Schmoozing with TiVo and Real

Dave, TiVo CEO, TiVo Mascot

In honor of the new Rhapsody on TiVo service, TiVo hosted a gathering in NYC last night with RealNetworks. It featured the sort of presentations you’d expect from the CEOs, followed by a Jim Denney (VP, TiVo) product walk-thru. Then the band hit the stage.

A few interesting nuggets I dug up while quizzing Jim Denney and Robert Williams (VP, Real):

• Reconfirmed TiVoToGo and Multi-Room Viewing for Series3/TiVo HD are still on tap for November. (JD)
• Offical eSATA support coming very soon. No one would spill the beans on the possibility of TiVo-branded drives. (JD)
• No bundled Rhapsody/TiVo service discount at this time due to “economics of music.” (RW)
• Periodic updates of Rhapsody on TiVo application/service planned. (RW)

Hope Chris Harrison enjoyed his potentially short-lived gig as TiVo spokesperson. He delivered the funniest line of the evening… On stage… Twice: “TiVo is a whore.”

Some pics after the jump.

Two Real Rhapsody on TiVo stations were on display.

In honor of the Hook Up with TiVo promotion, emcee Chris Harrison (of “The Bachelor”) congratulated CEO Tom Rogers and his wife on their 24th wedding anniversary.

Fountains of Wayne played a 5 song set.

Rhapsody and TiVo drinks artistically arranged by PJ, of PC Mag.

TiVo goodie bag from my hotel room overlooking Times Square, which cost me 40,000 Marriott points. (I’ll run a ZNF giveaway in a few days.)