NTT DoCoMo have posted a new corporate video, “The Keitai as Lifestyle Infrastructure.” Their PR email said the video introduces “… our plan to create new revenue sources.” As if they need any..! Access the programme here: http://www.nttdocomo.com/features/keitai.html.
KDDI and Toyota have announced an update to the existing G-Book telematics service. A limited release of 7,500 new TiMO handsets, Toshiba’s 3G terminal otherwise known as the W44T11, will be available from October this year. WWJ has a video interview from the Tokyo Motor Show in 2003 demonstrating the original service and it would appear at first blush their new offering is at least somwhat improved. Full specs and dedicated site links after the jump.
KDDI today launched the first strike in Japan’s mobile number portability wars with no less than 10 press releases announced today at Tokyo’s ultra buttoned-down Imperial Hotel. The line-up of phones and services includes new units from Casio (W43CA), Hitachi (W43H), Kyocera (W43K and W44K), Sanyo (W42SA, W43SA and A5522SA), Sharp (W41SH), Sony Ericsson (W43S) and Toshiba (W45T and W47T), plus a new in-house designer model (also by Toshiba) code named Drape.
The accompanying new data offerings unveiled today include a scrolling news service (ala i-channel) and mobile video conferencing, the first such service from KDDI (which, until now, has philosophically posited that video conferencing was not suited for mobile), as well as several improved mobile music and digital TV offerings.
KDDI has announced it would invest 200 billion yen ($1.73 billion) over the next three years on upgrading its network to CDMA2000 1x EV-DO Revision A technology. KDDI’s Y200bn network upgrade will begin in December with consumers in urban areas benefiting first. Its total investment budget for the year ending March 2007 is Y333bn, a 21 per cent increase on the 2005-06 budget.
Naviblog Corp., which showcased their local search and location-based information sharing technology at Mobile Monday Tokyo in May, gave a very entertaining presentation at the Mobile Entertainment Forum, part of the recent Wireless Japan 2006 trade show. In the presentation, Naviblog CEO & President Mandali Khalesi explained their browser-based approach to mobile products in more detail.
Naviblog is a finalist for this year’s Red Herring Asia 100, an award program recognizing the most promising and innovative private technology companies with high growth potential in Asia.
We also have clip of the opening remarks from Qualcomm’s Ted Matsumoto, one of Japan’s and Asia’s most knowledgeable mobile thinkers!
Osaka, Japan-based tech startup Eamex Corp. has developed an extremely compact new optical image stabilizer device targeted at use in camera phones. Given their small size, optical image stabilizers have generally proven unsuited to the size and power constraints presented in camera phones. The prototype module is just 14mm across and 1.5mm thick. Inside, the company has crafted a 12mm polymer actuator with a mass of just 0.024 grams, sandwiched between two electrode plates that provide for power – and hence control.
