Well, this has been quite a busy day at Sling.  When it rains it pours.

First, SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian UIQ has been released to the public - see the press release for all the details.

The UIQ handsets that will support SlingPlayer Mobile at launch include:

• Sony Ericsson P1i
• Sony Ericsson P990i
• Sony Ericsson W960i
• Sony Ericsson W950i
• Sony Ericsson M600i
• Sony Ericsson G700
• Sony Ericsson G900
• Motorola Z8
• Motorola Z10

I ran the beta for that, so I'm especially happy to see it hit the streets.

Speaking of betas, SlingPlayer for Windows 2.0 Public Beta 2 (Build .457) was released tonight.  If you're already running Beta 1 (Build .447) you should receive a prompt to auto-update.  If you're not yet running SlingPlayer 2.0 you can download Beta 2.

But that't not all - tonight the product pages for both the Slingbox PRO-HD and the SlingCatcher went live on the Sling Media website.  But more than just product pages, you can now pre-order the Slingbox PRO-HD and the SlingCatcher direct from Sling Media or from Amazon.  Both units are priced with a $299.99 MSRP.

And what else...

Oh yeah - we are in Apple's iPhone Developer Program, and have been for a while.  Just so you know.

Wanted to address some Qs coming in:

Q. I saw the post: Are you leaving?
A. No way! Our team is expanding rapidly.

Q. Who's on the team now?
A. Yours truly, MegaZone, Mark (when he's not on a special project), Will (when we can borrow him to help with Europe), and Michelle (our new Admin/ Coordinator).

Q. Do I need to live in the California Bay Area?
A. Yup, we need you at headquarters.

Q. What's the job description?
A. http://www.slingmedia.com/get/job-beta-prgrm-mgr.html

Q. What's it like to work at Sling?
A.
(1) Focused [read: Blake is an amazing and inspiring visionary/ leader]
(2) Laid-back [read: if flip-flops offend you, don't apply]
(3) Yet driven [read: we're geek freaks occasionally frustrated by the need to do other things in life such as sleep]
(4) Did I mention fun? [our latest Sling Fling was a full-on Wii Olympics smackdown]

I would also add that we're in the transitional phase between "startup goo" and "fully process-ized." For those who enjoy shaping a company's growth, now is a particularly fun time to join Sling.

Q. I've never managed a beta program before - can I still apply?
A. Sure - as long as you have the requisite building blocks (see the job description). Beta Program Management is ideal for a jack-of-all trades, because it sits at this unique junction of pretty much every other department in the company. (For this reason, as a career, it could be the best kept secret in corp america.) Well-rounded experience in this case is a plus not a minus.

Q. Who do I email if I have more questions?
A. See instructions at the end of the job description.

Good luck!!

-sharon

I thought I'd offer a few updates on the status of various beta programs.

- SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbain UIQ: This beta is just about wrapped up.  We should be done by the end of the month with the first general release of the client out.

- SlingPlayer for Windows 2.0: As you may have picked up from the recent leaks and forum chatter, SlingPlayer for Windows 2.0 (SP2.0 for short) is indeed currently in beta.  We expect the beta to run several weeks, and we'll add testers in waves during the program.

- SlingPlayer Mobile for Blackberry: No new updates, we're waiting on the release of firmware updates to complete development and enter beta.  We're quite eager to have this client out, so we'll go to beta as soon as we can.

- SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone & iPod Touch: No new updates, we're in early stages of development on this client.  We should have more to say later this year.

- Slingbox PRO-HD: We're preparing to launch this beta program.

- SlingCatcher: No updates just yet, still slated for release later this year. 

Hmm, some random other tidbits.  We are working on an update for SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Mobile to accomodate WinMob 6.1 devices with new screen resolutions, like the Treo 800w's 320x320 screen.  And we're looking at other mobile updates for new phones, more on those when details firm up.  We have some other interesting projects in the pipeline, but I can't tell you about those yet.

As always, if you're interested in beta testing Sling Media product please sign up at https://beta.slingmedia.com/ And, vitally important, make sure you update your profile to list your test platforms - the 'Add New Platform' link on the left once you're logged into your account.  We use the listed test platforms when recruiting testers for new programs.  So, for example, if you're interested in testing for the iPhone you'd better have an iPhone listed in your profile or you're probably not getting in when that program launches.  Applicants to the Symbian UIQ beta who don't have a UIQ phone in their profile were not admitted to the program, so be sure to keep your profile up to date with your devices - phones, PCs, Slingboxes, etc.

Thanks for your support!