FLO TV, Not Sure About This

I’ve already seen two FLO TV ads during the Super Bowl, and I loved them both. The one with Jim Nantz is a hoot.

But I’m puzzled … is this an idea whose time came about 20 years ago? I can remember thinking, literally, dozens of times growing up: “If they can make a transistor radio that I can take poolside, why can’t they make a tiny little T.V. that I can carry around with me?” Really, what took so long?

And now that the technology has arrived, who’s going to carry around a tiny T.V. when you can just record whatever you want and watch it anytime you want on your giant flatscreen with surround sound at home? I guess the “spineless” boyfriend in the Jim Nantz spot, but who else? It’s cool that you can subscribe to the service so the television programs play on your phone or in your car, though coverage seems to be limited to larger cities (i.e. the entire state of West Virginia appears to be FLO TV-free at this point).

I’m sure I’ll be surprised, because people will buy anything. But I could have used this little gem when I was 15, on a week-long babysitting gig for a family who didn’t own a television.