Starbucks become Wi-Fi spot in Japan

October 28, 2009

Starbucks and NTT announced that they started Wi-Fi service in a store of Japanese Starbucks. I get possible to use it at any time from November, 2009. NTT's 2 Wi-Fi brand FLET'S SPOT and Mzone are available. They are the biggest Wi-Fi brand in Japan. I think it's too late but I welcome this movement.

This announcement means that a Japanese communications infrastructure pushes forward smartphone correspondence. NTT docomo that is the biggest mobile career in Japan released HTC's Android smartphone and they will release 2 or 3 more Android smartphone in November 10th.

About 50% of 3G handsets are abailable HSDPA or HSDPA, it's downlink is up to 7.2Mbps. Enough to use closed mobile web service like i-mode or EZweb. But now, Japanese mobile users are interested in smartphones -- iPhone or Android and they want more speed.

In the situation that is skeptical for investment of 4G, the combination of HSDPA and the Wi-Fi is realistic solution for the high-speed communication with the smartphone.

Posted by taromatsumura at 7:52 PM Comments  

The first city phone in Japan, 1984

September 14, 2009


YRP, originally uploaded by taromatsumura.

When I went to research center of NTT docomo in Yokosuka aka YRP, I saw the first consumer cell phone in Japan. In 1984, docomo released car cell phone which is available in big city like Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka. Handset is not so big, but it needs 7kg module in the car and handset isn't wireless, and you should talk only in your car.

This is the beginning.

Posted by taromatsumura at 12:25 AM Comments  

"Elected Now" on Twitter

August 30, 2009

Today, Japan election is over and there are many elected reports on classical media like TV. A elected member of the house tweet 「当選確実なう」"elected now" on Twitter and many other twitter uses mark as "favorite".

Seiji Ohsaka, elected today started Twitter before election and he tweets from the house or visitation place using mobilephone. He gets 6862 followers and discuses about this country. http://twitter.com/seiji_ohsaka

In Japan, runners do not update their online media after public notification day of electioin. This law will be changed by new government. So Mr. Ohsaka stopped tweeting Aug. 17th.

His next tweet is "elected now" today. Japanese users mark favorite as congrats. Favotter that counts favorite number of every tweets in Japanese counts 800+ favorites. It's best record on favotter.

I think this is a new dawning of Japan election using the web. Government is change, election will be change, too.

Posted by taromatsumura at 11:08 PM 0 comments  

Waterproof for short summer

August 25, 2009

This summer in Japan was very short as usual. Tohoku District -- Northern Japan was no summer, continued spring rainy season to autumn rainy season. Global warming is in the news but with the bad weather We Japanese are not enjoying the summer season.

However, Japanese mobilephone trends are available for summer leisure like swimming pool or beach. The half of new phones have the feature of waterproof. This photo is docomo F-02A by Fujitsu. F-02A's the big appeals are 4℃'s tiny diamond and waterproof.

The first model of waterproof mobilephone is G'z One. It's G-SHOCK phone from CASIO, G-SHOCK is well known brand of tough watch in the world. Waterproof feature for men who enjoy outdoor leisure. But mobilephone want waterproof feature for usual day.

Japanese women talk in the bathroom with mobilephone. It doesn't matter if their phone is not waterproof. They want to make long call time doing something. In the bathroom is better place.

In this month, Fujitsu released New Rakuraku Phone that is designed for Elder people with big button, big and clear voice, easy access keys, and big display. And its new feature is waterproof protecting accident of submersion.

I use iPhone very careful without waterproof package. Typhoons or guerrilla thundarstorms come many time in Tokyo, We needs waterproof for mobilephone today.

Posted by taromatsumura at 3:10 AM 0 comments  

Kids become mobile native or not?

August 21, 2009


Kids Keitai, originally uploaded by taromatsumura.

Nokia's researchers said we are making universal designed phones. But Japanese mobilephones are designed for narrow targets like elderly people or child. Especially keitai for child, very cute and pop color and many security features for real or virtual life.

Parents who buy child keitai for their children want to keep conecting and safe. But major of public school in Japan prohibit student bring keitai to school because keitai rebuff children's study or keitai bring danger to them.

I think that rule is not good idea for children. They want to use keitai for daily communication and I think they should be good at personal tech.

Posted by taromatsumura at 8:42 PM 0 comments  

F501i, the first smartphone in Japan 1999


F501i, cool design
Originally uploaded by taromatsumura
NTT docomo stated i-mode that's information and communication service on your mobilephone called "keitai". i-mode provides mobile web access and e-mail service with yourname@nttdocomo.ne.jp.

This is the first i-mode phone F501i by Fujitsu (Japanese phone name has manufacturer and features. F means Fujitsu and i means i-mode available). F501i was cooler than any other models in 1999. Shiny body and sharp keys are light-up orange.

F501i has small monotone display that can display images emoji character. These are new features.

Posted by taromatsumura at 6:46 PM 0 comments  

From MMS via iPhone

I have a blog in Japanese since 1997 named TAROSITE.NET www.tarosite.net using Movable Type. Before changing to iPhone, I posted Moblog via Flickr but now it's not working well.

Blogger has e-mail and MMS post feature. I wanna post from my iPhone! Mobile post helps me memoranda or driving my ideas.

Posted by taromatsumura at 5:23 PM 0 comments