WheelsTV, a provider of automotive video programming and user-generated content, has launched a mobile site at with ads from brands such as Land Rover's Range Rover.

Leveraging Azuki Systems Inc.'s MashMedia Platform, WheelsTV has gone live with a mobile site at http://wheelstv.mobi, featuring interactive and personalized automotive-themed content that can be accessed and shared via consumers' mobile devices.

"The Azuki MashMedia Platform lets content publishers and mobile operators create, differentiate and monetize rich media services for mobile audiences," said Jim Ricotta, CEO, Azuki Systems, Acton, MA. "It allows them to deliver highly interactive, personalized content and social networking services to increase mobile viewership.

"In other words, we're taking a highly personal device -- the mobile phone -- and helping deliver personalized content that users can view, comment on and share with others," he said.

WheelsTV serves a market of 28 million vehicle enthusiasts and 196 million vehicle owners nationwide, syndicating its professional car reviews to outlets including Comcast, Vehix, AOL, MSN, Yahoo and Auto Trader, and providing a social networking platform via its Web site at http://www.wheelstv.tv.

"Obstacles to a smooth mobile Internet experience include ease-of-use -- or lack thereof -- as well as limited personalization and interactivity," Mr. Ricotta said.

"As a result, content publishers and mobile operators are having a difficult time reaching mainstream mobile users, and are also faced with lengthy and costly service development, as well as a lack of innovative monetization options," he said.

"The MashMedia Platform is a turnkey solution that solves all these problems, enabling content publishers and mobile operators to meet demand and rapidly roll out individually customized and contextual mobile media services that are both easily socialized and monetized.

"In a fragmented mobile ecosystem -- with varying device capabilities, mobile operating systems, user interfaces and more -- the MashMedia Platform also allows content to be optimized for individual devices and tailored to individual user preferences."

Additional handicaps experienced by consumers can include device CPU, power consumption and screen size.

"However, by breaking media into more ?snackable' forms for mobile, the platform enables content publishers and mobile operators to provide consumers with a wide variety of personalized media choices -- all without forcing them to install software on their handsets or adopt a particular device," Mr. Ricotta said.

"This snackable media is also ideally suited for in-video mobile advertising, helping to solve the difficulties of content monetization," he said.

In addition to WheelsTV, Boston.TV is also an Azuki client.

Azuki is in customer trials with major media companies, including leading sports and national broadcast outlets which are piloting the MashMedia Platform to mobilize existing rich-media content and enable content monetization.

Since Azuki is currently in private beta trials, no mobile advertising has been served publically at this time, although WheelsTV's mobile site does contain an ad from Land Rover's Range Rover.

"However, advertising is an important piece of what Azuki offers," Mr. Ricotta said. "Azuki customers can either extend their desktop advertising program to the mobile Web through hooks to the exisiting system, or Azuki can take complete responsibility for managing the sales and service of display and video ads."

Azuki's platform tailors content to individual consumer tastes and optimizes delivery based on device capabilities and network condition.

Consumers who log into their customized My Garage channel are greeted with material corresponding to their viewing preferences.

Content also can be commented on, rated and shared directly from the mobile site.