The Beginning of TiVo's End?

TiVo tests pop-up-style ads. That headline hit me like a ton of bricks considering I just made a substantial investment in the company this morning it the form of 2 new TiVo's.

I had hoped that they will get bought and weather the storm they are in, as it turns out this may be their tsunami and they aren't pulling through.

Pulling this type of crap (without even thoroughly testing it first) is a great way to piss people off. This could possibly work if it was unobtrusive and allowed people to actually get more information on the advertisers product if they chose but, unobtrusive these pop-ups are not. The first time I get one of these pop-ups and it interferes with anything I am doing, I am disconnecting the thing and hacking beyond recognition.

I want TiVo to succeed. I have been an evangelist for them. But this is not the way to make money. TiVo pull your heads out of your collective asses and figure out a way to sell a great service, with the greatest brand recognition (TiVo gets mentioned on Oprah almost weekly) in the sector to fat, lazy American? What is the problem here? It can't be that hard.