<span class="vcard">editors</span>
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Integration Associates and Oki Electric Enable ZigBee One-Stop Solution

Integration Associates and Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd. today announced a one-stop Solution for ZigBee, considered the next generation low data rate wireless network technology. This one-stop solution consists of Oki’s LSI, the ML7065, and the ZigBee Stack by Integration. The solution has received its ZigBee Compliant certificate from the ZigBee Alliance, and will be available globally in December 2005 from Oki and Integration. Oki provides and supports the CompXs ZigBee Stack in Asia, including Japan, while Integration provides and supports the ZigBee Stack in N. America and Europe.

Yozan, Livedoor Announce Wi-LAN Deal

Yozan and livedoor announced yesterday that they have signed a basic agreement on the provision of livedoor Wireless, a wireless LAN servicve. Under the terms of the agreement, Yozan will deploy and provide maintenance support for a wireless network. Although the partners have yet to decide on the number of base stations and where to install them, Yozan will initially set up 4,000 base stations and gradually deploy them at more locations. The partners have also yet to decide a service launch date.

Ticket Guru Pia Goes For 3G Gaming

Japanese ticket and entertainment publishing powerhouse Pia has made its first tentative foray into mobile gaming in a tie-up with DoCoMo. Pet simulation game AquaZone swam onto i-mode screens a few days ago through Pia’s partnership with Frontier Group and its subsidiary Pia Digital Communications [press release in Japanese]. The PC version of AquaZone’s virtual Aquarium is already a hit with fish fanciers here and even on the small screen DoCoMo’s Foma 3G graphics keep the colors bright and clear. Subscriptions cost 315 yen per month (US$2.87).

Japanese Cell Phone Sales Set to Surge in 2006

Japanese Cell Phone Sales Set to Surge in 2006

Market research firm Gartner Japan has good news and bad news for cell phone manufacturers and telecos. The company predicts Japanese handsets sales could reach 49 million units in 2006 as mobile number portability finally makes it debut and consumers trade up to faster, smarter handsets on their carrier of choice. That’s good news since sales for 2005 are looking rather flat especially compared to those halcyon days of 2003 when the debut of the camera phone helped drive sales to over 48 million units. Bad news is that Gartner’s research [.pdf in Japanese] indicates sales will fall again sometime in 2007 once consumers have replaced their current handsets.

Of course it doesn’t take costly research to know telecos here have a lot to worry about. With the domestic cell phone market fast reaching saturation point DoCoMo, KDDI and Vodafone will have to depend not only on handset replacement but rolling out comprehensive mobile consumer, retail, and data-related services — both in-house and through partners — to retain customers and keep income flowing in the right direction.

Motorola Acquires i-Mode R&D Team

Motorola confirmed that it has acquired a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Melco Mobile Communication Europe (MMCE), and it’s European team of i-mode design employees and a research center in western France. The Rennes facility will become a European i-mode focused development center for Motorola, continuing to operate in its state-of-the-art research and design center in Cesson-Sevigne (Rennes), France. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Opera Browser for the Hitachi W32H

Opera Software announced yesterday that their browser is included on the Hitachi W32H for KDDI’s 3G network in Japan. The release of this new, BREW-based mobile phone coincides with the one-year anniversary of Opera Software’s agreement with KDDI. The Hitachi W32H will be released in September and is the fifth mobile phone with Opera delivered by KDDI within one year. Opera Software announced its agreement with KDDI in August 2004 and together they shipped the first phone in December 2004, making Opera the first full Internet browser on the Japanese 3G network.

Japan Broadband Wireless Network JV

GlobeTel Communications Corp. announced that its subsidiary, Sanswire Networks LLC, has signed a Letter of Intent with Kashiwabara Token Corporation of Iwakuni City, Japan, to enter a joint venture in the establishment of a terrestrial ground-based wireless broadband and communications system, a prelude to the deployment of the Sanswire Stratellite Airship broadband network in Japan. Kashiwabara Token Corporation holds a controlling interest of a major cell phone system in the Hiroshima and Yamaguchi prefectures as well as the ICAN Cable television system in Japan.

ACCESS to acquire PalmSource

ACCESS Co., Ltd., a global provider of mobile content delivery and Internet access software, and PalmSource, Inc., provider of Palm OS, a leading operating system powering next generation phones and mobile devices, today announced they have signed a definitive agreement for ACCESS to acquire PalmSource in an all-cash transaction valued at USD $18.50 per share of PalmSource common stock , or approximately USD $324.3 million (approximately %35.9 billion). ACCESS’ USD $18.50 per share offer represents an 83% premium for PalmSource stockholders based on the market closing price of USD $10.09 on September 8, 2005.

Jazelle for New DoCoMo 3G Phones

ARM has announced that their Jazelle technology will be deployed in a new line of FOMA handsets by NTT DoCoMo. Emerging applications such as mobile games and business tools place increased performance and power demands on Java technology-enabled handsets. Through ARM’s partnership with Aplix Corporation, a global leader in deploying Java technology in mobile phones, ARM Jazelle technology is being adopted in the DoJa/Java platform for FOMA handsets, which is being jointly developed by Aplix and NTT DoCoMo.

New 3G Phones from Vodafone Japan

New 3G Phone from Vodafone JapanJapan’s lost souls and the musically minded are targets for two new W-CDMA 3G handsets from Vodafone Japan, the 903T and 803T, both by Toshiba. Scheduled for an October release, the 903T finally puts Vodafone on the real-time mobile GPS navigation map (rivals DoCoMo and KDDI have had network GPS phones for some time). Vodafone’s “Live Navi” navigation portal goes the competition one better with the addition of GPS global roaming options in the UK, Hong Kong, Holland, Spain and Germany — with more countries to follow. Of course, international roaming and Vodafone live! communication charges will apply, which might make it cheaper just to buy a guidebook.

Here in Japan, the navi service will map out routes according to specialized needs — like fewer stairs or covered access for when those typhoons hit. Vodafone’s main partner in mapping is well-known navigation data supplier Zenrin, which handles most of the live walk-through navigation and panorama shots via a split screen to show users just what they should be seeing on their route. Other partners specialize in train and subway routing, area-based restaurant maps or shopping information, as well as an international travel info site.