This Weekend’s Amazon Unbox Sale

Posted on Friday, August 8, 2008 by MegaZone

This weekend the Amazon Unbox sale is back with $1.99 rentals. There are five titles on offer: Vantage Point, Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (Unrated), In Bruges, Drillbit Taylor, and The Other Boleyn Girl.

The Summer Movie Sale is also still rolling, this week it is a Teen Comedy Sale with 18 titles to purchase at $5.99 each. It actually looks more like ‘Teen Comedy and Cheesy Action Movie Sale’, really.

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TiVo News: Is that YouTube on your TV?

Posted on Thursday, August 7, 2008 by MegaZone

TiVo’s latest newsletter:

Continue reading →

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TiVoCast Adds Ego TV on Veoh and SomaGirls TV on Veoh

Posted on Thursday, August 7, 2008 by MegaZone

TiVo has added two more channels to TiVo, both from Veoh obviously given their names, Ego TV on Veoh and SomaGirls TV on Veoh.

Ego TV describes themselves thusly:

Success. Prosperity. Fame. All are a part of your identity – your Ego. Ego TV is a new multi-platform TV network that’s all about prosperity and how to achieve it. Your Ego is your confidence booster that guides you to success. Listen to your Ego. Everyone has an ego.

Frankly just that description makes me never want to be forced to watch an episode of this channel, but out of commitment to this blog I tried to watch the latest episode on the site ‘Malibu U Episode 2′ – and I still regret it. The things I endure for my readers. Anyway, if you do want to watch it, as usual you can subscribe online or on your TiVo via Find Programs & Downloads -> Download TV, Movies, & Web Video -> Browse Other Videos -> All -> Ego TV on Veoh.

SomaGirls TV doesn’t sound like a big improvement:

The latest Celebrity news, Make-up styles, and fashion trends.

Yeah, I don’t think I’ll be subscribing to that one either. If you want to, wait for it, you can subscribe online or on your TiVo via Find Programs & Downloads -> Download TV, Movies, & Web Video -> Browse Other Videos -> All -> SomaGirls TV on Veoh.

While I’m talking about TiVoCast, what’s happened to some of the older channels? For example, GeekBrief.TV hasn’t updated since early July. And The Watcher on TiVo is decent enough – but is there some major delay? The last episode, which I received just days ago, was talking about ‘upcoming’ season premiers for returning shows – which were returning in early-to-mid July. Not so useful to be told not to miss a premier when it aired last month.

And yet still no Tekzilla.

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Motorola Releases OCAPtru2way SDK

Posted on Thursday, August 7, 2008 by MegaZone

Motorola tru2way SDK simulator

We first heard about an OCAP SDK from Motorola last June, but haven’t heard much since then. In the meantime there have been a number of changes, not the least of which has been the rebranding of OCAP as tru2way, as well as a number of CE vendors signing the tru2way MOU with CableLabs. Tru2way really has a lot of traction now and we should see a number of tru2way products on the market by mid-2009.

Well, according to Media Experiences 2 Go Motorola has finally released the SDK to tru2way developers. ME2G has a Q&A with Motorola’s Frank Goddard, and there is a product fact sheet PDF available as well. Tools like this will be a major factor in building a successful tru2way ecosystem.

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A Slow News Day In Illinois?

Posted on Thursday, August 7, 2008 by MegaZone

I think Wednesday must have been a slow news day in Illinois. WCIA Channel 3 decided to do a little filler news piece on the DISH Network vs. TiVo patent suit. It’s a little chopping on the details, not surprising for a <3 minute light piece on a lawsuit that has run for a few years. The main focus seems to be the threat that DISH Network could be ordered to disable their DVRs in the field if they’re found to be in contempt by the court. (Personally I don’t see that happening. If DISH were ordered to disable their DVRs I foresee a very quick license agreement with TiVo to keep them on.) The story also appeared on the associated IllinoisHomepage.net and in their discussion forums.

Disclaimer: I’m employed by Sling Media, which is owned by EchoStar.

Posted in Dish Network, TiVo | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment