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All Systems Go for Tokyo Game Show

CESA has just issued a press release with final details for this TGS 2008. The total number of exhibitors this year will be 209, including 89 exhibitors from overseas. The number of booths has marked a new record of 1768. As of August 18, they received entries of a total of 613 titles by 64 corporations and organizations. A list of the participating companies is provided on the official English website. We’re looking forward to another Great Tokyo Game Show! Meanwhile, here’s our video from 2007.

Big Three to Demo Intelligent Key

Nissan, DoCoMo and Sharp Intro Intelligent KeyNissan, DoCoMo and Sharp just announced that they have jointly developed a mobile phone capable of functioning as an intelligent key for automobiles. The device will incorporate Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, already a standard feature in various Nissan vehicles. Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, installed in more than 950,000 units of various Nissan models since 2002, employs two-way wireless communications technology to automatically unlock/lock the car door and start/stop the engine. Nissan and Sharp has now integrated these electronic intelligent-key, wireless communications and electromagnetic technologies into the new handset.

The three firms will continue to develop the product with an aim for commercial distribution in early fiscal 2009. They will demonstrate this new device at CEATEC next week and WWJ will be there!

NEC Does Softbank Femto Deal

NEC Corp. and its partner Ubiquisys Ltd. have won a key battle today with the announcement of a femto contract from Japan’s Softbank Mobile. According to Unstrung, Softbank plans to launch commercial services with the 3G home base stations in January next year, which is the first commercial launch date that an operator has set for 3G femtos anywhere and is well ahead of the industry expectations that femto services will launch in the 2010 time-range.

DoCoMo Taking 30% share of Aktel?

According to this post via the Malaysian National News Agency, TM International landed NTT DoCoMo as a shareholder in TM International (Bangladesh) Ltd (TMIB). In a statement issued Friday, TMI said DoCoMo has completed its purchase of a 30 percent stake in TMIB, TMI’s mobile operations in Bangladesh by acquiring all the issued and paid-up shares of TMIB previously held by A.K. Khan & Co Ltd and its four group companies. TMIB, trading under the brand name Aktel, operates a cellular Global System for Mobile Communications service in Bangladesh.

Verizon Launches Flash-Based Store

Verizon Wireless has quietly released Dashboard, a new storefront found on its phones using Adobe Flash according to MocoNews. So far, Dashboard has launched on the LG Chocolate 3, and more phones are expected by the end of the year, making it one of the largest mobile implementations of Flash in states to-date. The stoefront stands alongside the carrier’s ‘Get It Now platform’, and is designed to be an easy place for consumers to find from Verizon’s deck.

iPhone Sees Slow Japan Sales?

At least according to this post on WSJ. While we could take issue with several assurances therein, niggly details aside, it would seem that Steves amazing device is not exactly blowing the doors off at local retails shops after the first predictable wave of sales in early July. That being said the prediction for 1M unit sales in Japan was based on a full year and their price package, handset and monthly fee, is certainly competative enough. As usual there’s much more than meets the eye on a story like this!