TiVo announced yesterday that they are going to collaborate with Microsoft in order to take full advantage of TiVoToGo. Apparently, the plan is for Microsoft to provide several mobile devices that will allow you to view your TiVo programs.

Microsoft Chairman and Founder Bill Gates announced during his keynote address tonight at the Consumer Electronics Show that the two companies have embarked on a collaborative effort designed to allow consumers to take digital entertainment with them on portable devices.

While this is a great idea, I’m a little bit surprised by it. As we all know, Microsoft’s Media Center PC has become a major competitor to TiVo. Along with the MC PC, Microsoft recently decided to rollout DVRs to Comcast customers. I think this a great partnership for TiVo. Whether you like Microsoft or not, nobody can disagree with the fact that they are a major force in the market. TiVo is smart to leverage Microsoft’s brand name and capabilities. I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what comes out of this partnership.