College course via mobile phone being offered in Japan

Finally, your greatest and weirdest dream can be realized. Besides being able to check your Facebook account, email your girlfriend, call your Mom on the holidays, or play a Java version of Golden Axe, you can take a college class via your mobile phone. The questionably named Cyber University in Japan has begun offering a mobile class on the "mysteries of the pyramids," but instead of a typical PC's display of text, images, sound, and video, the mobile version offers a streaming Power Point presentation on the topic. The university -- 71-percent of which is owned by Softbank, a mobile service provider -- has 1,850 students, and offers almost 100 courses, though only one is available for phones. Sakuji Yoshimura, head of Cyber University, says that the technology will allow those with jobs or who have disabilities greater access to education. "Our duty as educators is to respond to the needs of people who want to learn," he said -- then went on to add, "Even if the course is interrupted by an SMS."

Update: Did we say Golden Axe? Because we meant Wonder Boy. Whoops.

[KR @ Nov 28th 2007 3:10PM]

She doesn't look Japanese to me!

[Kennyb123 @ Nov 28th 2007 3:17PM]

I believe it's what they call a "stock photo."

Also, not only Japanese people live in Japan.

[KR @ Nov 28th 2007 4:16PM]

Thank you, Captain Obvious. Next time I'll remember to add the sarcasm tag...

[Scooter @ Nov 28th 2007 5:17PM]

I had a phone like that when living in Japan.

[Captain Obvious @ Nov 28th 2007 7:24PM]

Hey - I'm Captain Obvious!

[Pete @ Nov 28th 2007 3:13PM]

The dog ate my phone/homework?

[riggs @ Nov 28th 2007 3:15PM]

hold up hold up.....youre telling me that you can play golden axe on your phone?!?!

[Matthew Hilario @ Nov 28th 2007 4:18PM]

better save all that magic. lol

[Fernando @ Nov 28th 2007 4:31PM]

I know! I came here to comment on this too, so, java golden axe link plz.

[Arno @ Nov 28th 2007 3:21PM]

With that headline, why can't you give me a pretty Japanese girl to look at?

Shame on you...

[JP23 @ Nov 28th 2007 5:05PM]

second

[Shenard @ Nov 28th 2007 5:12PM]

Because there's thousands of pretty japanese photos you can find on this thing called the internets.

[Arno @ Nov 28th 2007 6:09PM]

What is this internet you speak of, and how can I get there?

[Ghen @ Nov 29th 2007 4:45PM]

My internets are clogged so that the race horses can't run through the tubes.

[nathan.wong @ Nov 28th 2007 3:27PM]

does the girl come with the course?

[superfresh @ Nov 28th 2007 3:28PM]

"Our duty as educators is to respond to the needs of people who want to learn," he said -- then went on to add, "Even if the course is interrupted by an SMS."

This statement would send any teacher I know leaping from the roof.

[spyder91 @ Nov 28th 2007 11:01PM]

Which is why your teachers don't work for a college whose majority stake is owned by a cell phone service provider.

[paul34 @ Nov 28th 2007 3:30PM]

Doesn't that photo qualify for a caption contest?

Let us begin!

"WTF this phone is a POS lolz! omg"

[Matthew Hilario @ Nov 28th 2007 4:36PM]

"i pressed the on button, but it's still not vibrating."

[superfresh @ Nov 28th 2007 3:35PM]

BTW, the woman in the picture must be taking a course on the history of the cellphone. Note the unbridled enthusiasm.

[Lobsang @ Nov 28th 2007 3:52PM]

the phone ironically looks dated (prolly 5-6 yrs old?

[SteveMB @ Nov 28th 2007 5:04PM]

I think the phone might be the Royale from Virgin Mobile.

[waiownsyou @ Nov 28th 2007 3:49PM]

It must suck to pay a few thousand dollars to tske a course on a free cellphone (and imagine if it has the Verizon UI!)

[Matthew Hilario @ Nov 28th 2007 4:19PM]

PLEASE SAVE ME, NO VERIzON UI PLZ!

[Andir3.0 @ Nov 28th 2007 7:42PM]

Did your caps lock "unbreak" halfway through typing that?

[Lobsang @ Nov 28th 2007 3:51PM]

So when you graduate from a college by taking these courses (if available) will your potential employer at the interview take you serious or will they say this is a fake class like those online courses? but don't take my words for it. haha

[rzlmlchm009 @ Nov 30th 2007 3:10PM]

Not all online courses are fake

[spaceb @ Nov 28th 2007 4:04PM]

Does anyone know her cellphone number?

[Matthew Hilario @ Nov 28th 2007 4:33PM]

bro, look at the picture..even she don't know her number.

[superfresh @ Nov 28th 2007 6:18PM]

spaceb: Can't stop laughing. Well done.

[Luigi193 @ Nov 28th 2007 4:16PM]

i TaKeses Hi Skool on thee DvvDs dics and I amd doin jussts feayn!!!

(I really am, and it is a cool way to learn!)

[Matthew Hilario @ Nov 28th 2007 4:34PM]

i got my masters in cellphonology. with a minor in texting.

[John @ Nov 28th 2007 5:02PM]

The best they could come up with for the first course was "mysteries of the pyramids"? That sounds like a scooby-doo episode, not a course.

[superfresh @ Nov 28th 2007 6:15PM]

She's looking with disdain at her phone like, "Duh! Everyone knows that Djoser had the Step Pyramid constructed by Imhotep, not Sekhemket. What a shitty course."

[djscott @ Nov 28th 2007 6:42PM]

Prof. Yoshimura is one of Japan's most famous Egyptologists. His courses have been delivered by streaming video on computers for years. As the head of this new university, it makes sense they chose one of his digitized courses to test cell phones as ed media. The title is a little dramatic, but either it's a wonky translation or they wanted to drum up interest.

[Jen @ Nov 28th 2007 5:16PM]

Can you imagine writing a 5 page report on a cell phone? Torture.

[Karim @ Nov 28th 2007 10:06PM]

Especially since the predictive text entry doesn't ever, ever predict you're going to type, "Sobekemsaf II Sekhemrewadjkhaw."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sobekemsaf_II

[zebcarlson2007 @ Nov 28th 2007 5:21PM]

Will it run doom?

[Joshua Walters @ Nov 28th 2007 5:50PM]

I think its kinda funny. You would think that such a technically inclined nation wouldnt need a class like that!

Oh, again, your late on this engadget, verizon wireless had it about 10am this morning. Second time today! Something must be wrong, because this has only happened ONE other time before!

[Rainier @ Nov 28th 2007 6:02PM]

Umm, so do they text you your diploma?

[john2832 @ Nov 28th 2007 7:33PM]

I am student in a course that uses LectureShare as its CMS and it also allows student to get course updates on the cell phone. Its pretty great and I think there is a real future for this type of mobile learning.

[atncgnito @ Nov 28th 2007 9:57PM]

Its so lame that I can always tell the articles that will have few comments about the article,, just the picture.. Pictures that stand out for any reason =lame comments with no insight on the article.

[Max @ Nov 28th 2007 9:59PM]

She's hot - this is bad news for college - I want to see her in class so I can stare at her like a sexual predator, don't let her take classes from her phone.

[Rolling Courage - the Joe Swanson Story @ Nov 28th 2007 11:27PM]

I guess I'd do 'er

[Wenslauw @ Nov 29th 2007 3:30AM]

She looks like the girl in the Headstart Java books.

[T-Will @ Nov 29th 2007 8:14PM]

Wow, strong eyebrows.