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Casio Pushing for U.S. Market

Japan’s Casio Computer Co. is making an overseas push with plans to supply 3G phones to U.S. mobile carriers and a deal to win shelf space for its digital cameras at U.S. electronics retailer Best Buy, Casio President Kazuo Kashio said on Wednesday. The company’s new waterproof and shock-resistant 3G phones (launched in Japan earlier this year), which make up more than a fifth of total sales, have received high marks, Kashio said in an interview, declining to identify the U.S. carriers involved.

NEC Set to Deliver HSDPA Network

NEC Corporation announced that its High Speed Download Packet Access (HSDPA) is ready to be delivered for use in commercial networks worldwide. The successful field network operation trial for NEC’s HSDPA was carried out this summer through the cooperation of Vodafone K.K. in Japan. During the trial, Node-Bs and radio network controllers (RNC) based on NEC’s HSDPA achieved a high level of performance and functionality, including high-speed internet access among HSDPA-based 3G mobile terminals, consecutive data transmission and handover in a HSDPA service environment and flexible and variable change in transmission speed.

PanTech & Curitel's A1405PT for KDDI

KDDI/au have announced the latest addition to their CDMA 1X handset line-up, the A1405PT [ .jpg image ] from PanTech & Curitel. The phone was jointly developed with KDDI and marks the first entry of a Korean-made model into the Japanese market. Due to hit the streets by the end of November, it comes with a limited set of features (only a VGA camera for example), but it does tout an organic EL “Stream Screen” sub-display and has a built-in “crime prevention buzzer function” that is able to sound the warning sound of a large volume. This should be a fun feature for our next trip out to see the Yomiuri Giants play!

DoCoMo Announces Japan's First Digital Broadcast Cellphone

DoCoMo Announces Japan's First Digital Broadcast CellphoneDoCoMo has developed their first mobile handset to receive terrestrial digital broadcasting and analog TV in one 3G Foma package. The P901iTV handset, by Panasonic, targets the start of mobile digital broadcasting in April, 2006 and will make its public debut at the upcoming CEATEC Japan 2005 trade show October 4 to 8 at Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba. (WWJ will be on-hand to get photos and video!)

The twist-style handset comes with a 2.5-inch, wide-view main LCD screen plus a sub-display, antenna-embedded earphone for enhanced TV reception, and 2.2-megapixel camera. The handset can only handle around 2.5 hours of continuous digital TV viewing; 1.5 hours of analog — ruling out Lord of the Rings style 3-hour viewing marathons. DoCoMo’s Osaifu-Keitai mobile wallet is part of the package as well, enabling the phone to be used as electronic money.

Vodafone and KDDI have had demonstration models of terrestrial digital TV receiver/handsets for some time. Last may their latest versions were up and running at the NHK Science and Technical Research Laboratories open house. Vodafone displayed the 801SH Sharp CDMA Qualcomm handset with a hybrid split-screen displaying TV images on the upper half with the bottom reserved for scrolling data feeds. KDDI showed off a similar au prototype handset by Sanyo. Check-out our video report from that event here.

Vodafone Flips for Felica in 3G Fall/Winter Lineup

Vodafone Flips for Felica in 3G Fall/Winter Lineup

Vodafone follows DoCoMo and KDDI into the brave new revenue world of Osaifu Keitai [wallet phone] introducing its first Felica-equipped handset at a press conference for the Japanese carrier’s Fall/Winter 3G lineup [.PDF]. Four handsets: the 702NK II from Nokia, 703SHf and 604SH both from Sharp plus the 703N by NEC are scheduled for release in October and November. The company is counting on this lineup’s smooth design esthetics, sophisticated hardware and contents to re-ignite consumer interest in the Vodafone brand.

At just 47mm wide the 703SHf is Vodafone’s slimmest 3G handset yet. Besides Felica it has a 1.3 megapixel camera, 2-inch ASV LCD screen and the music player supports AAC and SD-Audio MP3 music files. But who cares. It’s really all about the chip. The Felica IC chip system developed by Sony allows users to swipe Felica-equipped mobile handsets over designated readers and pay for everything from a bottle of ice tea to an airline ticket. DoCoMo started loading it onto their 3G phones in July 2004 and has sold around 5 million Felica-equipped phones so far. The other carriers have seen little choice but to follow. These Sony IC chips have become ubiquitous not by Felica but through the Suica JR train commuter cards which can also be used at shops inside designated train stations and at platform kiosks. Thanks to DoCoMo, Suica is going mobile next year and there are plans to incorporate private train lines and subways into the Suica system as well. KDDI began selling their first Felica handset, the W32S from Sony Ericcson, this month.

3G Industry Achievement Awards

The CDMA Development Group (CDG) have announced the winners of the 2005 3G CDMA Industry Achievement Awards, which were presented at the 3G CDMA Americas Congress. “The CDMA community is leading in the delivery of 3G wireless services across the globe and there are many accomplishments to recognize,” said Perry LaForge, executive director of the CDG. “The CDG congratulates all recipients of this year’s awards and applauds their contributions to making CDMA2000 the technology of choice for 3G.”