Mobile TV hasn't even taken off in the cellphone market, but it's already looking to take another sector by storm. AT&T has announced here at CES that its CruiseCast in-car satellite TV service will be launching this Spring, and we're told to expect 22 channels initially and 20 sat radio stations to boot. Not surprisingly, the system will set you back somethin' fierce: it'll cost $1,299 for the kit and $28 per month for the service. From the start, the channel lineup will include Disney Channel, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network Mobile, USA, MSNBC, CNN Mobile Live and CNBC (among others), and you'll be required to install a three pound 11.3- x 10.3- x 4.3-inch antenna on the roof of your vehicle. Oh, and if you're looking for a little test drive before you buy in, Avis and Budget are expected to make it available in some locales for $9 a day or $63 per week.

[Via PC World]

Qualcomm's MediaFLO tech was originally intended for screens so small that resolution, artifacting, and wholesale crappiness don't really matter, but when you're building out a whole new wireless network for this thing, monetization is a high priority wherever you can find it. To that end, Audiovox is lending a helping hand with a new receiver launching later this year that'll plug into most in-car video systems and deliver MediaFLO programming straight to your back seat, your front seat, or whatever bizarre place (engine compartment, maybe?) you've mounted a display. We weren't terribly impressed with the video quality; generally speaking, DVD is probably the better entertainment option here, but if live shows are a must-have for you, this is just about the only cheap, easy way to roll. We're told 10 to 15 channels will be available at launch -- but unfortunately, Audiovox says that neither AT&T's nor Verizon's exclusive channels will be part of the lineup. Pricing hasn't been announced; if we had to guess, we'd figure on something like $20 per month, so you'd better really desperately need blurry TV when the drive gets boring.

Just as we'd envisioned, the Invision candybar (if a phone this stubby can, in fact, be called a candybar) from LG is now a reality for AT&T. The phone becomes just AT&T's third to support its MediaFLO-based Mobile TV service, taking a similar line to Samsung's Access by stuffing a landscape display, 1.3-megapixel camera, and HSDPA into a squarish case that's sure to make minimalists and traditionalists swoon; what's more, it also takes the honor of being AT&T's smallest Mobile TV-equipped handset to date. It's available today for $99.99 with a $50 rebate and two years' worth of commitment -- just be sure to factor the cost of the Mobile TV add-on into your budget.

In a case of oh shiznit, LG and Samsung are combining forces to protect their mobile TV interests in the US. With Qualcomm's proprietary MediaFLO digital broadcast technology rapidly gaining a mobile TV foothold in the US (thanks to AT&T and Verizon) and Europe standardizing on DVB-H, it seems that LG and Samsung (the once proud and gloating parents of the DMB standard) have little choice but to support the ATSC's attempt to create the ATSC-M/H standard in the US... about three years too late. Of course, the ultimate victor will have very little to do with what's best for the consumer and everything to do with who is most successful at lobbying the government. Oh, did that sound bitter? Good.

Sony just revealed a bit more about AT&T's Mobile TV service launching in May. We now know that one of the two exclusive AT&T channels will be called PIX, Sony's new feature film channel for cellphones. The service is a first of its kind in the US... for good reason. Oh, it's not that we have anything against the roster of films including "Ghostbusters," "Philadelphia" and "Karate Kid." It's more the prospect of sitting in front of that tiny mobile screen to watch a full-length film without the ability to pause, fast forward or rewind. This is live broadcast folks. Nevertheless, Sony Pictures claims to understand the risk. According to Eric Berger, VP Mobile Entertainment at Sony Pictures Television, "We recognize that people are on the go with their mobile phone and coming and going. This isn't for people looking to view a movie for the first time. It's OK to miss the beginning." Films will run on PIX for a month with new additions added weakly weekly.

They haven't revealed anything we didn't already know, but AT&T's finally come out with a semi-firm date for the launch of its MediaFLO-powered mobile TV service which will be branded simply as "AT&T Mobile TV." It'll be available to subscribers in May -- no specific date just yet -- on two exclusive handsets, the Prada-esque LG Vu and the more pedestrian Samsung Access; the Vu features an expansive touchscreen and 2 megapixel camera, while the Access makes do with a smaller landscape display and a 1.3 megapixel sensor. Both feature Bluetooth and 3G data, but the real story here is Mobile TV itself, which will come with two new channels that are exclusive to AT&T (in other words, unavailable on the other live MediaFLO service, VCAST TV from Verizon). The latest, hottest way to burn productivity on the go gets real in just a few short weeks, folks, so finish up whatever remaining work you have now.

As expected, the European Commission just did the obvious and made the EU's de facto DVB-H standard, standard. The move is expected to accelerate the deployment of mobile television services across Europe in the same way that GSM standardization in the early 90s gave Europe a head-start on backwater cellular locations like North America. So get outta Dodge Qualcomm and South Korea with your MediaFLO and DMB mobile television technologies, you aren't welcome around Brussels anymore.

PacketVideo has a new receiver which can pump mobile TV over good ol' WiFi. PV claims the device will ultimately ship before the year is out in versions supporting over-the-air DVB-H and MediaFLO broadcasting as well as TDtv and WiMAX streaming. Although it's presumably compatible with any WiFi device, they specifically cite support for the iPhone, N-Series Nokias and HTC devices while demonstrating the device with an iPod touch at Mobile World Congress. The 6.4 x 1.8 x 4-cm block is powered by a lithium-ion battery of unspecified capabilities. Although it's not stated, we assume the received television can be shared with multiple devices over that wireless link -- else why bother with WiFi?

[Via Slashphone]

So we know that AT&T slipped its MediaFLO-based mobile TV launch from the end of 2007 out to early '08, but just how "early" are we talking? Well, "as early as possible," to be specific. That rather unhelpful statement is all that's coming out of AT&T for the moment regarding its go-live window for the service, saying that testing is going "very, very well" but that it wanted to take an extra timeout to "make sure the user experience is absolutely optimal." As far as we're concerned, those statements are in conflict with one another -- if they'd planned to launch in '07 and everything's going well, what the heck's the hold up? At any rate, when it does launch, it turns out that we'll be getting essentially the same lineup MediaFLO offers through Verizon's VCAST TV presently, featuring channels from Fox, NBC, ESPN, CBS, and MTV. That rubs us the wrong way considering that AT&T's original press release mentioned its intention to take advantage of advanced MediaFLO capabilities like datacasting and music, so to summarize: less functionality, later than originally expected. Everyone cool?

[Via mocoNews]

Are you ready for some football? How about full-length, live coverage of 24 NCAA bowl games. Sounds good, right? Just forget about big screen HDTV though, this is MediaFLO on your itty bitty cellphone display. Fanatics (in every sense of the word) will have access to games provided by ESPN Mobile TV, CBS Mobile and FOX Mobile through Verizon's V CAST Mobile TV. Unfortunately, none of the BCS Championship games will be available on the service. You will however have access to Roady's Humanitarian Bowl, Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl, the Meinke Car Care Bowl, and Papa John's.com bowl to name just a few. "Must see" games Verizon -- really?

If you've been a bit disappointed by Nokia's offerings of late, it's probably because the firm is shifting out of the cellphone industry and into the legal environment. Okay, so maybe it hasn't called it quits in the handset game just yet, but this ongoing battle with Qualcomm is beyond ridiculous. Before Qualcomm even had time to swallow the previous counter-suit filed against it, Nokia is firing away again, and this time it's claiming that its opponent "has illegally used six of its technology patents in its Brew smartphone and MediaFlo mobile TV chipset products." Additionally, Nokia's CTO got vocal by stating that this case was just "another example where Qualcomm has effectively copied Nokia's innovations." While we're sure it's getting difficult to decipher which counter-lawsuit belongs to which original grievance, this particular one apparently links to an April 2nd filing where Qualcomm "claimed that Nokia had infringed three patents." C'mon folks, why not settle this like they do in the Alabama State Senate? [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via Yahoo]

Once again, we tip our hats to the FCC, which today made public Motorola's new and unannounced MOTORIZR Z6tv slider handset. Equipped with EV-DO, a 2 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, 2.5mm jack, and delicious MediaFLO V CAST Mobile TV, if you're Motosexual this might be one to keep an eye out for. More info as we get it.

[Via Phone Scoop]

Sure, Samsung's u620 was the first on the scene when Verizon's MediaFLO-based VCAST TV service launched earlier this month, but the fashionably late VX9400 from LG seems to be the real prize. At least that's the impression we got when we had the opportunity to mess around with both side by side at CES in January, and starting today, Verizon customers can start buying and critiquing VX9400s of their very own (in VCAST TV markets, anyway). Your hard-earned $200 -- plus the standard issue two-year agreement, of course -- will net you the Chocolate-esqe handset with a swivel screen, 1.3 megapixel camera, stereo Bluetooth, microSD expansion, and naturally, EV-DO data. We wouldn't mind a few more teevee channels, but beggars can't be choosers when it comes to the mobile TV landscape here in the US -- and besides, it's a pretty nifty lookin' handset anyway, right?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Just in case you missed it, Verizon launched its VCAST TV mobile television service today. We've had a pretty good idea March 1st was the special day for a couple weeks now, and while those coverage maps leaked yesterday sort of spoiled any remaining suspense you might've had about the launch, we just thought we'd give you one last reminder that you can start getting your MediaFLO on starting now -- if you're willing to fork over $13+ a month, and are lucky enough to live within the minimal coverage area, of course. Previous posts on the topic are below, just in case you missed 'em.

• Samsung u620, VCAST TV details go up on Verizon's site
• Verizon's VCAST TV launch maps, pricing
• Verizon's V CAST Mobile TV going live March 1st
• Verizon slips pricing details for Samsung U620
• VCAST TV launch tentatively set for March 1
• MobileESPN lives... on Verizon
• Verizon's VCAST TV launch in detail
• Verizon Samsung U620 loaded up with MediaFLO mobile TV

Nah, Verizon Wireless isn't snapping up Alltel just yet or anything, but the carrier is formally announcing its plans to launch its much-anticipated V CAST Mobile TV service right on schedule. The March 1st date that's been floating around is purportedly true, meaning there won't be any unforeseen delays in enjoying the mobile TV abilities of your forthcoming SCH-U620 or VX9400 -- if you're in a launch market, that is. Currently, the exact whereabouts of launch capabilities is a bit ambiguous, and curiously omitted are major markets such as "New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Diego and Las Vegas," but the provider reportedly plans to have a good deal of these "major markets" covered by the "end of Q1," or March 31st. The service will utilize Qualcomm's MediaFLO mobile TV network, which AT&T also plans on eventually using, and will offer up programming from CBS, Comedy Central, Fox, MTV, NBC News, NBC Entertainment, and Nickelodeon. Unfortunately, we're still in the dark in regard to an official pricing structure, but with only T-minus two days 'til kickoff, the remaining minutiae should surface soon enough.