Price Update On 'SL Go' Android Viewer!

I recently ran a post introducing the new Second Life Viewer for Android devices. Tablets, Phones, and low end Laptops 'SL Go'.

In the article i drew attention to what i felt was a very over the top form of billing, over $2.50 an hour! To use SL! This even saw protest parties in world at venues like Hard Alley. We appreciate that this Viewer does a little more than the regular one, ie using 'OnLive's cloud streaming service' a special extra server, but just because it's a cloud, doesn't mean we need 'sky high' pricing! ( I was tempted to say, 'every cloud has a golden lining', for them at least, but held back. )

I'm pleased to say the outlook is a little better now. As the new billing for SL Go is, $9.99 a month for unlimited use or metered service at $1 per hour, and availability in almost all of Europe. Read all about it here.

In the review linked above, you can read how impressive, and very useful the Android viewer is. I think the new pricing might tempt me if i was on the road regularly or away from my PC a lot, but my present routine won't see me getting 'SL Go' any time soon.

SL Go! Enjoy A Full Second Life On Your Tablet!

Any of us that have ever tried to stay connected with our friends, loved ones, and our Second Lives while on the move, or away from home will be cheering right now!

You should be too, because 'SL Go' for Android looks and sounds fantastic. Users report better rez times, less crashes than their normal pc or laptop, and as with your computer it's a full on Second Life experience, totally complete in every way.

To read Strawberry Singh's awesome review of this App go HERE!

Here's a snippet...

"Linden Lab and OnLive have just announced SL Go by OnLive. SL Go by OnLive is the first Second Life mobile app viewer that enables you to experience Second Life on your Android device over a 4G/LTE or wireless connection. Because SL Go runs on the OnLive game platform and is rendered on their servers and the rendered video is sent down the network to the OnLive software, it comes close to giving a rich desktop experience.

I have to admit, I’ve been playing with SL Go for the past week now on an android tablet as well as on my tv and, at times, it actually worked better than it does on my computer. I crashed a lot less, things rezzed a lot quicker and I was able to move around and go about doing things faster with a lot less lag."

Avatar Beards are optional on SL Go.

I have downloaded this App. The good news is, my Tablet is not a top of the line tablet, and it is compatible with this Beta Version of  'SL Go'. Often App producers do some deals with specific makers of tablets/phones and many anticipated apps are blocked from the majority of good quality, but maybe not big name tablets. No such problem with this one though. It is compatible with my Jellybean Android, Dual Core, 1 GB Ram tablet.

The Downside.

The downside for me, $2.50 ( USD. ) an hour!!! To use this App. The marketing line i first saw for SL Go was 'You don't have to own an expensive PC to use Second Life with SL Go!". Well, just don't use SL Go for 100 hours, then go and buy a very decent laptop or PC on Ebay out of the money you've just saved. If not having a PC is the thing that drew you to this App.

If they are charging us this, at least make it easier, and let us pay from our SL account, not make us set up a new credit card billing online form. The way existing Android Apps such as SL Grid Client does.

My feelings are they are preying on our desperation, and our withdraw symptoms while away from home. They seem to have judged we'll pay anything to get  a bit of in world time, sort out our SL business, and catch up with our friends. Will we though? Personally my own options for using this would be very rare. I think we'd all maybe rather have a few annoying ads, than pay this hourly rate, or at least have the choice between ads, and a pro version.

SL Go is coming to IOS ( Ipads. ) soon.

See Draxtor use SL Go on video after the Jump!!!

Addicted To Second Life? We Have A Tablet For It!

I know it's touch screen, but I said no touching! 

Although Second Life is not officially out on the IPad or Android in it's full form, there is a work around, via a software called "Splashtop", which allows access to your PC's installed software via your mobile devices.

As the Youtube video here shows it can be configured to work very well with touch screen on the IPad, with similar performance on Android devices with good enough specs.

If you are much more clever than i am, and good at hooking all this stuff up ( and you most probably are. ) this could well be worth the investment to gain use of installed programs on your desktop, such as Second Life when you're out and about and mobile. I have not tried this, or seen anything more than this demo video, so my advice is fully explore it all before diving in. It does look cool, and very, very useful though.