"I've got to admit it's getting better. A little better all the time."

-- "Getting Better" (Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band) by the Beatles.

Yes, things are getting a little better in the world of mobile television. A year ago I was happy with a phone that played sports highlights and selected shows, but this year it's live action and full programming. Well, almost.

Verizon V Cast Mobile TV (www.verizonwireless.com/mobiletv) brings you eight channels of programming you're already very familiar with. The current lineup includes ESPN, CBS, NBC, NBC News, Nickelodeon, MTV, Fox and Comedy Central. Much of the programming matches what the network is showing on their broadcast or cable outlets, while the rest is scheduled specially for the mobile service.

"It's like having the TV in the palm of your hand," said Jenny Weaver, spokeswoman for Verizon Wireless. "We've taken the best shows and put them on V Cast Mobile TV. You have nearly 200 channels at home and there's nothing on. We know people's viewing habits are different and feel this is perfect for people who want to keep in touch with families but show their kids Nickelodeon while they're in the waiting room."

The broadcasts are in real time, so if you get a call while you're watching David Letterman -- yesterday's show is on at noon today -- you'll miss the part you were away for. It's not on-demand broadcasting with the ability to pause and resume without missing a beat, but instead is a true broadcast.

The technology uses the UHF spectrum, and is separate from the technology used for voice or data transmission, according to Weaver. Verizon's partner is MediaFLO Technology (www.mediaflo.com), a subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated.

In a side-by-side comparison, my television was tuned to a college basketball game on ESPN. The same game on the ESPN channel on the Mobile TV was only six seconds delayed. Sure, the ball was the size of a pea and the players were smaller than munchkins, but it was live action and I was happy with what I saw.

The service is $25 per month for all the channels or $15 per month for a truncated lineup, and is available in Las Vegas. Verizon Wireless customers can choose from either the Samsung SCH-u620 for $150 or the LG VX9400 for $200 (after a $50 rebate) with a two-year contract.

The service is also available in Tucson, Ariz.; Palm Springs, Calif.; Denver and Colorado Springs, Colo.; Jacksonville, Fla.; Chicago; Wichita, Kan.; New Orleans; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; Kansas City and St. Louis, Mo.; Omaha and Lincoln, Neb.; Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M.; Portland, Ore.; Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Salt Lake City; Norfolk and Richmond, Va.; and Seattle and Spokane, Wash.

Markets will be added during the year.

It's getting better, for sure.

Share your Internet story with me at agibes@reviewjournal.com.