LG and Verizon launched the VX9400 mobile TV phone at CTIA today. The handset is now available in Verizon Wireless stores and costs $200 with a $50 rebate and a two-year service contract.
PC World first saw the VX9400 at CES where LG was touting the phone's unusual swing bar design. When closed the VX9400 looks like a standard slider phone.
The 2.2-inch, 320-by-240-resolution LCD swings in landscape mode for optimal TV viewing.
This is one of two Verizon phones (the other being the Samsung SCH-u620) that allow you to watch live, broadcast TV. The V Cast Mobile TV service features eight channels (CBS, Comedy Central, ESPN, Fox, MTV, NBC, NBC News, and Nickelodeon) and is currently available in select U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Portland, and Seattle.
The CDMA/EvDO phone is equipped with a retractable antenna to enhance the TV reception. And while the TV is on, you can answer an incoming call and receive text messages. LG estimates the battery will last up to 228 minutes of usage. Other notable features include an integrated 1.3-megaixel camera with flash, a microSD slot, and stereo Bluetooth.
For more CTIA show coverage, go to PC World's Cell Phones and PDAs Info Center.
All I had to see, to completely lose interest, was the name Verizon attached to it.