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KDDI's Aggressive EV-DO Upgrade

The CDMA Development Group (CDG) has reported that KDDI is strengthening its technological and differentiated services lead in Japan by upgrading its CDMA network to so-called Revision A. Rev A’s most compelling benefit will be a dramatic increase in uplink speeds up to 1.8 Mbps and downlink speeds up to 3.1 Mbps, as compared to EV-DO Release 0 that supports speeds up to 153.6 kbps and 2.4Mbps, respectively. KDDI has already announced the availability of two handsets from Toshiba, the W47T and DRAPE, to support the commercial launch of its advanced broadband technology services by December 2006.

Gemini Launches Mobile Community Platform

Gemini Mobile Technologies has announced a new software platform to power mobile communities. The Gemini platform, called eXplo, is the foundation of a new 3D interface from SoftBank Mobile Corporation in Japan, named S! TOWN. SoftBank Mobile’s new S! Town-enabled phones are available today throughout Japan on selected Sharp and Toshiba phone models. Gemini expects to announce new carriers and content providers for eXplo in the coming months.

Wireless HD Coming in 2008

A collection of the biggest powers in consumer electronics, including LG, Matsushita (Panasonic), Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, and SiBEAM announced today that they are teaming together to ratify a standard for wireless high-def signal transmission. United as a technology group going under the name WirelessHD, the companies aim to have a finalized specification in spring 2007. The WirelessHD (WiHD) standard will allow for uncompressed, digital transmission of HD video and audio signals, essentially making it equivalent, in theory, to wireless HDMI.

Amp'd Mobile Content Coming to Japan

Amp’d Mobile, announced it will deliver much of its mobile entertainment content to Japan via a new portal service designed exclusively for Tokyo-based KDDI/au. The service is expected to launch in March of 2007. Services will include Amp’d Music, Videos, Games, Sports, and Lifestyle content. The company has stated it will also open a satellite studio office in Japan that will contribute locally-produced materials to enhance their service.

Sanyo Epson Develops 1.1mm Display

Sanyo Epson Imaging Devices Corporation has announced the development of a 2.2-inch amorphous silicon TFT liquid-crystal display (LCD) that is just 1.1 mm thick, making it ideal for use in mobile phones and other portable devices. The Company succeeded in developing this 1.1-mm-thick amorphous TFT LCD by using ultra-thin components, including the backlight, polarizing plate and glass substrate. These features are considered to be ideal for displaying video and watching “One Seg” digital TV broadcasts viewed on mobile phones in Japan.

Strix Wins Big Japanese Mesh Deal

WiFi mesh startup Strix Systems Inc. has scored one of the largest multi-city 802.11 municipal deals yet announced, working with an NTT Group subsidiary to unwire a hundred cities in Japan over the next couple of years. The firm is working with NTT West and Network Value Components to deploy the network, which will use Strix’s Access/One OWS and IWS modular mesh products to provide voice, video, and data services in both indoor and outdoor settings. Nan Chen, Strix’s VP of marketing, says that the network could cover “about 50 million people” by the time it is completed, although he’s not sure which cities NTT plans to include in the deployment.