Dave Zatz

Microsoft Shelves Xbox One DVR

To deflect the bad news, ahead of what sounds like a number of interesting reveals next week, after crunching the numbers Microsoft has announced their intention to pass on the messy, potentially limited but free Xbox One DVR functionality: After careful consideration, we’ve decided to put development of DVR for Over-the-Air TV on hold to focus our attention on … Read more

Philips Hue Will Finally Offer White BR30s

It was inevitable. After years of pining, as soon as I purchased additional, colorful Philips Hue BR30 bulbs, a white variant was sure to be released. And, sure enough, here we are. While FCC docs indicate we’ll shortly see a tunable white BR30, the lumens still clock in pretty low at a reported 680 (compared to the bright WiFi Lifx Wi-Fi bulbs that periodically … Read more

TiVo Preps “Next Gen” Interface

While perusing the merger-related deluge of regulatory filings for notable nuggets, we learn that TiVo is developing a “Next Gen UI” (in addition to reinforcing another consumer product is coming, which we’ll discuss next). For color, Virgin Media indicates they “will be updating the existing TiVo set-top box to make its menus slicker and more picture-based.” Vertical lists of text are inefficient in many … Read more

TiVo Scores Major 4k Renewal With Virgin Media

virgin-tivo

While perusing the merger-related deluge of regulatory filing for notable nuggets, I came across two fairly significant TiVo developments that I’d previously missed… in that Virgin has contracted the company to power its next-gen 4k set-top box (that probably isn’t a traditional DVR) in the UK and has extended their partnership through 2020.

Virgin Media is TiVo’s largest customer, by far, and the continued relationship surely assuages investors (and Rovi) over the short-term. Although, you have to wonder, at what point does Virgin’s parent company, Liberty Global, go for presumably more favorable pricing and corporate synergies by integrating their own Horizon platform?

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The Verizon FiOS TV IP STB That Never Was

Back in 2014, Verizon was working on a number of FiOS hardware offerings with Greenwave Systems… most of which have never seen the light of day. While the Quantum Router made it out of the labs, the heir apparent to their scrapped Home Control service did not. Further, the unannounced FiOS TV STB, pictured above, was another casualty. Beyond never being released, what … Read more

TiVo Races The Clock To Integrate Rovi Guide Data

From TiVo 10-Q Risk Factors: Gracenote (formerly known as Tribune Media Services, Inc.) is currently the sole supplier of the program guide data for the TiVo service and we are transitioning the TiVo service to program guide data supplied by Rovi Corporation.  Gracenote is the current sole supplier of program guide data for the TiVo … Read more

Staples Pulls The Plug On Smart Home

Staples entered the home automation space with an inspired, bold plan (and hardware hub). But sustaining the smart home movement required more resolve (in the form of time and money) than they’re obviously willing to commit. From the Friday (of course) email blast: Staples will discontinue selling Staples Connect in our stores and online, but the Staples Connect service and … Read more

Amazon Fire TV Going OTA?

As Rovi indicates TiVo could move away from retail hardware, it appears Amazon is preparing to offer over-the-air capabilities on Fire TV … which dovetails nicely with uncovered support to display live channels within the AFTV interface. The Fire TV would obviously need some sort of network tuner, a la HDHomeRun, or a USB accessory, like the Xbox One, to pull in the signal via antenna. … Read more