Sling Media, the company behind the magic box that lets you tap into your cable TV box from anywhere, is doing a little summer sprucing up and revamping a couple of its popular products, the Slingbox 350 and 500 models.
Essentially, the company is swapping out these two models for two new ones that also have some additional new features. Both products let customers stream their cable TV, live or recorded, to other devices including their computers, tablets, and smartphones.
The Slingbox M1 will replace the Slingbox 350, and here’s the lowdown:
- It’s the most affordable Slingbox, and it lets you remotely access your cable box and DVR.
- It can be accessed through Sling’s apps.
- You can access it on a second TV through Apple TV and Roku.
- No monthly fees.
- Dual-band 2.4/5Ghz WiFi connectivity and Ethernet port.
- Will retail for about $150.
The SlingTV is replacing the Slingbox 500, and here are the details:
- It’s the more upscale one of the two, with enhanced recommendation and “smart TV” capabilities.
- A soft remote built into the iPhone and Android apps.
- A new visual interface to search and browse items to watch.
- Rotten Tomatoes ratings.
- Sports scoreboard that doesn’t require to change channels, and real-time statistics.
- Recommendations, powered by SlingCloud.
- Will retail for about $300.
"Customers interested in a no-compromise entertainment experience using the most popular devices will be delighted by the affordability and new features of the Slingbox M1. SlingTV completely enhances the living room TV experience with a visually stunning on TV user interface that takes ultimate advantage of social media data activity,” said Sling Media senior vice president and general manager Michael Hawkey in a statement.
The company originally released the Slingbox 350 and 500 in October 2012, at similar prices.
The Slingbox M1 will become available for purchase through sling.com on July 20, and SlingTV will start selling in August. Customers who already own a Slingbox 500 will be able to download the new software for free.
Sling Media was founded in 2004, and was acquired by EchoStar in 2007. The company previously raised a total of $14.5 million.
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