Slingbox Adds Smart My Media and Companion Functionality

Sling Media updated its Slingbox platform for those using its Slingbox 500 and Slingbox 350 placeshifting devices. The two technologies are dubbed "My Media" and "Slingbox Companion". My Media features SlingSync which makes it easy for customers to sync photos and videos to a Slingbox 500 with a connected USB drive and view them on the TV.

My Media is part of the company’s digital media framework. Now Slingbox 500 customers can transfer and enjoy personal photos and videos from a USB hard drive attached to the Slingbox 500. Customers can also play back any personal content stored on the USB drive directly on their TV screen using the Slingbox 500’s remote control.

SlingSync is one of the features of My Media that acts like a personal cloud, allowsing the Slingbox 500 to archive and store captured moments onto a secure, compact USB drive. This allows users to utilize the freed-up space on their smartphone to collect new photos and video. With the Slingbox 500 and the SlingPlayer app installed onto your smartphone, photos and videos are synced automatically when the two are located on the same local area network. The phone and USB drive communicate automatically. My Media features will be delivered via firmware and software updates to both Slingbox 500 and SlingPlayer software for iOS and Android smartphones in the coming weeks. This feature is exclusive to Slingbox 500 customers and is an extension to the SlingProjector features currently available.

Slingbox Companion is Sling Media’s "2nd screen social TV app" for the iPad. It allows users to view social media in real-time while watching and getting program information for shows airing live on the television. It truly combines content discovery and navigation with rich media and social media features. These features are also included in the new Hopper with Sling which we covered earlier from CES.

Slingbox Companion is a free 2nd screen application that will be available to all Slingbox 500 and Slingbox 350 customers who also own an iPad 2 or higher model. Slingbox Companion will feature content discovery tools that help customers find shows based on their interests. They can then navigate to the selected show to watch on the TV using the tablet app as a remote.

Slingbox 500 customers who have connected a USB drive to their Slingbox 500 can use Slingbox Companion to navigate to photos and videos from My Media and play them on their TV. In addition, Slingbox Companion will feature supplemental TV program content like live stats during a sporting event, enhancing the TV-viewing experience. Finally, customers can share what they are viewing with friends on Facebook and Twitter and see what’s trending on TV. Slingbox Companion will be available this spring for Slingbox 500 customers initially, but Slingbox 350 support will follow later this year.

The new Slingbox platform really expands on placeshifting to take advantage of new technologies that provide enhanced functionality to just recording live content for later consumption on the source device.

For more information, visit www.slingbox.com.

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