It looks like TiVo has even less to fear from the GPLv3

Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 by MegaZone

I’ve previously explained why TiVo doesn’t really have to worry about the GPLv3, but it looks like they have even less cause for concern now. Linux Torvalds, the guiding light behind Linux, voiced some pretty strong opinions in a post to the linux-kernel mailing list, about the GPLv3 and the people at the Free Software Foundation who created it. So it seems very unlikely that the Linux kernel will be switching to the GPLv3 any time soon.

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And the winner is…

Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 by MegaZone

And the winner of the SlingPlayer Mobile license is…
*drum roll*
…Jonkempato!

Jonkempato, I’ve emailed you at the address you used on your comment.

For the curious and the geeky, this is how I selected the winner:

#!/usr/local/bin/perl -Tw

my @names = qw(MHAithaca Jonkempato TommyHowell Rob Elan Steve San Jess);
my $draw = splice @names, int rand @names, 1;
print $draw . "\n";
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Order Amazon Unbox videos with your remote

Posted on Tuesday, July 10, 2007 by MegaZone

Well, we all knew this was coming from the day Unbox on TiVo was launched – ordering directly from the TiVo without using a PC. And no need to use 3rd party HME applications. Watch TiVo’s video which demonstrates the system.

First, setup your Unbox account for ordering from the TV. Then, on your TiVo simply go to Find Programs -> Download TV & Movies -> Amazon Unbox. This provides a somewhat limited selection of downloadable titles divided into categories such as Top Movie Rentals, This Week’s New Release Movies, Top Movies, Latest TV Episodes, Top TV Shows, Top Kids / Family Titles, and Top Foreign Films. But what if the title you’re looking for isn’t in one of these categories? Universal Swivel Search has been updated as well. Go to Find Programs -> Universal Swivel Search and simple search for the title you’re looking for. If you’ve used this in the past, you probably remember how it would return titles available from Amazon Unbox, but said that downloads would be available in the future. Well, the future is now. You can now order movies directly from within Swivel Search.

Downloads are charged to the credit card you associate with your Amazon account. And you set a five-digit PIN so you don’t have to worry about the kids ordering everything in site and running up your bill.

Still no HD downloads for the Series3 owners – though there is some reason to be hopeful. I think it is inevitable that HD downloads will be offered. Microsoft already has HD downloads for the XBox 360, Apple is rumored to be working on them for the Apple TV, Sony is rumored to be about to announce them for the PS3 (E3 is this week), and you have other players like Vudu in the wings. I think it is just a matter of time until Amazon and TiVo bring HD to the Series3 – especially with the lower cost HD box launching later this year, which should help grow the user base.

Of course, you can continue to order from Amazon Unbox online just as you have been.

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Last chance to win a SlingPlayer Mobile license

Posted on Monday, July 9, 2007 by MegaZone

Today is the last day to enter my drawing for a free SlingPlayer Mobile license, a US$29.99 value. This works in any version of SlingPlayer Mobile – for Windows Mobile or Palm OS. Enter here before it is too late.

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Thank you Stephen

Posted on Monday, July 9, 2007 by MegaZone

Than you for the TiVo Rewards Referral, Stephen!

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