Riding high on its largest fourth-quarter subscriber gain in six years, TiVo has revealed plans for two new set top boxes. Mid-year has been touted for a US release, and we’d like to think that Australia won’t be long after. Here’s the info on the devices.
It seems like just yesterday when TiVo was a verb. But times change, and more brand-neutral DVR seem to be on the rise. As you can see in this clip of a new 30 Rock episode aired in the States, Liz Lemon expresses her longing for days gone by. Personally? I still catch myself remembering to “tape” episode. What is that, even?
Hybrid TV’s just sent me through a press release touting a “new” TiVo model, available exclusively at Harvey Norman, Domayne and Joyce Mayne for $699. But all is not what it seems.
Customers were notified yesterday that services like CASPA On-Demand, My Account and TiVo Genie will be down beginning August 3, and continuing on and off until Monday August 8. And if you’re setting up a new TiVo in the window, you won’t be able to activate it, either.
Companies put out surveys to gauge customer interest in potential new features all the time, so TiVo asking if people would be interested in streaming live and recorded shows from their DVR to an iPad shouldn’t be seen as an indication that it’s going to definitely happen. But putting a Slingbox into a TiVo would be something that would convince a decent amount of users to upgrade to new hardware. [Cult of Mac]
Given TiVo’s staffing woes last year, we’re not quite sure what to make of these sales figures. I guess the good news for TiVo is that they obviously sold more than they expected during a difficult year for the company. According to TiVo’s latest figures, TiVo sales grew more than 29% in December 2010 under what was widely considered by economists to be a fairly lacklustre retail season.
