Motorola’s IP-Set-tops Enable New KDDI’s “au BOX” to Drive Fixed Mobile Broadcast ConvergenceMulti-purpose IP-Set-top enhances personal media experience and delivers value-added services to au mobile users.TOKYO, JAPAN – 25 September 2008 – Motorola, Inc. (NYSE: MOT) announced today that its VIP1830 IP-Set -top was selected as a platform to enable KDDI’s “au BOX”, an integrated media terminal that provides a variety of multimedia functions, to deliver new mobile media content services. au BOX targets subscribers of KDDI’s au mobile phone service and it is scheduled for official launch on 1 November this year.
By using au BOX with au mobile phones, users can enjoy personalized media content anytime, anywhere they want. au BOX can play CDs and music stored in au handsets with its stereo speakers, and DVDs when linked to a TV. In addition, the au BOX has CD ripping and video encoding capabilities, enabling users to quickly and easily transfer music from their CD collections and video from video cameras to mobile phones. When au BOX is connected to the Internet, users can access a wide range of services that further expand the ways users can enjoy mobile media content.
There has been an increasing demand for mobile phones with the ability to handle rich media content. However, downloading and playing media content is currently limited to mobile phone and PC platforms. With Motorola’s cutting-edge VIP1830 IP-Set-top, au users can enjoy mobile media content, create personalized music and video libraries and store content through au BOX, ensuring high quality enjoyment at home and on the go without using PCs.
“KDDI is delighted to be able to provide even more customers with the opportunity to enjoy music and video easily through au BOX” said Mr. Makoto Takahashi, Associate Senior Vice President, Member of the Board of KDDI. “KDDI aims to become a “lifestyle navigator” that provides services that support and enhance its customers’ lifestyles by responding to their needs and tastes for mobile content like music, movies, and sports, while also keeping KDDI one step ahead of its competitors. We feel confident that au BOX will lead to more enjoyable home entertainment for its users. We also expect that our selection of Motorola’s IP-Set-top technology, which has an outstanding track record in supporting IP video solutions worldwide, will help us to realize our business vision for fixed mobile and broadcasting convergence (FMBC). ”
”KDDI and Motorola have established a strong relationship by working together in network infrastructure deployment in the past. The launch of au BOX adds a new aspect to this relationship,” said Dan Moloney, executive VP and president of Motorola’s Home & Networks Mobility business. “Motorola’s IPTV solutions have been proven as an excellent and flexible platform for application development that enables service providers like KDDI to offer fully integrated and customized media services to customers. We are excited to support KDDI in this new offering that will enhance personal media experiences for mobile users in Japan.”
Motorola’s VIP series of IP-Set-top is an advanced platform for delivering next-generation video content and services. The VIP1830 IP-Set-top is based on the
KreaTV™ application, a state-of-the-art open software platform for IP-Set-top devices. With over 4M IPTV shipments worldwide, Motorola’s IPTV solutions is compatible with a wide range of OS middleware and Digital Rights Management (DRM), and support different video formats ranging from MPEG-2 SD to H.264 HD, DVR, and hybrid.
About “au BOX”“au BOX” is a multi-purpose IP-set top, available in a leased model to au mobile subscribers, that enables users to create their own music and video libraries and transfer music and video seamlessly from the device to their mobile handsets. Subscribers can use “au BOX” to access KDDI’s online music and video store by connecting to an external monitor, purchase music and video content, and download the files to their libraries for transfer to their mobile handsets. Music content can also be transferred to a suitable portable media player using a USB connection. “au BOX” features a CD player with CD ripping capabilities and CD Database access, enabling users to rip CDs from their personal collection, automatically retrieve CD information, store the files in their music libraries, and then transfer them to a mobile handset or a portable media player. Conversely, music from a CD, a mobile handset, or a portable media player can be played on “au BOX” through its built-in stereo speakers. In addition, “au BOX” has video encoding capability that allows users to upload video from their personal video devices and transfer the content to a mobile handset. It can also play DVDs. “au BOX” serves as a portal for Internet Web browsing, and subscribers to KDDI’s “Hikari one” broadband service can also access “Hikari one TV service,” KDDI’s multi-channel, on-demand IP television service.
About KDDI KDDI is the only Japanese information and communications company that comprehensively provides all communications services, from fixed to mobile. KDDI is aggressively working towards realization of the coming Ubiquitous Network Society through its ability to develop leading-edge fixed and mobile communications networks, and services to support them, and through the ability to carry out technical R&D at a level unsurpassed anywhere. For more information, please visit
http://www.kddi.com.
About MotorolaMotorola is known around the world for innovation in communications. The company develops technologies, products and services that make mobile experiences possible. Our portfolio includes communications infrastructure, enterprise mobility solutions, digital set-tops, cable modems, mobile devices and Bluetooth accessories. Motorola is committed to delivering next generation communication solutions to people, businesses and governments. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.6 billion in 2007. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit
http://www.motorola.com.
Media Contacts: Naomi Kondo
Motorola Japan
+813 6365 7324
naomi.kondo@motorola.comCordia So
Motorola Asia Pacific
+852 2966 3804
cordia.so@motorola.comMOTOROLA and the Stylized M Logo are registered and KreaTV is a trademark in the US Patent & Trademark Office. au BOX and Hikari one are registered trademark of KDDI Corporation. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc. 2008. All rights reserved.
