TiVo has launched a new service called TiVo Guru Guide recommendations. Guru Guides are basically virtual television channels which feature shows recommended by editorial experts in a specific category. These experts (or shall we call them “gurus”?) post up their show recommendations for specific categories such as sports, films, music, etc. You can then pick and choose the shows you’d like to record from these Gurus. This is an awesome idea for people who can’t decide what shows they’d like to record on their TiVo’s. It’d be interesting to see if TiVo can make sure they stay objective in their picks and not be swayed by say…. money from a broadcasting company to make sure someone picks their show. Guru Guides will become available to subscribers of TiVo at no additional charge.

[Check it out]

[Check it out]

 

TIVO LAUNCHES NEW GURU GUIDE(tm) RECOMMENDATIONS, BRINGING THE MOST POPULAR MAGAZINE BRANDS TO TV WITH HAND-PICKED PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS FROM EDITORIAL EXPERTS

Gurus from Entertainment Weekly, Star, Sports Illustrated, Billboard and More Offer Guides to Their Favorite TV Programming

ALVISO, Calif. — May 22, 2006 — TiVo today announced the upcoming launch of TiVo Guru Guideâ„¢ recommendations. TiVo’s newest feature will be available to subscribers in the coming weeks. It allows TiVo subscribers to discover exciting programming and automatically record great collections of shows, recommended by editorial experts at some of the nation’s top consumer magazines and news sources. Guru Guideâ„¢ recommendations will create a virtual television channel from each of these authorities, while leaving the ultimate selection and choice to the consumer.

Gurus from Entertainment Weekly, Star, Sports Illustrated, Automobile, Billboard, CNET and others will offer TiVo subscribers program recommendations based on popular television categories including sports, films, music, comedies, drama and more. As an added benefit, TiVo subscribers will be able to automatically record Guru Guide recommendations via the company’s online scheduling feature.

“TiVo is the proven brand for innovation and personalized home entertainment, making it the perfect partner to bring Star magazine to life on television,” said Bonnie Fuller, Chief Editorial Director and Executive Vice President of American Media which owns Star magazine. “Making Star’s editorial experts available to TiVo subscribers is a unique, cutting-edge way for us to reinforce our brand awareness beyond print into a powerful electronic medium.”

For TiVo, Guru Guide recommendations are the latest in a series of innovative offerings like recently announced TiVo KidZoneâ„¢ and TiVo Mobileâ„¢, and is designed to distinguish TiVo’s product and service from any other DVR in the marketplace. These exclusive features fulfill TiVo’s goal of providing television viewers with access to the very best TV programming in key content areas.

“Providing our users with a better, smarter way to enjoy their favorite television is at the core of what we do at TiVo and how we transform television viewing for consumers,” said Tom Rogers, president and CEO of TiVo.

Added Tara Maitra, vice president and general manager, Programming for TiVo, “By matching up TiVo technology with engaging Guru Guide recommendations from trusted sources, we are empowering TiVo subscribers with a brand new way to find, organize and view their favorite shows in an increasingly crowded television environment.”

Each TiVo Guru Guideâ„¢ recommendation will offer between five and ten programs of television per week and recommendations will be updated at least once per month to ensure that viewers always receive the freshest and most interesting content on television. Using TiVo’s online scheduling feature, subscribers will have the option of recording an entire TiVo Guru Guide selection, or they can pick individual programs from a given category based on their personal interests.

“Music programming on television and the integration of music into shows has come a long way,” said Scott McKenzie, group editorial director, Billboard Magazine. “Our recommendations are an eclectic assortment of programs aimed at enhancing the music discovery experience. Through Billboard’s Guru Guide recommendations, TiVo subscribers will enjoy some of the freshest new shows out there.”

“With so much sport-related content on television today, it’s easy to overlook some really great shows,” said Paul Fichtenbaum, managing editor of SI.com, Sports Illustrated’s Web site. “Sports Illustrated’s Guru Guide will provide viewers with recommendations compiled by our editorial team which will feature an interesting mix of television programming—everything from the best match-ups of the week, to the history of rugby, to the impact of exercise on childhood obesity.”

TiVo Guru Guide recommendations help viewers find engaging programming in popular content areas such as sports, music, TV, movies, beauty and fashion, technology, and urban culture. Other key partners to offer the very first TiVo Guru Guide recommendations include CNET , Automobile Magazine, and H20 (Hip Hop On Demand.)

As part of the TiVo commitment to continually update and enhance the service, additional TiVo Guru Guidesâ„¢ categories will become available to subscribers throughout the year at no additional cost to the subscriber. To learn more, visit www.tivo.com/guruguides .

About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO ) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo’s DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Passâ„¢ recordings and WishList® searches, has elevated its popularity among consumers and has created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo’s DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features such as, TiVoToGoâ„¢ transfers, and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing “TiVo, TV your way.” The TiVo® service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The company is based in Alviso , Calif.

This release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements relate to, among other things, TiVo’s business, services, product development, technology or other factors that may affect future earnings or financial results. Forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as, “believe,” “expect,” “may,” “will,” “intend,” “estimate,” “continue,” or similar expressions or the negative of those terms or expressions. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include delays in development, competitive service offerings and lack of market acceptance, as well as those factors described under “Factors That May Affect Future Operating Results” included from time to time in the Company’s public reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2006 . We caution you not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which reflect an analysis only and speak only as of the date hereof. TiVo disclaims any obligation to update these forward-looking statements.

TiVo, TiVoToGo, Guru Guides and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc.’s subsidiaries worldwide. All rights reserved. All other company or product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated
 
  

No Tags