blackberry

Because the [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week, we are covering stories in this edition of the newsletter in round-up format:

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

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 few 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.

Mobile marketing company, mobile messaging solutions (mms), said Wednesday that it has appointed Kai Buehler as its US CEO. According to the company, Buehler, who for the past four years has led MindMatics' North American operations, will be tasked with leading its efforts to increase its presence in the US mobile marketing and interactive TV spaces. He will be based out of the company's new Los Angeles office.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) last week announced the launch of a new mobile phone application that will initially be available for iPhone/iPod touch, BlackBerry and Android handheld devices, and that the company says will subsequently support "dozens" of additional handhelds. "The TCM mobile device application is the ultimate mobile experience for classic film fans and is an important part of our strategy to solidify TCM's position as a lifestyle brand," Dennis Adamovich, TCM's SVP of brand and digital activation, said in a prepared statement.

TiVo and Research in Motion (RIM) on Wednesday launched a free remote-scheduling application for BlackBerry devices. The app, which works with standalone TiVo Series2 and later DVR's (but not with TiVo-enabled cable and satellite boxes) and requires BlackBerry OS 4.2.0 or later, features an interface that replicates the look-and-feel of the standard TiVo set-top interface. Among other things, the app lets users browse programming categories, popular shows, and daily picks; search for shows by keyword, title, category and actor/director; and add programming alerts to their BlackBerry calendar.

Revision3, a company which bills itself as "an actual TV network for the Web" and which develops and produces original broadband TV shows, contacted [itvt] earlier this week to let us know about a new show it has just launched that may be of interest to our readers. Entitled "AppJudgment" and hosted by a rotating roster of Revision3 personalities, including Patrick Norton ("Tekzilla"), Revision3 co-founder David Prager and Ron Richards ("iFanboy"), the show reviews new applications for the iPhone, Android, BlackBerry and Palm Pre platforms.

UK-based mobile technologies, applications and services company, ROK Entertainment (note: the company was co-founded by John Paul DeJoria, the colorful chairman and CEO of Paul Mitchell, famous for his homeless-to-billionaire lifestory), said Tuesday that its streamed mobile TV service, ROK TV, is now compatible with the latest BlackBerry smartphones. "This is great news for ROK and represents huge potential for the continued deployment of ROK TV, as BlackBerry users tend to be tech-savvy and hungry for information and entertainment on their mobiles," ROK chairman and CEO, Jonathan Kendrick, said in a prepared statement.

QuickPlay Media has launched a subscription-based VOD service for the BlackBerry Bold and BlackBerry Curve 8900 smartphones. Dubbed PrimeTime2Go, the service offers full-length recent episodes of primetime and premium shows from a line-up of content partners that includes ABC, CBS, NBC Universal, The CW, ABC Family, Animal Planet, Bravo, Discovery, Disney Channel, Disney XD, ESPN, Sci Fi and USA. It is accessed via an application that can be downloaded from BlackBerry's BlackBerry App World service and is priced at $7.99 per month.

--Signs New HD DVR Deal with DirecTV
--Signs Deal to Bring TiVo Services to BlackBerry
--Launches High-Capacity HD DVR
--Partners with Entertainment Weekly

TiVo and US satellite TV provider, DirecTV, have extended their existing partnership with a new, non-exclusive deal that calls for the companies to develop, market and distribute a new TiVo-powered HD DVR service to DirecTV customers. The deal also extends various mutual intellectual property arrangements between the two companies. DirecTV has offered a version of the TiVo service, branded as "DirecTV with TiVo," since 2000.