Early Bird = Worm
CES doesn't officially kick off until tomorrow, but Verizon Communications got a head-start this afternoon by unveiling the next generation of its fiber-optic television service. Bob Ingalls, the company's chief marketing officer, promised his Las Vegas audience that the latest iteration of FiOS is anything but "old-fashioned TV."
The new FiOS pulls together content from broadcast TV, the Internet and users' own music and photo collections. Customers in New Jersey will be the first to receive the expanded service, officials said. By mid-year, all FiOS subscribers in the 10 states where it is currently available should be on board.
Verizon's new president Denny Strigl also raised the curtain on VCast Mobile TV, which the company calls the "first true mobile TV service in the nation." It is expected to be available in the first quarter of 2007. "Don't think of us as a traditional telecommunications provider," Ingalls said. "Think of us as a key to the growth of the entertainment industry."
Update: I had the opportunity to test drive VCast Mobile TV at a swanky Verizon reception on Sunday night. My first impression -- it would make chaotic commutes on the bus and/or subway much, much more manageable.
The picture quality is astonishingly good and the navigational controls are simple and efficient. There are still a few uncertainties -- like the initial seven-channel lineup and the ambiguous price point -- that make me wonder how quickly consumers will embrace the offering.
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CES
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