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Filed under: Handsets , Features , Multimedia , LG , Samsung , ATT , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , UMTS These days, voice is the tip of the iceberg. Carriers are always -- and we do mean always -- looking for crafty ways to boost their average revenue per user, and with everyone and their brother offering an unlimited voice plan at this point, it's about data and value-add services more than it ever has been before. To that end, Verizon and AT&T have embraced MediaFLO as a way to keep their subscribers entertained on the road to the tune of a few extra bucks per month. AT&T's service, simply christened Mobile TV, has just launched with a pair of devices from Samsung and LG; naturally, we wanted to know whether the phones were worth the $199 and $299 AT&T's asking, respectively -- but perhaps more importantly, we had to figure out whether the service was worth sucking another $15 a month out of our already-strained wallets. Gallery: Hands-on with the LG Vu, Samsung Access, and AT&T Mobile TV Continue reading Hands-on with the LG Vu, Samsung Access, and AT&T Mobile TV Permalink | Email this | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Features , Multimedia , Samsung , GSM , EDGE , HSDPA , UMTS The Vu is going to end up stealing the bulk of the spotlight when AT&T's initial Mobile TV devices launch in May, but the Samsung Access has one key advantage over its sexier stablemate: aggressive pricing. The wide-load candybar (thanks to the landscape display) will run $100 less than the Vu while offering the same quantity and quality of brainpower-sapping television. In fact, we imagine there'll be a contingent of folks who actually prefer the physical keypad (gasp!). We wish Samsung had put just a little bit more thought and energy into the Access' physical design -- there's no rule saying a $199 phone has to be ugly, last time we checked -- but it's functional, looks and feels solid, and you'll still manage to impress the neighbors when you fire up CNN. AT&T had a functional MediaFLO node in Las Vegas, as evidenced by the glorious footage we took in while hanging out at the Access' kiosk; hit the gallery for some more visuals of the device in action. %Gallery-19916% Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Filed under: Handsets , Multimedia , Samsung , ATT , GSM We already know that the Prada-esque LG CU920 Vu is one of AT&T's two launch handsets in support of its MediaFLO-based mobile TV rollout, but what's the other one the carrier mentions ? Mobiledia has scored gorgeous shots of this not-so-gorgeous phone, the A827 "Access" from Samsung, and the combination of AT&T branding and a dedicated "TV" button next to the d-pad has us believing that it'll be stepping up to the plate for that role. Unlike the Vu, the Access seems to be a lower-end handset on account of a 1.3 megapixel cam, unremarkable design, and smallish display, so we're certainly hoping its price point reflects the specs accordingly. Good to see that AT&T wants to bring mobile TV to every price segment, we suppose. [Thanks, Matt D.] Read | Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments