TiVoToGo vs NBC and The iPod Video
As a sometimes-Apple shareholder, I think it’s great that NBC is offering shows via the iTunes Music Store. However, NBC’s Jeff Zucker comes off a bit high and mighty in Variety today (via AppleInsider). After boasting that there’s much more NBC content coming to iTunes (Oh, thank you, NBC! The word Godsend comes to mind!), he responds to the upcoming enhancements to TiVoToGo (and another similar service that will let you copy TV/cable-recorded programs from your TiVo to your iPod):
“This is clearly not the proper way to behave,” Zucker said. “We have worked in concert with Apple to benefit the consumer; where others are not working with content providers is clearly not in the best interest of the consumer.”
Is that a threat? Just how does the consumer suffer from TiVo’s behavior? When NBC sends its lawyers to shut down TiVoToGo? On the contrary, I think it’s a brilliant way to add value to TiVo, and it serves the consumers marvelously. It makes me want to upgrade to a Series2 in order to be ready for it, in fact.
And briefly on the iPod itself…
I’ve been burning my PowerBook’s extra cycles this week, trans-coding DVDs to MPEG4 for playback on my iPod Video (thank you, Jessica!), but I’m still not sure exactly when I’m going to watch all of these episodes of Chappelle’s Show (thanks, Mike!), The Best of Triumph the Comic Insult Dog, or O Brother, Where Art Thou? Clearly the commute is not the right time. Maybe I should start riding MARTA to work to make time for iPod-viewing…
I do do lots of iPod-listening in the car now, though — farewell “hobo stereo“. I’m finally learning how great this whole podcast thing is. Or maybe it’s just that good content is finally coming available. My subscription list at the moment:
- This American Life (subscription from Audible, who really has crappy quality podcasts, but what other option is there?) — the best thing on public radio
- PRI’s Studio 360 — entertainment/arts-oriented stories
- The Ricky Gervais Show — absolute rubbish thus far, but fun.
December 7th, 2005 at 5:09 pm
Hey man! Thanks for the props on the Chappelle DVD, however, I can’t believe that you have not converted this piece of cinematic history into an iPod friendly format yet. What gives!?
December 7th, 2005 at 5:57 pm
The Series 2 will allow much more than simply moving shows from your TiVo to your computer and other portable devices. Within an extremely short time you will have a lot of interactive abilities over the internet for various applications and information services. Also, you will soon be able to push video onto your TiVo that you may have downloaded to your computer or created yourself from your own home movies.
December 7th, 2005 at 6:16 pm
Take two:
Hey man! Thanks for the props on the Chappelle DVD, however, I can’t believe that you have not converted this piece of cinematic history into an iPod friendly format yet. What gives!?