FLO TV Personal Television
October 7, 2009
Qualcomm subsidiary FLO TV is introducing a new consumer device for receiving its live mobile TV service, which is transmitted digitally on UHF Ch. 55 spectrum. The new "FLO TV Personal Television" is the latest effort from FLO TV, formerly known as MediaFLO, to expand its subscription mobile TV broadcasts to platforms beyond cellphones. The company, which has been marketing its 12-14 channel, $8.99-per-month subscription service through wireless carriers Verizon and AT&T, announced at the CES show last January a partnership with Audiovox to create FLO TV-enabled displays for automobiles. Those aftermarket in-car systems, with displays up to 10 inches, are expected to be available later this year.
The new palm-sized FLO TV Personal Television, which was designed by frog design inc. and is being manufactured by HTC, should be available on retail shelves by the holiday shopping season for a suggested list price of $249. It has a 3.5 inch diagonal screen and measures 4.4 inches by 3 inches by .5 inches and weighs just over 5 ounces, and offers a battery life of more than 5 hours of mobile TV viewing or 300 hours standby. Viewers will be able to access the FLO TV service by buying one or three-year pre-paid subscription plans, with the $8.99-a-month plan available with a three-year commitment.