Year: <span>2005</span>
Year: 2005

Year: 2005

Willcom Launches Feature Packed Mobile Phones for Fall

Willcom Launches Feature Packed Mobile Phones for FallJapan’s Willcom will launch four PHS mobile handsets this November packed with many of the same functions as high-end DoCoMo or KDDI models. Functions for the WX310K and WX300K both by Kyocera; Sanyo’s WX310SA; and JRC WX310J include a PC document viewer, NetFront V3.3 internet browser, Intellisync for Outlook, fingerprint authentification, music player, pixel reader, macromedia flash, even Bluetooth — all at rates the bigger carriers will find hard to match.

PHS (personal handyphone system) subscriber numbers, long in free fall against 3G mobile carriers, are slowly climbing back from the abyss thanks to low-cost fixed-rate subscriber packages that are saving consumers bundles of yen. Currently Willcom has an inter-service flat call rate under 3000 yen ($26) per month. The company has announced they will introduce a flat rate mobile data fee of just 3,800 yen ($33) to coincide with the release of the new 300/310 series. PHS subscribers will be able to dig in to a full buffet of mobile services for around 6,700 yen ($58) a month.

InfoPLANT's Handset Market Survey

Online marketer infoPLANT announced a survey result on mobile handset manufacturers. The survey was conducted on September 17 through the company’s data service providing site, C-NEWS, among 200 male and 200 female mobile phone/Internet users aged 15 or older. When asked about which maker offers the most attractive looking handset, about 15% of respondents selected Sharp and Panasonic, followed by Toshiba (about 10%). When asked which maker’s handset they would buy next, 30% replied Sharp, followed by Panasonic and NEC (about 25% each), and Sony/Sony Ericsson (over 20%).

Vodafone Japan Launches LBS for 3G

Vodafone is making location-based searches for users of their 3G handsets more serendipitous. Using location information from base stations, the new service will automatically display users’ current location areas on Vodafone live!, making it easier to search for information on nearby restaurants and public transport. Previously, 3G customers searching for a nearby restaurant, for example, first had to select their current location area and address to begin. Location-based searches are one tool in the personalized arsenal of value-added services that telecom carriers hope will generate advertising and data revenue and keep customer loyalty.

Mobile Monday Tokyo: Hot Flash and Cool Java

Mobile Monday Tokyo: Hot Flash and Cool JavaThe first full day of our Mobile Intelligence Japan tour has wrapped up with yet another stellar turn-out at Mobile Monday Tokyo’s OktoberZestEvent in Ebisu tonight. After a jam-packed schedule that included our visit to DoCoMo for a hands-on product demonstration and a meeting with Japan’s first (and still only) MVNO, the MIJ team settled down for a few margarita’s with bratwurst and sauerkraut to take in the evening’s feature presentations from G-Mode and Macromedia. Akio Tanaka and Dwight Rodgers (photo, right) from Macromedia Japan provided a fantastic overview of FlashLite and their new FlashCast mobile service (branded i-Channel on DoCoMo) to the almost 250 MoMo attendees.

Mobile Internet: See it. Hear it. Breath it. Understand it.

We really hit the ground running today with a detailed market introduction from WWJ’s editor-in-chief (and MIJ host) Daniel Scuka, followed by a mobile music report and then a working lunch before heading out into the jungle. Tomorrow, we focus on mobile payments and we will visit another carrier before winding down for a relaxed ‘local experts’ dinner.

Mobile Intelligence Japan – Akihabara Walking Tour

Mobile Intelligence Japan - Akihabara Walking TourAfter months of preparation, our MIJ mission to Tokyo kicked-off Sunday afternoon with a casual walk-about through the famous Akihabara electric town district. Over the coming week of scheduled meetings and events, we plan to post a daily update — right here on WWJ — of the highlights to provide subscribers a current snapshot of Japan’s mobile space. MIJ has an extensive agenda lined up, including company visits and presentations from many of what we believe to be the most interesting local players, a major networking event at Mobile Monday tomorrow night and a whole day out at Tech Disneyland — the CEATEC trade show.

You’ve got to experience it to believe it!

While most of these discussions will be held ‘off-the-record’ to gather info just for MIJ participants, we are looking forward to gaining an even deeper insight of where the industry is today and how things are shaping up for 2006 and to sharing what we can.

Sony's Newest Aibo has a Nose for News

Sony's Newest Aibo has a Nose for NewsSony’s robotic pup Aibo gives new meaning to the term newshound. In its latest evolution Aibo ERS-7M3/T has the ability for short-term memory mapping and news reads through a version of web syndication– RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds. “With one simple voice command Aibo can read the morning’s headline news while its owner folds the laundry,” said Toshi Kawai, senior manager of Entertainment Robot America (ERA), a division of Sony Electronics in a prepared statement. The AIBO Net News reader capability enables the robot to read its owner news or weather from a choice of RSS feeds available on many websites.

Puppy also comes loaded with the AIBO Diary in case owners want to know what he is up to while they are out of the house. Aibo can take pictures and add notes on its daily activities to its diary. (Yes but what if he’s lying?) The diary can be shared by uploading entries directly to a blog site. The dog has its own blog now. Bring on the apocalypse.