3G
3G

3G

MobileTV: Hype or Reality?

With KDDI’s May 2004 announcement that they had developed handsets with embedded digital TV tuners and ample battery life, and with NHK, Mobile Broadcasting Corp., and others promising direct-to-mobile broadcasts, TV is again being widely touted as the “next big thing” for the mobile platform — and not just in Japan. But before we truly see an era of television-keitai convergence, several critical issues must be understood and addressed. Many of these are fundamental flaws in the concept of mobile phone-TV convergence, and suggest that we are simply witnessing the introduction of the “next big hype” for the mobile platform.

(Part 1 of a two-part series. Next week: Mobile TV Rocks!, by WWJ chief editor Daniel Scuka.)

Manga for Mobile: Video Preview

Manga for Mobile: Video PreviewJapan’s 3G networks enable new types of high-bandwidth mobile content that weren’t viable under 2G for either economic or technical reasons. One of the coolest is mobile manga, delivering full-color comic book magazines to cell phones. There’s a manga stuffed in every Japanese commuter’s back pocket (together with a ketai), so porting manga to keitai could make an awful lot of money for content producers. It’ll also save a bunch of trees. Wireless Watch Japan was at Mobidec 2004 recently held in Tokyo and files this sneak preview from Digital Garage Mobile’s booth.

Panasonic and Beyond 3G

The Japan booth at ITU Telecom Asia 2004 is showing off a super-cool concept model by Panasonic, and we’re jealous..!!! No doubt they will have it on display here in Tokyo during CEATEC next month as well, and WWJ’s looking forward to taking a test-drive with video. Also on display: a few GSM models, made by Sanyo, which are apparently much more likely to roll-out overseas sometime soon.

New 3G Memory Design Announced

Three of Japan’s major electronics manufacturers have agreed on a standard interface specification for a type of memory in 3G mobile phones that will allow the companies to use a common component design to help phones function better. The companies will begin production of memory parts based on the specification in March 2005, according to a statement.

Softbank Blocked from 3G Spectrum

Softbank Corp., Japan’s largest Internet provider, complained that its plan to offer a new mobile phone service could be thwarted by the government’s refusal to provide the necessary bandwidth. Masayoshi Son, the billionaire founder and chief executive of Softbank, told a news conference Monday that the company wanted to begin offering 3G service utilizing CDMA2000 technology. But he said the telecommunications ministry’s decision to allocate the key 800mhz band exclusively to NTT DoCoMo Inc. and to KDDI Corp., is blocking Softbank from launching the service.