San Diego – A handheld
digital TV that receives FLO TV‘s
subscription-TV service will be available through leading retailers in time for
holiday gift giving, Qualcomm subsidiary FLO TV announced.
To date, only a handful of specially equipped cellphones
have been designed to stream FLO
TV subscription service, which receives
live and time-shifted content over the company’s 700MHz multicast network.
The FLO TV Personal Television, designed by frog design
and manufactured by HTC, will be available
at a suggested $249 with 3.5-inch capacitive touchscreen diagonal screen. It
measures 4.4 inches by 3 inches by 0.5 inches and weighs a little more than 5
ounces. The battery delivers more than five hours of active viewing time or 300
hours of standby time. With the touchscreen, users surf through channels by
swiping their finger. It also features built-in stand, built-in stereo speakers
and ability for users to set reminders to watch favorite programs.
FLO
TV service offers up to 20 channels of full-length simulcast and time-shifted
programming from such providers as CNBC,
Comedy Central, MSNBC, MTV, NBC, NBC 2Go, NBC News, NBC Sports and Nickelodeon.
The service’s footprint will expand to more than 100 top markets by the
end of the year, reaching more than 200 million people, the company said. Subscription prices start at $8.99/month
for a three-year prepaid subscription, excluding taxes. One-year prepaid
subscriptions will also be available for the device.
FLO
TV service is also coming sometime later this year to Audiovox’s FLO TV Auto Entertainment tuner/antenna system, first shown at International CES in
January and previously scheduled for October shipment. The system works with a vehicle’s existing
TV monitor and is expected to sell in the $599 to $699 range, including
installation, although car dealers may bundle the system in packages at various
prices. Service will be free for the first year with annual plans starting at a
promotional rate of $119 per year thereafter or $299 for three years, which
amounts to less than $9 per month.
