Yahoo, TiVo Form a Partnership to Connect Some of Their Services

Yahoo Inc. and TiVo Inc. are teaming up to blend some of their services, a move that could further fade the line between TVs and personal computers.

Under a partnership to be announced today, the two will collaborate to offer Yahoo’s Internet-based content and services through TiVo’s digital video recording devices.

Also, starting today, users of Sunnyvale, Calif-based Yahoo’s TV listings page will be able to click on a record-to-TiVo button to remotely schedule recordings.

In the coming months, possibly before the end of the year, Yahoo’s traffic and weather content, as well as Yahoo users’ photos, will be viewable on televisions via TiVo’s broadband service and easy-to-use screen menu.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Edward Lichty, TiVo’s vice president of corporate strategy, said TiVo hoped the collaboration would set the foundation for a long-term relationship.

TiVo subscribers already have the ability to remotely schedule recordings from the TiVo website, but the Yahoo deal could give TiVo a way to gain some much-needed new customers. Alviso, Calif.-based TiVo, which has about 3.6 million subscribers, gained fewer new customers in the quarter ended in July than a year earlier.