TiVO delivers latest release of TiVO 2000
TiVo's Service Enhancements Enrich Viewer Experience, Mean No Hidden Phone Charges for TiVo Customers
SAN JOSE, CA - April 5, 2000 - TiVo, Inc., (NASDAQ: TIVO) the creator of personal television, today announced its latest service update. In addition to delivering enhancements that will make it even easier to find television programs TiVo customers love to watch, it will improve delivery efficiencies, expanding TiVo's Service capabilities to support the company's growing customer base. New features include local phone access, demonstration capabilities at retail, "TiVomatic"TM interactive previews, bookmarks in paused programming and automatic detection of changing channel line-ups. The upgraded features will be provided to customers automatically and free of charge as part of their existing subscription to the TiVo PersonalTVTM Service.
In an effort to improve consumer ease-of-use and increase efficiency in delivering its service, TiVo will be providing local dial-in numbers for its subscribers. This change will enable the Company to scale its service and reduce costly toll-free costs, without burdening customers with long distance phone charges.
"This is good news for current and future TiVo customers. As we expand our service it becomes richer and more reliable. TiVo customers do not have to incur hidden phone charges from long distance calls to our service. They will always have a local or toll free number to use as part of their basic TiVo subscription," said Mike Ramsay, TiVo's President and CEO. "Our ability to scale to meet the growing demand for our service means consumers will always get the best value with the TiVo Personal TV Service."
"TiVo continues to provide value for customers with great new service capabilities that make it easier than ever to find and record programs for a better TV experience," continued Ramsay. "Adding to our commitment to provide better entertainment we are working to make the process for receiving the TiVo service simple, transparent and cost effective for every TiVo customer. The ability to grow our service efficiently is a real competitive advantage for us as the category of personal television grows."
Also, included in the latest release of TiVo's 2000 update is a new demonstration capability for retail outlets, which enhances the point-of-sale experience for potential TiVo customers. This addition to the service is critical as TiVo's consumer electronics partners prepare to launch multiple products into the retail channel in the coming months.
New Service Capabilities
TiVo has developed the new capabilities based on the issues and features most important
to customers and its growing business including:
TiVomaticTM interactive previews
Automatic pause
Automatic detection of channel lineup changes
Local telephone access (Point-of-Presence)
Built-in TiVo demonstration
Pricing and Availability
TiVo offers customers a choice in service options. A lifetime subscription to the
TiVo service with no monthly fees can be purchased with a single payment of $199.
For customers who want to keep their up front costs to a minimum, Personal TV is
available as a monthly subscription to the TiVo service for $9.95. TiVo offers a
flexible personal television service with the choice to pay as you go or no monthly
fees. The TiVo Service is currently available on stand-alone personal video recorders
from Philips for $399 and can be purchased at retail outlets nationwide including,
Best Buy, Circuit City and Sears or online at Amazon.com, ROXY.com or 800.com.
About TiVo
TiVo is the creator of the TiVo Personal TVTMService, which lets consumers take
control of their television viewing by allowing them to watch what they want, when
they want it. As part of TiVo's easy-to-use service and unique technology, viewers
can time-shift their favorite television shows and create a customized television
line-up for viewing at anytime. With TiVo's Thumbs UpTM Thumbs DownTM buttons, viewers
can teach TiVo what shows they like and dislike. Using these preferences, TiVo automatically
records programs the viewer may want to see.
TiVo also enables consumers to pause, rewind, instantly replay and playback in slow motion any live television broadcast. In addition, TiVo has developed in the United States a technology that serves as a platform for new and interactive entertainment content and services. To ensure viewer privacy, TiVo has established strict policies to help protect the personal information of consumers, while providing a valuable personalized TV experience. TiVo-enabled stand-alone personal video recorders are widely available for purchase in the US. Founded in August 1997 and headquartered in San Jose, Calif., TiVo is a creator of personal television. TiVo can be reached on the World Wide Web at www.tivo.com.
This release may contain forward-looking statements regarding TiVo's business, customers or other factors that may affect future earnings or financial results. 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. These risks and uncertainties are discussed further in the section entitled Risk Factors in the Prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
TiVo, TiVo Overtime Scheduler, TiVo Wish List, TiVo Cineplex,TiVo Network Showcase, Season Pass, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down and TiVomatic are trademarks of TiVo Inc. in the United States and other jurisdictions. All other company or product names mentioned may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. -- Product slides/digital images are available upon request.