PacketVideo Corp. and Warner Bros. New Media unveiled plans to deliver Warner Bros.-created original animated content to wireless devices, including wireless phones and personal digital assistants, using PacketVideo’s MPEG-4 streaming video software.
Appropriately, Warner Bros. said it will use its Marvin the Martian cartoon character, which it calls the animated embodiment of the 21st century, as an introductory identifier of the service.
Jim Brailean, president and co-founder of PacketVideo, said the multimedia content will include cartoon-based entertainment, as well as possible “cliff-hanger” series designed to keep users coming back to see how the story develops.
“Warner Bros. is continuously seeking new opportunities to extend our brands both in our traditional businesses and beyond,” said Kevin Tsujihara, executive vice president of New Media at Warner Bros. “It is our belief that wireless multimedia will reach and help define the audience of the future and we are excited to be working with PacketVideo to further this goal.”
PacketVideo noted that the MPEG-4 technology used for the service enables the encoding, decoding and transmission of full motion video over wireless networks with bit rates as low as 14.4 kilobits per second, the rate for networks in the United States today, as well as third-generation networks, which will have higher transmission speeds.
In addition, the MPEG-4 technology is air-interface independent, allowing it to work across any type of wireless network.
PacketVideo recently completed successful tests of the streaming video technology on a mobile phone in an automobile driving at speeds up to 80 mph in the Las Vegas area.
The first project scheduled for the partnership will be Warner Bros. Animation’s creation and production of four original animated series, based on some of the studio’s cartoon icons, for domestic and international distribution. Each of the original series will link directly to one of Warner Bros.’ two Web sites-warnerbros.com or entertaindom.com.
In addition to the original content, trailers from Warner Bros.’ feature films as well as promotions for programs from the company’s television shows will be part of the programming slate for PacketVideo’s wireless application.
The companies also said they will explore developing future applications, including short video games, video trading cards and greeting cards for the service.
According to Brailean, the service is scheduled to begin testing later this year, with possible commercial deployment by the second quarter of 2001.
