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Feature: Ensequence Develops Interactive TV Commerce Application for QVC

Interactive TV application development company, Ensequence, said Monday that shopping channel, QVC, has tapped its Ensequence Managed Services Group and its iTV Manager Programmer Edition technology to develop an EBIF-based, bound, tcommerce application (note: Ensequence also developed an EBIF version of rival HSN's tcommerce app, Shop by Remote--see the article published on itvt.com, December 3rd; Shop by Remote, which launched nearly four years ago, is currently available on Comcast, Oceanic Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS TV and D

News Round-Up (VIII): Sigma Designs, Microsoft, Ski Channel, Comcast, SnagFilms, Verizon, SyFy

--Sigma Designs Launches "Low-Cost" Set-Top Box Solution for Microsoft Mediaroom
--Ski Channel in VOD Deal with Comcast
--SnagFilms Plans to Increase Distribution, Starting with VOD Deals with Comcast, Verizon FiOS TV
--SyFy Launches Three iPhone Apps

The [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week and next, so we are covering most stories in round-up/summary form, and we anticipate that there will be some additional interruptions of our regular news publishing schedule beyond that. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to our readers.

News Round-Up (IX): Time Warner Cable, Comic-Con, Transgaming, TubeMogul, Tunerfish

--Time Warner Cable Marks Comic-Con with VOD Offering
--Transgaming Secures First Deal for its Video-Games-on-TV Service, GameTreeTV
--TubeMogul Offering Online Video Analytics Free of Charge
--Comcast's Social TV Platform, Tunerfish, Offering Badges for HBO's "True Blood"

The [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week and next, so we are covering most stories in round-up/summary form, and we anticipate that there will be some additional interruptions of our regular news publishing schedule beyond that. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to our readers.

Comcast's New Social TV Service, "Tunerfish," Tapped by NBC News to Help Promote "Dateline"

Tunerfish, a new social TV service developed by employees of Plaxo, the address book/social networking service that Comcast acquired back in 2008 (note: Tunerfish is a business unit of Comcast Interactive Media--for more on the service, see the articles published on itvt.com, May 24th and June 28th), said Monday that it has been tapped by NBC News to power a promotion that rewards viewers of the news magazine show, "Dateline."

News Round-Up

--Report: Google CEO, Schmidt, Championing "Interactive Video Ads"
--Reports: Hulu Planning International Hulu Plus Launch, Is in Talks about Launching on US Cable VOD
--MTV Acquires Social Gaming Company, Social Express
--Panasonic in VieraCast OTT Deal with AceTrax
--PlaySpan Launches Micropayments Service for Broadband Video
--USPTO Suspends DISH Network's Application to Trademark "TV Everywhere"
--Comcast Attempting to Register "DVR2Go" with USPTO
--Visiware Develops Multiplayer Skill-Based Internet Games for France's TF1
--YouTube Announces 4K Support, Partner Grants Program

Here are some other interactive TV-related stories we didn't have room for in this issue:

Comcast Launches Multiroom DVR Service, "AnyRoom DVR"

Comcast announced last week that it has launched a multiroom DVR service--branded as AnyRoom DVR--in Oregon and southwest Washington. It subsequently came to light that the MSO has also launched the service, which is powered by technologies from Entropic and Broadcom, in around 20 or so of its other Motorola markets, including Chattanooga and Knoxville, TN; Augusta, GA; Little Rock, AR; Mobile, AL; western Massachusetts; southern Florida; and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Comcast Unveils Summer Line-Up of Children's Programming Available On-Demand and Online

Comcast on Tuesday unveiled the line-up of children's programming that it will be offering this summer on its VOD platform and online. According to the company--which claims that its customers watch over 25 million hours of children's VOD programming each month (note: the company says that around 1,500 children's programs are available on Comcast On Demand)--the line-up includes TV series, new-release and classic movies, and programming devoted to family games, fitness, crafts, cooking, magic, dance, drawing lessons and more. "We always have something for everyone in the family, and a lot of it," Diana Kerekes, Comcast's VP of entertainment services, said in a prepared statement.

Comcast's New Social TV Service, Tunerfish, Rolls Out a Redesign

Just a month or so after its launch (see the article published on itvt.com, May 24th), Tunerfish, a new social TV service developed by employees of Plaxo, the address book/social networking service that Comcast acquired back in 2008, has rolled out a redesign. According to a posting on the Tunerfish blog, the redesign enables:

News Round-Up (III): BrightLine, Chad, Matt & Rob, Clearleap-Roku, Clikthrough, Comcast-NDS

--BrightLine iTV Study Shows Hispanic Viewers More Likely to Engage with Interactive TV Advertising
--Chad, Matt & Rob Release Trailer for their First FremantleMedia-Backed "Interactive Adventure"
--Clearleap, Roku Partner to Enable Operators, Premium Programmers to Offer VOD on Roku OTT STB's
--Clikthrough Creates "Interactive Stylepad" for Armani Exchange
--Comcast Taps NDS as Prime Integrator for tru2way, Says It Is "Committed" to CableLabs' tru2way RI

Because the [itvt] editorial team has been on the road the past few weeks, we are covering recent news stories in summary/round-up form. We anticipate that it will take a couple of days for us to catch up with all the recent news: so if your company has sent us a press release or briefed us on an announcement, and you don't yet see your news covered in this issue, please bear with us. We apologize for any inconvenience to our readers.

News Round-Up (II)

--BSkyB to Acquire Virgin Media Television
--Cellcast Reports Higher Revenues, Swings to a Loss
--Coincident TV Beta-Launches "Interactive Video Experience Builder" for HTML5/iPad
--Comcast Announces World Cup Programming Plans, Including 3D, VOD, Online

The [itvt] editorial team will be on the road this week and next, so we will be covering most stories in round-up/summary form, and we anticipate that there will be some additional interruptions of our regular news publishing schedule beyond that. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to our readers.

Comcast Launches The Window Channel on its VOD Platform in Washington State

The Window Channel, a Seattle-based producer of original HD "ambient scenic video" programming, said Wednesday that Comcast has launched its programming service on its VOD platform in Washington State. According to the company, this is its first in-home VOD deal (note: its service has previously been available only in high-end hotels and healthcare facilities), and will see it offering several hours of programming, that will be refreshed regularly.

Comcast Leverages Plaxo Team's Expertise to Develop Social TV/Social Discovery Service, "Tunerfish"

At the TechCrunch Disrupt event in New York City, Monday, Comcast unveiled a social TV service called Tunerfish that was developed by employees of Plaxo, the address book/social networking service that Comcast acquired back in 2008.

Comcast Set to Roll Out i-Guide EPG in its Cisco/Scientific-Atlanta Markets

In a posting on its corporate blog, Monday, by Ted Hodgins, its senior director of video product development/navigation, Comcast revealed that it is set to roll out the i-Guide--the advanced EPG that was developed by GuideWorks, its joint venture with Rovi (note: earlier this year--see the article published on itvt.com, March 19th--Rovi announced that it was exiting the joint venture)--in its Cisco (Scientific-Atlanta) markets, replacing the existing SARA guide.

Canoe Reveals Programming Partners for its Interactive TV Advertising Solutions

--Partners Are Comcast Networks, Discovery Communications, NBC Universal, Rainbow Media
--Will Deploy an RFI Application Later this Quarter

Canoe Ventures, the company tasked with implementing the US cable industry's plans for interactive and addressable advertising (note: its backers are Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox, Charter, Cablevision and Bright House), said Monday that it has signed separate agreements with Comcast Networks, Discovery Communications, NBC Universal and Rainbow Media that will see those companies launching its national interactive TV advertising solutions across their individual programming networks.

[i]Database

Our [itvt] free industry database called The [i]Database contains many listings of operators, broadcasters, software developers, design firms, manufacturers, Web sites, consultancies and many more organizations and people working in the interactive multiplatform TV industry. Upload your company or yourself!

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