It is not a Google TV device, it runs the same Android 4.0 found on phones and tablets on a 1GHz Cortex A9 processor. The current design has 512MB RAM, but they’re investigating bumping that to 1GB before going into production. It has 4GB of on-board storage, but also includes a microSD slot for up to 32GB of additional storage. There’s also a full-size USB port for input devices and mass storage, or even a webcam for videoconferencing. Network connectivity is via 802.11b/g/n WiFi. There’s no Bluetooth currently, but they’re working on it. All of that in a package 86x31x14mm and weighing only 35 grams.

There are two remote controls available. The standard remote, included with the Pocket TV, is a traditional IR remote with 5-way navigation and several dedicated buttons for specific actions and Android navigation (such as Home, Back, and Search). The other remote is one I think most users will want, and that’s the Air Remote. The Air Remote connects to the Pocket TV via the network, so no line of sight is required. It includes a gyroscopic sensor so you can control the Pocket TV by simply moving the remote, and it has a full qwerty keyboard to make text entry a snap. You can also use the Google TV Remote app for Android and iOS to turn your smartphone into a remote control for the Pocket TV.

It sounds like a pretty interesting device, no? But this isn’t a product from a big company; Infinitec is a small, three year old start-up and this is a community funded development effort on Kickstarter. I first heard of it from PVRblog and I jumped right over to help fund the project. I’m in at the $135 level for a Pocket TV and Air Remote. I thought it was a great idea and I love to see small companies trying creative ideas, so I thought it was a project worth backing. And those who back the Kickstarter project also save money – the bundle I’m signed up for has an expected combined retail MSRP of $190. You can pledge as little as $110 for the standard Pocket TV with IR Remote. There are 26 days left to get in on the Kickstarter.

While you’re over at Kickstarter check out some of the other projects. I’ve backed several and I’m always looking for projects that pique my interest. Thanks to PVRblog for bringing this one to my attention.

But back in December 2009 Matt sold PVRblog and made one last farewell post. Unfortunately, the company he sold it too never got around to doing anything with the domain and the blog languished for the past two years. But today we got a nice surprise; Matt has reacquired PVRblog and relaunched it today. And his first new content post is about his first thoughts on the new TiVo Premiere Elite.

It is good to have Matt back at PVRblog, I’m looking forward to reading what he has to say.

The day begins with a morning meeting where material harvested from 15 TiVos and even more newspapers, magazines and Web sites is reviewed.

That sparked discussion and speculation that Jon was using ‘TiVo’ as a generic reference to some other DVR setup, but no, a former researcher on the show posted a comment and confirmed their setup.

Nope, it’s literally 15 rack-mounted TiVos of various models, many from the pre-Series 2 era. Some Philips boxes, some Sonys. And because there’s a limited number of remote codes, when a staffer operates one, he has to hold the remote directly against that box’s IR receiver so that the beam doesn’t hit any of the other boxes (i.e., so he’s not inadvertently controlling multiple boxes at once). No joke! It’s pretty primitive.

There’s a lot more in the comment, an interesting look behind the scenes of The Daily Show. Since they’re using old Series1 units, how do they get the clips on air?

When TiVo footage is needed for TDS that day (i.e., every day), the clips are dubbed off to Beta tape and brought to an editing bay. Yup, sneakernet. Sounds like a lot of work, right? It is. I wouldn’t be surprised if the show upgrades to a networked PVR system — especially with an imminent move to HD — but I don’t know what their plans are.

So the rack of TiVos may not be in place for long. It sounds like an opportunity for TiVo to supply them with a new HD-capable setup, based on the TiVo HD. I wonder if there is enough business to make it worthwhile for them to develop a customized version of the software with features designed to make it easier for commercial users.

The Daily Show isn’t the only major program using TiVo. An intern for Late Night with Conan O’Brien posted a comment at Boing Boing stating that they use three TiVos content.

I intern at Late Night with Conan O’Brien and am privileged enough to realize how a set-up like The Daily Shows is so mind-boggling. At Late Night we have three TiVo’s that are set-up to record every other late night talk show, several morning to afternoon shows and a few special events that happen now and again. Every morning we burn DVD copies of the previous day’s shows, a process that takes less then 2 hours, depending on the temperament of the recorders.

I picked that one up from CNET’s Crave.