Dyle mobile TV debuts on Galaxy S Lightray 4G (pictures)
Want to watch local TV channels live on your phone? Check out this MetroPCS phone from Samsung.
Roger Cheng
Roger Cheng (he/him/his) was the executive editor in charge of CNET News, managing everything from daily breaking news to in-depth investigative packages. Prior to this, he was on the telecommunications beat and wrote for Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal for nearly a decade and got his start writing and laying out pages at a local paper in Southern California. He's a devoted Trojan alum and thinks sleep is the perfect -- if unattainable -- hobby for a parent.
Samsung's Galaxy S Lightray 4G is the first device to carry Dyle, which allows the phone to pick up live local channels through its own broadcast network. The phone has an antenna that needs to be extended for Dyle to work.
Dyle comes with a handy TV guide that gives you listings on future programs. Click on the program and you get a synopsis and option to set a reminder for the phone.
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A necessary antenna
The antenna is a throwback to portable TVs of old. It may, of course, open you up to ridicule as well.
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Hidden in its spot
Fortunately, the antenna can retract into the upper right-hand corner of the phone, tucking in and remaining relatively unseen.
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A decent display
The phone, which features some outdated specs, does feature a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED touch-screen display.
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Good for pictures
The Lightray has an 8-megapixel camera in the back, as well as a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera.
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Hotspot capability included
The phone is the first MetroPCS device to offer 4G hot-spot capabilities (see the top left corner of the screen). Other Wi-Fi devices can tap into the phone's cellular connection.
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Lots of bloatware
The phone, unfortunately, also includes a lot of MetroPCS bloatware, including its own app store, a Metro411 information service app, an easy Wi-Fi finder, and its own branded music and ringtone store.
