It's Finally Here: TiVo Series3

Yes, it's true. After much delay, TiVo lovers can now purchase the Series3 box which records in HD. In comes with 250G of space and the ability to record two shows at once in HD while watching another (yes, third) show in HD at the same time. Life just keeps getting better.

As luck would have it, Apple (another fave brand) just announced iTV today. The new device will allow you to receive content from iPhoto or iTunes via your TV. Another great step towards bridging the gap between TV and our computers. But those of us with TiVo know we have this functionality at our fingertips already: TiVo Desktop.

We do tend to be evangelists when we think a brand really gets it right, and TiVo comes close to topping the technology list in terms of how it enhances our life. Last night we were able to look at vacation photos with friends from the comfort of our living room. All through TiVo. TiVo Desktop allows you to broadcast your music and pictures via your WiFi network. Brilliant.

With the new hardware, TiVo has set out to crush the competition that has sprung up since 2002. It isn't just an upgrade, but a very different product from the previous release.

"This is a whole new platform for us," said Jim Denney, TiVo's vice president of product marketing. "Our objective was to build a best-in-class DVR. It's reflected in the price and also in the make of the product."

At it's current price point, I hope he's right. The $799 cost will likely even keep devotees clinging to their old boxes praying they don't wear out. Hopefully in the coming months they will offer slimmed down versions with similarly scaled down price tags. In the meantime, we'll be treating ours with a little extra TLC.