PVR

Femma Geeks Take Charge: American Women Take to Online TV, DVRs, Games, Social Media

Dale — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 12:06:08 -0400

TORONTO, March 27 /PRNewswire/ -- American women are now ahead of men in activities ranging from streaming on network TV websites, frequent DVR use and casual gaming to participation in social media such as MySpace and Facebook, according to the results of the Women and Digital Lifestyles report released today by Solutions Research Group.

Among the key findings:-- More women stream TV shows from network TV sites than men -- 15%American online women did so last month compared to 11% of men. Momswith kids under the age of six and English-speaking Hispanic womenwere the most active women's segments with 19% and 21% streaming,respectively.-- Women in DVR households are more enthusiastic about them. They usetheir DVRs 9.3 times per week on average, compared to 8.3 for men.And DVR-owner women with kids watch 56% of their TV on a time-shiftedbasis, much higher than the average of 42% among male DVR owners.-- When it comes to gaming, 70% played a PC game in the last month vs.69% of men. Among teen girls and young women 12-24, 82% participatedand among those 40+, 66% played PC games.-- Men continue to lead console gaming (Xbox, PlayStation, Wii, et al)with 50% participating but the gap is narrowing. Overall, 38% ofwomen played a console game in the last month, up from 35% a yearbefore. Among teen girls and young adults 12-24, 69% play consolegames (up from 63%) and among 25-29, 55% play console games, up from47%.-- Top handhelds and consoles for girls and women were: Sony PS2, GameBoy, Xbox, Nintendo 64 and DS. Women were also more likely to have aSony PSP than men. African-American women are particularly engaged inconsole games, with two-in-three participating.-- Women also lead the social networking crowd where 42% of online women(vs. 41% of online men) visited a social media site in the last monthup from 30% the year before. In the "Young Singles" segment, 74%visit social media sites. But even in the older "Empty Nester"segment of online women 40+, participation nearly doubled from 14%to 25% driven by a desire to connect with kids and family.TOP DIGITAL LIFESTYLE PRODUCTS FOR WOMENDigital Camera 24%Wireless/Cell Phone 23%Game Console/Handheld 19%Digital Media Player 14%Laptop 14%GPS Navigation Unit 10%Note: U.S., 12+, bought for self or received as a gift betweenDecember 2007 and February 2008-- Shop till you click? Although "Empty Nester" women over 40 were lesslikely to be above-average in any aspect of technology use, the majorexception was online shopping. Sixty-four percent of empty nesteronline women bought something online compared to only 55% of women25-39 and 58% of men.-- The biggest gap between men and women related to movie and TV showdownloads (peer-to-peer sites or sites like iTunes) where men were1.5 to 2 times more likely than women to participate.-- And interestingly, while men were more likely to transfer songs fromtheir PC to a portable unit, women were more likely to transferphotos from their digital cameras to their PCs, underlining theimportance of lifesharing aspect of social media for women.

Women and Digital Lifestyles special analysis was designed to understand the emerging digital lifestyles of American women and key drivers of adoption in four lifestages: young singles, moms with young kids, moms with tweens/teens and empty nesters. The primary data source for the analysis is SRG's Digital Life America syndicated study based on tracking studies of the U.S. online population and accompanying focus groups. The special analysis is based on trending interviews with 1,508 online U.S. women between October 06 and November 07, complemented by 517 additional interviews in February 08. The sample for the study represents the regional, age and ethnic make-up of the U.S. women's online population on a proportionate to population basis.Â

Roxio Launches Toast 9 Titanium

Dale — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 20:54:43 -0400

Blu-ray Disc Authoring and Remote Video Streaming to iPhone Arrive for Mac Consumers

SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Roxio(R), a division of Sonic Solutions(R) (NASDAQ:SNIC) , the leader in digital media software, redefines Mac burning yet again with the introduction of Toast(R) 9 Titanium. Toast 9 allows consumers to record high-definition content from high-definition (HD) camcorders and favorite HD programming from TiVo(R) DVRs and Elgato's EyeTV devices to Blu-ray Disc (BD). Users also have the option to burn HD video and slide shows on standard DVDs. For on-the-go entertainment, Toast 9 introduces Roxio Streamer(TM). Streamer allows users to stream video content stored on their home Mac(R) to a Wi-Fi connected iPhone(R) or iPod(R) Touch or any Internet connected Mac or PC. Already the first choice for music fans wishing to create great sounding CDs and DVDs, Toast 9 offers the ability to capture streaming audio for recording Internet radio. Another Toast innovation allows captured music tracks to be automatically tagged with song titles, artist or other related information. Toast 9 Titanium is available direct from Roxio atÂ www.roxio.comÂ for $99.99. The High Definition/Blu-ray Disc (HD/BD) plug-in, which is needed to author BD video is sold separately for $19.99 and is available free for those who purchase Toast 9 online at roxio.com through April 13, 2008.

"With the growing adoption of high-definition devices, comes the need for consumer applications that allow users to enhance and enjoy their favorite movies, photos and music on HDTVs or on-the-go," said Vito Salvaggio, vice president of consumer products, Sonic Solutions. "With high-definition video authoring, remote streaming of personal and commercial content, as well as exciting audio innovations, Toast 9 continues its long history of breakthrough features that empower Mac users to make the most of their digital media."

Toast 9 is packed with new features and enhancements that set the standard for burning, watching, listening and sharing digital content on the Mac and beyond.

Toast 9 Highlights:Burn* Blu-ray Disc Support - Store as many as 12,500 music tracks, 50,000photos, and hours of high-definition video on a single 50 GB Blu-rayDisc.* Mac & PC Data Spanning - Span large files across multiple discs,including Blu-ray Discs, for easy retrieval on any Mac or PC.Watch* Life in High-Def - Enabled by a HD/BD plug-in, consumers can burn HDvideo content to Blu-ray Disc and watch it on their HDTV using anyBD set top player. For consumers who do not own a BD burner ormedia, the plug-in allows burning high-definition content tostandard DVDs. Users can also create HD video projects using footagefrom AVCHD camcorders or recorded TV shows or movies.* Video Editing - Easy removal of unwanted video segments from TiVo,Elgato's EyeTV, and QuickTime(R) video files before burning thefinal project to disc or exporting it to a portable player.* Time Savers - Toast 9 includes a variety of innovative featuresdesigned to simplify and accelerate the otherwise time consuming andCPU intensive video conversion process. These include Batch DVD-Video conversion to enable consumers to queue multiple video filesfor use with Roxio's Fit-to-DVD(TM) compression technology. TheFit-to-DVD compression technology enables consumers to compresslarge files to fit on a single layer 4.7 GB disc. Pause and Resumebuttons enable users to suspend and later resume a video conversionproject, and a Video Quality Preview enables users to review asnippet of converted video to verify video quality prior toinitiating a complete file conversion.Listen* Library Extension - Build an extensive audio library by capturingany audio playing through the Mac, including Internet audio.* Audio Fingerprinting - Automatically identify untagged music filesand add song titles, artists and genres, eliminating the mystery of"Track_01".* Perfect Mixes - Create perfect mixes with DJ-style crossfades andtransitions, output level adjustments, and enhancement filters.Share* On-the-go Entertainment - A new application called Roxio Streamerenables on-the-go consumers to access video recordings stored on ahome Mac and stream it to a Wi-Fi connected iPhone or iPod Touch orany internet connected Mac or PC.* High Quality Photo Discs - Toast Photo Discs store thousands offull-resolution photos as well as automatically-generated slideshowsviewable on Mac and PC.* iLife and Aperture - Access iLife(R) 08 and Aperture(TM) librariesdirectly from Toast 9's Media Browser.* Personalized Disc Artwork - Personalize discs with labels, coverart, and inserts. Includes drawing and text editing tools, as wellas over 600 clip art images and built-in Google image search.Supports LightScribe and Labelflash(TM) drives and media to allowusers to burn artwork and labels directly to discs.Pricing and Availability:

Toast 9 Titanium is available now for purchase direct from Roxio atÂ www.roxio.com, and will be widely available from e-tailers and retail outlets this month for $99.99. Owners of previous versions may be eligible for upgrade offers. The HD/BD plug-in will be sold as a downloadable component from roxio.com for $19.99. Roxio will offer the HD/BD plug-in for free for customers who purchase from roxio.com through April 13, 2008.

CES 2008: Breakthrough TiVo Innovation Allows Customers to Easily Download Internet Video Automatically to Their Television Sets

Dale — Thu, 10 Jan 2008 09:26:52 -0500

TiVo Applies Highly Valued Season Pass Functionality to Web Video Further Demonstrates TiVoâ€™s Commitment to Providing a One-Box, One-Stop Destination for all Entertainment and Content Needs

ALVISO, Calif. â€“ January 7, 2008-- TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and the leading innovator in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs) today announced TiVo subscribers will soon be able to easily watch an enormous variety of video content from the web directly on their television sets by applying TiVoâ€™s popular Season Pass functionality to web video. With the proliferation of content available online today, consumers have access to thousands of hours of content from well-known networks to special interest videos, but need an easy way to search, discover, and enjoy this entertainment on the TV set.

TiVo users can subscribe to and watch a broad range of content available on Real Simple Syndication (â€œRSSâ€) feeds, including everything from network nightly newscasts, to vignettes and original content from major networks such as Comedy Central or Discovery, as well as niche interest and hobbyist videos covering areas far more specialized than cable and satellite channels, not to mention new, independently produced media content such as DiggNation and Ask A Ninja. Through this new approach, TiVo elevates web video, making it easily available as part of the personalized and customized TV viewing experience that TiVo provides.

â€œBy adding the Season Pass functionality to web video viewing, we are providing consumers a new way to easily and automatically access the content they want to watch on their television sets,â€ said Tom Rogers, President and CEO of TiVo. â€œTiVo is building toward the dream of providing one stop for all content, through one box, integrated into one interface, accessible through one simple remote control. With TiVo providing this web video feature, along with 20,000 Amazon titles, millions of songs, thousands of music videos, and an enormous collection of photos, we have already gone a long way toward building out the dream.â€

In delivering web video automatically, it will appear in the userâ€™s Now Playing List alongside recorded TV shows. In addition, TiVo will provide an on-screen guide of select web video sources for users to browse and select Season Pass recordings. Consumers can even get a Season Pass recording of their own personal video folders on their PC, where they save their home movies and other video downloads. And High Definition Television enthusiasts will appreciate that TiVo will preserve the original quality of high-resolution web videos when delivered to TiVo Series3 or TiVo HD DVRs.

The new web video capability requires TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6, an update to the Windows application which also converts recorded TV shows for viewing on portable devices like iPod and Sony PlayStation Portable. TiVo Desktop Plus 2.6 will be available in March for a one-time fee of $24.95, and will be a free upgrade to earlier versions.

â€œWith our innovative and robust broadband offerings, TiVo already provides more content than any other TV service that exists today, said Tara Maitra, Vice President of Content Services at TiVo. â€œNow that TiVo has made retrieving web content easier than ever by integrating it with the popular Season Pass technology, consumers can enjoy great web video as if itâ€™s a whole new set of TV program options. And, if the writersâ€™ strike goes on, these options on the TV set may become more important to many viewers even more quickly.â€

TiVo boxes are available at leading consumer electronic retailers including Best Buy and Circuit City. See www.TiVo.com for details.

TiVo Boosts Its Robust Broadband Offering With the Addition of the Music Choice Networkâ€™s Music Videos and Programming

Dale — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:29:34 -0500

â€œTIVO & MUSIC CHOICE SAVE THE VIDEO STARâ€ by Giving TiVo Subscribers Access to a Wide Range of Music Videos Featuring Established & Emerging Artists Across Multiple Music Genres

ALVISO, Calif.Â â€“Â December 5, 2007--Â TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), and Music Choice, the award-winning multi-platform music network, today announced the immediate availability of Music Choice on broadband-connected TiVoÂ® DVRs.Â Music Choice will deliver its wide-ranging catalog of several thousand music videos and original programming to the television through the TiVoCast service. At launch nearly a thousand video titles are available and this number is expected to grow significantly in the coming weeks.

â€œBe it music, movies or memories, our broadband strategy continues to focus on delivering consumers what they want, when they want it,â€ said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services for TiVo Inc. â€œBy bringing TiVo users Music Choice, weâ€™re giving our subscribers access to the most extensive music offering available, delivering thousands of music videos straight to the TV.Â We think this service will be extremely popular among the TiVo audience.â€

â€œWe are thrilled to make our highly-popular music-related content available to TiVo users,â€ said Christina Tancredi, Executive Vice President of Music Choice.Â â€œThis exciting relationship with TiVo allows us to extend the reach of our content to even more consumers across the country, and weâ€™re confident once TiVo users try it, theyâ€™ll be hooked.â€

By combining the TiVo interface with Music Choice content, TiVo has quickly emerged as the entertainment platform for music lovers.Â TiVo subscribers will be able to browse through a variety of music genres using TiVoâ€™s easy-to-use and intuitive search interface, breezing through Music Choice content, featuring Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, R&B, Country, Latino, and Kidsâ€™ videos, Music Choice Originals featuring todayâ€™s hottest established and emerging artists, as well as daily entertainment news clips.

When considering the robust Music Choice offering and the recently announced availability of Rhapsody, with the current Internet radio offering from Live365, TiVo users truly have a 360-degree musical playground.Â Users can conceivably watch a documentary about an artist, add the artist to a playlist for their mobile device and then watch that artist over and over via music video.

Legendary VJ and music personality Martha Quinn has been at the forefront of music entertainment since her days as one of the most recognizable VJs in the world, and is one of many music lovers excited about the new feature on TiVo.

From the time I started as a VJ, one thing has been obvious â€“ music fans love to see their favorite artists via videos,â€Â said Quinn, one of the first MTV VJs and now host of a popular Sirius satellite radio music show.Â â€œIn a way, I see this as a new video revolution whereby fans pick the videos they want to watch and when, both saving and creating the video stars of today.Â TiVo and Music Choice have delivered exactly what fans have been asking for.â€

All of the content on TiVoCast, including Music Choice, is offered at no additional charge as part of the existing TiVo service subscription fee. TiVo subscribers can access TiVoCast content through TiVo Central.Â

TiVo boxes are available at leading consumer electronic retailers including Best Buy and Circuit City.Â Â SeeÂ www.TiVo.comÂ for details.

About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand that resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVoâ€™s DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Passâ„¢ recordings and WishListÂ® searches and TiVo KidZone has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVoâ€™s DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGoâ„¢ transfers and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing â€œTiVo, TV your way.Â®â€ The TiVoÂ® service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso, Calif.

TiVo, Season Pass, WishList,Â â€˜TiVo, TV your way.â€™ and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries in the United States and other jurisdictions. Â© 2007 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved.

About Music ChoiceÂ®
Music Choice is the premier multi-platform music network that reaches millions of consumers nationwide through their TVs, PCs and cell phones.Â Music Choice programs both video and audio music channels, produces exclusive music shows, films in-studio artist performances and interviews, and distributes daily entertainment news. With offices in New York City and Horsham, PA, Music Choice is a partnership among subsidiaries of Microsoft Corporation, Motorola, Inc., Sony Corporation of America, EMI Music and several leading U.S. cable providers: Comcast Cable Communications, Cox Communications, and Time Warner Cable. MUSIC CHOICEÂ® is a registered trademark of Music Choice. Visit the Music Choice website atÂ <http://www.musicchoice.com/>

Ep 10 Extra: TiVo Unbox

Dale — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 08:49:36 -0400

Another deleted scene from episode 10. TiVo and Amazon partner up.