Can TiVo Survive? A Case Study in the Perils of First-to-Market Innovations I was reading the sysnopsis of a new research report and thought this comment was interesting.
TiVo will remain unattractive as an acquisition target unless its stock falls to record lows – an event that has been made more likely due to the departure of DirecTV. Should a suitor emerge, the buyer will most likely be a broadband content distributor or a large consumer electronics company – an Apple/TiVo merger is not out of the question.
Like many fans who own both TiVo and Apple devices, I love this rumor — hoping for a self-fulfilling prophecy.
In any case, the revolving-door management at TiVo still seems to be on track to grow and survive — accomplishing marketing links they should have chased months and years ago. Most notably, their recent production and design agreements with Comcast look very positive.
Still, I’d love to have an Apple/TiVo home media center. If it had to be Comcast instead of DirecTV — I’ll bet the result would be hi-def, tasty and portable for anyone.
Having just become a TIVO subcriber I think the product is great and would make a great acquisition at some price for Microsoft or Apple or Sony. The key thing about TIVO is not the hardware. It is the software which is simple, easy to use and pretty foolproof. The same can not be said for the windows media center pc or other DVRs I am aware of. It may not make it because of its pocket depth but should be a serious acquisition candidate for everyone dying to get into consumers living room. XBox2 or PS3 with TIVO capability and websurfing ability would be the KILLER APP.
Having a TIVO seems to me like the equivalent of renting your furniture? Guess it all depends on the intensity of your TV addiction. I understand PVR’s, that’s a cool idea. But renting one? Naw.
How much money does TIVO make from the data they collect as to what people replay?
Even if their stock is down, it’s still a net plus, as they avoided the dotcom collapse by going IPO a year ahead of time.