DoCoMo's WiFi cellphone announced

DoCoMo has announced the much-rumoured NEC N900iL, its first attempt at a cellphone with wireless LAN included. It's aimed firmly at the corporate user, and shaves off a few functions common to the rest of DoCoMo's FOMA 900i series (large-sized Java apps, videophone avatars, infra-red remote control). However, it adds a browser that can be used either over WiFi or the packet network, a "presence" function to indicate whether a person you've registered is around or not (this only works with DoCoMo's corporate Passage Duple service, which doubles the number of your passages), and an instant messenger. The usual gear—such as a megapixel camera and videophone functions—are unharmed, and the standby and talk time are impressive for a wireless VoIP handset, at 230 hours (150 in dual cellphone/WiFi mode) and 160 minutes, respectively. Comes in one colour, silver, because silver is the colour of the future. Looks like we're going to be seeing more of these, so it seems like the time to ask: what would you want from a WiFi cellphone?

[Gerry MacKenzie @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

WiFi is a faster alternative to regular WAN standards (not holding my breath for "WiMax" soon).

Also, using WiFi wouldn't incur Celco airtime charges... Now if Skype worked on these WiFi phones... D-I-S-R-U-P-T-I-O-N.

[mike ritter @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

In particular does it work only on DoCoMo hotspots, a single particular enterprise hotspot, or can you add new ones on the fly? And how does handover work? these are critical issues for a real Wifi-cell phone.

The lifetimes are very impressive, an excellent job if they hold up. Shipping?

[Gareth Edwards @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

You have to buy DoCoMo's solution as a package, apparently, and the WiFi only works while you're in range of the company wireless LAN. DoCoMo's considering expanding this to its hotspots, but you'll only be able to use it for data--no VoIP. As for the handover, I can't pin down a definite answer but it seems like WiFi and cellphone calls may be treated separately--though the in-company server will redirect calls to the appropriate number depending on whether you're in or out.

[lordan aydalla @ Dec 19th 2005 2:23AM]

have a good day
i'm a pilipino i have docomo cellphone but my problem is my charger was destroy,and there's
no available outlet here to buy a new charger..
its docomo s0505i w/d 16x digital zoom 1.3 mega pixels..
i want to buy new charger..i dont know how sop that i research in the internet so thankz..
i hope this is the best way to used again my celpphone..
please help me...
god bless

thanks

lordan