In 2015, Sling TV basically won CES with its $20 a month subscription offering that gives users access to cable channels, including ESPN.
The service -- which includes access to channels such as CNN, TNT, Cartoon Network, AMC and ESPN -- was the first big OTT player to come out of the gate. OTT refers to Over The Top, or content delivered direct via the Internet without a gatekeeper.
The fact that Sling TV is a product of Dish -- a traditional satellite company -- made its existence that much less expected.
A year later, cord-cutting is continuing to become a very real thing as live TV continues to escape the clutches of cable. Since Sling TV's debut, we've seen PlayStation Vue, HBO Now and Showtime (Showtime's cable-free offering) -- as well as an increasing interest in OTT-first offerings from existing media giants.
In other words, Sling has a lot to be excited about in 2016. At CES 2016, the company is showing off a brand-new user interface and announced it is adding a new viewing component to its service: ESPN3.
A new UI
The new UI is designed to be more personalized, with the focus on content, not channels. The interface and guide learns what you like to watch and will recommend stuff to watch based on what device you're on and what time it is.
Although a big part of Sling's appeal is its access to live TV, a huge chunk of content is actually available on demand. The new interface shows the two side by side, so if you're searching for a TV show, you can see not just upcoming or live episodes but those available on demand too.
Rather than blowing up a phone UI for a set-top box, Sling is taking advantage of the extra screen real estate and creating a brand-new look. The new UI will launch on Roku first, with other devices to follow.
Integrated ESPN3
Sling isn't adding anything new to its basic tier -- but it is integrating ESPN3 directly into its app.
ESPN3 is a true multi-channel channel, with lots of different streams available. In the past, Sling users have been able to access ESPN3, but only by logging into the ESPN app with their Sling credentials.
Soon users will be able to access ESPN3 content within the Sling experience itself.
There is so much content on ESPN3, it's incredible to see everything available in one place in the same interface as the rest of Sling's content.
Dish introduces the ultimate DVR
Meanwhile at CES, Sling's parent Dish is showing off the third version of its DVR. The Hopper 3 is basically the most-badass DVR ever.
Powered by a quad-core Broadcom 7445 ARM processor, the Hopper 3 is 7 times faster than the current Dish Genie and twice as fast as the TiVo Bolt. It has a touchpad remote and supports voice search. It will also support up to six Joey adaptors. It has a 2TB hard drive and supports USB 3.0.
But here's the big thing: It has 16 tuners. That means you can record 16 shows at once while watching 7 shows. It's insane. And it supports 4K.
Good news if you have a 4K TV: the Hopper 3 has you covered. While there's not much 4K content, there is a special "sports bar" mode that will let you watch four full HD streams on your TV at one time. Seriously, imagine that.
Dish is also releasing a new HopperGo, a $99 wireless hard drive that lets you take your DVR content on the go. That's awesome because it creates an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network with your devices -- like an iPhone, iPad or Android device -- so you can play back content on an airplane or at the beach. It also has a battery that last four hours. In short, it's a cool accessory for the TV lover.
