New York - Comcast (NASD: CMCSA), the nation's largest cable TV provider, will this week finally begin offering TiVo's (NASD: TIVO) digital video recorder interface to subscribers, initially in the Boston area, USA Today reports. The deployment is the first to utilize new Tru2way technology, which allows greater interoperability between consumer electronics and cable systems, and will feature TiVo's interface on Motorola-made set-top boxes. The offering will not include TiVo features like access to media on home computers, or transfer of recorded shows to laptops or mobile devices. Comcast told USA Today that it plans to roll out to additional markets later this year; its partnership with TiVo runs through 2014.

Irvine, Calif. - Vivendi's Blizzard Entertainment game publisher unit announced on Tuesday that its "World of Warcraft" massively multiplayer online roleplaying game now counts more than 10 million subscribers. The game launched in November 2004, and now counts 2 million subscribers in Europe, 2.5 million in North America and 5.5 million in Asia.

London - U.K. mobile operator O2 fell just shy of its expected early sales of Apple's (NASD: AAPL) iPhone, and will report sales of 190,000 for the device's first two months of availability -- as opposed to the 200,000 it projected, FT.com reported. O2 declined to comment on the sales figures leaked to FT.com, but said that the iPhone was the company's fastest-selling handset ever "by a significant margin."

Redwood City, Calif. - YuMe, the developer of an online ad network optimized for broadband video, announced on Tuesday that NBC (NYSE: GE) will utilize its technology on the forthcoming NBC Direct service. Currently in beta, NBC Direct lets users download full-length TV shows to their computers, as well as schedule automatic delivery of new episodes. Enhanced versions of the service are slated to launch later in the first quarter.

Los Angeles - Major retail store chain Target (NYSE: TGT) has launched a digital music promotion with Sony BMG and Hip Digital Media, and will offer artist John Legend's album "Live From Philadelphia" as a DRM-free MP3 download for $10. The offering marks the first digital download site promotion in the U.S. for Target, which will also be the exclusive retailer of the CD and DVD versions of the album.

Paris - French telecom Orange has partnered with Lagardere Active and music service provider Yacast, to launch a new ad-supported streaming music service in France called Musiline, Billboard reported. Available for free to Orange France's 7 million broadband subscribers, the personalized radio service also offers paid downloads for about $1.45 per track.

Los Angeles - International online social network Badoo, which claims 12.7 million users, on Tuesday announced the launch of a U.S. version of its service. TechCrunch reports that the company this week also raised $30 million in funding, from Russian investor Finam.

Portland, Ore. - More than seven out of ten TV viewers polled in a recent survey said they use their remote controls for simple interactive tasks -- like navigating electronic program guides or scheduling recordings -- and a majority of these also showed interest in increased interactivity for reality shows, sports and even commercials.

The FCC has announced that on January 24 it will begin a new round of testing of wireless devices that will work in that part of the communications spectrum currently reserved for television station operation. The idea, about which we wrote here, would be that these devices could operate at low power, on channels not used by television stations in a particular market (the so-called "white spaces"), without creating interference to television stations. Proponents (mostly tech and computer companies) claim that these low power devices could be used for wireless broadband and other communications devices, while opponents (principally television broadcasters, but also and wireless microphone companies which operate in the television spectrum) fear that the devices, when released into an unregulated, real-world environment, will create damaging interference to the new digital television operations that begin in February 2009. The Commission's tests will attempt to resolve this controversy.

New York - Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX) HBO cable TV network plans to offer its subscribers free access to some of its movies and original programming online, beginning with a pilot set to launch this week in Wisconsin, The New York Times reported. The offering will require users to first download an application for viewing the content, which will expire in four weeks and will not be transferable to portable devices, at least initially.

San Francisco - Yahoo (NASD: YHOO) will lay off "hundreds" from its staff of 14,000 employees as part of a plan to increase profitability and narrow its scope of offerings, The New York Times reported on Tuesday, citing people close to the company. News of the impending layoffs was first reported by Silicon Alley Insider.

The Oscar-nominated actor Heath Ledger, 28, was found dead on Tuesday in his New York City apartment. The police said drugs may have been a factor, since pills that appear to be over-the-counter sleeping medication were found near his body.

San Francisco - News Corp.'s (NYSE: NWS) MySpace online social network has quietly fixed a glitch on its website that allowed users to access the photos on some profiles that users had deemed "private," Wired.com reports.

Singapore - Advertising giant WPP's (NASD: WPPGY) Wunderman marketing services network announced on Tuesday that it has acquired Asian interactive marketing firm Agenda.

Los Angeles - Spot Runner, an Internet-based ad agency that sells excess TV ad inventory and helps small businesses create commercials, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired GlobeShooter, a network of more than 1,200 independent filmmakers, producers and production companies.

La Jolla, Calif. - Covario, a provider of interactive marketing analytics software, announced on Tuesday that it has raised a $16 million second round of financing, led by FTVentures.

Melville, N.Y. - Prime Visibility Media Group (PV) announced on Tuesday that it has acquired online ad firm AdOn Network, and Prime Visibility, a search engine marketing firm.

Seattle - Getty Images (NYSE: GYI), a producer and distributor of celebrity and other photography, on Tuesday confirmed that the company has retained Goldman Sachs and is exploring strategic alternatives. The New York Times reported that interested buyers include Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Bain Capital, and that the company could draw more than $1.5 billion from a potential sale.