At this week's show, companies unveiled 20,000 high-tech products and services, from an eyeball massager to a revamped Disney Web site that lets people download movies. Many of the innovations offer promise or peril to Philadelphia's Comcast Corp.
Comcast is one of many companies, including Microsoft Corp., Apple Inc., the Walt Disney Co. and others battling for control of your living room. Comcast executives see themselves as poised to win that battle. As the country's largest cable company, with 24 million customers, Comcast controls distribution of content, a big edge in the fight for the TV crown.
One of the biggest developments for Comcast customers at this year's show: a reunited Comcast and TiVo Inc. Starting in the second half of this year, Comcast digital customers in some markets (no word on Philadelphia yet) will be able to get TiVo's recording capability simply by ordering a software download delivered electronically - no visit from the cable guy or purchase of a TiVo box.
"We wanted to make this easy, so what this means is, you don't have to buy new hardware or have someone come to your house," TiVo senior vice president Jeffrey Klugman said.
Customers love TiVo, but it has not always been easy to get because of the extra box previously required. The company's technology enables consumers to record, fast-forward, skip ads (though it is not clear yet whether this feature will be available on Comcast), and search for shows more easily than with current cable technology.
With TiVo, for example, a customer can use the remote to find all shows featuring Jay Leno, eliminating the need to know the exact title of a show - The Tonight Show With Jay Leno in the comedian's case. Viewers also can choose a "Wish List" of content they would like to see. Select "Bruce Springsteen" using your remote, for example, and the TiVo software will find every program featuring the singer.
