Interactive TV News Round-Up (III): Cisco, Clikthrough, Elle Magazine, Comcast, Samsung

Because the [itvt] editorial team has been busy this week working on the TV of Tomorrow Show 2011, we are covering recent news in round-up/summary form. Once again, we anticipate that it will take us a few days to catch up with all the news we plan to cover: so if your company has sent us a press release or briefed us on an announcement, and you don't see your news covered in this issue, please bear with us.

• Cisco is using Linux open-source software to power its new Explorer 8700 line of tru2way-based set-top boxes and DVR's, according to an article by Multichannel News's Todd Spangler. The new boxes, which Cisco says offer a faster processor and smaller footprint than its current 8600-series devices, are scheduled to be available for beta testing this summer.
• Interactive video specialist, Clikthrough, contacted [itvt] earlier this week to let us know about the "latest evolution" of its partnership with Elle Magazine: "Clikthrough and Elle are debuting the new Shops on Demand (http://shopsondemand.elle.com) full interactive video platform, including an interactive video wall and Facebook integration," Clikthrough CEO, Abe McCallum, stated in an email. "With our partnership in place, Elle is successfully driving new revenue streams and creating an unmatched user experience for their readers. As of today, they have launched six interactive videos on Shops on Demand. First launch partners are: Ann Taylor, Ippolita, Jimmy Choo, Kmart, Silpada Designs, and Simon G."
• At the SCTE Canadian Summit earlier this week, Comcast CTO, Tony Werner, revealed that the MSO expects to launch its app for Samsung's connected-TV platform "by Christmas" and to showcase it at the NCTA Cable Show in June (note: the app, which was announced at CES in January, is expected to offer Comcast's entire line-up of linear and VOD programming; Time Warner Cable is planning a similar app--for more on the apps, see the article published on itvt.com, January 11th). Werner also said that Comcast remains committed to tru2way as a "unification layer," describing its as "the most cost-effective middleware option we've got, due to the work we're doing with the reference implementation." Light Reading Cable's Jeff Baumgartner has more.