Dish Network CEO Joe Clayton likes to ruffle feathers.
Last year, Dish launched the Hopper and Joey DVRs, which sent entertainment content throughout every room in your house. Then, it announced AutoHop, giving consumers the ability to skip commercials on content they recorded through scheduling program PrimeTime Anytime.
That didn't go over well with the broadcasting industry, but Clayton doesn't mind. Instead, he did what he said his customers wanted, and gave them the ability to watch content whenever and wherever they want.
At the International CES on Monday, Clayton unveiled Hopper with Sling built in, allowing you to send your content anywhere -- including tablets and smartphones. You can watch it at home, or wherever you are. The DVR has built-in Wi-Fi, and there are no monthly fees associated with it.
Clayton described an environment where consumer needs are changing and, "customers want video content to be affordable, easy to use and available anywhere."
He and Dish responded by introducing Hopper Transfers, which move your DVR content from Hopper with Sling to your iPad for later viewing. Clayton delighted in letting us know that there was no Internet connection needed to watch.
Dish says it is aware of the number of customers who watch TV with a second screen on their lap, and rolled out an app to accommodate this. The Dish Explorer app for the iPad and Android lets viewers get information about what they're watching, including the latest on Twitter. It also connects to social sites, and turns the iPad into a remote.
Hopper with Sling is free for new subscribers, but existing users will need to pay for an upgrade.