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Google Home app now includes shameless advertisements for Sling TV
Love to see ads when I'm trying to fix my Chromecast
Google is primarily an advertising company, so perhaps it's not too surprising that somewhat-intrusive ads are starting to creep into some of the company's services. From Google Assistant to the Discover Feed, the core Android experience feels as commercialized as ever, and now the Google Home app is next to receive unwanted advertisements.
Sling announces 1-year price guarantee on the heels of YouTube TV's price hike
Subscribe by August 1st in order to lock-in your price
Cutting cable is a mainstream activity these days, which is why services like YouTube TV and Sling TV have popped up in the last few years. These online TV providers can often be cheaper than cable, but as time passes and more channels are added, prices creep up. Coming the day after YouTube TV's latest increase, Sling TV has announced a 1-year price guarantee on its streaming TV packages.
Sling is offering a bunch of TV and movies for free right now, no signup required (Update: 7 new channels)
I'm gonna watch so much Samurai Jack, you have no idea
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To help fight stay-at-home boredom, Sling TV has just launched a new "Stay in & Sling" promotion. It's a derpy name, but it means you can binge watch a bunch of streaming shows from your computer or Android device, which would usually cost you money, but right now, it's free. Shows include Hell's Kitchen, Forensic Files, and the classic 3rd Rock from the Sun, and you can also watch live news coverage from ABC news.
Good news and bad news, Sling subscribers. The good news is that your package, be it Orange or Blue, is getting new features. But they're also both increasing in price, from $25 to $30 per month. If you've got both, you'll pay an additional $5, too: that plan is now $45.
Streaming has really emerged over the past few years as the dominant way many of us consume our media, and now streaming service Sling is launching a deal that makes for a fairly synergistic offer if you're looking to ditch your cable provider. The company is making its regular cord-cutting option more enticing by offering a free Google Nest Hub when you prepay for a 3-month membership plan.
Cutting the cord is a difficult decision, but Sling makes it easier. Its service offers live TV so there's no need to give up on football, your local stations, or the 24-hour news cycle. Sling has supported Chromecast for some time now, and today the company is adding voice control options as well as the ability to stream on your Google Assistant smart displays.
Sling TV is an over-the-top (OTT) internet television app that streams live cable TV to an extensive list of devices. After bestowing Roku users the ability to watch free content earlier this year, Sling TV is rolling out the same feature to all Android and Amazon Fire device users starting today.
Internet TV services are already a cost-effective alternative to traditional cable, and Sling is making its offering even more so for new customers. For a limited time, new subscribers get a 40 percent discount on their first three months of service.
Internet-based cable alternatives like Sling and YouTube TV are having a hard time figuring out how to make the model profitable, according to a report from The Information. Sources say YouTube TV is paying networks a total of about $49 per month for each subscriber to its basic package — which the company charges $40 a month for.
Sling TV announced a number of changes yesterday. Strangely, it seems people who don't subscribe to the service stand to benefit the most. While the price of a basic package has gone up by five bucks a month, from $20 to $25, the company has introduced free content for non-subscribers, as well as à la carte channel selections and additional on-demand programming that don't require subscriptions.
Sling's $5-per-month Cloud DVR service is expanding to a number of new devices. Subscribers can now watch their stored shows in the Chrome browser and on any screen that functions as a Chromecast receiver, as well as on Xbox One, LG smart TVs, and Samsung smart TVs from 2016 or later.
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I have watched Sling TV steadily grow in both popularity and size in the time since its birth. The channel count is now quite ridiculous (in a good way), but with that comes the need for easy navigation and new content discovery. Luckily, Sling has that covered with the new update rolling out soon to Android users (with additional platforms coming soon).
Sling TV offers a compelling value for cord cutters who want to stream cable television channels without paying the hefty prices. One of its weaknesses was its all-live setup, which it addressed with the Cloud DVR "First Look" program. Initially limited to Fire devices, the company has now expanded access to the service to Android and Roku players.
After introducing the service just a couple of days ago, you can now download Sling International in the Play Store. This service takes the mantle from DishWorld, by which I mean it is pretty much DishWorld with a new name. DISH and Sling are owned by the same parent company, so they are using the recent good press for Sling TV and trying to bring that positivity over to their international offerings. If you've been using the DishWorld app, you will get an update telling you not to use that app anymore.
In addition to a handful of new Chromecast-supported apps announced by Google, Sling Media is getting in on the action. According to this blog post, the Slingplayer app for Android smartphones now has Chromecasting capability. Though the latest update for the app itself was way back in July, Chromecast support is often enabled via a server-side switch, so it should be working now. Compatible Sling hardware includes the Slingbox M1, 350, 500, and SlingTV.
The long awaited Sling Player Mobile application is now officially available on the Android Market, with download numbers <50 (i.e. moments ago).