Google's inexpensive little HDMI dongle has been racking up an impressive number of supported mobile apps in recent months, with Sling the latest to deliver a method for casting video to a connected television set.
Sling today announced Chromecast support for iPhone, iPad and Android smartphones, courtesy of new updates to the existing Slingplayer apps, offering yet another way to beam content from a supported Slingbox to an HDTV.
With the updates available Wednesday, owners of Slingbox M1, 350, 500 or SlingTV hardware can enable casting to Google's $35 (UK£30, AU$49) Chromecast dongle with the tap of the cast icon from the mobile app.
Unfortunately, Android tablet owners will have to sit out the Sling Chromecast party, at least for now - the company confirmed in a blog post that support for Android-based tablets "will be rolled out soon," with no specific availability mentioned.
The Sling connection
Despite the limited partner support when Chromecast first launched in July 2013, Google has been working overtime to expand content beyond the initial Netflix, YouTube and Google Play offerings.
With a Slingplayer equipped mobile device, Sling hardware owners can now beam live or recorded cable and satellite programming to any HDTV - even if it doesn't happen to be in your own home.
Once the Slingplayer app is paired up with Chromecast, the iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone in question will magically turn into a soft remote, allowing users full control over the content casting to the TV set.
Sling recommends Chromecast as an even more cost-effective alternative to Apple TV and Roku 3, both of which also support similar Slingplayer functionality from mobile apps.
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