Orb has released a native client for the iPhone that allows users, with a PC TV card, to access live programming through their mobile browser.
OrbLive works as software in the same way the Slingbox does underneath the TV – it takes the content from one location and flicks it over the net to another device.
Although the application is available on both the iPhone and iPod touch, the streaming is available over both Wi-Fi and the EDGE network the iPhone users know and love so well. The streams have even been adapted for use over the less-than-3G network, though the new 3G iPhone will make the whole point moot soon anyway.
iTunes
The move might be seen as a bit of a thorn in the side of iTunes – Apple wants you to buy TV and now film from iTunes – but this is a nice side option for the PC users who have bothered to get a TV tuner installed.
It will also allow users to access other items on the computer, like recorded TV and downloads, though this can be sideloaded onto the iPhone already, so is less of a novelty. Still, it essentially adds a whole lot of storage potential to the device.
Orb have been working with the iPhone since December last year, allowing users to access media files over the Safari browser, but the surge of applications since the SDK has become available has helped make items like the native client from Orb a reality.
See a video of the application in action here.
