We swung by the OMVC booth at CES Unveiled, and they were showing a host of new products to view digital television on mobile devices. Of particular interest was a new networking device from Korea-based Valups called Tivit, that doubles as a mobile DTV receiver and a Wi-Fi access hub. It enables users to view broadcasts on any Wi-Fi-enabled device, including the iPhone.
The Tivit will reportedly be available spring 2010 with a suggested retail price under $120. Valups says it works with iPhones and iPods, BlackBerrys with Wi-Fi, and Windows PCs via proprietary client applications.
It seems like there are plenty of devices for mobile DTV on the market now, including mobile TVs with DVR playback, netbooks and prototype phones with integrated mobile DTV capability, and USB receivers for laptops. Now we’re waiting for a critical mass of broadcasters to come online, and then we can see if there really is a consumer demand for mobile DTV.
If you’re interested in mDTV, check back Thursday when OMVC’s executive director Anne Schelle will speak as a panelist at our “Trends in Mobile Entertainment” session. You can also check out the Valups booth in the Mobile DTV TechZone (Central 10746).