Digeo Stuffs Media Into DVR
Retail Unit, Due Later in 2008, to Add Photos, Music, Games and Web Info
By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 1/7/2008 1:57:00 AM
LAS VEGAS -- The retail version of Digeo’s digital video recorder isn’t ready yet, but the company has lined up four partners to provide photo sharing, music, games and Internet-delivered information for the product when it eventually does go on sale.
Via a broadband connection, users of the Digeo Moxi DVR will be able to access Yahoo’s Flickr photo-sharing site; a music discovery service provided by Finetune; casual games such as sudoku and poker from Accedo Broadband; and news, weather and sports information through a partnership with CloverLeaf Digital.
“We’ve selected the partners because of the relevance to the Moxi experience overall -- to make sure they’re services that are meaningful, with the TV at the center,” Digeo CEO Mike Fidler said. He added that the services will be included with the purchase of the Moxi DVR, which will provide multiroom playback features.
Digeo had planned to launch retail versions of its Moxi high-definition DVRs before the end of 2007, but the products have hit development delays. Fidler said the retail DVRs will be available later in 2008, declining to be more specific.
The company, backed by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, supplies DVRs to eight cable operators, including Comcast, Time Warner Cable and Charter Communications.
Digeo’s strategy is similar to one adopted by TiVo, the leading retail DVR maker. TiVo, for example, has deals with Amazon.com to provide video downloads and Rhapsody to provide music content to TiVo subscribers.
