Rhapsody Digital Music Service Now Available on the TiVo Service — Deliver Millions of Songs Direct to the Living Room
TiVo Inc. (NASDAQ: TIVO), the creator of and leader in television services for digital video recorders (DVRs), and Rhapsody, the leading digital music service, announced they have made available a transformative way for consumers to experience digital music in the home by delivering instant access to the Rhapsody music service through any broadband-connected TiVo box.
This groundbreaking combination puts millions of songs and thousands of Internet radio stations at consumers’ fingertips from the comfort of their living room, cementing TiVo’s status as the undisputed universal home entertainment center. TiVo subscribers can easily search for music directly from their TiVo box and instantly play anything from Rhapsody’s extensive music catalog of over four million songs using TiVo’s intuitive remote control and Emmy award-winning user interface.
“By adding music to our portfolio of broadband offerings, TiVo is the only universal entertainment provider in the living room,” said Tom Rogers, CEO and President of TiVo. “Since the beginning, TiVo has been focused on the principle of choice and control, giving our users the ability to experience TV on their terms. Together, TiVo and Rhapsody have extended the personal viewing experience on TiVo into music, providing consumers with an incredibly easy way to access their favorite artists from their television set. Our customers can not only navigate through hundreds of TV channels and thousands of movie downloads, they now have access to millions of songs all on their television set.”
“We’re thrilled to bring Rhapsody into the heart of the living room with TiVo,” said Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO, RealNetworks, which in partnership with MTV Networks, owns and operates Rhapsody. “By partnering with TiVo, we can now give consumers easy and unlimited access to Rhapsody’s library of four million songs from the comfort of their sofa. This is another important step as we fulfill our mission of bringing Rhapsody to consumers whenever and wherever they want it.”
“Rhapsody on TiVo gives music fans a cool new way to connect with the music and the artists they love,” said Michael Bloom, GM and head of Rhapsody America. “The combination brings Rhapsody alive as a social music experience in the home, and gives a whole new meaning to the term ‘house DJ.'”
Among other capabilities, consumers can search for music directly from their TV using TiVo’s intuitive search feature, browse charts of Rhapsody’s most popular, artists, albums and songs, check out weekly lists of new releases, or listen to thousands of radio stations that suit virtually any mood. TiVo users can also use the famous peanut remote’s Thumbs Up™ and Thumbs Down™ buttons to rate their favorite music. Rhapsody provides consumers with music recommendations based on their ratings, personal music tastes and listening habits.
The launch of Rhapsody on TiVo represents a fundamental leap forward in making Rhapsody accessible anywhere consumers want to enjoy music — on the computer, portable music device and mobile phone, and now through the television. The addition of music also adds to the diverse array of entertainment options for TiVo customers, joining movie downloads from Amazon, online content from sources such as The New York Times and The Onion, and the ability to share home movies through One True Media.
To celebrate the launch of this new service, TiVo subscribers have access to a free 30-day trial of Rhapsody. Consumers can choose to continue their Rhapsody service beyond the trial period for $12.99 per month. Current Rhapsody subscribers who have broadband connected TiVo DVRs can access their existing Rhapsody music libraries (including artists, albums, playlists and channels) via their television at no extra charge. Subscribers can learn more about Rhapsody on TiVo and sign-up for the priority list found at www.TiVo.com/rhapsody to ensure that the Rhapsody update is delivered to their TiVo boxes as soon as possible.
Details on the Rhapsody music service can be found at www.rhapsody.com. The new TiVo HD and other TiVo DVRs are available at leading consumer electronic retailers including Best Buy, Circuit City and Amazon.com. See www.TiVo.com for details.
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 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, WishList searches, and TiVo 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™ transfers 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, Calif.
TiVo, Season Pass, WishList, Series2, Series3, Swivel, Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down, TiVoToGo, ‘TiVo, TV your way’ and the TiVo Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of TiVo Inc. or its subsidiaries worldwide. © 2007 TiVo Inc. All rights reserved.
About Rhapsody
Rhapsody offers an integrated and immersive digital music experience accessible to consumers via their computer, portable music device and soon their mobile phone. Rhapsody is the exclusive digital music service for RealNetworks and for MTV Networks’ music and pop-culture brands in the United States. Rhapsody is a service of Rhapsody America LLC, a joint venture between RealNetworks (Nasdaq RNWK) and MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B).
RealNetworks and Rhapsody are registered trademarks of RealNetworks, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
