Motorola (News - Alert) has introduced a flexible multimedia set top platform. The company said that set tops based on the new platform enable users to transfer content to and from a mobile phone and also create and store personalized music and video libraries. Users can thus enjoy their multimedia content at home or on the go without requiring a PC.

 

KDDI (News - Alert), a major mobile operator in Japan, is launching a new service, called “au BOX” using set tops based on Motorola's platform. Through this service mobile customers will be able to transfer content between their home entertainment systems and their mobile devices. Scheduled for launch on 1st November, 2008, the au Box service will be delivered to au subscribers as an option on a leased basis.

 

According to Dan Moloney, executive VP and president of Motorola’s Home and Networks Mobility business, this new set top platform is a significant step forward for Motorola in the progress towards their vision of media mobility. Consumers want to access their content where and when it is convenient to them and Motorola is accelerating the delivery of these personalized media experiences by giving end-users great choice and control over how and where they choose to consume their content.

 

A CD player and CD ripping capabilities are also included in the set top being implemented by KDDI. These will allow users to rip CDs from their personal collections, automatically retrieve CD information, store the files in their music libraries and then transfer them to a mobile handset or to a portable media player via USB. Moreover, music from a CD, mobile handset, or portable media player can be played by the set top through its integrated stereo speakers.

 

Motorola’s flexible multimedia set top platform feature video encoding capabilities that allow users to upload video from their personal video recorders and then transfer it to a mobile handset. Users can also play DVDs on it by linking it to an external monitor. This is not all, the new set top can serve as a portal for Internet Web browsing, enabling users to access a wide range services and user generated content in addition to the option of purchasing music and video content from online stores.

 

Motorola said that their new release is based on Motorola's state-of-the-art KreaTV open software platform for set-top devices. KreaTV enables operator customers to easily add new functionality and services at any time.