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Overseas Mobile Games Enter Japan

Best of West rides into townNow here’s a twist: just when we’ve spilled a lot of ink lately telling you how Japanese mobile Internet players are succeeding overseas, in comes a press release from Dublin, Ireland-based Upstart Games Ltd. announcing that their Tokyo subsidiary, Upstart KK, has launched what they call the first multi-carrier service dedicated to providing Japanese mobilers with access to popular US and European games. With a catchy name and the allure of foreign brands, the “Best of West” gaming contents channel may just grab a few thumbs, not to mention per-download revenues.

Entertainment firms the ones to watch

According to the PricewaterhouseCoopers’ (PwC) report, Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2005-2009, the media and entertainment (M&E) industry will increase at a 7.3 percent compound annual growth rate to $1.8 trillion in 2009. The US remains the largest M&E market but not the fastest-growing one. It has been outpaced by Asia/Pacific where China is on track to overtake Japan as the region’s entertainment giant by 2008.

Cybird Expands Overseas

Cybird Co., a Japanese provider of games, ring tones and other content for mobile phones, agreed to pay $60 million for a majority stake in closely held Airborne Entertainment Inc. to expand in North America. Cybird announced the acquisition in a release to the Tokyo Stock Exchange after the close of regular trading on Japanese markets. It plans to sign a contract on June 23, and receive the shares on June 30.

Vodafone Rolls out Sharp Ferrari-Branded Handsets

Vodafone Rolls out Two Sharp Ferrari Branded HandsetsAll doubts are now removed about who is making “Ferrari Class” handsets and the gloves are off for a bare-knuckles contest in the UK mobile data market. With O2 getting ready to roll out their i-mode portal in the next few months, Vodafone is clearly taking advantage of its relationship with Japanese OEMs and the London young turks need for speed. The GX25 (photo right) has Bluetooth and a QVGA TFT LCD bundled into its tri-band body, and the 3G-enabled 902sh touts a 2-megapixel camera with Video Out function.

Their ad copy says it all: “Jump into the seat with the Sharp 902 official Ferrari merchandise. You too can be part of the team through games, ring tones and customised menu which are all included in this unique package. Enjoy the benefits of this high-quality phone and share the excitement of the Ferrari footage with your friends. This striking Vodafone live! with 3G phone also features a 2 megapixel camera with autofocus and 2x optical zoom. After you have amazed others with your photography skills, why not explore the world of Vodafone live! with 3G to catch the latest music videos, Barclays Premiership goals, film trailers and breaking video news bulletins? All this before you have made your first face-to-face video call!“

DoCoMo 3G Cell Phones Model Designer Fashion

DoCoMo 3G Cell Phone Models Designer FashionHey DoCoMo Pimp my handset! NTT is shrugging off some of that infamous group-think mentality promoting trendy young designs in an eye-popping line of custom jackets for the P901iS series. Skulls, pistols, snakeskin, Samba Samurai and flower camo transform mobile phones into Japanese pop culture icons — complete with matching phone straps. D-@-mo (datmo design project) is turning out some of the best P901iS covers, but P901iS manufacturer Panasonic
plus a host of licensees have Japanese strutting down urban catwalks flashing their phones like designer clutches.

The cell phones transformation into fashion statement is something Americans are slowly catching on to. Coach, Hermes and Gucci got it right away and started marketing phone straps, charms or Keitai cases for brand loving locals. Custom painted, and completely illegal, rip offs of Chanel and Dior logos decorate jewel-encrusted handsets on pretty young things but everyone knows real brands are better. Now licensed names by youth culture designers and even game-obsessed Otaku brands are spreading onto handsets like a virus – a shiny, happy moneymaking virus.

Mobile Phones Shake up Shareholder Meetings

Mobile Phones Shake up Shareholder Meetings

What is the sound of one hand tapping? If you are a shareholder in NTT DoCoMo it could be a pretty loud sound indeed reverberating right into the executive boardroom. Shareholders at NTT DoCoMo’s Tuesday, 21 June, shareholders meeting will be able to vote by cell phone through a secure site tapping in ‘yea’ and ‘nay’ at their convenience without trudging all the way down to the New Otani Hotel in Akasaka.

NTT is one of a growing number of Japanese corporations mainstreaming cell phones into shareholder operations. Panasonic, video game maker Taito Corp., [.pdf] and Sony [.pdf] are each allowing M-votes at shareholder meetings this year. Voters receive an access code and password in their voter’s invitation/agenda (generally sent out a couple of weeks in advance). For the Panasonic meeting on 29 June, m-voters connect quickly to the secure site by scanning a QR code (scroll down) which kick starts the password process. DoCoMo shareholders also streamline through with a QR code. Both secure mobile and Internet voting sites may be handled by banks such as UFJ for Sony’s meeting or Chuo Mitsui Trust and Banking at Panasonic’s.