CES 2008: Sling Media unveils SlingPlayer 2.0 with new Clip+Sling sharing

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We’ve been following the doings of Sling Media closely in the last year, so are pretty intrigued by the just-unveiled SlingPlayer 2.0 desktop software, which lets you access TV content streamed from your Slingbox.

The big new feature is Clip+Sling, which lets you grab clips of your TV shows, and share them with friends. Sling Media plans to launch a YouTube-style web portal, Sling.com, letting people create playlists and feeds that other Slingbox users can access. Longform shows will also apparently be offered.

I wonder what TV broadcasters will make of this, on a legal level…

Other new features in SlingPlayer 2.0 include an EPG, and a local video buffer with DVR-like controls. The EPG sounds good – you can use it to see what’s on your home telly, wherever you are. Obviously, the appeal will only be strong if it’s as intuitive to use as the one your TV provider has (or ideally better).

Meanwhile, the video buffer lets you pause live TV, fast forward and rewind, even if you don’t have a DVR at home. SlingPlayer 2.0 is in internal beta at the moment, but will be released as a “public preview” soon.

Sling Media website

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Stuart Dredge
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