While TiVo has alluded to additional companion mobile apps, via Twitter and other venues, the June issue of CEPro provides concrete details via a full page advertisement targeting custom installers:
One of the biggest trends to sweep through the consumer electronics industry is the adoption of software delivered through Apple’s iTunes App Store. For TiVo owners, the California-based company developed control and management apps for the iPad and (soon) the iPhone and Android OS products. Williams says that TiVo approached the development of its control apps with the goal of making it easy for users to maximize the power of its products and extend the TiVo experience to a “second screen.”
It’ll be interesting to see what sort of choices they make in bringing that second screen experience to the smaller display of a TiVo iPhone app. As it is, while I quite like their iPad app, it’s extremely busy… and wouldn’t translate without some serious redesign. Regarding the TiVo Android app, I wonder if they’d similarly focus on larger screened devices such as the Motorola Xoom or new Galaxy Tab 10.1 prior to hitting the smaller (and more diverse) collection of smartphones.
Many thanks to Julie at CEPro. My print subscription didn’t follow me to my new address when we moved. But after seeing this thread on the TiVo Community, I reached out to see if she could snap a cell phone pic of the page for me. She did even better and provided me a digital copy of the entire issue. Score!
When they say “second screen” are they talking about making it so I can watch my TiVo recordings on my iPad?! PLEASE TIVO, YES!!!
I can’t se
Someone please fill me in here. Will these apps remotely control a Series 3/HD device, or are they for the Premiere units only?
TiVo’s iPad app currently supports only the Premiere, although they indicated “limited” Series3/HD support is on the docket. But it’s clear their focus is the Premiere platform at this point, so I wouldn’t bank on much.
Dave, thanks for the info. Still not seeing a reason here to upgrade to Premiere, but when they get S3/HD support I’ll give one the apps a try.
I wouldnt get rid of my perfectly good S3 and HD to get this app. But make it so you can stream the shows to the devices and id drop kick both of them out the window for premiers.
They don’t even do streaming to PCs (just straight downloads/transfers thru TTG AFAIK), what makes ya think it’d be possible for mobile devices who depend on the processing and transcoding capabilities of the base station streamer? (the TIVO doesn’t have the horsepower for it) I still love TiVo for being the simplest no-fuss (relatively) cable DVR out there, specially for the less tech inclined… But forward looking features of this kind aren’t their forte imo. Personally I’m still waiting for them to restore any of the online services in PR someday.
I wonder what limited support means for S3/TivoHD? I have been playing around w/ the iPad app now that my GF’s RCN Premier was updated to support it and its really nice. I’d love to have some of that functionality with my TivoHD box – at least until I can get a Premier Q from Comcast :).
Dave — any time a TiVo related news items appears online, you’re behind it! :)
I can only assume that Android tablet app would mimic the iPad one and that an app for phones would be the same as well. If it looks like an U-verse app for iPhone, it’d be good enough.
Yeah, I think TiVo, Inc is getting tired of me. ;)
“Dave — any time a TiVo related news items appears online, you’re behind it!”
Well, considering his logo is the TiVo mascot on MDMA, I’d say it’s only proper.
Eh, we’re both stylized, animated televisions but that’s where the similarities end. Have you seen the updated logo on our Facebook page? We’ve got a few new variations. Also toying with a new color, but not sure on that yet.
I just got the TiVo app on my iPad and I have a TiVo Premiere. It still does not let you watch any of the recorded shows on your TiVo. It lets you start recorded shows from the iPad, it let’s use the app as a smart remote. lets you view the guide, schedule recordings, manage Season Passes etc, but the biggest feature would be streaming recorded shows.
@ Everyone who wants TiVo to stream to iPad: +1 (unlike though).
@ Dave – I like the current logo. It’s more compact and probably easier to use than the upside-down one. And since we are going off-topic here, check out this new tool for super-simple Nook Simple Touch rooting – http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1132292
“Eh, we’re both stylized, animated televisions but that’s where the similarities end.”
I beg to differ. The TiVo mascot is an actual, living creature. He used to hang out at some of the live music venues I frequent. We knew each other vaguely.
And one night he ran up to me looking precisely like your logo. It turned out he was trying out MDMA. I called him later to make sure he got home safely, and he was fine.
“Have you seen the updated logo on our Facebook page?”
That’s the TiVo mascot after a night out drinking whisky. He is sorta adorable when he can’t stand up straight, but I do prefer the classic ZNF logo. He was in fine fettle the evening that particular photo was taken.
Like other I would love a Tivo that streamed to my iPhone/iPad, but seriously doubt that Tivo thought about this far enough ahead to support it in the hardware, and doubt the Premiere hardware is capable of supporting it. That’s why I recommended the next Tivo platform support the Sling Adapter (for the Dish DVRs) to offer this. Nice and slim, one connection via USB. Allows the Sling user to watch something without stomping on the UI of the main TV, etc. Would be a great fit in my opinion. Not that it’ll ever happen given the legal background. But we can dream…
I’m fine with the Tivo mobile web site mostly, as far as doing what I want (e.g. setting up a new recording) from an iPhone. Certainly it would be nice to be able to check the ToDo list, or manage season passes or whatever, so its nice that its coming, but I won’t hold my breath.
Like others I wouldn’t upgrade to a Premiere to get this functionality. Having to go through another cable card install is a high bar in all honesty. The biggest reason for me to upgrade to a pair of Premieres is the faster Ethernet transfers since my current boxes just barely keep up on HD transfers. Access to Comcast VOD would get me to move though…
“Like others I wouldn’t upgrade to a Premiere to get this functionality.”
I’d love to plunk down my cash to upgrade from a TiVo HD to a Premiere. But I can’t, since I don’t want to run the HDUI on the Premiere, and since TiVo seems unwilling to fix a long-standing serious bug in the Premiere’s SDUI mode.
But if it had a working SDUI mode, I’d be willing to pay for an upgrade to a Premiere just for the 2GB limit and the better bandwidth alone.
The iPad style interaction they’re introducing is a major bonus that I’d also be willing to pay for to upgrade to a Premiere, if only it had a working SDUI, of course. (I’d also upgrade if they put out a box that could run the HDUI with ‘teh snappy’.)
So at the end of the day, I keep my TiVo HD because I enjoy ‘teh snappy’ more than I want the new stuff they’re adding. But I’d love to give TiVo money to upgrade for the new stuff, if only they gave me a way. The new mobile OS remote functionality they’ve been adding is pretty cool, and would be fun to have.
For ‘channel surfing’ I prefer the Verizon FiOS TV app. But for DVR management, TiVo’s app is stellar. Just last night, I cleaned up recordings, reordered and deleted various Season Passes after putting new ones in play. Is it worth upgrading? Probably not, but it’s a nice to have – much more efficient than going through the TV UI or webpage. As far as video streaming to mobile devices, I don’t see it happening soon – due to system architecture and TiVo’s conservative approach in regards to taking on licensing challenges.
“But for DVR management, TiVo’s app is stellar.”
I’m glad to see them moving away from ‘iPad exclusivity’. I was confused why they didn’t have a universal iOS app.
But I’d still love to see them officially open up the API’s and let a thousand flowers bloom. (Though perhaps all the API’s will get reverse-engineered and a thousand flowers will bloom anyway.) TiVo needs to think about themselves as a platform.
Chucky, you need to check out this thread on the TiVo Community, especially the last couple weeks. The API has been opened without TiVo’s assistance. ;)
http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=462980
“Chucky, you need to check out this thread on the TiVo Community, especially the last couple weeks. The API has been opened without TiVo’s assistance.”
Cool. Let a thousand flowers bloom. It’s why I love TiVo.
Now I just need to wait on TiVo to sell me a box with these capabilities I’d happily pay for today that actually functions as a DVR without 10 minute hangs spoiling the ‘just works’ aspect that is essential both to the WAF, and to me as well…
Tivo and others need to realize that there is a little company (sarcasm intended) out there named GOOGLE that have a line of electronics that utilize the ANDROID OS.
Apple is NOT the only game in town and I for one am sick & tired of hearing about apps designed for Apple and not Android.
Wake up developers, some of don’t own nor do we want too, own iPads.
It looks like TiVo just released the ipad/iphone app this morning.
http://investorvillage.com/smbd.asp?mb=3928&mn=104023&pt=msg&mid=10703102
Yep, their press team hit me with the info.
@susan
And i wonder how this game will change after google bought the mobile division from motorola… guess which operating system will be on all motorola phones soon… ?