# Verizon and TiVo Announce Partnership - TiVo Mobile



## Hew (Apr 18, 2004)

TiVo to Allow Verizon Customers
To Program DVRs Via Cellphones

By NICK WINGFIELD
March 7, 2006; Page B3

For years TiVo Inc. has let users easily record television programs with a few flicks of a remote control. Today, the company will announce a deal with Verizon Wireless that turns an everyday device -- the cellphone -- into a novel remote control for TiVo recorders.

Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc., of New York, and Britain's Vodafone Group PLC, plans to offer a new service called TiVo Mobile that will allow Verizon Wireless customers who also have TiVos in their homes to schedule TV shows for recording when they are on the go. The service works with a small software program Verizon Wireless customers can download to their handsets that will communicate back to their TiVo digital-video recorders.


A customer might use the service to impulsively schedule a sitcom for recording after the show is recommended by a friend at a party. "The ability to control your TiVo when you're not at home is something we've always had a desire for," said John Harrobin, vice president of advertising and digital media at Verizon Wireless.

Verizon Wireless executives said the service, to begin this summer, is expected to cost less than $5 a month, in addition to normal cellphone-service charges and TiVo subscriber fees, which are $12.95 a month. The companies didn't disclose terms of their deal.

The service represents an effort by TiVo, of Alviso, Calif., to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive market, where cable- and satellite-television companies are gaining ground with their own digital-video recorders, devices that simplify the process of recording television shows.

There were just more than 11 million subscribers to DVR services in the U.S. at the end of last year, according to estimates by Magna Global Research. TiVo has just more than a third of the market, with more than four million subscribers.

In the face of much larger competitors, TiVo Chief Executive Tom Rogers has sought to create technological links between TiVo and an array of other services and gadgets, most of which aren't available through other DVRs.

The company is working on software that will let TiVo users transfer recorded programs from their DVRs onto Apple Computer Inc.'s video iPods. For several years, TiVo has allowed users to schedule the recording of TV shows through the Web, a useful feature for TiVo users when they are at the office.

Mr. Rogers said TiVo users have clamored for mobile access to their devices. "There is a hunger for devices to work with each other," he said.

Verizon Wireless says it intends to heavily promote TiVo Mobile on its online service for mobile phones, as well as in brochures in Verizon stores and advertising campaigns. TiVo agreed to make its service available to only Verizon Wireless customers for 60 days after its launch. TiVo can make deals with other carriers after that.


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

I was noticing how busy TiVo is in Google News lately. Yet another story came out at 12:01am. I suppose it will be a big story tomorrow. TiVo takes another step in differentiating the TiVo service from generic DVR's with a new cellphone service and promotional help from it's new partner, Verizon. TiVo's CC is Wednesday, I wonder how much more TiVo has up it's sleeve to be announced by the end of the CC?


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## Hew (Apr 18, 2004)

Will TiVo make money from this deal? Verizon will charge something like 5 bucks a month for this service, I'm wondering if any of that go to TiVo. I'm guessing yes for right now because Verizon must have paid something to TiVo in order to get an exclusive deal with them for the first 2 months. 

Any reason not to think TiVo will make money from this deal?


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

Probably not a dime goes to TiVo. Instead they benefit from the free promotion of the feature by Verizon, although TiVo might be strong enough in subscribers willing to pay $5.00 that TiVo does get a cut. For $5.00 a month, I hope you can do more than what these first pre-announcement stories are leaking about the deal.


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## mtchamp (May 15, 2001)

A sample list from TiVoPony regarding more announcements to come.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3836635&&#post3836635



TiVoPony said:


> We typically don't put up demos of products that are still in development...if we did we'd currently have Mac TTG, Series3, iPod/PSP desktop, KidZone, Comcast, and a few other things to be disclosed at a later date.
> 
> Pony


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

> In the face of much larger competitors, TiVo Chief Executive Tom Rogers has sought to create technological links between TiVo and an array of other services and gadgets, most of which aren't available through other DVRs.
> ...
> Mr. Rogers said TiVo users have clamored for mobile access to their devices. "There is a hunger for devices to work with each other," he said.





AP said:


> ...and to do that, we realize TiVo can't be isolated. It has to be integrated with all these other digital devices in people's lives," TiVo CEO Tom Rogers said in an interview.


This is the kind of stuff I love to hear from Rogers. He really seems to get it.

I bet Yahoo remote scheduling is not far away. http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=290018

A nice new way to use TiVo. Not thrilled with $5, but Verizon always charges ridiculous prices and lowers/packages things down the road.


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## dtreese (May 6, 2005)

Yeah, I don't see paying Verizon for something I can already do online for free. Then again, I don't really understand the whole text/video messaging craze or the $5 per song Vcast thing, either.


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## samo (Oct 7, 1999)

> Verizon Wireless executives said the service, to begin this summer, is expected to cost less than $5 a month, in addition to normal cellphone-service charges and TiVo subscriber fees, which are $12.95 a month. The companies didn't disclose terms of their deal.
> 
> The service represents an effort by TiVo, of Alviso, Calif., to differentiate itself in an increasingly competitive market, where cable- and satellite-television companies are gaining ground with their own digital-video recorders, devices that simplify the process of recording television shows.
> 
> There were just more than 11 million subscribers to DVR services in the U.S. at the end of last year, according to estimates by Magna Global Research. TiVo has just more than a third of the market, with more than four million subscribers.


Does this imply that phone scheduling will somehow work with DirecTiVo?


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## smark (Nov 20, 2002)

$5 a month to schedule programs on your Tivo from your cellphone? This is a neat free idea IMO but I personally wouldn't pay for it.

But that is me.


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## dmdeane (Apr 17, 2000)

> Verizon Wireless, a venture of Verizon Communications Inc., of New York, and Britain's Vodafone Group PLC, plans to offer a new service called TiVo Mobile that will allow Verizon Wireless customers who also have TiVos in their homes to schedule TV shows for recording when they are on the go. The service works with a small software program Verizon Wireless customers can download to their handsets that will communicate back to their TiVo digital-video recorders.


That's interesting. I assume from the article that this only applies to Verizon's cellular network here in the USA, so why does the article mention Vodafone? I know Vodafone has a big investment in Verizon Wireless, but why mention Vodafone at all? I guess it must be one of those rote type announcements they throw in the front of any article about Verizon Wireless.

I hope it didn't get the hopes up of any of our UK TiVo readers.


samo said:


> Does this imply that phone scheduling will somehow work with DirecTiVo?


As to DirecTV, unless they change their mind about TiVo, no, this is not going to be available to DirecTV TiVo users. I don't think DirecTiVo boxes have the software upgrades to allow the internet remote scheduling. Maybe Vodafone could have a little chat with Rupert Murdoch.


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## dmdeane (Apr 17, 2000)

smark said:


> $5 a month to schedule programs on your Tivo from your cellphone? This is a neat free idea IMO but I personally wouldn't pay for it.
> 
> But that is me.


The vague "under $5" remark probably indicates they are still trying to find the right price point.

I might try the service for an extra $1 a month, but I don't think I'd use it enough to make it worthwhile (to me). Have to wait and see what it looks like when it launches. I don't currently use Verizon anyway. I doubt I'd switch cellular carriers just for a service like this, but this is a good move for TiVo. It further differentiates TiVo from the crowd.


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## peteypete (Feb 3, 2004)

Nice feature, 

an obvious step to getting video on your cellphone... building the relationship with the carriers....not that anybody would want to watch tv shows on a cell phone...

2 month lead time exclusivity is not that much. I'm sensing a major marketing push by tivo in the summer with Verizon getting bragging rights. Most likely with a rollout of series 3 and some sort of new pricing plan??

Also, maybe Rogers is leading up to some extra announcement on Wed during the quarterly CC?


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## dmdeane (Apr 17, 2000)

peteypete said:


> ....not that anybody would want to watch tv shows on a cell phone...


Don't be too sure about that. Cellular carriers are definitely looking for new services to sell, and that includes some form of mobile TV on cell phones (either over their 3G networks, or via one of the new digital mobile TV standards), which already exists in Japan for instance. What is the real question is how many would want to watch TV on cell phones, and at what kind of price (and yes, "free" is a price, if you have to watch commercials). The cellular carriers (and others) are still trying to work out the business models. It might not happen, but we'll see.


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## ChileHead (Feb 10, 2002)

Very disappointing.

What they really should have is a wap interface to scheduling which would open this up to more people and devices. Many of the major online sites already have a wap interface (yahoo, google, gmail, ebay, cnn ...). Limiting this just to Verizon customers and charging $5 seems like a poor decision to me.


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## DrStrange (May 18, 2000)

ChileHead said:


> Very disappointing.
> 
> What they really should have is a wap interface to scheduling which would open this up to more people and devices. Many of the major online sites already have a wap interface (yahoo, google, gmail, ebay, cnn ...). Limiting this just to Verizon customers and charging $5 seems like a poor decision to me.


That's exactly what I thought. I have Verizon because of the quality of their network but I can't stand the way they nickel and dime customers to death, cripple bluetooth features, etc. Customers who are already paying Verizon for web access will have to fork over more money every month to schedule Tivo shows remotely? How many people even do that often enough to be worth a monthly fee? Will Treos, which can't run GetItNow apps be able to do this at all?

I'm completely at a loss to understand why Tivo went with a solution that benefits Verizon at the expense of both Tivo and Tivo customers.


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## lajohn27 (Dec 29, 2003)

DrStrange said:


> I'm completely at a loss to understand why Tivo went with a solution that benefits Verizon at the expense of both Tivo and Tivo customers.


From the bottom of the press release..

"TiVo agreed to make its service available to only Verizon Wireless customers for 60 days after its launch. TiVo can make deals with other carriers after that. "

Its not exclusive for ever.. only 60 days.


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## DrStrange (May 18, 2000)

Contractual exclusivity is only part of the problem. I have a Verizon Treo 650, which can't run GetItNow apps which will likely be required to use the service. So I'm a Verizon customer and likely won't be able to use the service. If I was a Cingular customer I'd have to wait 60 days and _hope_ Tivo makes a deal with Cingular, and that my Cingular phone supports the service. And whoever my provider is I'll have to pay a monthly fee for a service that I've used the PC version of like twice in the past year?

Every cell phone supports web access these days. With a WAP solution every Tivo customer with a cell phone who's already paying for web access in any form _could_ have this feature. Tivo could proudly tout that the feature works with any web-enabled cell phone from any provider at no extra cost, and they wouldn't have to write special cell phone apps or set up agreements with wireless companies. Instead they went with a plan that completely cuts a large chunk of their users off from the feature and chases away another large chunk just so the cell phone companies can have something else to charge for. It makes no sense to me.


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

DrStrange said:


> Contractual exclusivity is only part of the problem. I have a Verizon Treo 650, which can't run GetItNow apps which will likely be required to use the service. So I'm a Verizon customer and likely won't be able to use the service. If I was a Cingular customer I'd have to wait 60 days and _hope_ Tivo makes a deal with Cingular, and that my Cingular phone supports the service. And whoever my provider is I'll have to pay a monthly fee for a service that I've used the PC version of like twice in the past year?


Let's not get too far out there, everybody. Post 60 day exclusion maybe gives us a target time frame for Yahoo! GO service? Won't that integrate with your cellular Web service?

TiVo can't CONTROL which companies they make deals with. I bet they want to make a deal with all of them, and this is what they got so far. Don't discount the statements from Rogers I emphasised earlier.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

HDTiVo said:


> Let's not get too far out there, everybody. Post 60 day exclusion maybe gives us a target time frame for Yahoo! GO service? Won't that integrate with your cellular Web service?
> 
> TiVo can't CONTROL which companies they make deals with. I bet they want to make a deal with all of them, and this is what they got so far. Don't discount the statements from Rogers I emphasised earlier.


 The remote scheduling for 5$ a month is a non starter out of the gate I think. I would not pay for it. The real feature will be to get shows streamed from your TiVo to the cell phone. To easily stream TV shows to my web enabled cell phone will sell more web access for cell companies and be a feature to really tout.


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## ScottNY845 (Feb 4, 2002)

If the TIVO DOLL had an A$$, I would probably tell him to stick this idea and the extra charge that Tivo is thinking of extending to it's users right into that A$$.


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

Speaking of TiVo scheduling is the web site down at the moment or is it just me? I tried logging in and it said my email address wasn't recognized and now an error page comes up. (A dude at work just told me Kobayashi, the eating champ, is featured on a MTV show called True Life.)


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## DrStrange (May 18, 2000)

HDTiVo said:


> Post 60 day exclusion maybe gives us a target time frame for Yahoo! GO service? Won't that integrate with your cellular Web service?


Both those statements are optimistic speculation. A WAP solution doesn't _need_ Yahoo. It doesn't need Verizon, or Cingular, or anyone else, anymore than their TCO page does. It doesn't need any partnership with any company to bootstrap it. It just needs Tivo to develop WAP pages and put them on their own server. That's all. There is not a single way in which what they're doing is easier or less complicated than just making a WAP page of their own.



> TiVo can't CONTROL which companies they make deals with. I bet they want to make a deal with all of them, and this is what they got so far. Don't discount the statements from Rogers I emphasised earlier.


*Sigh* This has nothing to do with Tivo only having an agreement with Verizon right now. _Tivo could have brought this functionally to *all* web-enabled cellphone owning customers *without* having to make deals with *any* providers at all_. Tivo didn't have to sign agreements with Comcast, Cox, Verizon, etc to implement TCO on PCs. They just put web pages up. WAP pages would have done the same for web enabled cell phones without licensing agreements, without special software, without restrictions on what cell phone or what provider you have to have. It'd be no bigger burden on Tivos servers than TCO is now, so there'd be no reason for Tivo to charge for it themselves (but if they chose to, they'd get all the money instead of having to split it with the carrier).

The more I think about this the more it baffles me.


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

Good points about the advantages of WAP. Maybe this is a WAP design that just for now is Verizon exclusive? Wouldn't that be nice.

Fantasizing: If TiVo got a $5M check from Verizon in return for the 60 day exclusive, would that be a good business deal?


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## dswallow (Dec 3, 2000)

HDTiVo said:


> Good points about the advantages of WAP. Maybe this is a WAP design that just for now is Verizon exclusive? Wouldn't that be nice.
> 
> Fantasizing: If TiVo got a $5M check from Verizon in return for the 60 day exclusive, would that be a good business deal?


How many potential users (those with Series 2 standalones)? 1 million or so?

How many of those are in Verizon cellular service areas?

How many of those subscribe to Verizon? How many of the rest would even consider switching to Verizon with this service being available?

Of those, how many will then agree to pay $5 per month for it?

Summing up: It's not worth anything close to $5 million to Verizon. It's probably not even worth $500K. If Verizon was really, really lucky, they might get a few hundred thousand dollars a month in subscription fees a year from now... if the $5 pricing could hold out that long.


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## jeremy3721 (Feb 16, 2002)

Sure, I'll pay $5. As soon as Tivo lowers my first box subscription to $6.95 like it has for numerous people and they refund my $100 HMO fee I paid.

I'm not giving Tivo another dime for my 3 boxes.


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## granoff (Jul 9, 2001)

DrStrange said:


> That's exactly what I thought. *I have Verizon because of the quality of their network but I can't stand the way they nickel and dime customers to death, cripple bluetooth features, etc.* Customers who are already paying Verizon for web access will have to fork over more money every month to schedule Tivo shows remotely? How many people even do that often enough to be worth a monthly fee? Will Treos, which can't run GetItNow apps be able to do this at all?
> 
> I'm completely at a loss to understand why Tivo went with a solution that benefits Verizon at the expense of both Tivo and Tivo customers.


Hear, hear!!

I was going to post the same thing. I have a Treo650 but no data plan (I "pay as I go" 1.5 cents/KB, and I don't use data services very much at all) specifically because I am NOT willing to pay through the nose for the privilege. And I told them so, to which I was thanked for spending my valuable time to contact them... 

As I've said before, TiVo should have a web interface to which you can connect directly to control features of the box, just as if you were sitting in front of it (with some obvious exceptions perhaps). It would be up to ME to open my firewall to allow external access, etc. But then, I could _really_ do remote scheduling and see the results _instantly_. No need for a middle man like Verizon (except for the data service, if I choose to pay for that and use it.)

Aw heck, I think I'm preaching to the choir on this. Well, you get my point, I think.

Its too bad the mobile carriers are all about the fees for this or that. They just don't get it, IMO.

-Mark


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

dswallow said:


> Summing up: It's not worth anything close to $5 million to Verizon. It's probably not even worth $500K. If Verizon was really, really lucky, they might get a few hundred thousand dollars a month in subscription fees a year from now... if the $5 pricing could hold out that long.


The $5M was just a toss up to say, hey, there are ways that this deal could be good for TiVo on the way towards doing others...

The value to Verizon is not limited to $5/mo/sub. Verizon spends alot on subscriber acquisition and advertising all of which would factor into economic value for doing this deal. Furthermore, a sub acquired (or kept) has a monthly revenue value on all services, not just the $5. DTV got better churn numbers because of TiVo; potentially very lucrative for Verizon.

Anyway its just a throw away example.


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## interactiveTV (Jul 2, 2000)

DrStrange said:


> _Tivo could have brought this functionally to *all* web-enabled cellphone owning customers *without* having to make deals with *any* providers at all_. Tivo didn't have to sign agreements with Comcast, Cox, Verizon, etc to implement TCO on PCs. They just put web pages up. WAP pages would have done the same for web enabled cell phones without licensing agreements, without special software, without restrictions on what cell phone or what provider you have to have. It'd be no bigger burden on Tivos servers than TCO is now, so there'd be no reason for Tivo to charge for it themselves (but if they chose to, they'd get all the money instead of having to split it with the carrier).
> 
> The more I think about this the more it baffles me.


 Excellent points. I'm not engineer but offering the WAP functionality seems like it would be the most consumer friendly model.

Actually, last week I wanted to send a TXT message to my Tivo. I was on the street talking with a friend who suggested a program. I knew the time, channel, and duration: 2100 47 02

Not for the masses and not as firendly as WAP, but so QUICK to assign an address to a single Tivo and just "jot down" a recording. Or maybe I'm insane.

The Verizon announcement seems more about the partnership and the announcement than about user friendliness. $5/month seems silly. Verizon only seems silly.

_ITV


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## SullyND (Dec 30, 2004)

I cannot believe TiVo would align themselves with Verizon Wireless. They lend credence to their cause by doing so. Oh wait, wrong topic. 

I think this is a cool idea, and would hope that there is a per use option (i.e. I'm not paying $5 a month, but $2 per occurrence if I realize I forgot something, I might consider).


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

As no one has seen the client software yet, I'm surprised by those saying that there's nothing you could do with it that couldn't be done in WAP. It's true that WAP is much more universal, but it's very possible that the client has a more user-friendly interface and network-friendly communication protocol than a WAP browser for TV listings can provide. I can already imagine several ways where a dedicated client could provide an end-user experience that beats a WAP browser.

I absolutely agree that it being a Verizon-only, additional subscription service makes it pretty much worthless to a great deal of people(me included). But speaking only technically, there may well be very good reasons that it hasn't been implemented in WAP.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

mtchamp said:


> , I wonder how much more TiVo has up it's sleeve to be announced by the end of the CC?


it's obvious to me:

"Tivo announces the launch of their own satellite service to compete with old rival"


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## Stainless Steele (Feb 2, 2004)

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

ChileHead said:


> Very disappointing.
> 
> What they really should have is a wap interface to scheduling which would open this up to more people and devices. Many of the major online sites already have a wap interface (yahoo, google, gmail, ebay, cnn ...). Limiting this just to Verizon customers and charging $5 seems like a poor decision to me.


 :up: :up: :up:


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## ChrisL (Apr 21, 2003)

interactiveTV said:


> The Verizon announcement seems more about the partnership


not that Verizon is jumping into the video service segment or anything like that.



It's just another babystep towards convergance of all the various services- video, data, voice, wireless, into one seamless application.


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## granoff (Jul 9, 2001)

ChrisL said:


> It's just another babystep towards convergance of all the various services- video, data, voice, wireless, into one *seamless* application.


Yeah. Right. All on your convenient _cellphone handset with the numeric keypad_.

Yep, that'll be fabulous. 

I agree, convergance is where its all headed. It just always make me wonder what the carriers are thinking about when they decide that watching streaming video on a standard cellphone handset display will be good. 

-Mark


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## bmgoodman (Dec 20, 2000)

They lost me at "$5 per month"! I might pay $5 one-time or 10 cents per use, but $5 per month is a HORRIBLE value. Now, when I'm rich enough that I blow my nose on dollar bills....

OTOH, as a Tivo shareholder, I value anything that gets Tivo into the news, especially the non-scandal things!  

In closing, just tell me when and how much for a Series 3, and then you may be on the right track. All this other stuff is just a ploy to keep Tivo in the public eye in the meantime. (And even though I  at it all, I guess they don't have much choice right now. At least it quells the press' desire to speculate on whether Tivo will survive!)


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## DrStrange (May 18, 2000)

gonzotek said:


> It's true that WAP is much more universal, but it's very possible that the client has a more user-friendly interface and network-friendly communication protocol than a WAP browser for TV listings can provide. I can already imagine several ways where a dedicated client could provide an end-user experience that beats a WAP browser.


I find it hard to believe the user experience would be different enough to justify excluding so many of their customers from the feature completely, and charging a monthly fee to the rest. Remember we're talking about slow connections, cell phone screens and T9 input here. It ain't gonna be UI nirvana no matter what you do, especially if the cell client still isn't smart enough to limit its searches and displays to the boxes CYR list. People will hunt down a nearby PC or wait until they get to the box if at all possible, so the feature would be rarely used even if it was free. It'd be a last ditch emergency thing either way, so IMO making it available to as many people as possible is more important than making it a little prettier to a limited group who can get it at all and are willing to pay for it on the rare occasions they use it.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

DrStrange said:


> I find it hard to believe the user experience would be different enough to justify excluding so many of their customers from the feature completely, and charging a monthly fee to the rest. Remember we're talking about slow connections, cell phone screens and T9 input here. It ain't gonna be UI nirvana no matter what you do, especially if the cell client still isn't smart enough to limit its searches and displays to the boxes CYR list. People will hunt down a nearby PC or wait until they get to the box if at all possible, so the feature would be rarely used even if it was free. It'd be a last ditch emergency thing either way, so IMO making it available to as many people as possible is more important than making it a little prettier to a limited group who can get it at all and are willing to pay for it on the rare occasions they use it.


As a developer who has worked a little with WAP, I can say that client/server interactions of the sort that a TiVo scheduler would be doing *could be* vastly better with a dedicated app than with a WAP implementation. WAP clients have to recreate the ui with each page change, a dedicated client could store the ui within the program code and only request the relevent data (e.g. requesting the title, date/time, channel and description VS. requesting the previous + graphics and layout information). This is like the difference between an AJAX webmail client like Gmail and a 'traditional' webmail client, where every request causes the entire page to be redrawn. A WAP browser will cache images and other content of course, but even with caching, it would still be slower than a dedicated app, at least some of the time. Plus, as you noted, we are talking about slow connections and T9 input. A dedicated client can break out of the 'browser' design mentality and make better use of the limited resources than a WAP client.

I hear and appreciate what you're saying, but I am SURE that the TiVo engineers have already considered this and chosen the path they took for reasons that make sense to them. Another thing that I believe supports my speculation, is that the deal could still have been made exclusive to Verizon customers if TiVo had a WAP implementation, so I have to believe that there was a technical reason that a downloaded program (which, as you note, probably won't even work on 100% of Verizon's internet-capable phones) was chosen over WAP.


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## Test (Dec 8, 2004)

if anything its good press

just saw a segment on the news about the "new" feature...the hot women on the news seemed to love it....

"never miss any show that is out there"

"you can tivo all your favorite shows from your cell phone"

then she explains all about tivo...nice


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

Test said:


> if anything its good press
> 
> just saw a segment on the news about the "new" feature...


Yah I agree... and that's how I found out. I was dragged out of the shower this AM to catch NBC4's blurb.

Of course as soon I got online I discovered the news agents had already spammed me with the story. But I'm not typical.  This seems to be getting more coverage than the KidZone feature which had a bigger intro - guess the press finds celphones more interesting and/or more easily understood.


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## ChileHead (Feb 10, 2002)

I'm already able to program my TiVo through my Treo. It's just not optimal for the tiny screen. I can't believe more than a handful of people will pay $5/month for this app. Personally, I don't have a need for it that often. 

I can't believe a WAP interface would be harder to code than a dedicated app. It may not look as nice, or be as quick, but you could service close to 100% of people with an internet enabled phone.

I already paid my $100 for HMO. 

Bummer.


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## manielse (Mar 6, 2003)

ChileHead said:


> I'm already able to program my TiVo through my Treo. It's just not optimal for the tiny screen. I can't believe more than a handful of people will pay $5/month for this app. Personally, I don't have a need for it that often.
> 
> I can't believe a WAP interface would be harder to code than a dedicated app. It may not look as nice, or be as quick, but you could service close to 100% of people with an internet enabled phone.
> 
> ...


Same here, used my Treo 650 for well over a year for scheduling recordings when I forgot. Would I like a easier interface...absolutely. Will I pay a "monthly fee" to do OTA scheduling on a phone...hell no. I would pay a one time $15 for a palm app though.

You know what ticks me off, they are focusing on these things and forgetting about HME support which has much more potential. In fact if they kept working on HME, we'd already have a solid WAP/simple html interface today.

BTW - Yes, I'm another HMO victim. I didn't mind paying for it but I'm truely disappointed with the amount of development (or lack of) HME is having. When Galleon slowed to a halt, that should have been an eye-opener internally to TiVo and I sense they didn't even care.


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## gonzotek (Sep 24, 2004)

ChileHead said:


> I'm already able to program my TiVo through my Treo. It's just not optimal for the tiny screen. I can't believe more than a handful of people will pay $5/month for this app. Personally, I don't have a need for it that often.


I agree. But that number hasn't been confirmed yet. It may be a one time fee($5 for the app) + usage fee($.50 per request). I just made those numbers up for a hypothetical, so nobody quote me on that. 


> I can't believe a WAP interface would be harder to code than a dedicated app. It may not look as nice, or be as quick, but you could service close to 100% of people with an internet enabled phone.


 The "be as quick" part is where I'm guessing things might sway more towards the dedicated app. Even the real web scheduling interface at tivo.com was until recently often slow and plagued with seemingly random issues. Since the update, things have been better, but they're using some of the same tricks (for example, asynchronous requests) I'd hope the dedicated app would use. Of course, for all any of us know, it could not do any of the things I've mentioned, and be a flaming piece of poo. We're all making assumptions about something that we haven't seen.

If any TiVo employees reading would like to chime in regarding dedicated vs. mobile browser-based clients...feel free


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## Stu_Bee (Jan 15, 2002)

I love the fact that Tivo has been coming out with so many new features recently. 

I know it's probably not going to happen, but it would be cool if it was a real GUI interface into your tivo (ie show 'now playing' list, check todo's, delete shows, browse keywords, shuffle season pass orders, etc). It would be a great way to keep your Tivo managed (ie space, etc) while on vacation.
I'd never pay a subscription though.


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

Stu_Bee said:


> I know it's probably not going to happen, but it would be cool if it was a real GUI interface into your tivo (ie show 'now playing' list, check todo's, delete shows, browse keywords, shuffle season pass orders, etc). It would be a great way to keep your Tivo managed (ie space, etc) while on vacation.
> I'd never pay a subscription though.


That's what I miss from ReplayTV... full control from PC. I doubt I'd pay a subscription and a regular phone (as opposed to smart phone or pda) might be frustrating. But full PC control would be very nice. Step one could be letting me manage shows via MRV between TiVos.


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## dmdeane (Apr 17, 2000)

There must be some kind of weird negativity meme in the air whenever the subject of TiVo comes up on internet forums.

In spite of the fact that the article clearly states "less than $5 a month", everyone immediately *assumes* that it will be $5 a month, in flatout contradiction to the article they just read! I suppose it could end up at $4.95 a month, but we don't know that yet; it could also end up at $1 a month; we'll have to wait and see.

Also complaining about the "exclusivity" of the deal is a bit much, considering it only lasts a few months. TiVo is free to sign other deals with other cellular carriers. TiVo is free to write its own mobile web interface to TiVo Central Online if it wants to, or perhaps release more APIs to allow HME hackers to cook something up themselves to do something similar.

Absolutely nothing is written in stone yet about this. I have no particular use for this feature, but if it helps out TiVo then it's a good thing, IMO. Surely there are more important issues in the world to complain about.


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## dcomiskey (Jan 3, 2005)

I've been a Verizon subscriber for 4 years and I wouldn't pay a DIME to use this service. Between season passes and Internet scheduling, why in the world would I waste my money on something so lame?

Any wonder Tivo is having a hard time gaining new subscribers? It's one lame idea after another. And I love my Tivo....


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## DavidSTiVo (Jul 23, 2001)

This partnership was probably initiated by Verizon Wireless. It's crazy how much they charge for services/features. 10 cents per each incoming and outgoing text? $3.95 every month to play one cell phone game? If they want to charge more than a $1.00 a month for TiVo programming, it better have a GUI more powerful  than TiVo Central Online (TCO).


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## erikbrowne (Jun 5, 2002)

DrStrange said:


> A WAP solution doesn't _need_ Yahoo. It doesn't need Verizon, or Cingular, or anyone else, anymore than their TCO page does. It doesn't need any partnership with any company to bootstrap it. It just needs Tivo to develop WAP pages and put them on their own server. That's all. There is not a single way in which what they're doing is easier or less complicated than just making a WAP page of their own.


Setting up WAP pages costs Tivo money to support, with no new revenue to pay for it. Doing it through Verizon gets them a few dollars a month from each user. So, yes, it's not easier or less complicated. But it makes them money.


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## erikbrowne (Jun 5, 2002)

ChileHead said:


> I'm already able to program my TiVo through my Treo. It's just not optimal for the tiny screen. I can't believe more than a handful of people will pay $5/month for this app. Personally, I don't have a need for it that often.


I work for a company that creates cell phone software. And I, personally, wouldn't pay the prices we're charging to use any of it. And yet we're profitable. So somebody is buying our software. A lot of somebodies.

There are people who will pay for this. Verizon wouldn't be selling this if they didn't think they'd make money off of it.


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## porieux (Oct 15, 2005)

I don't even find the free web service useful, personally.


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## porieux (Oct 15, 2005)

erikbrowne said:


> I work for a company that creates cell phone software. And I, personally, wouldn't pay the prices we're charging to use any of it. And yet we're profitable. So somebody is buying our software. A lot of somebodies.


Same here.

The thing with WAP is, how are you going to get anyone to go there on their phone?


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

http://www.mobileburn.com/pressrelease.jsp?Id=2221

Press Release "from" next week regarding TiVo Mobile Service...



> Action Engine Powers TiVo® Mobile
> 
> Press Release posted by Alex Lawrence-Richards on Wednesday April 05, 2006.
> 
> ...


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## HDTiVo (Nov 27, 2002)

HDTiVo said:


> http://www.mobileburn.com/pressrelease.jsp?Id=2221
> 
> Press Release "from" next week regarding TiVo Mobile Service...


Officially released today.


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## nhaigh (Jul 16, 2001)

I already program my TiVo from my cell phone, oh and I watch it as well. Slingplayer !!!!


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

HDTiVo said:


> Officially released today.


Still not very interesting, irrespective of release date...


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## tammie419 (Apr 5, 2006)

I need help please! I've been reading posts and some of you know sooo much about TiVo that I'm hoping you can help me out! 
I have to do an analysis of the corporate structure of TiVo and I found a list of executives but I'm not sure of who is in charge of what... etc. I have explored all of the "official" TiVo site. Could you recommend another site that would have facts on the TiVo organization?


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## davezatz (Apr 18, 2002)

tammie419 said:


> I have to do an analysis of the corporate structure of TiVo


For who?


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## ChuckyBox (Oct 3, 2005)

tammie419 said:


> I need help please! I've been reading posts and some of you know sooo much about TiVo that I'm hoping you can help me out!
> I have to do an analysis of the corporate structure of TiVo and I found a list of executives but I'm not sure of who is in charge of what... etc. I have explored all of the "official" TiVo site. Could you recommend another site that would have facts on the TiVo organization?


This link pretty much explains who does what (click on each name). If you need more specifics, I suggest you direct specific questions to TiVo's investor relations group. But read up on people first and ask very specific questions, or they will just direct you to the same page I just did.

Or, once you've read those links, you could ask questions here -- but you might want to start a new thread.

Edit: Note that Dave Courtney is leaving as CFO in a couple of weeks. His replacement has yet to be named, though I'm guessing it will be Stuart West.


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## tammie419 (Apr 5, 2006)

Thanks! I'll check that out! I wasn't sure HOW to start a new thread. I am doing this for school, I attend in Columbus, Ohio.


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## newsposter (Aug 18, 2002)

tammie419 said:


> I need help please! I've been reading posts and some of you know sooo much about TiVo that I'm hoping you can help me out!
> I have to do an analysis of the corporate structure of TiVo and I found a list of executives but I'm not sure of who is in charge of what... etc. I have explored all of the "official" TiVo site. Could you recommend another site that would have facts on the TiVo organization?


public files are here but can be painful to research

http://www.sec.gov/edgar/searchedgar/webusers.htm

tivo search

http://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0001088825&owner=include

10K is the best form in general but i dont see one on that site...someone else would have to explain why


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## cwoody222 (Nov 13, 1999)

Found this old post from a site search. Did Verizon ever launch this service? Any new updates or is it vaporware now still?


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## stannc (Apr 20, 2003)

Yeah, what ever happened to this? I was waiting for it to be the killer app.


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## ZeoTiVo (Jan 2, 2004)

stannc said:


> Yeah, what ever happened to this? I was waiting for it to be the killer app.


why? It was just a cell phone enable way to schedule TiVo recordings. No differetn than TCO online except that TCO is a b!tch to navigate on a cell phone browser.

for 5$ a month it was not going to get much uptake since most people who might use it could swing around to their desk and schedule the show on the desktop/laptop


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## MichaelK (Jan 10, 2002)

tivo could just as well spend their time creating a wap version of the stupid web page and then any one could use it...


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## Mike Farrington (Nov 16, 2000)

Does anyone else get the feeling that TiVo loves partnership press releases more than actually implementing any partnerships? I don't even get excited anymore. Now I'm just like "Whatever... I'll believe it when I see it.".


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