In an effort to differentiate itself from the DVRs supplied by cable and satellite providers, the classic TiVo has gained many new capabilities, according to the New York Times on Thursday.

The TiVo has been around for years. It started as a simple DVR to freeze live TV and time shift. "But for the last year, TiVo the company has been quietly adding features that take the machine well beyond its original function as a video recorder and turn it into a surprisingly versatile Internet portal," David Pogue wrote.

Here’s what’s new in the new Tivo Series 2 and 3:

• Home movies can be broadcast to the Now Playing list of a friend’s TiVo.
• Remote cell phone programming for Verizon customers.
• TiVoCast: record selected videos on the Web as if they were a TV show.
• Amazon movies for rent (US$4) or download (about US$16).
• Instant local weather.
• View local movie listings and buy theater tickets.
• Play Internet radio stations.

And the list goes on -- for a little longer. All these features may not appeal to everyone, and they’ll certainly make it more difficult to explain to newbies just what a TiVo does these days. Even so, TiVo’s effort to differentiate itself has been successful.

"As you�ve probably noticed, not everything worth watching these days originates on TV," Mr. Pogue noted. "But thanks to these unheralded and unadvertised improvements, the TiVo is the first set-top box to present all the good stuff on a single screen � the one across from your couch."