TiVo on Friday won $200 million in extra damages from satellite TV provider DISH and its sibling EchoStar. The award comes after TiVo successfully argued that DISH and EchoStar were in contempt of an injuction that prevented the two from selling DVRs that allegedly infringed on TiVo's patents for its Time Warp feature.
Sling Media is set to launch an update to its iPhone app, Sling Mobile, which is currently pending approval from Apple. Version 1.1 still lacks 3G streaming, although it adds several new features such as DISH Remote Access integration and improvements to the control interface. The DISH functions bring a content guide directly onto the iPhone, instead of importing a picture, while search and filter options have been expanded.
EchoStar and DISH today were told by the US Supreme Court to pay TiVo $104 million for allegedly infringing on some of the DVR maker's patents. The decision comes following an unsuccessful appeal of an original 2006 decision by EchoStar and DISH and will potentially increase further if additional patent lawsuits and claims of contempt are decided in TiVo's favor. The set-top box producer last month accused DISH and EchoStar of violating a stop placed on their own DVRs by continuing to sell satellite TV DVRs with software TiVo says copies its features.
EchoStar has formally split up in a way that could impact the future of Sling Media's Slingbox devices, based on details of an SEC filing. The company has formally changed its name to DISH Network. The change reflects the former EchoStar's core businesses of satellite TV service and producing its own set-top boxes, according to the update. Part of the company, now called Echostar Holdings, will break away from DISH and carries Sling Media with it. The Slingbox maker was bought by EchoStar in September and was originally believed to be used for adding Internet-based remote viewing for DISH subscribers.
