new gadget developed by Sling Media allows people to watch and control their cable television on a portable device. Slingbox, as the product is called, is embedded with the SlingPlayer Mobile software which works on any wireless Windows Mobile smartphone or handheld computer. A list of devices that will be supported includes four of the hottest smartphones, the highly anticipated Palm Treo 700w, the Motorola Q, the Samsung i730 and the UTStarcom PPC6700, in addition to handheld computers like the Dell Axim and the HP iPAQ.

The software, the price for which is yet to be released, will enable Slingbox users to watch cable channels, control a home DVR (digital video recorder) to record shows, watch shows that have been previously recorded, and even pause and replay live TV. Here's how it works: The Slingbox redirects, or "placeshifts," a single live TV stream from a cable box, satellite receiver, or DVR to the viewer's PC - located anywhere in the home or anywhere in the world, via the Internet.... more