NEC Corporation announced that it has started delivery of a new 3G (W-CDMA) Node B series “RS381, RS880.” The new series features Remote Radio Head (RRH) architecture, which divides the Node B into a main controller and a compact RRH outdoor unit. This allows flexible installation as the RRH outdoor unit can be installed within several dozen kilometers of the site, enabling response to a variety of situations and conditions.
Seiko Epson Corp. has developed an ultra-sensitive, ultra-compact GPS module to meet high demand from manufacturers of mobile phones and other handsets with GPS functionality. Volume shipment of the S4E19863 series has already begun, the product has been loaded in all GPS-capable models of the FOMA903i series phones recently released by DoCoMo. According to the companies press release this chip is the world’s smallest commercial GPS module at 7 mm x 6 mm x 1.28 mm.
BusinessWeek’s Ian Rowley is drooling over Japanese handsets Here – and who could blame him? However, his reasoning as to why these pocket rockets “seldom make it overseas” is just a bit off. “Most of the world won’t get the chance to buy these handsets. Japan’s superphones seldom make it overseas. One reason: Many phone users would be unwilling to pay as much as Japanese do for their monthly bills – $60 on average. Before long, though, much of the new technology, if not the same handsets, will likely find its way out of Japan.”
Shares of Sanyo Electric Co., the world’s largest maker of rechargeable batteries, fell to a 31- year low after 1.3 million of its cells used in mobile phones were recalled on concern they overheat and rupture. The lithium-ion batteries, made by a unit of Osaka-based Sanyo, are used in Mitsubishi Electric Corp. handsets on NTT DoCoMo Inc.’s high-speed service. Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. confirmed it found six cases of burst batteries used in its Panasonic phones, responding to a Yomiuri newspaper report [see Japan Times in English]. Matsushita spokesman Junji Kanegawa said Sanyo wasn’t the battery maker, declining to name the manufacturer.
NTT DoCoMo and Mitsubishi Electric announced today, at a hastily called press conference, that some D06-series batteries, which were manufactured through May 2006 and installed in the D902i-series handsets, could generate excessive heat and possibly rupture during charging if the batteries have been subjected to a strong external impact. The companies estimate that some 1.3 million D06 series batteries were manufactured through May 2006. Sales of the D902i, D902iS and D903i have been suspended for the time being.
Panasonic Mobile announced today that it has developed two prototypes of mobile phones equipped with wireless LAN 802.11b/g module. Using wireless LAN module, the handset could be utilized as high quality IP TV phone or as player, server, and controller to enjoy rich digital contents wirelessly with DLNA compliant products at home. These two prototypes will be exhibited at its booth at the ITU TELECOM WORLD 2006 to be held in Hong Kong, China from December 4 to 8.
