Commentary: View of the Vu

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City),  May 23, 2008  by Kelley Chambers

• E-mail
• Print
• Link

The great thing about being the technology writer for The Journal Record is that when a company like AT&T has a new gadget or service on the market, I get to be one of the first ones to take it for a test drive.

That happened about two weeks ago when Andy Morgan, spokesman for AT&T Oklahoma, called up and asked if I could meet him at a downtown Oklahoma City coffee shop for a demonstration.

Andy produced a handheld device that at first glance looked like Apple's iPhone.

In fact, the device was the Vu, made by LG Electronics Inc.

And what a gadget it proved to be.

Aside from the expected features on any modern cell phone, it included a camera and HTML Web browsing, but the surprise was that you can watch television on the thing.

As televisions go, bragging rights seem to rest with either behemoth flat-screens, or pint-sized handheld devices, and in the pint-sized category the Vu does not disappoint.

Andy scrolled through about a dozen channels that come from MediaFLO USA Inc., a subsidiary of Qualcomm Inc. and is now available in 58 markets, including Oklahoma City.

The picture was surprisingly clear and sharp and only stalled a few times during the broadcast on several channels.

Subscribers can choose from channels like CNN, MTV, Nickelodeon, and others. A menu option also displays the television lineup for the next day hour-by-hour.

Content comes from the MediaFLO signal and is not like other devices or services where users select and download content.

While having a set lineup may seem confining, there is usually something available for just about anyone.

A random scroll through the channels on Friday afternoon offered selections like the movie You Got Served, The Situation Room on CNN, and a rerun of The Craig Ferguson Show.

One aspect that really made the device look desirable was that while watching CNN, with its news crawl on the bottom of the screen, the crawl moved along without stalling and was quite legible despite the tiny words.

During the weekend test run, the device performed admirably at home, at the Oklahoma City Zoo, and every other place around town where it was fired up with only slight delays in programming.

The construction of the device, however, has a few flaws.

Weighing in at 3.3 ounces, it feels too light and seems primed to break if dropped. It could benefit from a metal backing and stouter construction, which could be added without making the Vu into a paperweight.

The screen is also plastic, but did not pick up a single scratch during a weekend test run.

And while the touch-screen jumps to life and responds well, anyone with plump fingers may have difficulty entering a Web address, changing channels, or dialing a phone number. Oddly, the device also slightly trembles when any function is selected on the screen.

The television shows are viewed horizontally, and Web pages can be viewed horizontally or vertically.

Navigating with the keypad is aided by the option of scrolling through letters that coincide with the numbered keypad, or through a standard QWERTY keyboard.

Sometimes the tiny icons are difficult to select, although at other times simply brushing the screen can end a program and open others, inadvertently leading to an early end to the latest episode of Desperate Housewives on the cellular video option.

One odd component is the tiny antenna stowed inside that can be extended. The reception was unchanged whether the antenna was extended or tucked away. The antenna is flimsy and looks like a prime candidate to bend or break off.

Other than the antenna, the device is sleek and smooth with an abundance of features.

And the LG television is definitely not the handheld black and white job from years past that people take to sports events or watch in flophouse apartments near the railroad tracks.

The device can be had, after a $100 mail-in rebate, for $300 with a two-year service agreement. Not a bargain, but compared to other handheld devices on the market it isn't a fortune either.

Monthly packages for the Mobile TV start at $15, and for $30 users can have access to TV as well as unlimited mobile Web browsing on MEdia Net and unlimited cellular video.

All in all, the Vu is impressive and fun. It is a great tool for killing time in an airport, waiting for friends at a restaurant or for goofing off at work. It's also cool to be the only one in the room with a television in your pocket.

Copyright 2008 Dolan Media Newswires
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.