Philips is showing off a prototype of a new personal video recorder at the
IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. Philips plans to target set top box makers who could include the software on their machines. But there will also be a free downloadable version of the software that will work on PCs running Windows Vista.
The
Washington Post reports that the Philips software has one feature your won't find in any TiVo or cable company set top box. It tracks the viewing habits of multiple members of your household and finds shows it thinks each will like.
NBC is really thinking of new advertising strategies, eh?
First they have all the product placement and product placement plots on shows like 30 Rock, The Office, and Studio 60, and now they've reached a deal with Philips Electronics for the company to be the lone sponsor of next Monday's edition of NBC Nightly News. It's part of a $2 million deal the network did with Philips, and will include other cable shows and their weather network.
Of course, one sponsor has been done several times before, even this season. Smith had an episode that was completely sponsored by The Departed, the recent Martin Scorcese crime flick. It was presented with fewer commercial interruption, or however they phrase it. The NBC Nightly News will be presented the same way. Instead of having fourteen commercials during the 30 minute show there will be three, all by Philips.
Reminds me of the days when one company would sponsor a show. The Colgate Comedy Hour or Milk of Magnesia sponsoring the game shows in the 50s. All that was stopped when the sponsors started having too much input into how the shows were done, but I wonder if were inching towards something similar now.
Are the 60 GB iPods about to become 
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