Seven offers Free YouTube!

It’s a dream come true! The Seven Network’s TiVo digital recorder is all set to offer users the opportunity to download free internet video clips from YouTube to the box free as soon as the next year begins. This comes straight from the man appointed to sell the product outside the US.

Some time ago it had been thought that Seven would charge subscribers for the additional features available on the TiVo. But in a surprising move, Joshua Danovitz, TiVo’s GM, said that from early next year, YouTube shall be made available to users, free of cost. Many deem this as a move to bolster sales for TiVo amidst the mixed publicity it has been subjected to in the weeks leading up to the launch. Seven is said to be aiming for a sale of 50,000 TiVo DVRs by the termination of the 2008-09 fiscal year. The break-even number for this period is believed to be 25,000. 

While Mr. Danovitz and other Seven executives remained elusive about how the launch had gone, Gerry Harvey, the head of Harvey Norman (company in charge of selling the product for the coming six weeks) said that it went off better than he thought it would. He added that it might possibly be due to the Olympics. If that is the case, then it’s definitely going to be a windfall for TiVo!

 TiVo till now has enjoyed immense popularity in the US, it remains to be seen how well its overseas expedition goes.