During CES 2019, TiVo revealed that it will be releasing free streaming apps for popular set-top boxes and smart TVs, including Roku and Fire TV. These streaming apps would allow TiVo DVR owners to access their content on other TVs in the house without buying a separate mini streaming box. That's great news for customers, but it turns out there's a big downside to the upcoming offering.
DVR company TiVo is working on an app that will enable its customers to watch their recordings on other televisions using a Roku device, Apple TV, or Fire TV. The upcoming product was recently spotted at CES 2019, where it was demonstrated on video ahead of its official launch to the public. This represents a big change for the company, which has thus far required users to buy a TiVo Mini for each TV.
While connected TVs are becoming more common, there isn’t really much of a platform war going on in that space unlike, say, smartphones and smartwatches. Almost everyone has their own smart TV implementation but the quickest way for smaller players to get into the game is usually by adopting an existing one like Android TV. Long-time DVR giant TiVo promised to do just that earlier this year but it seems like its first actual Android TV product won’t debut until next month, at least based on a lone FCC filing.
TiVo is a household name that feels increasingly obsolete. In a world where thousands of movies and TV shows are available to stream on-demand, where live television is available over the Internet, and where DVRs exist in the cloud, one is justified in questioning whether any physical DVR can serve a purpose for modern consumers. With TiVo's Bolt OTA 4K, the answer is yes.
This week the folks at TiVo revealed a new DVR set-top box that combines antenna-based television with streaming video services. TiVo BOLT OTA, it's called, and watching and recording local TV programming, national news, sports, and entertainment is its game. But it's also able to connect with services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime Video.
Amazon was tipped to be in the process of developing a device that would compete directly with TiVo and Slingbox from Dish. This device was rumored to have the ability to record live programming from television channels, store said content, and stream said content to smartphones, tablets, PCs, and televisions.
TiVo is getting Amazon Alexa integration, allowing voice control of changing channels, skipping commercials, and more. The support for Amazon's assistant is rolling out to boxes this week, TiVo says, allowing anybody with a TiVo BOLT, Roamio, or Premiere to link their DVR with a supported Echo device.
TiVo has announced that its Rovi company and affiliates have filed lawsuits against Comcast in the District Courts in Massachusetts and California. The lawsuits allege patent infringement on Comcast's part, saying the service provider's X1 platform infringes upon Rovi patents. Those patents cover technology including voice functionality, advanced DVR features, multi-device pausing and resuming, and more.
TiVo sees the smart home revolution and it wants to be a part of it. Today the company announced that it will soon offer integration with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, two AI assistants that are quickly becoming the centerpiece of many smart home systems. When these enhancements arrive, TiVo envisions the potential to watch your content in a way you haven't yet before.
While we're usually used to hearing about new set-top boxes and DVRs from TiVo, today the company is all about business. TiVo has revealed a new platform that's aimed at TV providers who want to make their own platforms easy to navigate and accessible for customers. This "next-gen platform" doesn't have a name yet, nor does it have a launch date, but some of the available details are telling us that it will be quite the departure for a company like TiVo.
This week the folks at TiVo revealed a pair of new devices, both the TiVo BOLT VOX and the Mini VOX. These devices work with TiVo's first voice control remote - aptly called TiVo VOX Remote - and include "built-in personalized recommendations and intelligent predictions." Plus there's 4K to look forward to.
TiVo can perhaps be considered the granddaddy of modern-day DVRs and set-top boxes, but it has been shoved to the sidelines by numerous rivals, including those from big names in the tech industry. Not one to go down without a fight, the company was rumored to be working on not just a more modern box but also a remote control with voice support. Those are no longer rumors now that the TiVo BOLT VOX has appeared, disappeared, and now reappeared on Amazon, ahead of whatever announcement TiVo may have in store.