Nero unveils mobile synch platform

Nero today released a mobile synching application that will be bundled initially on Motorola Inc.’s Cliq and MotoDext handsets. Called Nero MobileSync, the platform allows mobile users to manage, share and create content between the desktop, the handset and the Web, regardless of the mobile device.
“Nero MobileSync for smartphones will help both mobile handset manufacturers and network carriers differentiate their user experience, increase their revenues via sales and advertising channels to the desktop, and better maximize the PC as the hub of the connected digital home – all without having to make costly investments in desktop application development,” the company said. Under its agreement with Motorola, the service will be called “Motorola Media Link powered by Nero.” A basic version of the service will be available for free, and customers can upgrade to a premium service that has more features for a one-time fee of $39, said Nero’s Kris Barton, executive vice president, global products. The premium upgrade allows users to convert video through automatic transcoding, and offers features such as video playback and editing, and supports all popular digital video formats and optimizes them for the wireless device, the computer and the Web.
Nero MobileSync allows users to share content, including photos, music and PIM (personal information management) information, across the desktop, Web and mobile devices, like smartphones and netbooks, so users can take a snippet of a song from their iTunes library, for example, and make it into a ringtone on their handset. The application doesn’t violate any digital rights management rules because the files exist in their original format, Barton said. “We provide consumers with the freedom to simply enjoy their music, photos, and videos, regardless of hardware or file format, by taking a unique platform neutral, standards-based approach to solution development.”
Nero is targeting the service to original equipment manufacturers and said the platform can be customized depending on the OEMs’ needs. Nero is a privately held, 500-employee company based in Karlsbad, Germany, with regional offices in Glendale, Calif., and Yokohama, Japan.