Year: <span>2004</span>
Year: 2004

Year: 2004

Tu-Ka's Bone Cell Phone – Good Vibrations

The TS41 by Sanyo is a hot topic this month for one simple, you don’t have to press this small cell phone to your ear. Tu-Ka Cellular has the world’s first bone conduction cell phone. All you need do is put the top side of the phone on your jaw or any part of your head, and an installed vibration transmitter “Sonic Speaker” will transmit sound through the bone, enabling listening clarity even in noisy places such as a construction area, for example. Originally, this phone was designed for elderly people and others with hearing disabilities. Details in Japanese Here

Intel Capital Buys B-Mobile Stake

Intel Capital, the venture capital arm of semiconductor chip-maker Intel Corp., has invested in a Tokyo-based mobile virtual network operator that is offering nationwide fixed-price wireless access through both wireless LAN and mobile telephone networks. The investment, the value of which was not disclosed, makes Intel Capital a minority shareholder in Japan Communications Inc. and is aimed at giving a boost to the company, and ultimately the domestic market for wireless data communications, company executives said at a Tokyo news conference on Thursday.

JCB Launches Credit Card Trial for Mobile

JCB Co., Ltd., the international payment brand, is offering a trial service for Mobile OfficaTM, a contactless chip and mobile solution that offers corporations cashless payment and office access control functions through ‘NTT DoCoMo’s i-mode(R) FeliCa Preview Service’ for mobile phones. The trial service, available until July 2004, marks the first time that a credit card payment service has been made available for mobile phones with a contactless chip in Japan.

GRIC Providing Wi-Fi Service for Japan Telecom Customers

GRIC Communications, Inc., a leading provider ofsecure, managed broadband and global remote access solutions for enterprises and serviceproviders, today announced a milestone Wi-Fi agreement with JAPAN TELECOM, one of Japan’slargest telecommunications service providers. The agreement, the first Wi-Fi roamingagreement by JAPAN TELECOM with a partner, provides 1.7 million customers of JAPANTELECOM’s Open Data Network (ODN), the company’s ISP service, with seamless, global mobile broadband service, “powered by GRIC.” JAPAN TELECOM customers will have access to the GRIC TierOne Network(TM), which includes the world’s largest mobile broadbandfootprint, using the GRIC-branded mobile office client.

NTT Boosts Challenge to DoCoMo FeliCa

Well, the cat is really among the pigeons now as former fixed line monopoly Big Brother NTT just announced plans to launch a challenge to the FeliCa smart-card standard promoted by DoCoMo and Sony. NTT said it will support FeliCa, a major boost to the FeliCa standard. But in a classic case of Indian giving NTT has decided to also develop a smart card supporting the government’s terminally unpopular and constantly personal-data -leaking national registry network called “Juki Net.”

3G Mobile Solar Power Solution

3G Mobile Solar Power SolutionThe 3G Mobile Forum 2004 was held at the Hilton Tokyo Bay, January 13-16, and attracted over 70 top-class speakers in what we construed was an attempt to hammer out where they think 3G is going. With such a treasure trove sitting on our doorsteps across Tokyo Bay, we couldn’t resist bearing our cameras down on some of the leading lights of the show. The following preview will give you a taste of the upcoming programs we’ll running over the next few weeks. Also included in this clip is a demo of a mobile solar power source that was on display from Korean startup Soleitec, they have this sleek and working re-charger ready to keep your mobile device running when the batteries are dying, all for $30. The device should be ready to ship in 8 weeks and they are looking for partners to sell this product. Our only advice: Don’t save this one for a rainy day! Full Program Run-time 6:13