SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile Smartphone now available

Sling Media today announced the availability of SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile Smartphone. Previous mobile-viewing software has been available since March 22, but that app was limited to Pocket PC Windows Mobile devices that were touch-screen enabled. The new software works with non-touch-screen phones running Windows Mobile 5 for Smartphone that have a 144MHz or faster CPU, 900K of free space to install the software, at least 4MB of available program memory to run it, and a network speed of at least 112Kbps. Currently available compatible phones include the , the T-Mobile SDA, the I-mate SP5, and the just-released Motorola Q.

We recently had a chance to see a near-final build of the SlingPlayer smart-phone software in action, running on a Motorola Q. The lack of a touch screen creates a control challenge, but Sling Media has done a good job of optimizing its viewing software for the smart-phone environment. Anyone used to the Windows "right-click contextual menus, left-click select" standard should have no trouble using it. The software will work with the standard 12-digit phone keypad and Windows Mobile keys (the five-way select button is critical, for instance), but the QWERTY keyboard found on phones such as the Motorola Q adds the capability for customized shortcuts--especially useful for DVR controls.

The smart-phone version of the SlingPlayer Mobile software isn't any more revolutionary than the previous Windows Mobile edition, but it expands the ability to interact with a Slingbox to another class of devices. Like the previous version, the smart-phone SlingPlayer costs only a one-time fee of $30. The free beta version is available for download at Sling Media's Web site. Users will need one a compatible phone, a broadband data package from their mobile provider (such as EV-DO), and of course, a Slingbox hooked up at home.

Next up for Sling is the long-promised Mac viewing client, still on track to hit later this year.