RCA Mobile TV Tablet Hands-on: Should You Tune In?
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When we heard that RCA was launching a $299 tablet that would let you tune in to free TV on the go, we got excited. Then we went to see the Android-powered RCA Mobile TV Tablet for ourselves here at CES 2013, tuning in everything from Katie Couric's talk show to Telemundo right on the show floor.
The 8-inch Mobile TV Tablet gives you two ways to watch: an ATSC tuner for traditional over-the-air broadcasts, and one for mobile ATSC broadcasts. The mobile tuner works with the Dyle service, which at least in our neck of the woods offered a mere two channels: FOX and Telemundo. However, there were a lot more options on the Live TV menu, including local channels and TheCW.
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Unfortunately, both launching the TV menu and changing channels was sluggish, and the picture was often pixelated. In some cases the video didn't even fill the whole screen--and it's resolution is only a mere 1024 x 768 pixels.
There's more bad news. The Mobile TV Tablet felt heavy and thick. At 1.4 pounds, this slate weighs as much as the iPad with a screen that's about 2 inches smaller. And while it's possible to watch TV without it, for the best results you'll need to pull out a very long and awkward telescoping antenna.
The Mobile TV Tablet has entry-level specs, including a a 1-GHz Cortex A5 processor, 1GB of RAM, and 8GB of onboard storage. Other features include Wi-Fi and GPS along with microUSB, micrSD Card, and HDMI output.
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We'll withhold final judgement on the RCA Mobile TV Tablet until we're able to test a final unit--and test in areas with better reception--but for now we're skeptical that folks will be willing to pay $100 more than the Nexus 7 or Kindle HD for the convenience of free TV. Stay tuned (ahem) for our full review.