What is it?

What is it?

Mobile TV on the go.

How will it change my life?

With Christmas shopping season in full swing, those streaming through the doors of stores generally fall into two camps: the jolly Santa??s elves that attack the task with gusto and the rest of us who trail around miserably behind them.

We??ve all been there: arms laden with gifts, sweltering under baking hot lights and attempting to ignore the searing sensation as blisters multiply on weary feet. Invariably there is a changing room involved at some stage. If your better half is anything like Mrs D, who has a magpie fascination for all manner of shiny tat, they will disappear for the best part of half an hour to try on some festive sparkle. Without fail, said changing facility is situated next to swathes of racks containing women??s underwear (think Father Ted Christmas Special and the panicked encounter in ??Ireland's largest lingerie department??). Attempting to avoid eye contact with any passing stranger only makes you look shiftier. Thank goodness for the saviour that is gadgetry. The TVMan Mobility to be precise, a smart-phone sized unit with the power to beam live TV to your mobile device without the need for an internet connection.

Good points

The TVMan Mobility is small, light and simple to transport. Usage is as easy as connecting to a Wi-Fi network which is built into the gadget. In addition to the TV tuner capability, the TVMan also acts as a media centre which can play entertainment files hosted on most wireless storage devices. Insert a microSD card and the unit can also record live TV to watch at a later date. You can also schedule recordings so you never have to miss any programmes. The one tested found 82 channels including all Freeview listings and the more obscure offerings from around the globe.

A smart-phone plugged in with a USB cable can also be powered making the gadget a portable charger in an emergency. Up to eight mobiles can connect and view live TV at the same time which is ideal when travelling in a group.

Bad points

The antenna is not particularly adept at picking up signals and often buffered for long spells before issuing a weak signal message which indicates it??s not going to display content. You really need to be in an area with exceptional reception for a positive experience.

Best for

Perfect for anyone travelling and seeking to while away the time before you can gaze upon that warm television screen glow again.

Avoid if

You only have access to a Windows mobile as it??s not supported. Look elsewhere should you be frequenting reception cold spots as it could get frustrating very quickly.

Score:

6/10, a fantastic idea but the antenna is just not adept enough to capture pictures from locations you??d expect in the large sections of Glasgow it was tested.

[ITALS] TVMan Mobility, £69.99 (Misco.co.uk)