New Tech & Services
New Tech & Services

New Tech & Services

Clarion Steers iPod into Car Navigation System

Clarion Steers iPod into Car Navigation System

Apple’s iPod is putting the ‘fun’ in functionality and Japanese electronics makers are innovating for a piece of the action. Car navigation system maker Clarion has added iPod access to their newest AddZest HDD series. Touch panels on the MAX950HD and MAX850HD will synch with the iPod via an optional connector cable. Like the iTunes PC display, the car version can bring up album covers and artist’ names on the screen. Drivers who prefer to burn music instead of rubber can use both the 950 and 850 to rip CDs at speeds of 4X to 7X. Something to do in those endless rush hour traffic jams. The built-in hard disk will hold around 4000 tunes. Full Specs from the company press release [in Japanese].

Credit Cards Go Wireless on DoCoMo Felica Handsets

Credit Cards Go Wireless on DoCoMo Felica HandsetsImpulse credit card purchases are set to take a frighteningly mobile turn in Japan after NTT DoCoMo and the Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group ended several days of speculation to formally announce a strategic business and capital alliance to bring credit card payments onto DoCoMo’s Felica IC-equipped handsets. DoCoMo plans to invest nearly 100 billion yen in the venture, acquiring 34 percent of Sumitomo Mitsui Card’s (SMC) common shares for approximately 98 billion yen (over $942 million), including new shares to be issued by SMC. The technology will be enable users to swipe their Felica handset in front of a code reader and confirm credit card purchases automatically. No definite rollout date was given.

Sure, it’ll be convenient — but is it secure?

Vodafone K.K. Launches Disaster Message Board Service

Vodafone K.K. announced that on 27 April it will launch a service that lets customers confirm personal safety information concerning their family and friends via the Vodafone live! mobile internet service in the event of a major disaster, such as a large earthquake. For the two week period of 27 April to 11 May, Vodafone K.K. will offer a trial version of its Disaster Message Board Service so customers can get familiar with the service details and methods of use. After this initial period, the same trial service is scheduled to be available on the first day of every month (excluding the month of January).

Will that be Cash or DoCoMo?

DoCoMo is in talks with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and JCB about investing in their credit card businesses in a step forward for the vision of integrating mobile communications with financial services. Japan’s largest mobile phone operator is looking to pay about Y100bn ($938m) for a 33.4 per cent stake in SMFG’s 100 per cent-owned card business, Mitsui Sumitomo Card, Japan’s number two credit card operator, and a smaller stake in JCB, the country’s number one card provider.

KDDI Launches Mobile EZ-Book Portal

KDDI Launches au Mobile Ez-Book PortalOnline bookstores are nothing new but KDDI has wrapped up a mobile reading solution that transforms cell phones into personal book-mobiles. Starting 21 April, EZ Book Land for au WIN EV-DO cell phones brings bestsellers, business titles, movie novelizations, manga (comics) and anime right onto handsets — 7,000 titles from ten sites. Like the EZ Channel video program service, books auto-download to subscribers late at night (when network demand is low) to be read at leisure with no connection fees to worry about. Viewer software is provided by the XMDF e-book viewer developed by Sharp for regular titles and Celsys Comic Surfing software for manga/anime. EZ Book Land partner Maruzen’s bookstore chain anchors the portal in the real world for book orders of the three-dimensional kind via au Books.

Vodafone KK Trials 3G Symbian Apps

Vodafone has greenlighted two new Symbian OS applications for their 3G 702NK (Nokia 6630) handset –- at least on a trial basis. Connecting through the Vodafone live! Web service, users can create custom design packages (by Taito and Creek & River Co.) for the 702NK user interface at a cost of 420 yen per download (or get the NetFront mobile browser software from ACCESS to reach PC websites at 2625 yen). Matthew Nicholson, Vodafone Japan International Media Relations Manager, told WWJ “Though a number of handsets here are running the Symbian OS, we believe this is the first time Symbian content has been offered on a portal in Japan.”