Sling Media's Award-Winning SlingPlayer Mobile Now Available for BlackBerry Smartphones

January 8, 2009

LAS VEGAS, NV, Jan 08, 2009 (MARKET WIRE via COMTEX News Network) -- International Consumer Electronics Show (CES) -- Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is pleased to announce that a beta release of SlingPlayer Mobile is now available for select BlackBerry(R) smartphones from Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM) (TSX: RIM). SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones is available to Slingbox customers in the U.S., Canada and the UK and is available as a free download during the public beta period.

"I am very pleased to be announcing SlingPlayer Mobile is now available on a wide variety of BlackBerry smartphones. This has been a top customer request since we launched the original Slingbox Classic in 2005 and it gives me great pleasure to say it is now here!" said Blake Krikorian, co-founder and CEO of Sling Media. "Combining the best of breed smartphone with the ability to watch and control your living room TV remotely is a killer combo."

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via your BlackBerry smartphone using a standard network connection (3G Cellular, Wi-Fi(R)). In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphone users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road.

"We are thrilled that SlingPlayer Mobile is now available on BlackBerry smartphones," said Jeff McDowell, Vice President, Global Alliances at Research In Motion. "SlingPlayer Mobile gives customers an amazing degree of control over their TV programming and significantly enhances their mobile entertainment options in a wide variety of settings."

The following is a list of BlackBerry smartphones that are currently supported in the public beta.* 

BlackBerry(R) Bold(TM)
BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 8900
BlackBerry(R) 8820
BlackBerry(R) Curve 8320
BlackBerry(R) Pearl(R) Flip 8220
BlackBerry(R) Pearl 8120

SlingPlayer Mobile requires BlackBerry(R) Device Software 4.5 or greater. To see if your phone meets the minimum requirements, please visit the following URL using your BlackBerry smartphone's browser: http://mobile.slingmedia.com/. We will check your BlackBerry smartphone and let you know if it is currently supported or needs a software update (available from your carrier).

SlingPlayer Mobile does not require a monthly fee or other recurring charges**. During the public beta period the software is free. SlingPlayer Mobile is available for BlackBerry smartphone customers by simply going to http://mobile.slingmedia.com from your BlackBerry web browser.

Sling Media will be demonstrating SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry smartphones at their own booth at CES, Central Hall, #14438, as well as at Research in Motion's Booth, South Hall, #36206.

*Sling Media continues to work with Research In Motion, to bring SlingPlayer Mobile to additional BlackBerry smartphones. In addition, device support is dependent on your location and carrier. Please reference http://www.slingmedia.com/go/blackberry for more information and specific device and carrier support.

** Wireless charges may apply. Sling Media recommends BlackBerry smartphone customers use an unlimited 3G data plan or a Wi-Fi connection for the best results.

About Sling Media

Sling Media, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is a leading digital lifestyle company offering consumer services and products that are a natural extension of today's digital way of life. Sling Media's product family includes the internationally acclaimed, Emmy award-winning Slingbox(TM) that allows consumers to watch and control their living room television shows at any time, from any location, using PCs, Macs, PDAs and smartphones and the revolutionary new SlingCatcher(TM), a universal media player that seamlessly delivers broadcast TV, Internet video and personal content to the TV. Sling Media is also the company behind the video entertainment web site, Sling.com, offering consumers a wide variety of popular TV shows, movies and other entertainment free for viewing online or on the TV using SlingCatcher. For more information on Sling Media, the Slingbox or the SlingCatcher, visit www.slingmedia.com. To watch your favorite TV shows and movies, check out www.sling.com.

For images, please visit http://www.slingmedia.com/go/press-downloads

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. Wi-Fi is a registered trademark of the Wi-Fi Alliance. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services. 

Media contact:

Brian Jaquet
Sling Media, Inc.
Email Contact
(650) 293-8022 office
(415) 235-4844 mobile

SOURCE: EchoStar Corporation; Sling Media, Inc. 

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