Wednesday, January 04, 2006

Macworld Expo Prediction: Apple + Intel + Tivo = Home Media Dominance

I've been meaning to write this prediction down for a while now and I'm finally getting around to it. Most people agree that Steve Jobs will announce his latest "one more thing" the new Intel Mac Mini with Tivo-Killer functionality at the Macworld Expo. But the surprise will be that the Tivo-Killer functionality will be provided by Tivo itself.

Let me explain how I came to this conclusion. As the owner of a Powerbook and a Tivo, it's very upsetting that there is no Tivo-To-Go support for OS X. Sure lots of companies don't support the tiny 5% of computer users on the Apple OS but Tivo's really handled the issue as if they were handcuffed by an NDA. They're working on it, no date set yet but we're working on it. Maybe sometime soon, etc, etc.

The other announcement that confirmed it for me was the joint Intel/Tivo support for the Viiv thing. Viiv (rhymes with Alive) equiped computers are designed to run your home media centers.

Hmmm, sounds like something big is hiding out there in plain sight. Taken separately these two items seem like normal everyday news. But when you put these facts together, it gets you thinking.

Regardless of what is announced at Macworld Expo, it will definitely be an interesting event.

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