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DoCoMo Achieves 250Mbps Downlink

DoCoMo has announced their latest speed trials in the march towards Super 3G or so-called LTE technologies. According to the press release they have refined the experimental system using an actual wireless environment near its R&D labs in Yokosuka Research Park to record a downlink transmission rate of 250Mbps in the 20MHz bandwidth, the maximum under new Super 3G standards. DoCoMo is continuing to test connection handover from one base station to another, and the functionality of applications in indoor and outdoor environments.

QR Code Marker for your Grave

Somehow we missed this news from Ishinokoe (or “voice of stone”) who announced that they will begin offering tombstones with a unique Design QR code. The package will allow visitors to access a dedicated mobile site, complete with life history and photos etc., of the deceased. They also note that for the sake of privacy only people with a key, family members, will be able to open the chamber door in order to scan the data.

Sharp Bluetooth Watch from Citizen

SoftBank Mobile is promoting this iVIRT-M watch, made by Citizen, as an added bonus feature to accompy their 920SH handset by Sharp. According to the details provided it “connects via Bluetooth, so incoming calls, mail, and S! Quick News will always be right at hand”.. we’re not sure if the pun was intended. In addition to functioning as a remote camera shutter, it features a 64-color LCD and can even display mail pictographs. It’s not clear whether the Citizen unit can also function with Sharps 920YK device, recently introduced with a bundled E*Trade stock market application.

Exclusive Luxury Toshiba Handset Introduced

The Cosmic Shiner, a FanFun 815T model with diamonds, targeted at the ‘well-to-do’ was unveiled this week in Tokyo. This limited edition model, with only 1,000 available, is to be offered for $4,000 via an interesting invitation only scheme. In addition to the custom design features by Kansai Yamamoto discriminating buyers will also be entitled to a new “Prestige Gold” membership service.

Sharp Handsets Hold Top Market Share

Sharp increased it’s position as the top supplier of mobile phones in Japan in 2007 for the second straight year, according to a Jiji article press quoting market research company IDC Japan. In the October-December period, Sharp held on the top spot for the seventh consecutive quarter. The company took a 25.1 pct share of domestic mobile phone shipments, up from 18.6 pct in the previous year, thanks to the popularity of its Aquos branded models. Total shipments, across all handset makers, was up year-on-year 4.4 pct to 51.52 million units.

Bandai Introduces Mobile Avatar Service

Bandai Networks has announced that as of today it will offer a custom mobile service based on their popular Gundam character through KDDI’s ‘Au one avatar’ platform. Members will be able to create and update their own unique avatar from an initial choice of three characters; “Mobile soldier Gundam”, “Gundam SEED DESTINY”, and “Fmofmo” which can then also be used across several of the carriers other Au one portal destinations.