Sling Media has revamped its Slingbox line of devices, introducing the Slingbox M1 and the upgraded Sling TV.
Retailing at $149, the M1 is a smaller and cheaper version of the company’s two-year-old Slingbox 350 and is the first of its kind to include built in Wi-Fi – Slingbox had only Ethernet connections.
The premise remains unchanged – once users set it up to the back of a cable or satellite box, users can watch and control live and recorded content on their pay TV digital video recorder through Sling’s mobile and desktop apps whenever they are connected to a network.
The M1 device is also the first Slingbox that you can configure using the Slingplayer app for iOS and Android phones.
Meanwhile, the SlingTV uses the same hardware as its predecessor, the Slingbox 500, but adds a new on-screen interface for choosing shows and controlling your TV.
The new software also shows content recommendations, live sports scores and stats, while other features include third-party streaming apps, including Dishworld and Blockbuster On-Demand.
The M1 will be available in retail stores on July 20, while SlingTV will go on sale in late August at $299.
Michael Hawkey, SVP and GM of Sling Media, said: "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."
Sling Media, which was acquired by EchoStar in 2007, also updated its line mobile apps,
The latest Slingplayer app for iOS and Android now lets users set up a Slingbox M1 directly from their phone, while Slingplay for iPad also now supports the Roku and Apple TV set-top boxes.
