The term portable TV isn’t one you here used much anymore, at one point it referred to pretty much any small CRT that happened to a handle on top – and most did – then later we got tiny TVs to take with you when camping, but the reception was always awful. Now Sharp has a new idea for a portable TV, the Aquos Freestyle.
It’s a slender 20in display with a built-in Wi-Fi connection, it comes with a base unit that contains a TV tuner – we saw an early model for the US market so no news yet on what kind of tuner would make it into a European model. The unit is also capable of streaming media from a DLNA capable server.
It has a handle on top and a stand that extends from the rear so you can set it down on any flat surface. A remote control comes with the TV, so you can control the tuner from where you’re watching. The base unit also has HDMI inputs, so you can plug in other sources, or the output from your AV receiver, and then watch any content you can receive via cable or satellite.
We can see it being useful in home where you occasionally want to watch TV in the kitchen, your bedroom, or let your kids watch TV in there’s – but you don’t want to permanently install a TV in nay of those rooms either for space or aesthetic reasons. It has a roughly two-hour battery life, or you can plug it in for longer viewing sessions.
Of course, with so much TV now being available online, you could argue that your laptop does a good job of this anyway, and it doesn’t cost you anything. However, not all channels are available this way, and the 20in screen is bigger and brighter than the vast majority of laptops. No pricing has yet been released, but we’re hoping to see this is in the UK later this year.
