TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and a leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), together with Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMZN) today announced that “Amazon Unbox on TiVo” is now available to more than 1.5 million broadband-ready TiVo subscribers. This availability follows a recent successful beta-testing period with a small group of TiVo subscribers. This unique service offers TiVo subscribers the best way to find their favorite movies and TV shows from the thousands that are available on Amazon Unbox, download and watch them right on their TV. Also today, TiVo and Amazon announced the addition of Sony Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM) to the list of studios offering content through Amazon Unbox on TiVo, which also includes CBS, Fox Entertainment Group, Lionsgate, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Entertainment.
To celebrate the launch of this new service, TiVo and Amazon are offering $15 in free movie and TV show downloads to anyone who signs up for the Amazon Unbox on TiVo service by April 30, 2007.
“TiVo is putting more power and choice than ever before in the hands of consumers as the first and only DVR company to offer direct movie downloads to the TV where subscribers can experience them from the comfort of their living room, on the largest screen in their homes, where the experience of watching movies and TV shows is best,” said Tara Maitra, GM and Vice President of Content Services at TiVo. “Simply put, whether it’s content you choose from Amazon.com or from broadcast and cable programming, we put it all on your television, in one place, easy to find, whenever you want them.”
“Customers now have even more flexibility and convenience when it comes to enjoying Amazon Unbox,” said Roy Price, Director of Digital Video, Amazon.com. “In addition to watching their favorite movies and TV shows on their PCs and portable devices, customers can now watch Amazon Unbox videos on their televisions.”
Amazon Unbox on TiVo provides an easy solution for renting or purchasing thousands of movies and thousands of TV shows. For example, consumers can get caught up with the Oscar buzz by renting or purchasing the “must-see” Oscar-winning and nominated films and having them sent directly to their TV via their TiVo. Additionally, TiVo subscribers can easily find award-winning actors’ and directors’ previous movies through Amazon Unbox or through their broadcast programming via TiVo’s exclusive WishList searches.
To activate their broadband-connected TiVo Series2™ or Series3™ box, TiVo subscribers can log on to Amazon.com at https://www.amazon.com/unbox/tivo/ and perform a simple, one-time registration process to establish a link between their TiVo user account and their Amazon.com account. Once the initial set up is complete, eligible movies or television shows can be ordered from Amazon Unbox and downloaded directly to the customer’s TiVo box via the Internet–no PC is required for downloading and viewing. After the movie has been downloaded, the title will automatically appear in the subscriber’s TiVo “Now Playing” list with all of their other recorded shows, easily viewed with just a click of the TiVo remote. Customers can purchase television episodes for $1.99, purchase most movies for between $9.99 and $14.99, or rent movies starting at $1.99. As an added bonus, all purchased videos are automatically stored in each customer’s “Your Media Library” at Amazon.com for future access and download.
For more information on Amazon Unbox on TiVo visit www.tivo.com/amazon or www.amazon.com/unbox /tivo/.
About Amazon Unbox™
Launched in September 2006, Amazon Unbox is a digital video download service offering thousands of television shows, movies and other video content from more than 30 studio and network partners from Hollywood and around the world.
- Unbox customers can purchase television series episodes for $1.99 per episode, purchase most movies for between $9.99 and $14.99, or rent movies starting at $1.99.
- Unbox RemoteLoad™ technology allows customers to buy from one PC (such as an office computer) and download to another computer (such as a home computer) or a TiVo DVR.
- At no additional charge, Unbox automatically includes with downloads to PCs a second file optimized for playback on any Windows Media-compatible portable device. Customers get the added flexibility of taking their video collection on the go using any Windows Media video-compatible portable device, including the popular Creative Zen Vision:M.
- For downloads to a PC, Unbox uses progressive download, eliminating the need to wait for the entire video to download before watching. This means the typical cable broadband customer can start watching any Unbox TV show or movie within five minutes of ordering.
- Amazon Unbox customers can download episodes of their favorite television shows that aired as recently as last night or favorites from decades past.
About Amazon.com
Amazon.com, Inc., (NASDAQ: AMZN), a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth’s Biggest Selection. Amazon.com, Inc. seeks to be Earth’s most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food, sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.
Amazon and its affiliates operate websites, including www.amazon.com, www.amazon.co.uk, www.amazon.de, www.amazon.co.jp, www.amazon.fr, www.amazon.ca, and www.joyo.com.
As used herein, “Amazon.com,” “we,” “our” and similar terms include Amazon.com, Inc., and its subsidiaries, unless the context indicates otherwise.
About TiVo Inc.
Founded in 1997, TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO) pioneered a brand new category of products with the development of the first commercially available digital video recorder (DVR). Sold through leading consumer electronic retailers, TiVo has developed a brand which resonates boldly with consumers as providing a superior television experience. Through agreements with leading satellite and cable providers, TiVo also integrates its full set of DVR service features into the set-top boxes of mass distributors. TiVo’s DVR functionality and ease of use, with such features as Season Pass recordings and WishList searches and KidZone have elevated its popularity among consumers and have created a whole new way for viewers to watch television. With a continued investment in its patented technologies, TiVo is revolutionizing the way consumers watch and access home entertainment. Rapidly becoming the focal point of the digital living room, TiVo’s DVR is at the center of experiencing new forms of content on the TV, such as broadband delivered video, music and photos. With innovative features, such as TiVoToGo™ and online scheduling, TiVo is expanding the notion of consumers experiencing “TiVo, TV your way.” The TiVo service is also at the forefront of providing innovative marketing solutions for the television industry, including a unique platform for advertisers and audience measurement research. The Company is based in Alviso, California.
TiVo, Season Pass, TiVoToGo, WishList, the slogan ‘TiVo, TV your way.’, Series2, Series3, and the TiVo logo are trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide. (c) 2007 All rights reserved.
