Flo TV Personal Television: Live TV in your pocket, for a price

You know Verizon Wireless' "V Cast Mobile TV," the service that brings about a dozen live TV channels to your phone? This new device from the Qualcomm-owned Flo TV does pretty much the same thing, just without the phone.

Set to arrive during the holidays for $249, Flo TV Personal Television is about the size of your average touchscreen smartphone, complete with a touch-enabled, 3.5-inch display, built-in stereo speakers, a stand in back for tabletop viewing, and about five hours of battery life (or so claim the specs).

Turn the five-ounce device on, and you'll get an electronic programming guide featuring 15 channels, including CBS Mobile, CNBC, CNN, Comedy Central, ESPN Mobile TV, MTV, and NBC 2Go.

As with the live TV services available on certain Verizon and AT&T phones (also powered by Qualcomm's Flo TV system, by the way), you can tap a channel and start watching instantly—no waiting for the video to buffer—and picture quality is a step above the streaming video you'll see on a typical 3G handset.

That said, we're not talking on-demand clips here; as with the olden, pre-DVR days of TV, you have to watch whatever's on at the moment. Also, keep in mind that some channels, like CBS Mobile and NBC 2Go, are not simulcasts of CBS and NBC proper; for example, don't be surprised to see Conan O'Brien repeats at 11 in the morning. (You can check out the programming guide right here.)

And here's another catch: Flo TV service isn't available everywhere; plug your address into this coverage map to see if the service is available in your area.

Finally, while you don't need to sign up with a cell phone carrier to use the Flo TV Personal Television, you'll still have to pay a monthly charge; rates start at $8.99 a month, but that's only if you sign up for a pre-paid, three-year plan. I'm waiting for details on the other options. (By way of comparison, Flo TV service on a Verizon phone starts at $13 a month, and that's on top of a data plan.) Update: A Flo TV rep tells me that other rate plans are in the works, but that "the full details aren't quite public yet."

Related:
Flo TV Web site