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Third-party access warning for TiVo Stream 4K dongles fixed
No word yet regarding de-linked hardware and services for those that acted on the notification
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Android TV is an open ecosystem with a lot of moving pieces, and that means sometimes bugs show up in unexpected places. Recently, some TiVo customers received startling security warnings about a company called SEI Robotics being granted full access to their Google accounts. Worse, revoking that access (as the notification recommended customers to do) could fully wipe out your smart home setup, removing smart speakers, Nest devices, and other Assistant-compatible hardware and services from your account. Google has since resolved the security warnings, but it sounds like customers that had their smart home setups wiped clean will need to rebuild them.
Android TV has existed for years, but there's been a distinct lack of devices running the software. TiVo, which made its name with one of the first DVRs, has just launched the Android TV dongle it showed off at CES. The TiVo Strem 4K is small but runs the full version of Android TV with apps (including Netflix), live TV integration, and a voice remote.
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Just like any year, this year's CES has focused quite a bit on television sets. And just like any (recent) year, this year brings us a whole slew of new Android TV products. To make it easier to sift through them, we've compiled this article combining all the announcements from the show, sorted alphabetically by manufacturer.
TiVo first made a name for itself in the late 90's when the company introduced a revolutionary digital video recording device that automatically saved TV shows for viewing later. Since then, TiVo has steadily dipped its toes into various products and services, like live TV via TiVo Online, TiVo Cast for streaming videos, and more. This decade, TiVo is branching out with a Sling-connected content streaming device powered by Android TV.
TiVo's fallen a long way since the heady days of the early 2000s, when its DVRs were cutting-edge technology in the early era of digital TV. With its stock now trading for under a tenth of what it did at the company's height, TiVo's new CEO hopes to pin the company's future on... a Android TV dongle. Given that a slew of such dongles are likely on the way (including Dish Network's AirTV Mini) and cheap Android TV boxes are already available, TiVo's play to stand out seems to be its own branded and customized version of the Android TV interface bundled with access to its DVR service.
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- It looks as though this will be used with a box from French company Sagemcom as part of a partnership with TDS Telecom. Whether the same hardware will be used with other operators as well remains to be seen.
Given the popularity of TiVo DVR boxes, smart home integration makes a lot of sense. This is something the company addressed nearly a year ago when it announced an IFTTT channel that would enable Google Assistant and Alexa support. With CES 2019 just around the corner, there's evidence to suggest TiVo is going to launch its own Android TV hardware.
A few weeks back we reported that TiVo support for automation service IFTTT was inbound, and enthusiasts would be able to integrate a whole new set of applets into their workflow. Well, that day has arrived, and the new applets even include limited Alexa and Google Home integration. Wiser heating systems have also received IFTTT integration.
Given the thousands of press releases coming out of CES, we almost missed the news that your TiVo DVR/Set-top box will soon integrate in your smart home setup, almost regardless of which platform you've decided to delve into.
You don't have to know what DVR is to recognize the name TiVo, the company that became synonymous with the word. The company's products have allowed users to return to previous shows and watch them on their own schedule since long before Netflix and Hulu came around to help people cut the cord.
TiVo customers are accustomed to convenience. That's the fundamental premise behind recording TV shows for later, after all. Sure, it sucks to miss a show because it came on during a time when you were busy, but that's more of an annoyance than a problem. The latest version of the Android app addresses a similar annoyance--being restricted to whichever room the big screen is in. After quite a wait, customers are now free to stream TiVo content and live TV directly to their mobile devices.
Virgin Media TV customers in the UK, you can now watch your TiVo live television service or recorded programs on your Android device, anywhere! Anywhere with a WiFi connection, that is. Assuming that you've got a phone or tablet running Android 2.3 through 4.3, but not KitKat 4.4. Oh, and you can't be rooted. Have fun!
Look, the TiVo apps may not be the best on the market (their 2.5 star ratings speak pretty loudly), but that hasn't stopped the team from putting together a generous new update for both the phone and tablet apps that brings support for Android 4.2, along with a handful of other new features.
Tivo For Android Tablets Officially Available In The Play Store
Back in January, Tivo released its official Android app, but it was designed specifically for phones. Now, the company has released a version designed
Back in January, Tivo released its official Android app, but it was designed specifically for phones. Now, the company has released a version designed for tablets. With this fancy new remote control sorcery, you can do a number of things from your Android tablet, including:
Along with a software update to the TiVo Premiere DVR, Margret Schmidt VP of TiVo User Experience tweeted the release of their first Android app: