SlingTV now shipping, free upgrade for Slingbox 500 owners

[sincity]

http://cdn.mos.techradar.com/art/televisions/Sling%20TV/SlingTV_box-470-75.jpg

There's nothing like booting up your favorite hardware and finding a free software update available that adds new functionality, which owners of previous generation Sling hardware are receiving this week.

EchoStar-owned Sling Media Inc. today announced availability of SlingTV, the company's next-generation hardware, which replaces the previous Slingbox 500 with new, more mobile-centric software.

Priced at $299.99, SlingTV promises to enhance the living room experience, turning it into "Smarter TV" with the ability to access live or recorded pay television channels to anywhere in the world, direct to internet-connected smartphones, tablets or PCs.

Thankfully, existing Slingbox 500 owners will also be able to join in the fun, thanks to a free software upgrade arriving this week, which will also be pushed upon initial configuration for users who have just purchased their hardware.

Super Sling me

Among the SlingTV features first announced over the summer are a new on-screen TV main menu capable of being powered by the included SlingTV remote; users of the Slingplayer apps for iPhone or Android will also receive a software version of the remote with the next update sometime next week.

The software also debuts a new Gallery View, a visual-based interface which Sling hopes will make it easier for users to find something to watch, complete with Rotten Tomatoes ratings for movies and the ability to filter by a number of different categories.

Likewise, the new SlingTV Details View is geared toward sports fans looking for detailed game stats in real time, integrated Thuuz "excitement" ratings and movie or TV episode details for everyone else in your household.

SlingTV is now available to purchase from Sling.com and long list of 16 online and brick-and-mortar retailers in the US, including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, RadioShack and Costco Wholesale.

• Keep the hype in check with our hands-on review of Apple Watch!