Also of note, according to some promotional materials from Roku, YouTube could be the next service to be supported. (You can see the logo in this story's lead image.)

I know, it's tough to top Netflix streaming with pay movies and clips of people's cats. But it's good to see so many different platforms (hardware and digital) intermingling at last. [Roku Forums via Zatz Not Funny]

Just like Swivel Search TiVo Search will weed through both live TV and broadband content, like Amazon on Demand and Youtube, to find a complete list of available programs. But now upon searching for a show TiVo Search will automatically generate similar recommendations and display them with eye-pleasing art at the top of your TV. Another upgrade over the Swivel is the menu layout that is now three columns wide to make use of wide screen TVs and when available HD content is automatically recommended.

TiVo Search has be redesigned with that leaked TiVo UI we saw a few months ago, which brings a more evolved look to the friendly TiVo software. Right now this UI is only available while using Search which is currently in beta and available to all Series 3 and HD TiVos today.

If the leaked UI and the use of it in the new TiVo Search is any indication than it would seem this UI will probably be the future of TiVo, which I for one can't wait for.

TIVO TRANSFORMS THE TV WORLD ONCE AGAIN BY OFFERING A NEW WAY TO SEARCH & DISCOVER CONTENT

Introduction of New TiVo Search Means Channel Surfing is a Now Thing of the Past

Find What You’ve Been Missing

LAS VEGAS, NV. January 7, 2009 —TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today showed the future of television, unveiling a redesigned TiVo Search feature that offers improved search results with a completely new High Definition design, all at no additional charge. TiVo Search brings users the power of choice, offering millions of pieces of content not available via cable or satellite, along with thousands of linear TV choices. Delivered via broadband, TiVo Search combines a graphics rich experience with simplicity and relevancy that makes it a truly revolutionary way to get more out of your TV.

“What Google did for the Internet, TiVo is now doing for the TV, bringing people a combination of excellent search results and innovative discovery that can’t be found anywhere else,” said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo Inc. “TiVo has always been known as the best way to watch what you want, when you want it. Now we’re taking that to a new level, using TiVo technology to find just the right program from hundreds of channels and thousands of broadband options, all in seconds. It is clear TiVo is leading the way in providing more choice, and also leading the way in finding content quickly. TiVo Search is a new way to find what you’ve been missing.”

TiVo Search takes advantage of extra screen size afforded by high definition televisions by showing more details about a highlighted program than ever before, eliminating the need to dig down into each and every program to learn what it is about. It ensures the most important information is surfaced right up to the screen you're already on, equaling less navigation and quick, accurate results.

“One of the best things about the new TiVo Search feature is how it works as a discovery engine, helping users find content they didn’t even know they could get,” said Jim Denney, Vice President of Product Marketing at TiVo Inc. “We’ve added a new discovery bar that gives a quick guide to relevant content, and the search experience incorporates content from broadband sources like Amazon Video on Demand and YouTube. The newly tuned search engine also displays the most popular search results of the day automatically, even when typing only a single letter. Searches work not with just the first word of a title, but any word of the program, which is especially handy when looking for programs with specific search words.”

The new interface not only displays in high definition, it has a focus on finding high definition television content. TiVo search automatically recommends high definition television channels and episodes when users schedule a program to record. Additionally, users can now browse shows season by season and select any episode they want utilizing a robust episode guide. Depending on availability users may record content from cable/antenna, download it from Amazon Video on Demand, or use WishList searches to record it the next time the content is broadcast.

Seeing equals believing, and the new TiVo Search is no exception. Starting today broadband connected TiVo Series3, TiVo HD, and HD XL subscribers can experience a beta version of the feature on their TiVo DVR, which can be found under Music, Photos, and Showcases. For an online preview and to provide your comments and feedback on this new search tool to TiVo visit www.tivo.com/tivosearch.

TiVo Search will be on display at the TiVo Inc Booth at the Consumer Electronics Tradeshow, Room N202 running January 8th – 11th.

While many of us have our collection of nice electronic toys, most of us can't afford to walk into a store, take a look at a company like Sony's complete line of Bravia media add-ons and walk out with it all. And your conscience might stop you anyway—even if your wallet could take the hit, you know enough to look around at other respectable brands, maybe some Samsung or LG equipment, and make a more informed decision.

Well today we're taking the role of "that guy" for you. Sony shipped us their latest Bravia LCD TV along with all of its modular Link components: a wireless HDMI streamer, their internet video player, an HDMI port expander and an extra slim DVD player—a set of matching electronics designed to hook nicely to the back of your Bravia TV while integrating with the display at a software level.

Setting Up

After fervently unpacking five cardboard boxes and dusting the styrofoam specs off of the jet black components, I remembered just how nice Sony's equipment can be. Everything feels solid in the hands, everything matches with the same amount of gloss and everything has the shining Sony logo that was the beacon for technological enlightenment to anyone who lived through the 80s.

But I am disappointed.

I know that most all of this stuff is supposed to hook right to the back of the television, yet I have no natural inclination as to how that happens. I see screws, flimsy clear plastic tracks and manuals in three different languages. I swallow my pride and open one up (and it's a good thing I did).

Starting with the DVD player, I learned that one must screw a mount into the television, screw the component into the mount and then make sure to plug in the three or more cords to make it work.



What? This isn't what I pictured at all. I wanted to equip this TV like a gun. I wanted to lock and load, hear the fulfilling clank of metal on metal and live a Rambo montage while I prepped for an onslaught of 1080p. Instead, I was fiddling with screws and wires, scratching up my entertainment stand in a precarious position while making my sleek beautiful new TV resemble the trash bin of a wire factory.

The feeling was akin to any time you've bought cereal for the toy, only to realize that the toy was really just a 2-cent piece of rubber. And by the way, that box of cereal just cost you $3,500.

Bravia Internet Video Link - $300

The Bravia Internet Video Link was maybe the most indulgent component I had to test, mostly because I would personally never purchase this component on my own. Why?

1. It's essentially a box that puts streaming video like YouTube onto your TV (which is done by many other components as a second function) and

2. It works exclusively with Bravia TVs. The Internet Video Link uses the television's DMXe (USB) port and fits the content into the TV's XMB menu system.

Yet my alternate persona, my big spender identity who sucked down a $5 iced coffee while writing this review, enjoyed the IVL.

It really is ingenious that the system works within the television's menu system. In fact, it doesn't even have a menu system of its own. Utilizing the TV's XMB (Cross Media Bar), the interface is not so different than the PS3. Flipping through the list of content providers made way for a very intuitive experience in which I click any content provider that looks interesting, from AP to cooking classes. Once I select a clip from within their menu, fast forwarding through content or skipping ahead is extremely responsive with the user interface acknowledging my commands smoothly while allowing the clips time to buffer.

Sure, most of the content looks like crap, the compressed YouTube clips especially. But Sony's understated blue skin framed it well, adding a bit of class to often tacky content.

Especially with Amazon Unbox (tested in beta here), we see Sony's design touch can add a lot to the experience. While managing Unbox content is a pain on my TiVo, the Internet Link puts a pleasant icon skin on your media and has a multitude of simple to navigate categories that makes it all palatable. Plus, you get the same navigation bar in Unbox as you do in YouTube or any other of the services, simplifying the experience of viewing dozens of different content feeds. Simply, it's the best presentation of Unbox I've seen to date.

I'm happy again. The world is rainbows and sunshine.

Then the practical side of me kicks in. I spit out the Brazilian coffee (most of it gone by now, to be honest) and realize I've been hoodwinked. Why didn't the PS3 have all of these neat internet video channels in its XMB? I had no answer.

Bravia Wireless Link - $800

Regardless of how things may have gone with the Internet Link, I was ready to move on to the Wireless Link. It's a piece of equipment that we all hope will be a mainstay in every home within 5 years. The system streams HDMI and component video wirelessly, allowing you to reroute that DVR to a different room while maintaining a pristine HD image.

I knew there would be catches. Even $5 coffee guy could understand that the HD video would be limited to 1080i streaming, nixing the dream of watching Blu-rays in the bedroom. The second catch is even bigger. The Wireless Link transmitter does not double as an HDMI port splitter. This is a vital point, as it means that you can't double dip your home theater to two televisions. Even if it's 1 foot away, the components plug in to the transmitter, and the receiver accepts the data wirelessly.

Combine no hardline output with the 1080i transfer limitations and you realize that all content you watch will all be in 1080i.

OK, but I'm still enthused. After all, I didn't pay for this stuff. So I put it through the most rigorous test I can imagine. I play the final levels of Gears of War 2, streaming my 720p component connection from my Xbox in my living room to my TV in my bedroom (a distance of only 10 or so feet). Still, the Wireless Link really impressed me.

There's no discernible lag. Maybe if I'd been playing online in some pro tournament, I'd have noticed a slight disadvantage. But as far as I could tell, the Xbox is hooked right into the TV I'm was using. And the image quality is just as good as it had looked when I had the system hardwired.

Sony explained later that the delay between the base station and a receiver was less than one millisecond—that's faster than most LCDs can draw the image being transmitted. Not bad, Sony. My 5GHz Wireless-N network didn't even interfere, as you'd warned me could happen.

But again, there's a catch where some engineer didn't think things through all the way. I couldn't stream my PS3 at all. Neither Blu-ray nor games worked, even when I reduced the resolution from 1080p. I could catch the signal for a moment or two, then the system would give me a "not supported" message.

UPDATE: My streaming problem was evidently an HDCP issue with the Link and a Samsung television. On the Bravia set, the PlayStation 3 functioned properly. Like all of the Bravia Link components, the Wireless Link is really not designed/tested to be taken beyond the Bravia infrastructure.

Bravia DVD Player - $200

Even my yuppie alter ego wasn't fooled by this one. The Bravia DVD Link may be called a link, but I know better. I know a DVD player when I see one.

Sony does promise a a few advantages with their Bravia branded item, of course. The first I discussed above, that the player could mount to the back of your set (be it in a not so glamorous way). The second is that, like the Internet Movie Link, the DVD component can hook to the television through the USB-based DMXe port.

Wait, I should rephrase this, the DVD Link needs to hook to the TV through DMXe. It won't work at all otherwise. And that's a problem, as the television only has one DMXe port.



So even though I have the HDMI hooked up correctly and even though I know most DVD players don't need USB connections to work, I am sitting here, pounding on the DVD remote that does nothing (yet, the DVD menu still auto-loads with "play movie" highlighted but unclickable, which just spites me more). The techie me is upset. The yuppie me is livid pissed.

When the DVD Link is plugged in and working happily, it's fine. It's pretty much as good as any other DVD player. If you hit the "display" button on the remote, it tweaks your TV's display, as opposed to messing with DVD player options. I guess there's an advantage to this, a certain technological configuration efficiency. But the benefit is small, and to quote the words of my truly yuppie wife, "It doesn't even play Blu-ray??"

Input Link - $150

The Input Link isn't the most glamorous of Bravia accessories, but like the others, it does hook to the back of your TV after a bit of effort. It's a 5X1 HDMI port expander. It matches the other Links. And it's a hugely missed opportunity by Sony if you think about it. A module like this could sync with DMXe and mount your components straight into the XMB through Sony technical magic. Instead, it just offers some extra HDMI slots. But of all the mounting components, the Input Link seemed the most at home, fitting snugly and solidly near the inputs.

So Is It Worth It?

To be fair to Sony, $3,500 isn't an absurd amount to spend on home theater equipment—especially when we break down the sheer amount of components we reviewed here and realize that it's all name brand equipment.

But I look at the pile of electronics I've got, this mountain of Bravia, and I can't help wishing it would do more or at least be a seamless experience to use.

I had more difficulty setting up the equipment than I have home theater components in years. For each component being design around the television, it certainly didn't fit on the television very easily or even all that well.

And while Sony may or may not be on to something with their DMXe integration (I think they really could be, actually), they need to make sure that users who own more than one component—their most loyal customer base—aren't being punished for it by limiting available DMXe inputs on Bravia TVs.

The thing is, I really like the Bravia television, the use of XMB for its menu system and the idea of Sony's "Links" integrating with this very solid platform. And the Wireless Link, even at $800, is highly technically impressive and genuinely excites me about the future of home theater.

Yet at the end of the day, both my ignorant yuppie and shamelessly techie self can't help but to look at my PS3 and wonder, why oh why can't Sony focus all of their development into this machine—or at the very least, make using my TV as straightforward and gratifying as firing a loaded weapon?

Since Blu-ray was announced, there's been a lot of talk about its impending obsolescence in the face of digital downloads. Just last week, Samsung took a low blow at the format, predicting its lifespan to be only five years. Sony fired back, claiming that the "Blu-ray format will not only coexist with the networked era, but will actually enhance it for many years to come."

I'm here to say, I don't give a crap that Blu-ray is living with an incurable disease, wasting away on intravenous feeding tubes stuffed with the cash of early adopters. It's, sadly, still the best option for me to watch hi def movies. Why?

Digital downloads take too damn long to acquire
You've been there. It's a Wednesday night, your butt is planted on the couch and you feet are on the coffee table. You splurge on some delivery and plan an impromptu movie night with your sweetie. "Let's download something." You pick out a film. And then you wait. Your dinner comes. And you eat in silence, watching a status bar trickle to a buffer point capable of playing the film without interruption. Want to download an HD clip? You'd better order it at lunchtime. The convenience of download, in terms of speed, is an illusion.

There's limited content in HD
If you are using a service that supports HD (which excludes popular download spots like Unbox right off the bat), chances are that the content you want to watch isn't in HD anyway. I know it's just a documentary, but I want to flex the muscles of my HDTV a bit. Don't make me pick through old, rotting produce. Chances are if I have the tech to download your movie, I have the tech to watch it in HD.

The content in HD costs extra
I'm still at a loss here. Why should I pay more to download a movie in HD? You can point to film remasterings, or argue that Blu-ray is priced at a premium too. But the simple fact is that Blu-ray will eventually be as price-friendly as DVD (pending its adoption) while downloading services will ALWAYS have the bandwidth excuse to charge you extra. And that HD download isn't coming with anything special other than the resolution that you can get free on freaking antenna broadcasts.

That HD content might be compressed (not really HD)
So you say you've found a service that gives you instant HD streaming? You didn't. They may call it 720P, but it's got more compression artifacts than Blu-ray any day.

DRM restrictions are absurd
I rented a movie the other day on my PS3. Lars and the Real Girl. But I made the mistake of previewing the content, just for 10 seconds or so, as it downloaded. Then I walked away. But when I returned the next night to watch the movie, oopsies, my 24 viewing window was up. The DRM was smart enough to know when I first loaded the movie, but didn't care as to whether or not I'd had a chance to actually watch it. Netflix and Blockbuster understand that plans change, and that's why they offer consumers a way to watch movies at their own pace.

I don't trust digital formats to be less obsolete in the future than Blu-ray
MPEG4, the codec that both Blu-ray and download services use, isn't going anywhere soon. But there's enough DRM on most downloads that not only links you to a specific platform (PS3/AppleTV), but a specific download service (iTunes, Unbox, etc) as well. Do I really believe that my Unbox purchases will be there 5, 10, or even 20 years from now? No. And if they are, will it be easy to access old hardware to bring up the service? Probably not. But VHS, DVD and Blu-ray will all plug into my TV for a long time to come. Unlike services that don't allow unlimited redownloads, I won't have to worry about swapping hard drives only to find SATA connections are dead for a better (read: incompatible) format with my PC.

And Piracy Doesn't Make it Any Better
Look, I'm not an 8-year-old living off some minuscule allowance. I don't have to make sure I have cash left for the movies after splurging one day at the comic book store. I want things to be simple, even if that means I have to pay for it. Bittorrent isn't all that easy. Unless you're downloading the latest, most popular content, good luck finding enough seeders to get a decent download speed...if you're lucky enough to find what you're looking for at all.

I know what I'm saying isn't cool. I know that Blu-ray sits on a temporal fissure in the way media is delivered to us, probably teetering before it falls into an abyss beside its friend VHS.

But at least I know where my Blu-ray is going—on my shelf, ready to watch whenever I choose at a quality I can appreciate with extras still not found in downloads. (Plus, if I insist on watching the movie on my computer, many Blu-rays are accommodating that anyway.) If that makes me old fashioned, then so be it. They don't make media like they used to.

[Duncan Riley on Vimeo, Gallery Courtesy of Dylan Jay on Flickr]

[iPhonePortugal]

Silicon Valley Insider thinks that Unbox support is unlikely on account of its status as a direct competitor to Netflix streaming, but TiVo supports it so I wouldn't rule it out completely, plus a $99 provider-agnostic box would fill a conspicuously empty gap in the market, and my heart. [Forbes via Silicon Valley Insider]

1. Some of Cinemanow's content will be available in HD. (Unbox will soon be offering HD as well.)
2. TiVo is clearly not opposed to offering more VOD partners. (C'mon Netflix!!!)

A man can dream, can't he? Also of note, TiVo has confirmed that YouTube support will be coming this summer. Here's the full press release:

TIVO TO OFFER MOVIE RENTALS FROM THE WALT DISNEY STUDIOS ON DEMAND

TiVo now offers movies from all major studios directly to the television set

ALVISO, CA - May 28, 2008 - TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), today announced that TiVo subscribers will soon be able to download movies from The Walt Disney Studios to their broadband connected TiVo® DVRs directly from the TV.

Titles will be available to rent through an agreement with Disney-ABC and CinemaNow, a digital entertainment provider of high-quality Hollywood movies and TV shows across multiple platforms, and the latest partner to join TiVo's broadband efforts. The companies will offer the movies for a 24-hour rental period in standard definition, with many also available in high definition.

"We are very excited to be working with Disney and CinemaNow. Adding Disney movies really delivers on TiVo's promise to offer the best television entertainment experience with unlimited content choices that are easy to navigate across broadcast, cable, and broadband using one device, one remote, and one user interface," said Tara Maitra, Vice President and GM of Content Services at TiVo Inc.

"TiVo has always delivered a superior experience," said Dan Cohen, executive vice president of pay television and interactive media, Disney-ABC Domestic Television. "We're pleased that their subscribers will be able to enjoy our extensive catalog of new releases and classic library titles."

The service is available to all broadband-connected TiVo Series2™ and Series3™ subscribers later this year. TiVo offers more than 30,000 titles through Amazon Unbox, Music Choice and more than 50 other content providers. The company recently announced that TiVo subscribers will be able to access YouTube videos directly on the TV via the TiVo DVR this summer.

It doesn't look like Universal is participating, and the other stuff they're giving away—Amazon Unbox TV downloads, electronics, apparel, DVDs and CDs—don't appear to be on the same point system, at least the way the press release reads. Which is too bad, I'd totally drink 10 bottles of Pepsi for a free CD.

Pepsi Stuff and Amazon MP3 Bring DRM-Free MP3 Music Downloads to the Masses: More Music for More People on More Devices

Pepsi Stuff Kicks Off on the Super Bowl

PURCHASE, N.Y., Jan. 14 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Pepsi and Amazon.com are teaming up on Pepsi Stuff, a massive collect-and-get program where consumers can download the most DRM-free MP3 music available anywhere. Four billion specially marked Pepsi packages will allow people to collect points and redeem them for music from Amazon MP3 that can be played on virtually any digital portable device (including iPod®), organized in any music management application, or burned to a CD.

Beginning February 1, consumers purchasing Pepsi products can "bank" their points on PepsiStuff.com and redeem them for music on Amazon MP3. Amazon MP3 offers Earth's Biggest Selection of a la carte, DRM-free MP3 music downloads, with over 3.25 million songs from more than 270,000 artists. Five points earn consumers one MP3 song download from the libraries of EMI Music, SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, Warner Music Group and tens of thousands of other music labels. Pepsi's biggest promotion ever makes its debut on the Super Bowl.

"MP3 music is the future of the industry and Pepsi Stuff is an accelerator," said Danny Socolof, President of Las-Vegas based MEGA, Inc., which facilitated the Pepsi/Amazon alliance. "It will help more people discover legal DRM-free music downloading sooner than they might normally have. It's also likely to draw in music fans who are not as familiar with digital downloading, which can help build a healthy future for the music business."

"We are excited to team up with Pepsi and reward millions of Pepsi Stuff participants with high-quality DRM-free music downloads from major and independent labels, playable on virtually any device, and an easy downloading experience that doesn't require special software," said Bill Carr, Amazon.com Vice President for Digital Music and Movies.

"Pepsi Stuff gives consumers choices — many choices: from the prizes they select, to the music they want to hear, to the device they want to play it on," said Cie Nicholson, SVP and chief marketing officer, Pepsi-Cola North America. "We're also broadening the prize pool to include Amazon Unbox TV downloads, electronics, apparel, DVDs and CDs. We're offering up to $1 billion in prizes, making this the largest promotion we've ever done."

Participants can also enter a daily sweepstakes for the chance to win trips to events like the Super Bowl, the MLB All-Star game and the Daytona 500, as well as for cash and many other big prizes. Consumers may sign up now to be reminded when the promotion begins at www.pepsistuff.com.

Pepsi has a long history of marketing through music, beginning with the first advertising jingle ever broadcast nationwide in 1940 and spanning the '60s and '70s with the Pepsi Generation. In the 1980s Pepsi began developing relationships with some of the world's biggest recording artists and featured chart-topping songs in marketing campaigns, concerts and commercials. It's a strategy that continues today, including recent associations with superstars Kanye West, Beyonce, Gwen Stefani and Green Day.

Pepsi Stuff will be executed across the entire Pepsi trademark: Pepsi-Cola, Diet Pepsi, Diet Pepsi MAX, Pepsi ONE, Wild Cherry Pepsi, Diet Pepsi Wild Cherry, Diet Pepsi Jazz, Diet Pepsi Lime and Diet Pepsi Vanilla. It will be supported by an extensive marketing campaign that will include TV, radio and outdoor advertising created by BBDO NY. TracyLocke (Wilton, CT), Pepsi's promotional agency of record, has been instrumental in the development and ongoing execution of the program.

About Amazon MP3

Amazon MP3 is Amazon's DRM-free MP3 digital music store where every song and album is playable on virtually any digital music-capable device, including the PC, Mac®, iPod®, Zune®, Zen®, iPhone(TM), RAZR(TM), and BlackBerry®. Amazon MP3 offers Earth's Biggest Selection of a la carte DRM- free MP3 music downloads with over 3.25 million songs from more than 270,000 artists represented by over 33,000 music labels. Every song on Amazon MP3 is available exclusively in the MP3 format without digital rights management (DRM) software. This means that Amazon MP3 customers are free to enjoy their music downloads using virtually any music-capable device, organize their music using any music management application such as iTunes® or Windows Media Player(TM), and burn songs to CDs.

Gawker Media polls require Javascript; if you're viewing this in an RSS reader, click through to view in your Javascript-enabled web browser.

The piece alludes to "grumbling about Apple's prices" by Hulu's other daddy, News Corp., lending more weight to the possibility of a larger revolt against Apple sparked by the NBC walkout/booting. If News Corp. followed them to Unbox (its iTunes contract is also supposedly coming due), the video download market would become much more interesting. Unbox would gain some needed content firepower and the networks would be working with a distributor more beholden to them—and one with a direct line to millions of TiVos.

This party's so just getting started. [NYT, HuffPo via Tubewad]

•The Unbox functionality is buried under "Find Programs" (OK) and then again under "Download Movies and TV shows" and then TiVo Unbox. Unbox is placed next to podcasts. I feel like its important enough to go directly under "Find Programs".
• You can get lists of downloads under "Top Movie Rentals", "This Week's New Release Movies", "Special Deals", "Top Movies", "Latest TV Episodes", "Kids & Family", "Foreign Films".
•Movie rentals will range from $1.99 to $3.99, movie purchases from 9.99 to 14.99, and TV shows will cost $1.99 per episode.
• It's still impossible to tell when a movie will be downloaded, and you can't watch until the entire thing is downloaded (unlike on a PC using an Unbox client.) But there's a blue light on the front panel of the TiVo that means you're currently downloading. The best way to ensure a video is ready at night is to send it to your TiVo from Amazon's unbox website.
• Still no way to tell which movies are for rent or buy, from the UI.
• To search for shows, you have to go to universal swivel search, which is underneath find shows. There should be a way to search for content from the TiVo's unbox interface, but there isn't. This is my major gripe. The PC is still a better place for heavy movie searches, something you'll do often considering that Amazon has a lot of content, but not all.
•When content plays back, my TV enters 480 mode. It's below average TV quality, considering the compression. There are no HD movies on Amazon Unbox.

In the end, a pretty good way to rent movies, but don't forget about XBox 360's limited but HD video service. I tend to use TiVo's service more because its only a few clicks away while I'm already watching TiVo.

Helio Ocean [Gizmodo]

Note: By the way, the gallery loaded in some strange order. I'll fix it later as soon as I have a bit more time.

Dual Slider - alphanumeric keypad + full QWERTY keyboard
Color - Black
Dimensions - 4.33" x 2.20" x .86"
Weight - 5.61 oz Display - 2.4 inch QVGA display, 240 x 320, 260K colors
3G Speed - EV-DO
Talk Time - Up to 5.1 hours
Memory - 200MB internal memory expandable via microSD™ with USB Mass Storage Mode
Camera - 2.0 Megapixel, digital zoom, built-in flash
Video Camera - MPEG-4 video recording
Audio - Stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology
Personal Entertainment Center - Supports: MP3, AAC, WMA, MPEG-4, H.264, VOD, MOD
Additional Features - POP/IMAP Email Support Supports Helio Music GPS-enabled services and applications Photo caller ID

Ocean Comes With
Battery + Charger
Stereo Headset
USB Cable
2.5 to 3.5mm Headset Adapter

When will I be able to use the Amazon Unbox on TiVo service? We are currently beta testing our new service with a select group of TiVo subscribers. If you'd like to be notified when the service becomes available, sign up at TiVo.com.

Which TiVos will be able to play videos from Amazon Unbox?
Any broadband connected TiVo Series2 and Series3 DVR will be able to download and play Unbox videos. Sorry, the service won't be available for DirecTV TiVo subscribers or TiVo subscribers who use a telephone phone line to access the service.

More...

How will the Amazon Unbox on TiVo service work? What will I have to do to set it up? Do I have to somehow connect my TiVo to my PC? You will go to www.amazon.com/gp/video/tivo and do a one-time linking of your TiVo to your Amazon.com account. From that point on, when you buy or rent Unbox videos from Amazon Unbox you will have the option of downloading them directly to your broadband-connected TiVo. Your TiVo communicates directly to the Unbox service through your home network, so there is no computer in between.

Where on my TiVo will my downloaded videos appear?
Your videos will appear in your Now Playing list with the rest of your TiVo content, just where you would expect it to be!

How will the quality of Unbox videos compare to the quality of shows recorded by my TiVo?
Unbox videos watched on a TiVo will be of better quality than videos recorded at the Best Quality setting on a TiVo Series2 DVR.

How long will it take to download Unbox videos to my TiVo?
Download times will vary depending on your actual Internet connection speed and the length of the video. With a fast broadband connection (5 Mbps), a movie can download in about an hour, while a 1-hour TV episode can download in about 30 minutes. However, on a slower broadband connection (less than 1 Mbps), a movie could take up to 5 hours.

Luckily, the Unbox RemoteLoad feature allows you to order from Amazon.com and download anywhere. So, you can order your video during your lunch break and itll be ready to watch when you get home from work.

Will I be able to use TiVos Home Media features with my Unbox videos?
Unfortunately, you won't be able to use the TiVoToGo or Multi-Room Viewing features with Unbox videos. However, using the Unbox RemoteLoad feature you can download your videos to multiple PCs or TiVos.

How many copies of my Unbox videos can I have downloaded at one time?
Your videos from Amazon Unbox can be downloaded on up to 2 PCs or TiVos and 2 portable devices at any one time.

If I delete my Unbox video from my TiVo is it gone forever?
Amazon Unbox stores all of your purchased videos in Your Media Library for re-download, so your videos don't have to take up all the space on your TiVo.