S3: Worst product annoucement ever

[mportuesi]

So Tivo "announced" the biggest upgrade to their product family in four years, by updating the front page of their website and letting everyone find out through word of mouth. And doing it on the same day as a big Apple announcement, to guarantee nobody would notice.

Compare Tivo versus Apple and Nintendo. Both Apple and Nintendo know how to introduce a major new product. They build up buzz months in advance, put together carefully staged events to build up excitement both in their current customers and potential customers, and make sure the media writes about them. By contrast, Tivo appears to know how to hide their product from everyone.

I made this same point on this forum around CES time (http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=3650859&&#post3650859) , when they showed the prototype. I got flamed by a bunch of Tivo apologists claiming, "well duh, idiot, it's not released yet."

Well, it's released now -- and Tivo has treated the product launch almost the same way they did with their CES showing. They seems to think nobody cares.

Tivo must (choose one):

a) be incompetent
b) deliberately want the product to fail
c) realize it's priced so high it will sell only to the hardest core of their current customer base, and decided not to pay for a publicity blitz

None of these are particularly encouraging signs.

[TechDreamer]

I think the fact that Tivo knew they were releasing a crippled box took some wind out of their sales.

[HiDefGator]

Anyone with an ounce of common sense knows that answer "C" is true.

[BriGuy20]

Let's get Comic Book Guy's take on this....



















http://z.about.com/d/animatedtv/1/0/l/cbg.jpg
WORST PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT.... EVER!!!!

Yep, he agrees with you. :p

EDIT: I'm still getting one, though.

[megazone]

Which is why it has already been picked up by a number of mainstream press outlets. Because TiVo his hiding it. Right.

[rainwater]

Long term, the way it was announced is not going to make a difference. They know the average consumer isn't going to be buying this box today. Right now, the S3 target audience is much smaller than it will be in a year's time. I think the main focus should be getting new HDTV customers to invest in the S3.

[mportuesi]

Which is why it has already been picked up by a number of mainstream press outlets. Because TiVo his hiding it. Right.

From the online business page of my local newspaper (sfgate.com):

Breaking Business News

-- Apple expected to push online movies

-- Stocks Rise on Goldman Results, Oil Down

-- EU Warns Microsoft on Vista Security

-- Hewlett-Packard's Dunn to Step Down

-- Sony Delays Japan Launch of New Walkman

Yup, lots of TiVo coverage there. A story about a Sony product in Japan got better billing than TiVo.

(No, I don't think Tivo is deliberately hiding the S3. I'm just saying they really didn't go out of their way to promote this thing, and that omission is to their (and our) detriment).

[doormat]

TiVo was stupid for releasing it on the same day Apple annouces their Movie store, 7 new iPods (2 regular, 3 nano, 1 shuffle), and their tv adapter thing.

[Riverdome]

But it's Tuesday, the annoucement HAD to be today. I guess they could have waited another week. :confused:

[BriGuy20]

I think they just ran into the same day that Apple did (my guess is that TiVo was planning to release on the 12th before they found out Apple did, and didn't change the date based on logistical problems). Understandable, but not too smart. :rolleyes:

Still, I DO feel like a kid at christmas. :)

[nrc]

From the online business page of my local newspaper (sfgate.com):

From this morning...
Tech News - Associated Press Sep 12, 11:13 am ET
AT&T Launches Live Broadband TV Service
NEW YORK (AP) - AT&T Inc. is launching an Internet TV service where subscribers can watch live cable channels such as Fox News on any computer with...
• Sony Delays Japan Launch of New Walkman
• TiVo Unveils Its 1st High-Definition DVR
• Cingular to Launch Keyboard Nokia Phone

Anyway, this is a product release, not a product announcement.

[mportuesi]

Anyway, this is a product release, not a product announcement.

You're arguing semantics.

The bottom line is that TiVo, either deliberately or inadvertently, failed to reach as many people as they could for an important new product.

[Rkkeller]

I dont think this is really a big deal as the product is not going to sell well as it is severely overpriced.

[MichaelK]

perhaps (and just a guess..) they are waiting to announce when it will be availible at retail. Have we seen anything official besides sayign you can get it at tivo.com?

dont know....

[MichaelK]

in any event-

who cares?

I got mine.

And since basically only we know about it, I'll be sure to get mine from the first batch shipped...

[Stoystown]

Worst ever? Not by a long shot.

1. You heard about it.
2. Probably 95% of people who would be willing to pay $800 for the box heard about it
3. The other people will heard about it when they are looking for X-mas presents, and
4. Most of the sales will probably come after the end of this month.

You can make the argument that they need to be more showboaty, but in my humble opinion, there is a very small number of people who are interested in this product. Most of them read these boards. Others read engadget or other boards where this will get out.

To me, the question will be whether the Wall Street Journal's Walt Mossberg or the New York Time's David Pogue review the product. I imagine this week they will both look at downloading movies from Apple and Amazon. Maybe in the next few weeks for the Tivo.

[MichaelK]

...
2. Probably 95% of people who would be willing to pay $800 for the box heard about it...


ding ding ding we have a winner...

[hiddentrout]

...in my humble opinion, there is a very small number of people who are interested in this product. Most of them read these boards. Others read engadget or other boards where this will get out.
...or you could ding, ding, ding this point. :p

Nice post though ST, I agree with most of it.

(though I agree with the OP as well, at $800 this isn't a typical mass market price point and isn't going to generate the type of hype associated with such launches)

[dswallow]

[...] though I agree with the OP as well, at $800 this isn't a typical mass market price point [...]
Someone should tell Sony.

[hiddentrout]

Someone should tell Sony.Hah. I almost included the PS3 in my previous comments.

I'm certain you've seen the bludgeoning Sony has taken on the price of the PS3 (and even in it's most expensive iteration $600, it's 1/3 less than the S3) as most analysts have concern it might be priced at a point which will only garner the "fanboy" market.

Sony has (and continues) to reap poor publicity as regards their PS3 pricing, so if that was meant as a defensible point, I don't think it's apt.

(although, who knows, maybe PS3 and the Tivo S3 will take over the world and make monkey's uncles out of all those folks who think they're overpriced - only time will tell)

[MichaelK]

Hah. I almost included the PS3 in my previous comments.

I'm certain you've seen the bludgeoning Sony has taken on the price of the PS3 (and even in it's most expensive iteration $600, it's 1/3 less than the S3) as most analysts have concern it might be priced at a point which will only garner the "fanboy" market.

Sony has (and continues) to reap poor publicity as regards their PS3 pricing, so if that was meant as a defensible point, I don't think it's apt.

(although, who knows, maybe PS3 and the Tivo S3 will take over the world and make monkey's uncles out of all those folks who think they're overpriced - only time will tell)



thing is Sony likely expects tens of millions of PS3's to be sold in first 6 months. Tivo is probably happy with 50,000.

[hiddentrout]

thing is Sony likely expects tens of millions of PS3's to be sold in first 6 months. Tivo is probably happy with 50,000.
...heading OT, the most recent numbers I read stated Sony wanted to sell 8 million units, worldwide, by the end of 2007 (2 million in 2006 and 6 million in 2007).

[lawilson2]

Their newsletter FINALLY arrived... Check your email

[smak]

You don't send out 100,000 invitations to a 5000 seat theater.

I am pretty sure Tivo will sell most of the boxes that they made pretty fast.

And that's not a huge amount.

-smak-