DoCoMo has announced that it will stop accepting applications for its 2G ‘Mova’ mobile service as of November 30. Without stating when it would turn-out the lights on their legacy PDC network it would seem possible that it will happen by Q4 of fiscal 2008, therefore March 31 2009. It’s the end of an era!
According to this article NEC has developed a system using a face recognition technology that determines the general attributes of a person standing in front of a digital display and outputs advertisements, according to their profile, to the persons FeliCa-enabled handset. NEC calls this system the “Digital Signage Solution,” combining their advertisement delivery and display system with their advertising value measurement system.
Bandai, famous for the ’90’s Tamagochi craze, has introduced their new SmartBerry Communicator device. Targeted at young girls, this slider styled touch screen unit offers profile personalization – a virtual business card with blood type and birthdate as given examples – to be shared with trusted friends via real email, including photo attachments and emoji icons of course, with instant chat and multi-player gaming functions, just to name a few.
Available starting this weekend, for about $100, the company has forcasted moving 100,000 units in Japan by spring 2009.
You have to wonder how long it will be before the folks at Mattel catch-up with something like this for Barbie Girls too.. Egad! More details after the jump.
Well it was a long time coming but this morning at 07:00 the first 3G iPhones started hitting the street here in Tokyo with almost 1,000 die-hard fans in line at the SoftBank Mobile flagship store in Omote-Sando eager to buy the next-generation mobile computing device.. while supplies last.
Wireless Watch Japan was on the scene, last night and all morning for the launch party at Bic Camera in Yurakucho, shooting some video and chatting with the crowd. Doesn’t he look happy!
We have a ton of material to edit down but for the time being we pulled a few screen grab teaser shots. More after the jump.
In a landmark announcement yesterday, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Motorola and NTT DoCoMo expressed their intent to unite Symbian OS, S60, UIQ and MOAP(S) to create one open mobile software platform. Together with AT&T, LG Electronics, Samsung Electronics, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and Vodafone they plan to establish the Symbian Foundation to extend the appeal of this unified software platform. Membership of this non-profit Foundation will be open to all organizations. This initiative is supported by current shareholders and management of Symbian Limited, who have been actively involved in its development.
Nokia announced plans to acquire the remaining shares of Symbian Limited that Nokia does not already own and then contribute the Symbian and S60 software to the Foundation. Sony Ericsson and Motorola today announced their intention to contribute technology from UIQ and DOCOMO has also indicated its willingness to contribute its MOAP(S) assets. From these contributions, the Foundation will provide a unified platform with common UI framework. A full platform will be available for all Foundation members under a royalty-free license, from the Foundation’s first day of operations.
As the hype anticipation builds, Softbank Mobile has released the the applicable subscription plan details for Apple’s 3G iPhone. According to this announcement, purchase of iPhone 3G 8GB model will run approximately 23,000jpy, or 960jpy month over 2-year term and unlimited data packet usage is priced at 5,985jpy per month. The package provided will be their popular ‘White Plan’ offering free domestic voice calls between SoftBank handsets from 1:00 to 21:00 and a SoftBank original mail service with receipt notification ‘Email’ for free.
