WTF DirecTV?

I just got this email from DirecTV:
IMPORTANT NOTICE ABOUT YOUR HD DVR OR DVR RECEIVER In our effort to improve and expand our service, we experienced a temporary technical glitch. If your HD DVR or DVR receiver is not responding to your remote control or front panel commands, you can resolve this issue by pressing the red "Reset" button located inside the small door on the front right corner of your receiver. Please allow about 15 minutes for your receiver to complete the resetting process. Once completed, your picture will return automatically. Unfortunately, any show you may have scheduled to record yesterday will not be available on your DVR.
Nice. So they did "something" and that screwed up the machine to the point where it needs what amounts to a power cycle. And oh it probably ate last night's recordings. Some readers (you know who you are (cough)) mentioned to me previously that they thought the window for being excited by a new TiVo HD receiver had passed. I've never gotten an email like this for the HR10-250, I'll tell you that right now :-)
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This is either shameless or brilliant

This just landed in my mailbox:
Friday, October 10 and Saturday, October 11, 2008. Live from the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California
DIRECTV Package Includes:
  • Over 16 hours of crystal-clear high-definition coverage
  • Exclusive interviews and commentary
  • Main stage presentations including opening ceremony
  • Select panels featuring Blizzard Entertainment developers
  • Tournament coverage and team highlights
  • BlizzCon 2008 World of Warcraft in-game polar bear mount with mounted, flag-waving murloc
- (details here) Yes, that's right. They are going to have BlizzCon broadcast on DirecTV Pay Per View this year. I'll admit, a tiny little part of me said "Actually that polar bear mount with the flag and the murloc is pretty sweet." Luckily that part of my brain isn't on speaking terms with the "should we spend $40 on PPV coverage of BlizzCon" deciding part of my brain.
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Finally!

Shares of TiVo jumped Wednesday after the San Jose company said it will launch a new high-definition digital video recorder under an extended agreement with DirecTV Group, reigniting a once-cooling relationship.
- from TiVo, DirecTV to offer new HD DVR to customers About time. Actually, it's about two years late, since the new model won't be available until "mid to late 2009". But it is pretty good timing for upgrading my leased HR20.
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