A lot of cool developments lie ahead for the iPhone - the evidence of which is mounting daily. And as a host of new gadgets and software get the red carpet treatment courtesy of CES, a lot of people are talking about Tivit, which serves as an external TV tuner for the iPhone, your PC, and even a few other smart phones on the market. The Tivit is aiming to take Mobile DTV to the next level by "beaming local TV stations to handhelds" all for the amazing price of zero dollars - minus the cost of the Tivit device itself, of course.
From the San Francisco Chronicle:
When television stations nationwide switched to broadcasting exclusively in a digital format last June, the possibilities for live, local TV on-the-go opened up. From netbooks with equipped with Mobile DTV to cell phone prototypes, consumers will soon have a variety of ways to access real-time TV anywhere.
The Tivit is compatible with the third-gen iPod Touch, BlackBerry devices with Wi-Fi connectivity (sorry BlackBerry Storm and Tour users) and Motorola Android phones. The Tivit is pretty small, measuring 2 by 3.5 by 0.5-inches thick (about the size of a deck of cards), but it still means lugging around an extra device. Fully charged, the Tivit can run for three hours of continuous TV reception.
Without nitpicking, the Tivit is getting good reviews from those who have seen it in action. With reports of Tivit drawing a sharp, clear video, the first affordable devices that provide us with a live TV signal might not necessarily be the most attractive gadgets, but they could still thrive if a quality service is provided. And, according to initial reports, the picture quality from the Tivit seems to be winning people over. The real test, however, will come when the $120 device formally rolls out later this year.
Image via San Francisco Chronicle
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