Motorola is currently working on accelerating the delivery of personalized media experiences by rolling out a flexible multimedia set top platform that allows users to transfer content from and to a cell phone, enjoy multimedia content be it at home or on the road without the need for the traditional middleman - the PC. This new set top platform also makes way for users to create and store personalized music and video libraries. Japan being at the forefront of consumer electronics for most parts will be the first country to receive Motorola’s new multimedia platform, with KDDI leading the way with their “au BOX” service.

The au Box service will enable mobile customers to transfer content between their home entertainment systems and their mobile devices without a hitch, and the au BOX service will be launched throughout Japan from November onwards. It will be delivered to au subscribers as an option first on a leased basis, and this set top will also come with a CD player as well as CD ripping capability, allowing users to transfer songs from CDs to a more portable digital format on-the-fly. Data transfer is achieved via USB, and the set top box also doubles up as an entertainment unit by itself, thanks to its built-in stereo speakers.

Nice to see that Motorola’s multimedia set top also features video encoding capabilities that lets you upload video from a video recording device, followed by an encoding process that makes it possible to view these recorded clips on your cell phone later on. When hooked up to an external monitor, you can also view DVDs with this set top. Alternatively, the set top also functions as a portal for Internet browsing, so make sure you have a decent monitor or TV to go along with this lest your eyes start to deteriorate. Nice to see digital content distribution being enabled here as well, where you can purchase music and video online.

Press Release