TiVo's last stand

TiVo seems to have become more of a verb than a product identity. A lot of people (myself included) say they "TiVo" stuff on TV, when they don't actually own the specific product. Now that local cable companies offer personal digital video recorders (DVRs) for cheaper than TiVo can, the stock and company have taken a serious tumble.

But they're not going down without a fight. Recently, TiVo announced plans to allow users to take programs off their set-top box and onto personal video playing devices, such as the iPod or PSP. That's caught the attention -- and not in a good way -- of major TV studios, which are allegedly contemplating legal action against the company.

But, in news that may please advertisers (and those of you who love commercials), TiVo also announced a new ad-searching feature, that will allow viewers to search for and watch specific advertisements on demand.