TiVo Co-Founders Develop New Streaming Experience

The Qplay streaming adapter and service aim to deliver the best internet video to any screen.

Two of the original founders of TiVo have announced a brand new company and product, the Qplay. The streaming device and service allows users to watch, create, and share continuous personalized channels, dubbed Qs, filled with streaming content culled from a variety of internet sources.

"With TiVo, Jim and I focused on creating a great consumer experience that put the viewer in control of the video they watched," said Mike Ramsay, CEO of Qplay. "We're applying the same focus to Internet video with Qplay and are creating a new kind of consumer experience that exploits the full potential of the Internet to give viewers a unique way to control their video entertainment."

The system currently works through an iPad app, a TV adapter, and a cloud service. The app is used to find content and control the service, and the adapter connects to a display's HDMI port, allowing users to watch the playlists on their televisions. Meanwhile, since the streaming content is actually managed through the company's cloud service, video playback can continue even if the iPad is shut down. Currently, pre-made and user-generated Qs are compiled from free streaming sites or news sources like YouTube, Vimeo, and CNN, but support for premium services like Netflix and Hulu is also planned. Likewise, Android and smartphone versions of the Qplay app are also in the works.

Qplay is now available in a special "early adopter phase." For a limited time, customers can purchase the app, TV adapter, and cloud service all bundled together for $49 from the company's website.

Sources: Qplay via CNET

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