I love you, but I am afraid I am going to lose you.  You’ve grown distant and seem distracted somehow.  You’re fading away.  Now, I feel I must stage this intervention, before things get out of control and you disappear forever.  Please take these comments as they are meant, out of love and dedication.  I want to see you succeed, to better yourself, to be something I can love for many years to come.

Sincerely,

a concerned TV fanatic

You’re Dying Slowly

I’ve read countless articles about TiVo and all of them (over the last couple years) start out with details about their shrinking subscriber base.  In March of this year, it was reported that TiVo had lost another 223,000 subscribers for the first quarter of 2011, putting them at just over 2 million total users.   This is less than half of the 4.4 million subscribers they had in 2007.

Every cable company on the planet is offering up FREE or low-priced DVR to their customers.  While these units and software pale in comparison, they are finding a way into new homes every day.  In most cases, users are unknowingly/unwillingly paying fees for this sub-par DVR service and cable companies are locking people into long-term contracts to keep them from jumping ship.

Two of the biggest cable companies in the U.S. (DirecTV and AT&T U-Verse) have managed to lock you out of any potential business by making their “boxes” incompatible with any version of the TiVo DVR to date.  There are a large percentage of these users that want TiVo, but simply can’t use it. (see groups like TivoCommunity.com and @DirecTV_TiVo, etc.)

Partnerships Aren’t Working

TiVo’s ongoing partnerships with companies like DirecTV and Comcast have yielded almost nothing in the U.S.

DirecTV announced a new partnership with TiVo almost 3 years ago, after dumping you like a sack of potatoes, but has yet to produce a new co-branded DVR for subscribers.  DirecTV is probably holding off as long as they can while they convince users that their DVRs are better and locking more people into contracts that won’t allow them any upgrade or exchange options when the mythical DirecTV/TiVo finally hits the shelves.  P.S. If it ever does a reality, this co-branded DVR will probably be handicapped by DirecTV, much like their previous collaboration on the HR10-250.

Comcast tested TiVo units in “select areas of New England” but that ball never started rolling either and it seems it never will.  The latest models of the TiVo units can be used in place of the Comcast DVR units, but require a cable-card installation from Comcast.  I’ve read several articles indicating that the installation process is far from refined and that installers are not educated in how to properly set up the TiVo units.  Combine that with the fact that Comcast is not exactly promoting the option and you have a major loss of potential customers on your hands.

The Premiere is the Answer

There are critics of the latest TiVo offering (the Premiere) and plenty of hecklers who chime in on blog posts and message boards with comments like “what’s so special about TiVo, my ______ DVR is just as good,” but they all have one thing in common…. they are wrong.  They either haven’t used the Premier unit or they haven’t used the Premier unit for more then 2 minutes.  Having lived with 2 TiVo Premiere units in my house for the last year, and having used DirecTV’s knock-offs for years before that, I can tell you that the TiVo is a superior product in almost every way imaginable.   The TiVo interface is easier to use, much better looking and fast.  Toss in the fact that you can download/stream movies and TV shows from Amazon, Blockbuster and Netflix and stream music from services like Pandora and Rhapsody and you have a DVR that anyone would want (if they knew it existed).

#WINNING

So here is the answer TiVo….  Are you ready for it….  Stop complimenting cable and start competing with it!

Call it what you will, but the secret weapon, special sauce, secret ingredient of the TiVo Premiere is the fact that it works great with an HD antenna!  Stick with me for a minute here.  The TiVo can pick up dozens of channels in major metropolitan areas all over the country for FREE!  That’s right, full HD quality programming from broadcast stations like NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX and CW are available and ready to be plucked out of the air by a simple $60 accessory called an HD antenna.  Consumers only need to  purchase an HD antenna and a TiVo Premiere (plus monthly subscription) to begin watching and recording most of their favorite programs in HD.  No cable company needed!!!

I’ve had the TiVo+HD antenna conversation with friends, families and hundreds of people online (via blogs and forums) and almost every interaction has gone the same.  I tell Person A about the ability to watch and record MULTIPLE HD television programs for FREE (not factoring in the monthly TiVo subscription fee) and Person A says “what, that can’t be right?”  I often explain it several times and I am still met with disbelief.

The idea of “cutting the cord” is gaining momentum and an entire generation of tech-savvy young adults is entering the “cable-decision time” of their life.  You know, that point where they have to pay for cable on their own and are now concerned with the actual cost.  This same generation has grown up with YouTube, Facebook, iTunes, and many flavors of file sharing.  They are going to have different demands when it comes to their entertainment and traditional cable companies  are not going to be able to change quickly enough to meet their needs.   TiVo, this is where you can win!!!!!!

Other options are out there, in the form of HTPCs (home theater PCs), Boxxee, Roku, AppleTV, etc., and although they are all great tools, they are each flawed by their limited content, pricing and/or ease-of-use.  People still want their TV, but they don’t want it to be too complicated or too pricey and they aren’t willing to sacrifice too much programming to save some money.   Premiere is the perfect balance for the typical American family.

Now, It’s Up to You

So dear TiVo, it is time to make the change, if you are willing.  I’ll be there if you need me (seriously, hire me) but I would be happy just to see you restored to your original glory.  Take this idea and run with it!  Start doing what you are good at and quit letting those nasty cable companies bully you around.

I have written about Dropbox repeatedly and used their product religiously since a good friend introduced me to the service.  If you haven’t already been introduced, let me the one to tell you all about it (see Introduction below).  For those of you who are already fans, this week’s news was like getting a new double-album and a FREE concert.  You veterans can jump on down to the WOW! section to see the latest from our rock stars.

Introduction

JumpstartMyPC.com was started to help PC users get the most out of their computer and no product exemplifies this idea like Dropbox! Dropbox is a file-syncing, file sharing, online backup tool that you can access from just about anywhere and you can start using it for FREE! I have written about this product many times, shared it with clients, friends and family and I use it myself, every single day. If you aren’t using it yet, you are in for a real treat.

Dropox is a storage application and service operated by Evenflow, Inc. The service enables users to store and sync files online and between computers. There are many great features to this product, but best of all IT IS FREE. Click below and watch the video (created by the folks at CommonCraft) to see for yourself.

Features

A complete feature list is available on the Dropbox web site, but we have a few highlights for you:

• File Syncing – Start with 2GB of storage for free and synchronize any file type to as many computers/devices as you want. Within seconds of adding a file to your Dropbox, it is synced to any and every computer you have installed Dropbox on.
• File Sharing – Want to share files with friends and family but aren’t sure how? If you can right-click, you can use Dropbox to send anyone a link to a file. Create a shared area for pictures, movies or even work documents.
• Online Backup – Your files are stored on the Dropbox servers, so if your computer crashes or you accidentally delete it locally, your file (and previous versions) are still available.
• Security – Without going into a lot of technical jargon, your files are secure. User names and passwords are required to access any files and all of the transmissions of your data are encrypted.

Pricing

Getting started with Dropbox is FREE and they start you off with 2GB of space. You can refer friends, family and colleagues to increase this space up to 10GB, which is adequate for most users. To give you some perspective, I use Dropbox for JumpstartMyPC every day. I’ve been storing blogs, invoices, install files, images, etc. for 7 months now and haven’t even used 30% of the 3GB provided to me.

If, or when, you feel that you need more space, you can sign up for the Pro 50 ($9.99/mth) or Pro 100 ($19.99/mth) account.  Yearly plans are also available and you can save some cash by paying for the year in advance.   Although the pricing is fair, it is my hope that pressure from similar services and an upcoming Google storage offer will cause the Dropbox folks to lower that pricing a bit.  That being said, if I fill up my 10GB of space, I won’t hesitate to pay for the Pro 50 plan.

WOW!

As if the feature set and applications already released by the folks at the recently upgraded Dropbox headquarters weren’t enough, we were presented with several fantastic bits of news this week:

1. The official Android app is here – YES!!! I can now access all of my Dropbox files on my G1.  Android users (and there are a lot of us) can now have our files with us everywhere we go.  It’s like having a tiny briefcase in our phone.
2. Dropbox has an iPad app – WHAT???  How did you do that so quickly.  I haven’t been able to get a hands-on with the iPad yet, but some great screen shots have surfaced of the new app at work and it looks great.
3. Mobile API for “Dropbox Anywhere” – Developers can now get in on the fun.  According to cnet news, Dropbox “has worked with a number of developers to integrate their apps into the new data pipeline… All of these apps are able to tap into a user’s Dropbox storage to fetch data, and save it back without needing to use any of that device’s local data.”
4. Blackberry on the Way – Only listed as “quite soon,” the imminent release of the Blackberry app for Dropbox is on the horizon.  Last time a “coming soon” was announced (Android app), it took exactly one month for Dropbox to deploy the app.

Whether you are a Dropbox user currently or not, you can see that Dropbox is starting to turn up everywhere.  For those of you who need files on the go, anywhere at anytime, the one choice in cloud storage is becoming quite obvious.  Better start populating your Dropbox now so you’ll be ready for the revolution.

DropBox is a storage application and service operated by Evenflow, Inc.  The service enables users to store and sync files online and between computers.  There are many great features to this product, but best of all IT IS FREE.  Click below and watch the video (created by the folks at CommonCraft) to see for yourself.

Features

A complete feature list is available on the Dropbox web site, but we have a few highlights for you:

• File Syncing – Start with 2GB of storage for free and synchronize any file type to as many computers/devices as you want.  Within seconds of adding a file to your Dropbox, it is synced to any and every computer you have installed Dropbox on.
• File Sharing – Want to share files with friends and family but aren’t sure how?  If you can right-click, you can use Dropbox to send anyone a link to a file.  Create a shared area for pictures, movies or even work documents.
• Online Backup – Your files are stored on the Dropbox servers, so if your computer crashes or you accidentally delete it locally, your file (and previous versions) are still available.
• Security – Without going into a lot of technical jargon, your files are secure.  User names and passwords are required to access any files and all of the transmissions of your data are encrypted.

Access

Dropbox started as a computer software and has evolved into something more.  Over the last year, Dropbox has added an iPhone app that lets you access your files on the go.  Setup takes less than 2 minutes (I just did it myself) and your files are instantly available.  It’s like adding storage space to your iPhone or iPod touch and (as we mentioned before) it is FREE! There is currently no support for other smartphone devices, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Android support was added within the next year.  In the mean time, you can still access your files via a web browser.

Dropbox is on your Desktop, in your Web Browser & on your iPhone!

Pricing

Getting started with Dropbox is FREE and they start you off with 2GB of space.  You can refer friends, family and colleagues to increase this space up to 3GB, which is adequate for most users.  To give you some perspective, I use Dropbox for JumpstartMyPC every day.  I’ve been storing blogs, invoices, install files, images, etc. for 7 months now and haven’t even used 30% of the 3GB  provided to me.

If, or when, you feel that you need more space, you can sign up for the Pro 50 ($9.99/mth) or Pro 100 ($19.99/mth) account.  Yearly plans are also available and you can save some cash by  paying for the year in advance.  Although the pricing is fair, it is my hope that pressure from similar services and an upcoming Google storage offer will cause the Dropbox folks to lower that pricing a bit.  That being said, if I fill up my 3GB of space, I won’t hesitate to pay for the Pro 50 plan.