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April Fool's Joke
Gotta be. Slingmedia is too young of a company to pull this kind of crap yet. You have to have a few more years then Slingmedia has to really mess with your userbase. It takes time and a few cycles of insane executives to really poke the user's eyes out. For example, Palm got pretty good at this over the last few years but well after most of the founding people left. I think Sling still has those startup people, so they are not in the 'let's screw-them' mode yet.
Update: SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone Only for Slingbox PRO, SOLO, and PRO HD Users
Categories: Sling Media Hardware iPhone / iPod Touch
Sling Media has just put up a new page on their website announcing an $50 upgrade incentive for Slingbox Classic, Slingbox AV, and Slingbox Tuner customers.
What's interesting is at the bottom of the page, it reads:
Sling Media is encouraging customers who own these earlier versions of Slingbox to upgrade to Slingbox SOLO or Slingbox PRO-HD to take advantage of next generation software and services that will only be supported when using the most current Slingbox and SlingLoaded products. Future software includes the highly anticipated SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone software launching soon.
Current Slingbox functionality will not be affected if you choose not to upgrade, but software like SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone and future services yet to be announced will only be supported for customers using Slingbox SOLO and Slingbox PRO-HD products or forthcoming SlingLoaded products.
See the page here: http://www.slingmedia.com/go/upgrade
Curious is the omission of the Slingbox PRO from their upgrade program. Taken at face value, it doesn't say the Slingbox PRO will or won't work with future products, like SlingPlayer for iPhone, but you don't get an upgrade incentive if you own one.
The SlingCommunity Team is looking into this. Stay tuned.
UPDATE: We've made some well placed e-mails, and it looks like Slingbox PRO owners will get the best of both worlds. For starters, the Slingbox PRO will work with SlingPlayer Mobile for iPhone, and if you call Sling to inquire about an upgrade, it seems you'll also get to take advantage of the sweet $50 rebate. Omission of the PRO from the page apparently wasn't intentional, and will be corrected soon.
Read More In: Sling Media Hardware iPhone / iPod Touch
April 2, 2009 12:56 AM
April 2, 2009 12:57 AM
updated: April 2, 2009 1:03 AM
Not really.
In fact, Apple has a great track record of supporting legacy hardware with the company's latest, greatest software releases.
For instance, Apple's latest OS (10.5, aka (Leopard) officially supports Macintosh models that were released 7 years ago! Some examples: The PowerMac G4 Quicksilver 2002, released in August 2002, is officially supported by Leopard. So too are the many PowerBook models that have been released since 2003.
Apple certainly entices customers to upgrade their hardware by providing new features, but those are HARDWARE improvements. If Apple customers choose to continue using older hardware, they can still upgrade to the latest versions of Apple software for many years.
Apple doesn't take long, stinky dumps on its customer base, the way that Sling Media has just done.
w8less said:
Sling is simply adopting the Apple screw the customer and force upgrades approach to make money.
Not really.
In fact, Apple has a great track record of supporting legacy hardware with the company's latest, greatest software releases.
For instance, Apple's latest OS (10.5, aka (Leopard) officially supports Macintosh models that were released 7 years ago! Some examples: The PowerMac G4 Quicksilver 2002, released in August 2002, is officially supported by Leopard. So too are the many PowerBook models that have been released since 2003.
Apple certainly entices customers to upgrade their hardware by providing new features, but those are HARDWARE improvements. If Apple customers choose to continue using older hardware, they can still upgrade to the latest versions of Apple software for many years.
Apple doesn't take long, stinky dumps on its customer base, the way that Sling Media has just done.
April 2, 2009 12:59 AM
This is just ridiculous. I am refusing to upgrade for this, and I suggest everyone else do the same. This is just bad business, and there is nothing else to say about it.
First, no updated sling player for Mac OS X. Now they are forcing an upgrade to use the iPhone app. Complete and utter ********.
Sling, you guys are quickly becoming one of my most hated companies.
April 2, 2009 1:06 AM
And here I thought sling was a good company. I have been inquiring the sling for iphone since the first generation. I am not going to buy the new box. I wonder how much the iphone software will cost. For Windows mobile it wsa $30. It better not be more than $.9.99. What a hassle to have to reconnect new hardward. Sling, you better get it together. I think they should be boycotted if this goes through.
April 2, 2009 1:16 AM
I USED TO recommend sling to everyone. I USED TO wait patiently for the iPhone app. I USED TO care about this company. In this recession they want more money, pure and simple. Until the can give us a descent and verifiable reason I'll look elsewhere. Thanks for $h1ting on the little man.
April 2, 2009 1:44 AM
Seriously?! You got to be kidding me Sling, why would you shaft your customers like that? this is total crap!! I am not going to update my hardware screw that!! Why are we being forced to upgrade for a service is already available on all other platforms?! that's bs! damn greedy big wigs!! F-U Sling!!!
Member
- member since: 06/17/2006
- rank: 8425 of 41904
-
location:
Helsinki, Finland
- 1 forum threads started
- 9 comments
April 2, 2009 3:07 AM
Unbelievable.
The only reason I bought an iphone over the vastly cheaper Nokia 5800 was because of this forthcoming app. I'm a UK ex-pat living in Finland, so I use my original Slingbox almost every day.
If they don't support the original Slingbox on their iphone app, I'll ditch my Slingbox ASAP and find another solution.
Joe
April 2, 2009 3:26 AM
Being a living-on-the-edge kind of guy, i downloaded the 2.0 (is it 2.02 now? lates revision anyway) and installed it, including the upgraded firmware on a Slingbox Pro (bought in the UK). Seems to work fine.
Can still access the sling from my mac (with the "old" mac software) and from my slingcatcher.
Seems like the quality has gone up, when i use either a winxp laptop or my mac. I cant be sure its the new firmware, but it looks like the Slingbox is now using the 1mb upstram to near perfection (i'm getting about 1020 kb up). It didnt do that before.
Seems to make no difference on the SlingCatcher though, so maybe its just an illusion :o)
Adam Jacobs said:
UK customers still don't have v.2.0 SlingPlayer either!
Being a living-on-the-edge kind of guy, i downloaded the 2.0 (is it 2.02 now? lates revision anyway) and installed it, including the upgraded firmware on a Slingbox Pro (bought in the UK). Seems to work fine.
Can still access the sling from my mac (with the "old" mac software) and from my slingcatcher.
Seems like the quality has gone up, when i use either a winxp laptop or my mac. I cant be sure its the new firmware, but it looks like the Slingbox is now using the 1mb upstram to near perfection (i'm getting about 1020 kb up). It didnt do that before.
Seems to make no difference on the SlingCatcher though, so maybe its just an illusion :o)
April 2, 2009 4:37 AM
tivoboy said: where did u get your classic that recently? if u bought it from a legitimate retailer then I would think uu have a pretty good complaint with sling
The classic is still on sale at a lot of retailers in the UK but they have reduced the price due to the newer boxes. Mine came from Tesco Direct.
It also happens to have been a present from my daughter so I feel a bit bad telling her I dont want it now.
Sling should have withdrawn all stocks off boxes they do not want to support.
It stinks !!!
Member
- member since: 06/17/2006
- rank: 8425 of 41904
-
location:
Helsinki, Finland
- 1 forum threads started
- 9 comments
April 2, 2009 4:39 AM
I can't seem to find a general email address or contact details of real people at Sling.
Best I can find is their 'business development' email address: BizDev@slingmedia.com
Perhaps if we start flooding our comments/opinions to this, they'll realise that crippling their iphone software to force their original user-base who made the company what it is, is not a good way to develop their business.
Joe
April 2, 2009 4:43 AM
As Slingmedia do point users to this forum for support... I would suggest NO MORE support should be forth-coming from any slingcommunity member.. until Sling media stop treating us like half-wits
I would also suggest a frontpage topic of 'DO NOT BUY ANY OF THE CRAP FROM SLINGMEDIA AS THEY WILL SH*T ALL OVER YOU'
April 2, 2009 4:48 AM
wtf ?!
I hate you sling!!
once the market appear other competitor, you will lose due to your greedy decision today
April 2, 2009 4:58 AM
This is absolutely ridiculous! Puts me off the brand, the company, my current sling box.. the whole lot.
This is a bad decision. The best thing sling can do is retract as soon as to stop any more bad feeling. Time for competitors to step up and clean up!
April 2, 2009 5:06 AM
I bought a Sling Player classic and had it imported to Australia when Sling first announced they were working on a iPhone client, about 1 week later they announced local distrubution (so much cheaper!) so I got stung there...
Now I'm getting stung here too :-(
I know I jumped the gun and got all this BEFORE the actual app was announced, but when the Windows Mobile client works on 3 year old handsets perfectly, I was assuming (my fault) that the iPhone version would be the same...
Please Sling... Allow the iPhone client to work with all of the boxes! -
April 2, 2009 5:22 AM
Let me join the "this is totally crap, we hate you SLING" club.
I'm sorry my English is not as good as I would wish to be able to start a petition @ petitionline and maybe a group in Facebook to let Sling knows what we all think about the company
Apart from this, just wanted to let you know that Sling started to sell it's boxes in France in january '09, and the best box available is the 'PRO'. Are we supposed to buy a product that could suffer the same situation in, let's say, 1 year... Shame, shame, shame !!!
BTW Sling, don't get surprised if your app shows up in pirate site quickly, thAt's about all you deserve from your loyal customers.
April 2, 2009 6:22 AM
Can't say that I'm surprised, Sling has been a horrible company to deal with these past few years, so I wouldn't put a stupid move like this past them.
Massive delays for release dates for software? Yep
Shipping products that mention support on the box but don't actually work on the products mentioned? Yep
And now this, forcing users to upgrade for no reason other than greed?
It's sad to see how many poor decisions this company makes. They have a great product, too bad they can't seem to get their act together. But based on their track record, I'm not surprised.
April 2, 2009 6:47 AM
I'm glad I bought a Hava also. I just read where they will be releasing a player for the iphone in the 2nd quarter of this year. I'll wait for the Hava release before buying a new slingbox. By the way my slingbox av is only a year old. No upgrade for me
April 2, 2009 7:08 AM
When I read this, my heart sank. I have 2 classics and a Catcher. I have been using the Windows Mobile Slingplayer on my Dell Axim for several years. But, I had been looking so forward to getting the SlingPlayer app for my iPod Touch. I was hoping to retire my Axim, as I only use it for the Slingplayer. I can only assume that this means that if/when a version for Android (I have a G1 phone) comes out, I'll have the same issue.
Well, I can state right now, that I WILL NOT upgrade my Classics just for this app!
April 2, 2009 7:15 AM
updated: April 2, 2009 7:32 AM
i have been a sling customer for about 3 years now, i bought the original slingbox. if this is serious, I am definitely NOT upgrading, or purchasing another sling product
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