Hands on: Slingbox utility for Google TV
updated 05:00 am EST, Sun January 9, 2011
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Sling Media has previewed its latest video streaming app, which has been developed for Google TV set-top boxes. Electronista had a chance to try out the upcoming system this week at CES, ahead of the official launch.
At first glance, the player appears to be another native Android app retooled for the new hardware. The UI closely resembles the SlingPlayer Mobile app for Android smartphones, however the Google TV variant is coded as a web-based utility.
We like the consistency between SlingPlayer apps for different hardware platforms, as some users might watch content on an iPad or Android handset before coming home and switching to Google TV. Navigating the UI seemed to be snappy and just as usable as the mobile editions, while the demo setup was able to smoothly stream a movie in HD resolution.
The Google TV SlingPlayer is a great step for the company, which has continued to expand its list of supported platforms. The company declined to set a specific launch date, though the public release should arrive before the end of the year.
