Sling Media has just announced the release of SlingPlayer Mobile 1.0 for Palm OS (1.0.0.16, actually). The final release is officially supported on the Palm Treo 700p and 755p using 3G networks. However, it also runs on the Palm Treo 650 and 680 using EDGE networks, providing the connection is solid, and on the Palm T|X and LifeDrive using WiFi. In general, it should work on any Palm running the Garnet OS (5.4) with a sufficient network connection. The software includes a free 30-day trial, so you can try before you buy, to make sure it will satisfy you.

There were also some last minute changes since the second public beta, based on feedback from the testers:

• A battery indicator was added - this had strong demand.
• The Favorites bar now makes *all* remote control functions available for use as a favorite.
• The keyboard shortcuts were revised and expanded.
• Remote control layout was revised for better DVR use.

The software is available for USD$29.99 or CAD$34.99 And, as I said, the downloads come with a 30-day trial, so you can try it before buying the license. If you have a Slingbox and a (somewhat recent) Palm OS device, you should definitely check this out.

I will have some more content relating to this up shortly. Stay tuned.

EDIT: And the content is up - a review of the SlingPlayer Mobile for PalmOS software.

Microsoft has partnered with Amazon to bring HD DVD support to the latter’s CustomFlix DVD on Demand program. This is designed to lower the barriers for independent film makers looking to release their creations on HD media. I’m a Blu-ray pusher myself, but credit where credit is due, this seems like a nice program. (If the Blu-ray camp is smart they’ll scramble to help Amazon add BD as an option too, IMHO.)

The press release:
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Sling Media dominates the nascent place-shifting market with the Slingbox, and rightfully so IMHO. However, they do have competition, mainly Sony’s Location Free Television and Snappy Multimedia’s Hava products. The Hava products are also now sold under the Monsoon brand. Monsoon issued a press release today announcing the availability of two Hava models - see below.

The Hava boxes differ from the Slingbox in a few key ways. They use MPEG-2 locally, and MPEG-4 for remote streaming, while the SB uses WMV9/VC-1 for all streaming. The local MPEG-2 encoding on the Hava is DVD compatible, so it is possible to record the stream and burn it to DVD. Which is another point - Hava enables recording the stream on a local receiving PC, Sling does not. Hava has also been integrated into Windows XP Media Center Edition and Windows Vista so that you can use the Hava box as a remote tuner for Windows. Hava also supports multiple simultaneous stream clients, while Slingbox is limited to one.

But Hava is limited to Windows - both Windows PCs and Windows Mobile devices. There is no support for Mac OS, Palm OS, or Symbian - and no Win2k, which SB supports. Just XP and Vista. The Hava software isn’t a polished as Sling’s offering, Sling has done a lot of work on the SlingStream format to optimize the streaming experience. And Sling supports a wider variety of set top boxes.

There are a few applications where the Hava is probably the better, or only, choice - such as as a remote tuner for a MCE PC - but a Slingbox provides a better experience for most users, which is why Sling dominates the market.

The press release:
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Australian broadband telephony vendor Engin has begun a AUD$5 million marketing effort which will focus on their VOIP and DSL services, and later the Australian launch of TiVo. Engin has exclusive distribution, brand management and content development rights for TiVo in Australia. Australians will pay roughly AUD$500 to buy the TiVo, and then a monthly subscription fee for the service. TiVo is expected to roll out in Australia in early 2008.