May 15, 2009 7:03 AM • by
R. Look • Posted to
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On Wednesday, after what seemed to be forever in the techworld, Sling Media's
SlingPlayer 
appeared in the iTunes AppStore. And, although the hotly anticipated app does allows users to watch TV over the internet, it does come at a heavy cost to the network and the wallet.
First off, before we go into details on what exactly this application will allow you to do, let's discuss some of the caveats of this long-awaited application.
The BIGGEST limitation of this application stems from the fact that it can only be used on a WiFI network...In other words, you won't be able to access your slingbox from the EDGE or 3G network. This really really unusual because AT&T allows other smartphones (ie. Blackberry, WinMo) to have this functionality. AT&T is claiming that the iPhone is different from other smartphones because it is like a computer and less like a phone...I know that there are a lot of people upset with AT&T's decision, but for now we can't do anything about it, so let's move on...
In a nutshell, what this app allows you to do is watch live TV, streamed from your home TV to your iPhone. The other barrier to this app is that you need to own a Slingbox...I've seen Slingboxes online for about $300. I don't actually own a Slingbox but
other reviews have pretty much almost nothing bad to say about this app...
However, at $30 a shot, this app must be one of the priciest in the AppStore...I do believe it is worth it for what it does and promises, however, it is limited by AT&T and will work only via WiFi...
Comments
That is bullshit coming from ATT, i.e. the claim that the iPhone is like a computer. ATT does not sell computers to the public and so it does not sell even the iPod touch but the iPhone because it is simply a phone.
When would the Americans stop being taken on a ride by businesses in this country. Look at the French, the consumers there have caused the courts to force Apple to free the iPhone for other network carriers than Orange and Apple complied.