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Does MediaFLO's Personal Television Have A Chance?

Today MediaFLO announced its first non-phone FLO TV device, the Personal Television. It uses MediaFLO's mobile TV network and lets users watch live or time-shifted TV in a wide swath of U.S. markets. But $250 for a stand-alone device that requires a monthly contract is a big hurdle to overcome. Can FLO TV do it?

The first MediaFLO-capable mobile phones hit the market in March 2007 through Verizon Wireless. The handsets themselves weren't all that spectacular, and the number of markets where they were sold was extremely limited at the time. Though several more handsets became available from Verizon -- and later AT&T -- consumer interest in the mobile TV service has been, well, rather pathetic.

Things changed for MediaFLO in June 12, when the transition to Digital TV took place and opened up huge amounts of spectrum that MediaFLO had already paid for. This allowed MediaFLO to expand into many of the country's major markets. With the service footprint it needs to be successful finally launched, MediaFLO has trotted out its first non-phone TV device.

Here's a run-down on what the FLO TV Personal Television offers:

• Dedicated portable television. Measuring 3 inches by 4.4 inches by 0.5 inches and weighing just over 5 ounces, FLO TV Personal Television is small enough to fit in your pocket while sporting a screen large enough to enjoy a complete television experience.
• Live mobile TV from America’s best content providers. FLO TV offers full-length simulcast and time-shifted programming from the world’s best entertainment brands, including Adult Swim Mobile, CBS Mobile, CNBC, COMEDY CENTRAL, FOX News Channel, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go and Nickelodeon. FLO TV also offers limited-time bonus channels for special events, premium programs and original content.
• A dedicated, nationally available mobile television network. The FLO TV service is available through a dedicated multicast network so millions of consumers can simultaneously get amazingly high-quality video and audio in real time without streaming, buffering or downloads.
• A capacitive touch-screen. Users control the device with intuitive swipe gestures. The oleophobic glass lens keeps the 3.5-inch QVGA display crisp and clear.
• Long battery life. With more than five hours of viewing time and 300 hours on standby, the FLO TV Personal Television can be used for extended viewing or on long trips.
• An easy to share experience. With a large screen, built-in adjustable viewing stand and integrated stereo speakers, FLO TV Personal Television can entertain you whenever you want and wherever you are. FLO TV Personal Television is a dedicated device so it’s easy to share with family and friends.

I also think FLO TV should have included other features. It's great to have a dedicated device, but what about other media applications such as loading in your own content? Why not let users side-load movies and music so they can do other things with the device?

Despite FLO TV's claim that there's lots of content available, 10 channels is just 10 channels. If they're not the 10 channels you like to watch, what's the point? Perhaps the parents out there will consider Nickelodeon's availability the one saving grace, as kids will be able to watch unlimited Spongebob in the back seat when in the car.

Speaking with MediaFLO's president Bill Stone, he admitted that the uptake on the service has been slow, and that MediaFLO's carrier partners definitely lost interest for a while. He did, however, indicate that the new national footprint has renewed the network operators' interest in MediaFLO's service, and that new phones with MediaFLO on board are on the way.

Knowing that more MediaFLO-capable phones are coming, what sort of market exists for a stand-alone device? I can't imagine it's a very big one.

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