Thursday, January 8, 2009

Microsoft does away with the DVR


Steve Balmer, CEO of Microsoft delivered this morning's keynote to CES. His message? Besides the introduction of Windows 7 and a new partnership with Verizon Wireless, Microsoft will add new features in their Mediaroom platform that will make the DVR obsolete.

The platform is used in MS middleware for the AT&T U-Verse service as well as some others. According to Telephony Online, viewers will be able to,
"... bypass the DVR and still watch TV shows anytime they want. Called Mediaroom Anytime, service providers can offer their customers the ability to watch a TV show at any time – hopefully keeping them from going online for the content. Through Restart Anytime, consumers can view a show from the beginning regardless of when they started, what channel they were on and whether the TV was on or off. With the Live Anytime feature, users can view any previously aired shows even if they forgot to record them. And through Download Anytime, areas with lower bandwidth infrastructure can still take advantage of the download and play capabilities of Mediaroom."

CES: Microsoft does away with the DVR, partners with Verizon for search

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