I want my iTiVo
Summary: My article yesterday talked about the potential for an Apple partnership with Netflix on their upcoming iTV device. Apple's mysterious iTV would be the delivery vehicle for the upcoming Netflix digital download service, or so the theory goes. The other potential Apple partner is TiVo.
My article yesterday talked about the potential for an Apple partnership with Netflix on their upcoming iTV device. Apple's mysterious iTV would be the delivery vehicle for the upcoming Netflix digital download service, or so the theory goes. The other potential Apple partner is TiVo.
Apple's pre-announcement of the iTV has been generating a lot of speculation about what the device actually does and who Apple may partner with for the all-important content. Since Jobs is the largest shareholder of Disney and on the board, Disney content is pretty much a given. As is content from ABC ESPN, Lifetime, A&E, History, Biography and E! which Disney owns.
Earlier in the month Apple was rumored to be in talks with TiVo about a potential partnership, but details remain vague. If iTV has a hard drive, as indicated by Disney CEO Bob Iger, then it makes sense that Apple would build-in DVR-like functionality.
Apple's rumored talks with TiVo elicit the same questions that I brought up yesterday about Netflix: 1) Should Apple build their own DVR (ala the cable companies) vs. buy TiVo? If they decide to buy, then should they 2) buy vs. partner/license.
It's no secret that TiVo's financial picture isn't as strong as it once was, nor that Apple has US$10.11 Billion in cash in the bank, so the rumors are justified.
If they don't want to acquire TiVo, Apple may decide to license their excellent DVR technology to include in iTV. But If Apple doesn't want to acquire TiVo then Google may. On CNBC a Business 2.0 editor pointed out that Google and TiVo are really in the same business (search) and Google could apply its ad model to monetize TiVo.
On 14 April 2005 TiVo CFO David Courtney stated that TiVoToGo would not work with the Mac "because of the cost." Then in November 2005 TiVo changed course and announced that TiVoToGo would work with the Mac in Q1 2006. To date the company still hasn't been able to deliver on its promise.
Apple customers obviously want TiVo content as evidenced by some persistent developers that this month hacked TiVoToGo so that it works with the Mac allowing content to be transferred to the iPod.
Microsoft Media Center machines do media streaming now. But I want iTV to have a built-in hard drive, Web browser, Blue-Ray DVD player, Netflix Online, TiVo and an iPod dock - Is that too much to ask?
If all iTV does is stream video content to your TV it will be a disappointment. Based on the fact that the otherwise super-stealthy Steve Jobs pre-announced the iTV, I'm betting that Apple has some tricks up their sleeves.
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Talkback
iTV will be revolutionary
Based on nothing more than the fact Jobs pre-announced iTV, I'm making the following predictions:
1. iTV will change the way we interact with our art. I can't exactly describe [b]how[/b] it will change anything but I know that it will!
2. iTV will be either white or transparent and this will drive the Mac faithful into a frenzy of excitement.
3. iTV will be better than anything the competition has because it will do less, cost more, and break down more often. Oh, but when it works, it will be easier to use!
4. iTV will come with a marketing campaign that will mention that Windows has 114,000 viruses.
I can't wait to become an iTV sheep and do exactly what everyone else does!
Sarcasm
Time for you to face reality
Maybe you should just break down and buy yourself one instead of living in denial. It's clearly tearing you up inside. I'm not sure if the correct psycologicial term for your condition is "displacement" or "scapegoating", but either might apply.
What about Elgato's EyeTV?
before that on a PowerMac G4. I stream my recordings to my theater's projector
using the Elgato EyeHome. Elgato's products are elegant and easy to use, their only
weak spot is that they don't dynamically update changes in the TV schedules, that
has to be done manually.
If Apple could include a DVR with the iTV that would be awesome, especially if it had
an HD tuner and BluRay drive, that alone would get me to finally spend the money on
an HDTV. Whether they do it with Tivo or not, I really don't care.
Elgato acquisition
In the big picture TiVo has more customers than Elgato has and I'm sure that Apple is paying attention to that.
- Jason
Just think if Apple finally had ...
I found it funny too
Ditto the iTablet and the iPhone. To hear the Mac zealots throb with excitement, you would think that neither of these had ever existed before!
Huh?
When did Microsoft ever manufacture a tablet or a phone, or a media center PC for that matter? I thought they were a software company.
the point being made
Once again, Apple copies the innovators.
Something they learned from the masters
Hey, it worked like a charm for MS to build their empire, why would you forbid Apple from doing the same here? If Apple can do it better, are you afraid that your precious MS would not be able to compete? The iPod was not the first mp3 player on the market. How'd that work out for the competition?
While they don't make the hardware, ...
So you're just another zealot?
And it appears you're on exactly the same level. Technology isn't about getting things done, it's about bragging rights, it's about feeling good about yourself because of the products you've purchased.
Admitting it is the first step to a cure, by the way.
That made about as much sense as your feeble ....
Can't you be both a shill and a zealot?
But my point was valid. You and your fellow MS cultists started this whole ridiculous conversation with yet another strawman argument, making up an imaginary Mac user and making up claims for him. When nailed on it, you claim that you're only out there countering the evil and crazy (but also apparently imaginary) Mac zealots. So how are you any better than they are? You employ the same tactics they allegedly do, you display the same absurd level of brand loyalty, you have the same lack of objectivity, and you seem to get the same level of self-esteem from the objects you own. So how are you any different from those you claim to battle against? Every silly post like yours is just another example of the pot calling the kettle black.
I am not exchanging Media Center for ANYTHING
ITV as a super super remote
Apple has the ability to do this because they know how to make software that's easy to use. They could make these things all happen in the same logical way regardless of who made the variious pieces of equipment.
I'd like to see the abiltiy to just rent movies. I don't really care to buy them because I don't watch movies over and over again and that would be a waste for me. Movies are different that music.