Audible Magic Introduces ACR-Enhanced Features for Slingbox Companion App First Introduced at CES

LAS VEGAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(Consumer Electronics Show)—Audible Magic, the leader in automated content recognition (ACR) solutions, announced that Audible Magic’s Smart ID ACR system will be embedded into the Slingbox hardware platform helping to create an enhanced experience for Sling Media’s Slingbox Companion app. The second screen application was first introduced at CES and demonstrated on an iPad. The addition of SmartID to the latest generation of Slingboxes will allow Sling Media to offer its consumers a range of new social TV and interactive experiences. Set for launch in Q1 2013, the Slingbox Companion app will be available for demo at the Sling Media booth (Central Hall, #8143) at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas, NV January 8-11.

“One of the critically important pieces of the TV anywhere puzzle is content recognition technology and making tablets and other displays more than just passive viewing devices”

By embedding ACR within the Slingbox, the Slingbox Companion app will connect viewers to supplemental television show content (like stats during the ball game or real-time polls), connections to Facebook and Twitter for sharing of viewing experiences, and value-added information related to TV commercials where viewers can link to additional information. ACR is being added to the most recent additions to the Slingbox family: the Slingbox 350 and Slingbox 500 models via a software and firmware upgrade for both new and existing customers.

“The entire TV viewing experience is undergoing a mind-boggling transformation,” said Jay Friedman, VP of Marketing, Audible Magic. “Consumers are no longer content to be passive ‘inhalers’ of programming. They want to be actively engaged, sharing their views with others and drilling down deeper into topics they consider especially interesting. And they also want to do this with complete mobility—anywhere any time. In effect, they want to interact with TV in ways similar to how they’ve interacted with computers for years. With the newest versions of Slingbox, Sling Media is taking a major step forward in turning this very natural consumer desire into a very attractive reality. Audible Magic is delighted to be a part of this process.”

“One of the critically important pieces of the TV anywhere puzzle is content recognition technology and making tablets and other displays more than just passive viewing devices,” said Sling Media’s Senior Vice President and General Manager, Raghu Tarra. “Slingbox customers are using their tablets and smartphones more than any other display. For TV to truly be social and interactive ACR needs to be part of the solution. Working with Audible Magic, we’ve come up with something very special for consumers who will now have a richer, more engaging TV viewing experience.”

About Sling Media

A wholly owned subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation, Sling Media is the leading provider of video place-shifting products and services for consumers and television service providers. Its flagship product, the Emmy award-winning Slingbox® platform, works hand in hand with the company’s SlingPlayer software to transform the way consumers watch television, providing them with the ability to watch and control their living room TV shows at any time, from any location, using Internet-connected PCs, Macs, tablets, and smart phones. To learn more, visit www.slingbox.com

About Audible Magic

Audible Magic is the trusted leader in digital fingerprinting for recognizing content in all forms across radio and television broadcasts, Internet streams, cable and satellite transmissions, stored digital files, and on consumer devices such as smart TVs, set-top boxes, smart phones, tablets, and other appliances. Since its founding in 1999, the company has been awarded more than 20 patents in the U.S. and in Europe. Currently, Audible Magic works with more than 200 customers and partners, including A+E, CBS, CBC, Dailymotion, Discovery, Disney, Facebook, Fox, Metacafe, MySpace, NBC, Sony, Soundcloud, TVplus, Univision, Universal Music, Verizon, Viacom, and Warner Music.