Take a closer look at the FLO TV, a portable digital television that pulls a 24-7 stream of subscription TV content.
Donald Bell
Donald Bell has spent more than five years as a CNET senior editor, reviewing everything from MP3 players to the first three generations of the Apple iPad. He currently devotes his time to producing How To content for CNET, as well as weekly episodes of CNET's Top 5 video series.
The FLO TV gives television fans an uninterrupted stream of great shows to take on the go, without concern for Wi-Fi or cellular reception.
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The FLO TV device will set you back around $199, including 6 months of free subscription TV service. For TV fanatics who've fantasized about having a small TV to watch at work or while commuting on the bus, FLO TV is about as close as you can get to replicating the at-home TV experience on a portable device.
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Earbuds, a cleaning cloth, and a charging adapter are included with the FLO TV, as well as 6 months of free television service.
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Measuring 3 inches tall, 4.4 inches wide, and just a half inch thick, the FLO TV comes across as a slightly bulky cousin to the iPod Touch (shown right). Like the Touch, the FLO TV includes a 3.5-inch capacitive touch-screen display, along with a front-facing home button, a 3.5mm headphone jack off to the side, and a rocker switch for adjusting volume.
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If you're a stickler for video quality, the FLO TV will be a disappointment. The screen's 320x240-pixel video resolution rarely dazzles, and the streaming digital resolution fluctuates, even while standing still.
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The FLO TV (left) is considerably thicker than the similarly priced Apple iPod Touch (right), and offers only a tenth of the capabilities.
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The FLO TV service has only one package, which currently offers around 16 channels, including ABC, CBS, ESPN, NBC, CNBC, MSNBC, Fox, Fox News, TLC, Nickelodeon, MTV, MTV Tr3s, Disney, Comedy Central, CNN, Adult Swim, and FLO's own 2.FLO channel. (Note: CNET is a subsidiary of CBS.)
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The back of the device includes a hinged, black flap that acts as a kickstand for hands-free viewing.
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On the top edge of the FLO TV, you'll find a button that acts as a battery life indicator, as well as a similar-looking button for turning the device on and off.
