The portable video market got a boost Monday as TiVo Inc. announced plans to let subscribers to its digital video recording service transfer TV programs to Apple iPods and Sony PSPs (PlayStation Portables). The move will significantly expand the pool of video content available for those devices.TiVo’s plan is an extension of the TiVoToGo service the Alviso, California, company introduced early this year. The service lets subscribers transfer downloaded programs to their PCs and to a small number of Windows Portable Media Center devices. Adding support for the more popular iPod and PSP players notably expands TiVoToGo’s potential reach.Wary of running afoul of copyright law, TiVo plans to digitally “watermark” programs downloaded for portable transfer so that they can later be traced back to the originating account. Still, TiVo’s offering is likely to be a closely watched test case: it marks one of the first commercial services to let consumers transfer TV content to a portable device without paying for that specific content. Apple Computer Inc. recently struck a deal with ABC Inc. and ABC’s parent company, The Walt Disney Co., to sell episodes of a small number of TV shows, including hits “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives,” through Apple’s iTunes store for US$1.99 each. TiVo’s decision to add iPod support is partially a defensive move, aimed at preventing its customers from turning to other vendors for their portable video content. After pioneering the DVR (digital video recorder) market, TiVo has been struggling to hold on to its subscribers in a fiercely competitive market filled with technology and content vendors that have successfully mimicked TiVo’s services. TiVo plans to begin testing its iPod and PSP service in the next few weeks, with an eye toward making the feature available to all its subscribers early next year. While TiVoToGo is currently free for subscribers, the company said customers who wish to use iPods and PSPs will need to buy additional software to enable the content transfer. TiVo didn’t disclose a price for that software, but the company said it will be “low-cost.” TiVo’s monthly subscription cost is $12.95; customers also need to purchase a DVR box. By Stacy Cowley, IDG News Service Related content News ServiceNow continues workflow platform expansion with Utah release The company also doubles down on its customer success automation efforts, but bucks the trend by omitting GPT. By Peter Sayer Mar 22, 2023 7 mins CIO Build Automation Enterprise Architecture BrandPost Don’t buy into the hype of network observability to realize digital transformation success Just collect the right data and follow it to where it leads you. By Jeremy Rossbach, Chief Technical Evangelist, Broadcom Mar 22, 2023 3 mins Networking Feature How culture and strategic partnerships help fuel transformation Marc Hale, CTO for AIA New Zealand, recently spoke with Cathy O’Sullivan, editor for CIO New Zealand, about navigating the complexities of digital transformation, and focusing on culture to enable healthier outcomes for customers. By CIO staff Mar 22, 2023 7 mins CTO Digital Transformation Change Management Feature 10 things CIOs wish they knew from the start Go slower. Network. Tell stories. Get training. Be kind. CIOs have plenty of advice they’d give to their younger selves if they could. By Martin Veitch Mar 22, 2023 7 mins CIO Careers IT Management Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe