EchoStar is launching a slate of advertisements for its DVR receivers today aimed primarily at TiVo. The print, TV, radio and billboard campaign features tags such as ‘Sure, TiVo is hot. TiVo is also expensive’ and ‘Like TiVo without the sticker shock.’ "TiVo has spent a lot of money on branding the DVR, but we believe we will win over consumers on price point with our free DVR," EchoStar said. While TiVo is the brunt of the joke, cable isn’t spared. DISH continues to ask ‘Why is Digital Cable So Expensive?’ pointing out that subs must upgrade to digital cable to get a DVR box. The campaign is slated to run for several months. — TiVo talked up another wrinkle meant to differentiate itself from generic cable-satellite DVR services: it will release a software development kit that allows 3rd-party app developers to add features to its flagship PVR offering. The Java-based kit will be available on SourceForge.net and is part of a broad-based scheme to enable TiVo boxes to download content from the Internet. New features for the "Series2" models will subsequently be introduced throughout ’05.

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Levin Reads Tea Leaves on Starlink’s Place in BEAD

New Street Research analyst and Brookings nonresident senior fellow Blair Levin has been peppered with all sorts of questions about Donald Trump’s second term as president.

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