Portable TV or Streaming media player

Portable TV or Streaming media player

Broadcast TV is by no means dead, but it is not the heavyweight it once was. However, there is still a lot of great content out there to make it worthwhile to carry a portable TV. The digital upgrade to our television services has given to new life, with many stations having multiple channels that supplement the main channel. This additional content often takes the form of dedicated weather and news channels, keeping you more informed than ever. The great digital picture is not harmed by the fact that it is usually free.

One step beyond that is streaming digital TV services, which offer more selection than typically found in a given broadcast area. You can even find on demand choices, giving you control of your viewing choices even as you are out and about. For example, FLO TV (http://www.flotv.com) is such a service that, for a monthly fee, gives you access to many channels of media. And, as it seems to be the theme here, you can experience FloTV with either a dedicated personal device or on a smartphone. Wireless carriers also offer similar services for many of their smart phones, and I really expect the channels available with digital streaming services to expand as time goes on.

Even streaming your own TV from home is a great option, thanks to devices such as the slingbox. On a lot of mobile devices (such as Windows Mobile), you can be out and about and yet stay connected to your home based TV channels. The hardware connects to software on the device and streams all of your content directly to your pocket live. Unfortunately on the iPhone the software is not allowed to stream over the 3G signal, something that we hope changes soon as AT&T build up their infrastructure.

Whatever your form of TV/streaming media on the go is, it offers a very convenient way of staying informed and up to date with your favorites without the need of scheduling life around a living room near you. That sounds like a handy gadget for anyone that likes TV.