by CIO Staff

Slingbox Internet TV Gadget Hits Europe

News
May 30, 20061 min
Consumer Electronics

Sling Media on Tuesday made its Slingbox device, which can plug into a user’s terrestrial, cable or satellite television hookup and then transmit footage via the Web, publicly available for the first time in Britain for 180 pounds (roughly $338USD), Reuters reports.

Users can view programming from a television hooked up to the Slingbox using a PC or notebook computer, according to Reuters.

The product is being labeled a “placeshifting” device, in the vein of popular “time-shifting” digital video recorders like TiVo and Sky+, which allow users to record television broadcasts for viewing at a later time, Reuters reports.

The Slingbox is not currently available throughout the rest of Europe, but a widespread release is expected before the end of 2006, according to Reuters.

People who employ the Slingbox in the United States can use their mobile devices to watch video programming from their televisions, but that service is not yet offered to British users, Reuters reports.

Sling Media competes with companies like Sony, which provides a LocationFree service for watching television or films via streaming video over PlayStation Portable machines.

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