Harry Chen Thinks Aloud

A new version TiVo Desktop will allow users to download TiVo recordings to be played in mobile devices — iPod, PSP and Treo. Previous TiVo Desktop programs only allow users to play downloaded recordings in their desktop computers.

I think this new feature will help the sales of TiVo since the idea of being able to take TV shows with you while you are riding on a bus or a train is very appealing. Maybe it’s time to replace Gigi’s old iPod with a new video iPod.

The story was spotted on TiVoBlog.

We all know iPod is for music and entertainment. Few years ago, no one would ever guess that iPod could also be used for education. There is a growing number of “iTunes U” in the US. These universities explore the use podcasts and iPods to encourage students to learn.

Here are some real uses of iPods and podcasts:

• A history professor asks students to download 39 films to their video-capable iPods so she doesn’t have to spend class time screening the movies.
• A psychology professor has found a new-age answer to office hours: a podcast of the week’s most asked questions.
• Foreign language students use iPods to immerse themselves in coursework.
• University administrators want to use podcasts to recruit high schoolers to the 3,000-student campus.

Source: Rural college push iPod use for lectures, CNN, March 20, 2006

Technology evolution is a strange thing. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to predict how a new technology will use when it gets into the hands of general population. The use of iPod is a good example.

Nothing can be perfect in this world. This includes iPod Video. While it’s easy to upload paid videos from the iTune Music Store, but it has proven to be difficult if you want to upload videos that you have recorded on your own.

Declan McCullagh at CNet News.Com writes an interesting article that talks about his experience with iPod Video. Some problems that he has faced include (1) difficult to convert a recorded high-solution video into a low-solution video that works best on a iPod video, (2) copyright issues associated with uploading DVD movies onto a iPod Video.

I see iPod Video is still a relatively new technology. Many end user issues are waiting to be addressed.

Just a quick thought. Perhaps it’s a good idea for Apple to team up with TiVo. Maybe they can build a new framework that enables all TiVo recorded shows to be automatically converted to the right solution and obtain the appropriate copyright license keys. A sync in the iTune will upload all my selected TiVo shows onto my iPod.

At CES 2006, Google announced its new video cotent service, which will allow content owners to set their own prices. It’s a clear sign that Google tries to ride the new wave that is created by Apple’s iTune and iPod video.

This could confirm the speculation of some experts: video will be the hottest thing on the Web in 2006.