]

Here is a good protest - lets all turn on YouTube and watch several 10 minute clips every night while on the cell phone data network. The amount of data is not that much for every phone, but taken together, it will sap the ATT system.

I don't care if anyone else does it, but I'm doing it.

Huh?!? ...

So your saying that you think its a good idea for everyone to actually do what your suggesting?

And what of those people who actually need their phones during the time when you want to crash AT&T's network?
- business folks
- people who use their cell phone in place of a landline
- or maybe folks who would need to make emergency calls during that time

 

[B2k1977]

What about YouTube?

That's a horrible protest. It will only reinforce ATT's point that having video stream over 3G would tax their networks too much.

Yea then we'll lose the youtube app too. bastards!

*looks at his iphone screen and waits for the youtube icon to disappear* or oh, put up that dumb splash screen that tells me I need to be connected to a wi-fi network to use this app!

 

[J273]

Im hoping further updates to the sling app will allow the use over 3g.

 

[seattle]

Im hoping further updates to the sling app will allow the use over 3g.

Me too. I am going to buy the app anyways since I am by WiFi most of the time anyways.

I feel sorry for the people that upgraded their slingboxes through the $50 upgrade program and now they find out that they did not have to.

 

[djpic]

Cool Idea, bad deployment. I would love to watch tv from my phone, but only on Wi-Fi, come one now? Plus, you can say bye bye battery!

Like I said, nice idea, but apple & AT&T need to play some catch up for this to be truly worth $30.

 

[ineedamac]

I think AT$T better get their act together. If someone with a BB can watch their slingbox over 3G then those of us with an iPhone should be able to as well.

 

[scirica]

What the H E L L ?

All the press by Slingbox about how the iPhone platform wouldn't be supported by the AV and Classic boxes. If this rumor is true, and current hardware will work with the iPhone but just not be supported, I am going to be thoroughly pissed off at Slingmedia for being purposely vague on this. They sold hundreds of upgraded boxes that most of us really didn't need to buy apparently.

The flood of letters to Sling should be enough to keep them busy for months. I'm ready to start drafting mine now.

This has been a cluster from the beginning!

 

[levitynyc]

ITs more ridiculous that I can't download an 11Meg iTunes song over 3G, but I can download an entire 12 song album as long as they songs are under 10Megs on 3g

 

[kdarling]

Verizon Wireless officially allows Sling and VOIP

I guess I don't understand the "walking" part.

Every US carrier has in its Terms of Service a specific part that says "you can't use apps like Sling".

Not all of them. Verizon allows it now, which is a new change made last year to their TOS:

"Permitted Uses. You can use our Data Plans and Features for accessing the Internet and for such uses as: (i) Internet browsing; (ii) e-mail; (iii) intranet access (including accessing corporate intranets, e-mail and individual productivity applications made available by your company); (iv) uploading, downloading and streaming of audio, video and games; and (v) Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)."

I've even seen VZW sales reps with Sling on their demo phones.