iPad Remote App and Multiple user profiles coming to Virgin-TiVo; Slide Remote accessory to follow?

Cindy Rose, Virgin Media's digital entertainment executive director, told PaidContent:UK more about the software development for Virgin's version of TiVo:

It’s based on the main TiVo software code tree. We’ve branched slightly to adapt it to the UK market. The U.S. doesn’t have catch-up, Red Button or a watershed - we had to make certain minimal changes to make it relevant for the UK. We also painted it red and corrected the spelling!

Other than that, we’ve stayed true to the core TiVo product. That will make it easier for us in future to stay consistent with TiVo’s main-line development roadmap.

Because of that, Rose was able to reveal that the fantastic-looking Apple iPad Remote App will be coming to users of Virgin-TiVo, allowing iPad owners to remote control and discover TiVo content via.....their urm, iPad, I guess:



Also coming will be multiple user profiles. This screen shot below is a mock-up from the TiVo Premiere user interface (thanks to Zatz Not Funny!), showing an example of multiple users, I'm assuming at the moment that each user would have their own wishlists and recommendations. It appears that the actual feature itself has yet to appear for the TiVo Premiere in the United States.

According to Rose, there's a chance that the TiVo Slide Remote accessory will become available to Virgin-TiVo customers as well:

And below, CNET review it:



Rose describes the partnership between Virgin Media and TiVo as a "long-term strategic alliance, It certainly isn’t a case of ‘here’s your product, bye’. We are moving ahead in lock-step. [TiVo have] also done a deal in Spain and Scandinavia - they are very much looking to Europe to drive some of their future growth. The UK for them is important because it will spur interest in other parts of Europe.”