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Old 11-07-05 | 10:20 AM
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Yahoo-TiVo to blend TV, Web services

http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/biztech....ap/index.html

Yahoo Inc. and TiVo Inc. are teaming up to blend some of their services, a move that further fades the lines between offices and living rooms, TVs and PCs.

Under a partnership announced Monday, the two will collaborate to offer Yahoo's Internet-based content and services through TiVo's digital video recording devices.

Users of Yahoo's TV page will be able to click on a record-to-TiVo button directly from a television program listing to remotely schedule recordings.

And in the coming months, possibly before the end of the year, Yahoo's traffic and weather content, as well as its users' photos will be viewable on televisions via TiVo's broadband service and easy-to-use screen menu.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but Edward Lichty, TiVo's vice president of corporate strategy, said TiVo hopes the collaboration will set the foundation for a long-term relationship.

TiVo subscribers already have the ability to remotely schedule recordings from the TiVo Web site, but this will give the DVR pioneer a way to potentially tap Yahoo's large user base and gain some much-needed new customers.

The Alviso, Calif.-based company has about 3.6 million subscribers but it accrued fewer new customers in its last fiscal second quarter than it did the previous year, according to the company's financial report released in August.

And though the company posted its first profit in its eight-year history during that quarter, some analysts question whether the company can continue to grow as satellite and cable companies develop their own DVR technology that offer lower subscription fees.

Meanwhile, Sunnyvale, California-based Yahoo, the leading destination on the Web, is seeing tremendous growth as more people turn to the Internet for news, entertainment, communication, and other services.

But the Internet giant is also under constant pressure from rivals Google Inc. and Microsoft Corp. to expand its own offerings.

For both companies, TiVo in particular, the ability to let its subscribers access Yahoo's content from their televisions marks a significant development in the company's year-old campaign to expand beyond basic digital video recording services to becoming more of an entertainment hub, Lichty said.

Bringing Internet access to the TV screen is nothing new. Most previous efforts -- notably WebTV -- were dismal failures. But Lichty thinks the Yahoo-TiVo offering will be different.

"It's not about having a Web browser on your TV and having a keyboard on your lap. It'll still be focused on the TV experience and navigating with the remote control," Lichty said.
Old 11-07-05 | 12:39 PM
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Well this is fine and dandy, but those of us that have DirecTivos are likely screwed. I see this as having to do more w/ Tivo's new deal w/ Comcast than anything else.
Old 11-07-05 | 04:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Deftones
I see this as having to do more w/ Tivo's new deal w/ Comcast than anything else.
While Tivo is friendly with Comcast -- its unlikely that Yahoo would team with Comcast.

Yahoo's broadband partner is SBC. SBC-Yahoo is a direct competitor to Comcast broadband.
Old 11-07-05 | 05:05 PM
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Originally Posted by GuessWho
While Tivo is friendly with Comcast -- its unlikely that Yahoo would team with Comcast.

Yahoo's broadband partner is SBC. SBC-Yahoo is a direct competitor to Comcast broadband.
Aparently you don't understand. Tivo has an exclusive deal with Comcast as provider for their DVRs. They are still selling the standalones, but the bulk of their marketshare came with DirecTV just as it will with Comcast. So unless Tivo is going to isolate Comcast and DirecTV with this deal, that leaves about 25% of their users, the stand alone ones as whom this is directed at. I highly doubt an announcement such as this would go for such a small percentage of users.

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