Sling rains on its own parade
Last week we were pretty excited that the new Slingplayer app for iPhone had been submitted to Apple for approval. Now it seems, the folks at SlingMedia are determined to really get a large percentage of their customers angry about forcing them to have the latest Slingbox hardware in order to be compatible with the iPhone/ iPod touch app.A page on the SlingMedia website suggests owners of older Sling hardware get an upgrade because the new iPhone software "and future services yet to be announced will only be supported for customers using Slingbox SOLO, Slingbox PRO and Slingbox PRO-HD products or forthcoming SlingLoaded products." That still leaves a lot of the older hardware a no-go, and that older hardware worked well with the SlingPlayer Mobile app on other cellphones, including those running on Windows Mobile, Blackberry, Palm and the Symbian OS.
Our sister site, Engadget, reports that they've been told that previous builds of the app worked just fine with the older hardware, so this may just be runaway greed and avarice at SlingMedia.
In my post last week I said that Sling users would be circling Apple HQ with torches and pitchforks if Apple did not approve the SlingPlayer Mobile iPhone app. Now those people might want to gather in Foster City, California to let the execs at Sling know that they don't want to be forced into an upgrade that is likely not needed.
Our thanks to various readers who sent this in.
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Source: http://www.slingmedia.com/
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Last week we were pretty excited that the new Slingplayer app for iPhone had been submitted to Apple for approval. Now it seems, the folks...
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I love my sling box. Sling media, not so much. http://www.asf-converter.net I know that when I need to upgrade, I'll be looking for a product from another company.
May 21 2009 at 11:07 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyany sling tuners are paper weights when comcast fully implements their digital tv signal. i have one can no longer use most of the time.
May 08 2009 at 9:57 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyI have two Classics. I bought the mobile viewer for my Windows-based cellphone. Now I have an iPhone but it sounds like I'm screwed. Thanks Sling. You won't be seeing any more money from me.
April 03 2009 at 11:17 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplySame here, 4 Slingboxes and a slingcatcher. Won't be getting anymore Sling products if this keeps up. Oh and won't be recommending them to friends and family. They speak as if we can just toss out the old ones - I have SBs in various parts of the world! Would Sling pay for my plane ticket too?
April 03 2009 at 8:11 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyEveryones bashing Sling as a company... I posted a story at gromitron.com about a year ago about how I had an xbox 360 that broke for the 3rd time, and was struggling to get the warrantee repair which took hours on the phone and about a month to get back. My slingbox which was way OUT of warrantee also broke (just wouldn't turn on). 15 minutes on the phone with them they sent me a brand new pro model, and just asked me to send the old one back in the new box. They overnighted it to me at no charge. They were so nice on the phone, when they didn't have to help me at all. I haven't had that kind of customer service from anyone else, so I wanted to pipe in since everyone is bashing them.
April 03 2009 at 11:54 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyIt is good to hear a story like that. However, I'm sure Bernie Madoff tipped his doorman well too. Being nice to one person does not excuse screwing 100,000 people.
April 03 2009 at 12:46 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyYeah, I guess I'd settle for a free iPhone app w/ purchase of new hardware. I'm a Slingbox Tuner owner for the lasat 2 years. I love it, but will think twice about recommending it to friends, as I have since I got it.
April 03 2009 at 11:08 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHaving happily paid $30 for the logmein app, I'd say that I would have easily spent $30-$40 for an iPhone Sling app. However, I won't upgrade my device AND pay for an app. Not when I'm being intentionally fenced out by a marketing decision.
On the other hand, LogMeIn has provided a GREAT & FREE service to me, and I thanked them with my business.
The idea that "the customer is always right," is definitely NOT true. However, customers should be treated with respect and decency. They could have offered a slightly more expensive version of the application for older devices by saying that part of the price was included in the newer devices.
I would still be a little ticked if they said older Slingbox owners would need to pay $50-$60 for the app, but atleast I would still get to use my Sling with my iPhone 3G.
This decision has me SO angry, I will never buy another Sling product. I will go as far as talking people out of buying Sling products.
Also, I am canceling my DISH Network... and switching my parents from DISH. And I will recommend other television services.
The route Sling is going isn't the right move, they are several ways they could have handled this situation to make more money. Hopefully they lose more customers than my family and friends.
I have had a Slingbox Classic for years. I have been praising it to friends just as long. Several have been bought because of this.
So how do they reward me? By saying throw it away and buy a new one.
Instead of getting my money for the app they will get nothing.
I have been a proud owner of the 1st generation Sling, but as the saying goes, "standards are industry's way of codifying obsolescence." My Slingbox will join the trash heap of other unused gadgets I've acquired over the years.
Has anybody had any luck with Hava Player? Are there are dedicated devices that will work with Orb? If I'm going to be forced to upgrade, I'm going to upgrade to something without the one viewing node limit and without DRM.
Orb runs on a computer. Just pick from the list of supported tv tuners/ir blasters on the orb page or try and use the one you already have.
April 03 2009 at 10:39 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Replyapple would be dumb to not accept sling's app. this is their chance to spin things and act as if this is the first mobile platform that enables you to watch tv. i can see the "there's an app for that" commercial right now.... people would FLOCK.
April 03 2009 at 12:27 AM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down ReplyHot Apps on TUAW
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