Yes, that little DVR company called Tivo is still around and kicking, and just announced a new version of its easily recognizable set-top box.
Tivo, which skyrocketed to such popularity that it became just as normal-sounding a verb as “Google,” crashed just as hard as it soared.
After cable company DVRs really took off, there hasn’t been much need for Tivo. That is, with the exception of customers who want more than their cable DVR can offer.
As such, it has become much more of a luxury item than ever before. This latest installment in Tivo hardware proves it. Enter the Tivo Premiere Elite.
This is the ultimate DVR experience. With two (count ’em, two) terabytes of storage space, there’s enough room here for an unprecedented 300 hours of HD programming.
It also has four separate tuners under the hood, meaning it’s possible to record as many as four different TV shows or movies at the same time. Crazy.
It also gives users access to all sorts of online streaming content like Netflix, Hulu Plus, and Pandora.
Tivo also continues to expand to other sectors of consumer electronics. For example, it has partnered up with Best Buy to offer a Tivo-like interface for the retailer’s Insignia branded Internet-connected TVs.
While the TVs won’t have DVR access, they will have the familiar Tivo menu interface for navigating Web content like Netflix and Amazon Video On Demand.
The new Premiere Elite boxes are slated to retail for $500 by the end of 2011, and will require the standard $20 monthly service fee.
