Interactive TV Headlines Round-Up (III): Rovi, Shaw Media, NBCU, Syfy, Sling Media, Spotify, Samsung, Spreecast, VH1, Logo, This Technology, Thomson, Twitter, Vine, Ubitus, YouTube, ZTE

Because the [itvt] editorial team is busy working on our upcoming TV of Tomorrow Show event, TVOT NYC Intensive (December 10th in New York City), we are covering stories in this issue in headlines format:

• Rovi Launches Polling Feature on its Rovi Advertising Network, to Enable Marketers to Increase Brand Engagement on Connected-TV Platforms
• Shaw Media in Deal with NBCUniversal for Syfy's "Defiance"; Latter Is Billed as "the First-Ever Convergence of Television and Massive Multiplayer Online (MMO) Gaming, Featuring an Interconnected World and Storylines that Will Co-Exist throughout a Scripted Drama Series and a Multiplatform MMO Game"
• EchoStar-Owned TV Placeshifting Pioneer, Sling Media, Unveils Two New Slingbox Devices, Slingbox 500 ($300) and Slingbox 350 ($180); Both Models Feature 1080p HD; 500 Offers WiFi, HDMI, Platform for Delivering Personal Content to the TV
• Streaming Music Service, Spotify, to Launch App on Samsung's Connected-TV Platform
• VH1, Logo Tap Spreecast to Enable Viewers to Interact with Network Stars via Live, Online Video
• Dynamic Ad Insertion Specialist, This Technology, Opens Denver Office, Expands its Executive Team; New Hires Are John Mick as VP of Engineering, Sean Rooney as VP of Sales; Bryan Santangelo as VP of Software Architecture
• Latvia's Lattelecom Deploys Thomson Video Networks' ViBE VS7000 to Power IPTV and Multiplatform Services
• Twitter Acquires Video-Sharing Start-Up, Vine
• Taiwanese Cloud-Gaming Specialist, Ubitus, in Deal to Bring Games to Subscribers of Korean IPTV Service, LG U+
• YouTube to Experiment with Charging Subscriptions for Some of its Original Branded Channels
• China's ZTE Plans to Release Android-Powered 3D TV Set-Top Boxes

Rovi Polling App

SlingBox

Samsung, Spotify

VH1, Logo, Spreecast