(S07E08) NCIS did something so great on tonight's episode that I'm surprised I haven't seen it done on another procedural until now. If you haven't seen the show yet, I won't spoil it, but I will say that it was a complication that really made the show.

There were moments for DiNozzo to reference all kinds of TV shows from the past, a chance for Gibbs to prove that there's nothing he can't handle with aplomb, and even the opportunity for Abby to show that sans Cafe Pow, she's still the sharpest lab tech in NCIS. More on the case after the jump.

Verizon is planning to package FiOS TV and Internet service with its wireless cell phone services. All I can say is, it's about time.

If I may go off on a rant here for a moment, I actually investigated getting FiOS installed in my house. Verizon didn't even have a fiber optic cable anywhere near me that they could run to my building. And I live only a few miles from Manhattan.

Despite that, by offering a set fee for both FiOS and cell phone service, Verizon is providing something that cable competitors can't duplicate. It's a smart move on the part of the company. Since I already have Verizon Wireless, I can only wish that they got off their lazy asses and laid some more fiber optic around my neighborhood.

In the meanwhile, I'm stuck with my sadly deficient cable company (satellite isn't an option due to the nature of my condominium). For those who have FiOS, how is it? Would you be excited about packaging that with your cell phone service?

DirecTV has joined the ranks of companies that lets you schedule your personal video recorder using a cellphone. All you need to do is visit a mobile-optimized web site using your internet-enabled phone, enter your username and password and you can view TV listings and select programs to record.

There's a long list of officially supported phones, but since this is a web interface, it's safe to say that if you've got a mobile version of Internet Explorer, Opera or any other fairly modern web browser you'll be able to use the service.

Right now the service is available for customers with HR20-700 series set top boxes. DirecTV will roll out support for other models in February.

[via Engadget]

Dave Zatz is continuing his investigative reporting on the next generation of Verizon's FiOS TV. A few months back Zatz uncovered some of the basic features included in the update. Now he's back with an in-depth look at Verizon's broadband television service.

First up, Verizon is turning the FiOS TV set top boxes into media extenders. You can already access photos and music from any PC on your home network. The next generation of this technology will let you stream video. And we mean pretty much any video, including MPEG4, DiVX, Flash, and so on. Verizon's software will transcode the video to MPEG2 on the fly for playback on your TV.

Verizon also plans to improve its mobile scheduling service, which lets you set recordings on your cellphone. You can browse a program guide, set recordings, and keep track of upcoming recordings. You can also delete recordings, adjust settings, and use voice search.

After a long courtship, TiVo and Verizon finally launched a service this month allowing users to schedule recordings through their cellphone. I've long been of the opinion that this is a really cool feature that nobody really needs and few people will use. But the folks at The Tonight Show with Jay Leno seem to have come up with a use that I'd overlooked.



So there you go. I was wrong. There is an upside to being able to schedule your TiVo with a cellphone.

[via TiVo Blog]

TiVo and Verizon officially launched their new partnership today, allowing Verizon Wireless customers to schedule TiVo recordings directly from their cell phone.

Verizon's not the only company offering such services, but this is good news for TiVo customers. Well, those that are frequently in the position where they want to schedule a TV recording from their phone. Given that you can already schedule recordings through TiVo's web site or through Yahoo! TV listings, I can't imagine the phone urge arises too often.

The service which will cost you $1.99 a month, will work with TiVo Series2 or Series3 boxes. On the phone side, you'll need a "Get It Now" capable phone, including the Samsung SCH-a950, LG Chocolate, and LG VX8300.

Not content with using your cellphone to schedule recordings on your PVR? That universal remote control in front of your TV doesn't have enough functions for you? Sony Ericsson's got you covered.

Pushing the limits of product convergence to the point where they just don't make any sense, the mobile phone maker has apparently filed for a patent on a device that combines a television remote control and a cellphone. Because god knows I like to take my TV remote to work with me.

I suppose if it's a universal remote, you could program multiple devices into your phone and control the TV at your office with the same device as the one in your living room. But really, has anybody ever asked for a device like this?

[via uberphones]

Sky+ customers in Britain have been able to schedule their PVRs to record shows via a mobile phone for a while now. But it looks like US wireless carriers are starting to catch up.

AT&T launched a service Tuesday allowing Homezone customers to schedule recordings with their cellphones. Next week Verizon and Vodafone will launch a service allowing customers to program TiVo units by phone. Sprint plans to enter the remote recording market later this year.

This would all be such a brave new world if most mobile phones didn't have screens the size of a fingernail, making browsing TV listings a real chore. On the other hand, if you're working late and suddenly realize that there's a new episode of Survivor on that night that you don't want to miss, these new services could come in handy.

On the other hand, Reuters points out that a Jupiter Research study showed fewer than 10 percent of people actually want the ability to schedule PVR recordings on a cellphone. That may have something to do with the relatively small percentage of the population that actually has a PVR in the house.

UK-based mobile phone company Orange is working on a mobile electronic program guide that will allow subscribers to access their home personal video recorders from their mobile phones. The service will work with Orange's broadband TV service, and should be available during the second half of 2007.

Users will be able to browse listing and schedule recordings, as well as perform keyword searches. Orange customers will also be able to stream television content directly to their phones.

In related news, US-based Gist Communications has ended a beta test of their UGuide software allowing users to control a Windows Media Center system from their mobile phones. A message on the UGuide web site says now that the beta has been concluded, service will be suspended until commercial deployment of the service.

When a cellphone-created video of Saddam Hussein's execution started rocketing around the Internet, news directors were torn as to whether to show it or not, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In the video, which we showed here, we not only see images of the hanging itself but also a contentiousness between Hussein and the people in the chamber, audio of which was conveniently left out of the Iraqi government's official video of the event.

Most networks decided to show the yelling between Saddam and the executioners and witnesses, judging that the audio gave additional context to the event, but they decided not to show his body actually falling through the gallows, deciding to stop at the point where the noose gets put around his neck. However, CNN.com showed a little bit more, stopping right before the hanging itself, and FoxNews.com showed the entire thing. Only MSNBC stayed consistent between its network and web site, just showing the first few seconds.

Tivo and Verizon Wireless are announcing Tivo Mobile, a new technology that will allow people to use their mobile phones to program their Tivos from anywhere. Currently, users can program their Tivos through Yahoo and the Tivo Web site. This is yet another way the company hopes to set itself apart from other DVR manufacturers and compete in the market place. I have Tivo, but I don't have a mobile phone so this news doesn't affect me too much. What about those of you who could take advantage of this new offer? Is this something you would use?

[via Lost Remote]