NTT DoCoMo, Inc. and its eight regional subsidiaries announced today the July 1 nationwide release of the premini, [image] the smallest i-mode handset ever released, weighing just 69g and measuring only 90mm (height), 40mm (width) and 19.8mm (thickness). Prior to the launch, premini handsets will be displayed at four shops in Tokyo and Osaka from June 26 to 30. Get a peek at this little unit in our video coverage from the Tokyo Business Show Here.

The company says that the premini is ideally suited to customers who seek a handset that is simple and compact yet still offers i-mode capability. Despite its small profile, the handset’s rounded buttons help users avoid pushing the wrong button. The 1.3-inch screen (65,536-color TFT LCD) displays up to 160 dots x 128 dots. The premini offers four font sizes (10 dots to 16 dots) and five background color templates. Japanese text input is made easy with PoBox® text prediction. See DoCoMo’s press release Here.

Related posts:

1. Underwhelmed by DoCoMo’s Next-Gen premini
2. DoCoMo’s Premini II S: Lightweight Phone Fun
3. DoCoMo Unveil’s FOMA N880iES 3G Phone
4. DoCoMo Releases N901iC 3G Handset
5. DoCoMo to Introduce P505iS: World’s First Auto-Focus Camera Phone

Some sage advise when entering new turf; Stop, Look and Listen.. it’s also good to secure a local guide. Japan is the cradle of mobile civilization – we have been dedicated to this space since 2001 – trust our archives here offer some useful material.

Domestic activities continue to set the pace, and sharp players are looking at global markets. We have hard-earned industry expertise and trusted network of contacts with access to advanced intell. and potential deal flow. Need a lift.. Ok, buckle-up!