TiVo Marketing Manager Bob Pony posts over in the TiVo Community Forum that TiVo is extending their lifetime service (originally to be phased out on March 15th) to April 15th. If you want lifetime service on a Series 2 TiVo you’ve got a second chance to get it.
When TiVo made their announcement to drop lifetime service in their most recent conference call they received a lot of heat after the fact at places like Slashdot with folks swearing they would never buy a TiVo again with lifetime service etc.
I’d previously suggested that TiVo use a limited availibility of the return of the lifetime service when launching Series 3 later this year and that they consider using it as a tool to pump up sales from time to time if they lag by opening the lifetime service window.
Personally I’m not sure why anyone would actually buy a Series 2 TiVo right now with Series 3s due out later this year (although the Series 3 of course will most likely cost *a lot* more money), but if you wanted one and plan on using it for a long time lifetime service is definitely the best value play.
From TiVo Community Forum:
“We appreciate the feedback and apologize if some of our agents are providing inaccurate information.
We know that there have been retail advertisements which refer to product lifetime, and there have been requests here for a longer opportunity to purchase lifetime before it’s discontinued. As a result, we have decided to offer product lifetime as a subscription option through 4/15/06, even for those that have purchased since 3/15 (you do have to call to activate lifetime service though, and lifetime is not applicable for systems purchased via a bundle plan).
Our customer service team is being updated today, so please wait until later today or tomorrow and call back once the message has been delivered to all the agents.
Cheers,
Pony
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TiVo Product Marketing”