Yahoo Inc. and TiVo Inc. have announced a joint venture that aims to provide Yahoo driven content and services to TiVo"s digital video recording devices.
Beginning on Monday, November 7th users of Yahoo"s TV page will be able to remotely schedule recordings of a television program by clicking on a record-to-TiVo button. Plans for future expansion of this service also include the ability to view other Yahoo content such as traffic and weather reports as well as personal photos and other user content, all on your television via an on-screen menu system.
The idea of web content delivered to the television is nothing new and there have been mild successes as well as dismal failures in this market. However, Edward Lichty, TiVo"s vice president of corporate strategy, feels that the Yahoo-TiVo partnership will be different. "It"s not about having a Web browser on your TV and having a keyboard on your lap. It"ll still be focused on the TV experience and navigating with the remote control," Lichty said. "And this builds on existing use patterns. It doesn"t require people to relearn anything."