A German company called empolis contacted [itvt] last week to let us know that it has taken over the interactive TV business unit of its compatriot, Nionex, and that unit’s flagship product, the pontegra ITV browser. Both empolis and Nionex are subsidiaries of Bertelsmann (note: empolis is part of arvato, Bertelsmann’s networked media and communications services company). Nionex claims that pontegra, an HTML-based MHP browser, allows any developer with HTML skills to transfer content to interactive TV: according to the company, the product supports a subset of DVB-HTML, and content and services developed on it can be loaded, just like other MHP applications, using commercially available set-top boxes. empolis says that the objective of its takeover of Nionex’s ITV unit is to create synergies between that business and various technologies that empolis has developed in the mobile entertainment field. "The transition between broadcast, mobile and Internet technologies becomes more and more blurred and interactive services increasingly rely on a combination of these technologies," explained Bernhard Ribbrock, who is CEO of both empolis and arvato. "Our customers expect single-source solutions involving mobile content, digital download and mass activity, including a full-service portfolio."
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