Road Warriors Can Stay Plugged in with Follow Me TV

NEW YORK—Motorola on Nov. 2 launched an upgrade to its Follow Me TV digital video recording device that allows users to create a network to send content to other rooms in a home, and also lets mobile devices with storage-card capacity record programs from anywhere.

“Over the past few years, the world of television has changed remarkably,” said John Burke, corporate vice president and general manager of digital video solutions for Motorola, at the launch event at Dave & Busters here. “There are more programs, more channels and as a result, we wanted to give consumers the opportunity to control what they watch and where they watch it.”

The device is designed to work seamlessly with Motorolas Razr phones, according to Burke. Motorola uses a “save to mobile” option on its DVR menu to activate the feature. The Razr phone will then search for the desired programs and use the GPS to communicate to the DVR what shows to record.

“This device is a Java-based application and will soon work with all mobile phones,” Kalia Farrell, a Motorola spokesperson, told eWEEK. “We are currently looking to see which phone services will work with us.”

While the product currently focuses on home users, Follow Me TV will benefit the on-the-go businessperson as well, Burke said.

For workers who are constantly traveling or constantly at the office, “Follow Me TV would ensure … that even though they are working, they can record whatever programs they want to watch with the touch of their personal mobile phone,” said Burke.

“From the business professionals point of view, Follow Me TV is a tool of convenience,” said Mari Silbey, a Motorola spokesperson. “Imagine that youre not going to make it home from work until late one night. From your mobile device, you can record a show, even if your DVR is in the bedroom of your house.”

Former NFL quarterback and sports commentator Boomer Esiason was on hand at the event to help pitch the product.

“I was stuck in Cleveland for four hours this past weekend and I wanted to tape a game on the NFL Network,” Esiason said. “Instead of calling home and telling one of my kids or my wife to record it for me, I did it myself by using my mobile phone to record the program that I wanted.”

Motorola has no set timetable for the release of the upgraded Follow Me TV as the company is currently trying to sell it to cable providers and telephone companies.

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