KidZone
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KidZone slowing down your TiVo?
If you've got children whom you're attempting to safeguard from the many kinds of deplorable programming that might sneak into your living room with the press of a button (ahem), and you happen to own a TiVo, you've probably taken advantage of its KidZone filtering features. But when guarding your child's precious, innocent mind results in sluggish reactions from your DVR, something's gotta give-- and let us tell you, it isn't gonna be your kid's noggin. A crowd of folks over at TiVo's own forums are claiming that the most recent KidZone update (7.3.1) has created a number of unwanted problems: "delays during channel changing, slow banner changes, slow response to remote control commands, slow menus, lost cable signals, slow deleting of items, occasional lock-ups, and forced reboots with no alleviation of symptoms post reboot." Most reports thus far are coming from Series2 boxes, not the fresh Series3 flavor, and it seems TiVo is "looking into" the issue in an attempt to get it resolved. So parents, if you're deactivating KidZone as a quick fix and letting the remote roam at will are worried sick about your children's viewing habits, hopefully TiVo will have you back in business (and your kids out of luck) soon.[Via PVRWire]
Ain't nothin' like a TiVo House Party
TiVo, always one to come up with clever promotions to publicize its products (remember the TiVo Ambassador, TiVo speed dating, and Father's Day at the ballpark?), has now launched a program for DVR-nuts to host their very own TiVo House Party. Obviously inspired by the Tupperware parties of yore (as well as the more modern "personal entertainment product" parties enjoyed by certain women), TiVo's version comes in two flavors: a so-called "TiVo Tasting Party" for adults and a "KidZone Party" to expose your children's friends to even more brain-rotting boob tube. Not everyone is invited to the the party, though; you have to fill out an application and get accepted into the program in order to get the go-ahead from TiVo, which earns you some nature of special programming (ads for TiVo, perhaps?), undefined "special offers," and tips on making your House Party a real rager. Since the House Party website also organizes other corporate-sponsored get-togethers, you might be able to turn the night into something of a House Party pub crawl: start out with a little TiVo action, move on to a Fear Factor shindig, and end the night kicking back with other Martha Stewart lovers at -- yes, this really exists -- a Kmart House Party. Thank you, Corporate America, for turning our social lives into a series of awkward, product-pushing cocktail gatherings.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
TiVo takes home an Emmy
In what could be seen as something of an ironic move, the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has just awarded TiVo -- the same company that's made life more difficult for networks, cable companies, and industry-supporting advertisers -- a 2006 Emmy award for "outstanding achievement in enhanced television programming." Services like TiVo KidZone and TiVoCast helped the DVR king beat out such offerings as AOL's Music on Demand, CNN Enhanced, and DirecTV's Interactive Sports, with the official statuette being awarded on August 19th at the Creative Arts Awards Ceremony being held in L.A.'s Shrine Auditorium. Congratulations, TiVo, you've certainly had a big week: first you launched your Audience Research and Measurement division, then you formed a sweet marketing agreement with BellSouth, and now you've been honored for all your hard work with a shiny Emmy -- but don't go resting on your laurels quite yet, as it looks like there may still be dark clouds just over the horizon.[Via Zatz Not Funny]
