| Amazon and TiVo threaten to take PC out of the picture |
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| by Stephen Withers | |
| Wednesday, 11 July 2007 | |
  
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This is a much simpler process than downloading content to a PC or Mac, and then having to sync or stream it to a device such as an Apple TV, an Xbox used as a Media Center Extender, or one of the networked media players that are on the market from various manufacturers. It is also a lot less trouble than hooking a computer up to the TV - media centre PCs are struggling to gain traction for various reasons including size, noise and stability, and running audio and video cables from one room to another isn't very appealing. And once a product name becomes a verb - "It's OK, I've TiVoed that show" - you know it has gained market acceptance. The whole thing is so much simpler than other approaches to the online delivery of pay-to-play content that it is likely to appeal to a much wider audience. While Apple's iTunes Store allows content to be purchased on a computer and played there or on an iPod or Apple TV, we can't help feeling that a majority of people are more likely to watch movies solely on the TV. If that's the case, why not cut out the PC and control the entire purchase and playback from the TV by using the TiVo, much as you might order a pay-per-view program from a cable provider through the set top box. Computers can still play a part in the Unbox/TiVo process, though. If you're at work and decide to watch a particular movie that evening, you can order it from Amazon's web site and bandwidth permitting (the partners warn that a movie may take up to five hours to download on a 1Mbps service) it will be ready when you are. Another attractive feature is that Amazon records everything you buy so that it can be downloaded again at a later date. This is very useful when you run out of space on the TiVo's hard disk, or as a form of insurance against losses caused by fire or other disaster. Try asking a DVD supplier to replace your library after the house burns down! The service works with TiVo series 2 and 3 boxes. A broadband connection is required. Amazon Unbox charges $US1.99 for episodes of TV shows, $US1.99 to $US3.99 for movie rentals, and $US9.99 to $US14.99 for movie purchases. Rentals last for 30 days; purchased content can be used on up to two TiVos. "We are excited to make Amazon Unbox on TiVo even easier to use by making it possible to purchase and rent movies and TV shows not only on the Web but also with your remote control," said Amazon Unbox director Roy Price. |
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