Never enough time…

• TiVo VP podcast: DVR meets broadband. (iMedia)
• NBC Nightly News rebroadcast on web. (MSNBC)
• Windows Media Player 11 Beta released. (Microsoft)
• How TiVo is cashing in on the interactive age. (Thomas Hawk)
• Samsung intros plasmas with built-in DVR. (HD Beat)
• Elgato EyeTV software updated. (MacNN)

Never enough time…

• Time Warner Cable to test “Start Over” service in Greensboro. (News Record)
• Discovery Channel content arrives on iTunes. (Apple Insider)
• Movielink and CinemaNow suck. (Thomas Hawk)
• Pioneer Inno XM2GO video review. (PC Mag)
• Netflix adds Blu-ray option. (Hacking Netflix)

As I originally reported, TiVo and Blockbuster has had a partnership in the works. TiVo inadvertently revealed the deal first, and Blockbuster just returned the favor… They’ve prematurely published the TiVo Blockbuster promotion web page. Oops! Additionally, TiVo.com has launched their page and reactivated the Blockbuster bundle shopping cart links (here, here, and here).

This doesn’t appear to be anything more than a cross marketing arrangement. In fact, individuals can cancel the Blockbuster movie rental portion of the subscription and drop down to a TiVo-only $19.95/mo service. I expect we’ll see a formal press release in the next day or so.

For a limited time, sign up to receive a 1 (one) year TiVo® Package Subscription (including an 80 hour TiVo Series2™ DVR) and a 1 (one) year subscription to BLOCKBUSTER Online, with up to 3 movies out at a time. Offer valid for new BLOCKBUSTER Online customers only; limit one offer per household. You must have internet access and provide a valid e-mail address and a valid credit card, check card, or checking account to participate in the TiVo-BLOCKBUSTER Combined Subscription. A minimum 1-year TiVo-BLOCKBUSTER Combined Subscription commitment is required. If during the 12 month term of your TiVo-BLOCKBUSTER Combined Subscription, you cancel your BLOCKBUSTER Online subscription portion of the TiVo-BLOCKBUSTER Combined Sbuscription, you will automatically revert to the $19.95 per month one-year TiVo Package Subscription. If you cancel your BLOCKBUSTER Online membership, BLOCKBUSTER Online rentals must be returned no later than ten (10) days past your cancellation date to avoid additional charges. Membership in the BLOCKBUSTER Online subscription service is subject to the Terms of the BLOCKBUSTER Online service.

While you are a subscriber, you will receive four free rental coupons each month delivered to your email address. Each coupon is good for a free movie rental at any participating BLOCKBUSTER® store location in the U.S. These coupons are only valid in-store and are not redeemable online. Separate in-store membership required. In-store membership rules apply to in-store rentals.

MovieBeam, originally priced at $249 plus $30 activation, dropped to $199 without an activation fee about a month into sales. As I wrote, that price still struck me as barrier to entry given the per-movie rental fees. Well, how does 49 bucks sound? MovieBeam’s online media account manager sent me a note to spread the word about a blog & forum special — just enter code PR49B at checkout to get this deeply discounted rate! At $49 a pop I can see them selling enough units to reach a critical mass, perhaps allowing them to recoup infrastructure investments and hardware costs through movie rentals.

Before pulling the trigger, you might want to review this… “Please confirm that you have a land-line phone before you purchase the MovieBeam Player. Sorry, the MovieBeam Player cannot connect to mobile or Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) phones at this time.” Ben over at HD Beat did get the unit working on Vonage, but your mileage may vary. Also be aware MB is not available in all areas (remember, local stations “beam” the movies), but their online address widget will quickly let you know if you qualify.

I’m in!

Never enough time…

• TiVo and do-it-yourself television. (CNET)
• $9.99/mo commercial-free BabyFirstTV debuts. (Associated Press)
• Apple FrontRow and QuickTime updated. (AppleInsider)
• Why the world doesn’t need Hi-Def DVD’s. (NY Times)
• EchoStar 1Q profit down on TiVo victory. (Business Week)

Sling Media’s three Slingbox technology patent applications submitted last June have hit the US Patent Office database. Of particular interest is an allusion to the inevitable SlingCatcher device, a hardware appliance designed to receive streaming video for television display without requiring an intermediary computer. I imagine Aussie Ron can hardly wait!

The local clients can be any number of device types, including but not limited to desktop and notebook PCs, Web tablets, PDAs, embedded clients built expressly for the purposes of decoding the streams of the personal broadcaster, and other devices capable of receiving and/or playing a media stream over a network.

As with the local clients, the remote clients may include any number of device types, but not limited to desktop and notebook PCs, Web tablets, PDAs, embedded clients built expressly for the purposes of decoding the streams of the personal broadcaster, and other devices capable of receiving and/or playing a media stream over a network.

(more…)

Never enough time…

• Blu-ray is doomed. (PC Magazine)
• T-Mobile Europe to ban heavy data usage. (jkOnTheRun)
• Commercial server-hosted MP3 HME application released. (MP3tunes)
• Microsoft unveils beta of Windows CE 6 operating system for embedded devices. (CNET)
• GE debuts one-second ad targeted at PVR users. (PVRWire)
• Warner Brothers to team with BitTorrent for movie sales. (Engadget)
• Finally, Fox in the iTunes Music Store. (TUAW)

Rocketboom not doing it for you? TiVo has announced a partnership with Brightcove to distribute Internet video. Sounds neat, but I’m still waiting for a Hollywood feature film VOD service.

Interesting factoid: One article stated there are ~400,000 TiVo units on broadband.

Associated Press says: The deal with Brightcove Networks Inc., to be announced Wednesday, means some TiVo users will soon have not only TV shows to record, but also Internet-based videos from Brightcove’s content partners. “This is the first partnership for us to get content directly to the TV set,” said Brightcove’s founder and CEO, Jeremy Allaire. Allaire said TiVo and Brightcove would pick an as-yet-undisclosed set of Web-based programs to debut in June on TiVo’s Internet-connected, Series 2 digital video recorders. The companies said the programs would be offered for free initially, but may carry advertising. The two companies later plan to provide a way for content producers using Brightcove to have their material distributed to TiVo machines. The content providers could decide to charge for the content, the companies said.

(more…)