If you liked this post, you may also be interested in...
- Hertz Ordered To Tell Court How Many Thousands Of Renters It Falsely Accuses Of Theft Every Year
- Even As Trump Relies On Section 230 For Truth Social, He's Claiming In Lawsuits That It's Unconstitutional
- Letter From High-Ranking FBI Lawyer Tells Prosecutors How To Avoid Court Scrutiny Of Firearms Analysis Junk Science
- FTC Promises To Play Hardball With Robocall-Enabling VOIP Providers
- FOIA Lawsuit Featuring A DC Police Whistleblower Says PD Conspired To Screw Requesters It Didn't Like
Reader Comments
Subscribe: RSS
View by: Time | Thread
Go TiVo
I thought about starting a business based on the MythTV and Linux a year ago. Then I read that TiVo amassed a patent portfolio around the entire DVR concept.
I vaguely remember that a senior executive said something to the likes of 'Anyone who wants to get into the DVR space (on linux) will have to talk to us'. I verified this, and they own a LOT of intellectual property.
Seeing this, and that there really are not too many alternatives (read: Windows Media Center) I dropped the concept.
I give a hearty Three-Cheers to TiVo. They invented the technology many years ago. (I even remember seeing Infomercials like 5 years ago) TiVo patented it, and they delivered it. Often imitated, but never substituted. TiVo is the American Dream, delivered...
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: Go TiVo
This is all besides the fact that TiVo is quickly and without regard for the customer bending over and taking it in the back side for networks.
They record things in the middle of the night, submit my TV watching habits and my personal information to whoever they please and want to force me to watch ads while I fast forward or rewind.
And they haven't released any new products in quite literally years. They keep promising new things but they've yet to deliver.
Just like Microsoft, they had the right product at the right time, and now they've not done anything worth mentioning since. With a little competition and an open mind to that competition, instead of trying to put their thumb on top of them and then bowing down before the Network Gods we consumers would have a much better DVR product, and and the DVR companies would be making more money.
Now, if someone would like to help me off this very tall soapbox I'd be grateful.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Next thing you know they will sue Motorolla for selling the DVR cable boxes.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re:
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Re: so much for competition.
Granted, one person would have a monopoly for a while, but then the competition would be able to build something very similar that does the same thing...
Has this changed? I don't know. As far as I'm concerned, a patent should have a 'limited run' of a short time then open up to competitors, thus inviting improvements and innovation.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]
Too much money can be paralyzing
Too much cash can allow tough decisions to be deferred. I'm afraid that might happen.
I wrote more on this at my blog.
[ link to this | view in chronology ]