See-through displays may or may not be making a comeback, but NTT DoCoMo is at least trying to give them a different spin. Working with Fujitsu, it's added a Vita-style extra touch panel to the rear of the screen, which works with the transparency to let the user navigate Android without ever obscuring the UI with their fingers. It also allows new types of interaction based on "gripping" objects -- holding down a finger at the back to modify the effect of a swipe on the front. The prototype was actually announced a little while back, but DigInfo has a video (embedded after the break) that shows how it works in practice -- just don't expect to be enjoying Netflix on that washed-out QVGA display anytime soon.

Continue reading Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video)

Double-sided transparent touchscreen shown off on NTT DoCoMo prototype (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 31 May 2012 08:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Amazon has decided that offering 3G-capable Kindles isn't enough of an involvement in the cellular world -- it's now getting into the business of offering the bits themselves. Through a tie-up with NTT DoCoMo-using MVNO Japan Communications, Amazon is selling prepaid SIM cards for LTE data. Each slice of plastic and circuitry will provide a 500MB block of sweet, sweet 4G for ¥1,980 ($25). There's a very good chance we'd burn through that in a day, but it'll let you get an NTT DoCoMo-ready smartphone or Arrows Tab online in a pinch. The Japanese can snap up the cards later in the month, while those of us in the US will just have to hope that Amazon can make a similar (if hopefully cheaper) deal closer to home.

Amazon offers prepaid 4G LTE data in Japan, gets you online 500MB at a time originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 May 2012 21:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NTT DoCoMo is applying to extend its network to the 700MHz spectrum after losing out the coveted 900MHz band to smaller rival Softbank. If successful, the communications giant will have to fork out 150 billion yen ($1.9 billion) to make the necessary infrastructure changes to allow 3.9G devices to work on its network. While it can't be too happy at having to make do with the weaker frequencies, it does expect to pocket nearly $5 billion in profit this year, which ought to cushion the blow.

NTT DoCoMo bids for 700MHz spectrum, will drop two big-ones if it succeeds originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 23 May 2012 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung started making 2GB low-power mobile memory last year, but as the 1GB-equipped phone you likely have in your hand shows, the chips weren't built on a wide-enough scale to get much use. The Korean company is hoping to fix that now that it's mass-producing 20-nanometer, 4-gigabit LPDDR2 RAM. Going to a smaller process than the 30-nanometer chips of old will not just slim the memory down by a fifth, helping your smartphone stay skinny: it should help 2GB of RAM become the "mainstream product" by the end of 2013, if Samsung gets its way. New chips should run at 1,066Mbps without chewing up any more power than the earlier parts, too, so there's no penalty for using the denser parts. It's hard to say whether or not the 20nm design is what's leading to the 2GB of RAM in the Japanese Galaxy S III; we just know that the upgraded NTT DoCoMo phone is now just the start of a rapidly approaching trend for smartphones and tablets.

Continue reading Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones

Samsung mass-produces 4-gigabit LPDDR2 memory, aims to make 2GB a common sight in smartphones originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ah, Japan. That far east country what begot Mario most always gets to profit from the industry's more delightful excesses. This time, however, the spoils have less to do with gaming flash and more to do with smartphone specs. In a document recently released by NTT DoCoMo, the carrier's upcoming dual-core Galaxy S III variant is listed as doubling up on the available RAM, bypassing the standard 1GB announced at its official unveiling. It's not the first time we've seen an OEM shoot for the silicone stars, considering LG's headline-stealing Optimus LTE2 and monstrous LS970, so the swap could be likely. Nothing's set in stone quite yet, but given this is Samsung's flagship wünderphone, we doubt the company wants to be caught playing in its Korean rival's forward-looking wake.

NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S III to ship with 2GB RAM? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 22:53:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Japanese mobile operator, NTT DoCoMo, is making a play at the Italian firm Buongiorno, a mobile content provider that boasts two billion customers across 57 countries. The €224 million offer must still be approved by Italian regulators, and would reflect a purchase price of €2 per share for the entirety of Buongiorno's outstanding stock. For its part, NTT DoCoMo hopes the buyout will help bolster its reach outside the home country of Japan, although the purchase is a bit of a gamble just the same. As it stands, Buongiorno's annual operating profit hovers in the neighborhood of €7 million, which means DoCoMo may be in for a bit of a wait before this deal bears fruit. You'll find the nitty gritty details in the PR after the break.

[Raining money photo via Shutterstock]

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo hopes to expand content game with Buongiorno buyout

NTT DoCoMo hopes to expand content game with Buongiorno buyout originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 03:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Among the slew of new Android 4.0 devices unveiled by Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo today were a trio from Panasonic, including the Eluga Power phone we'd seen before and a few new entries in the Eluga V phone and Eluga Live tablet. We've already gotten our mitts all over the Eluga Power's 5-inch screen and 1.5Ghz dual-core S4 CPU at MWC, so this time we'll take a close look into the other two Ice Cream Sandwiched models. The P-06D Eluga V is a 4.6-inch variant (sliding between the Power and original P-04D Eluga) while still packing a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU. The P-08D Eluga Live tablet measures at 10.1-inches, packs DLNA streaming features and slots stereo speakers into a smooth curved edge design. The Eluga V is scheduled to arrive July 6th, while the other two should hit Japanese shelves in January, hit the source link and brink your kanji skills (or translation software) for more information.

Panasonic gifts NTT DoCoMo with Eluga V, Eluga Power smartphones and Eluga Live tablet originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 03:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

If you aren't already accustomed to Japan's regular deluge of device announcements, brace yourself: NTT DoCoMo just stepped forward with 17 new phones, as well as a mobile WiFi hotspot and a tablet. Throw a stone at the pile of hardware, and you're likely to strike something running Ice Cream Sandwich -- with the exception of the WiFi hotspot and a single handset designed for kids, every device on the list is running Android 4.0. Among the hodgepodge of handsets, DoCoMo is offering ten dual-core devices with screens ranging from 3.7 to 5-inches, a 10.1-inch 1.2Ghz dual-core slate, camera sensors of all sizes (from 8 megapixels to 13, that is) and a curious "Raku-Raku smartphone" that promises the "sensation of pressing actual keys" to smartphone newbies. The lineup's superstars, however, can all be found in DoCoMo's "NEXT" series of smartphones, bolstering the carrier's Xi LTE service with heavy hitters like the Galaxy S III, the Optimus Vu, Sony's Xperia GX and the Tegra 3 touting Arrows X. Hit the source links to check out the smartphone smorgasbord for yourself, or read on for our list of the never-before-seen ICS devices (they're all waterproof!) as well as DoCoMo's official press release.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo launching 19 new devices this summer, brings Galaxy S III to Japan

NTT DoCoMo launching 19 new devices this summer, brings Galaxy S III to Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 16 May 2012 01:12:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NTT DoCoMo's high-speed over-the-phone translation service has hit its second wider trial, aiming to test its skills with 10 languages and 10,000 subscribers -- up from 1,000 during its initial tests in 2011. DoCoMo has thrown in a few more details on how its real-time translator works. The feature is split into three steps: first, the carrier's servers recognize what you're saying, parses it into another language through its own cloud services and then converts the final translation into an audio message. The service currently functions with any Android device running version 2.2 or higher and a separate app will handle the interpretation for French, German, Indonesian, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and Thai. The Japanese carrier aims to launch a commercial version by March 2013 -- just in time for that vacation to see those falling cherry blossoms.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo expands its instant translation trials to 10 languages and 10,000 users

NTT DoCoMo expands its instant translation trials to 10 languages and 10,000 users originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 14 May 2012 08:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Don't feel like having media purchased through Google Play billed directly to your credit card? Well, now you can have those charges simply added to your monthly phone bill, provided you're on T-Mobile here in the US, or NTT Docomo, KDDI, or Softbank in Japan. According to Google's posting about the move, Sprint will soon be offering the option to pay for movies, books and movies purchased through Big G's market along side your voice and data plan. For T-Mobile subscribers that means both apps and content can simply be added to your tab, while AT&T is sticking with carrier billing for apps only at the moment. Conspicuously absent from the whole shebang, however, is Verizon, which has been one of the more prominent Android pushers here in the US. For a complete list of carriers with at least some direct billing features check out the more coverage link.

Google Play adds carrier billing for music, movies and books originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 02 May 2012 13:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The unveiling of Tizen left many mobile open-source aficionados wondering when the OS would reach its all-important 1.0 status. The answer is now: the coalition between Intel, Panasonic, Samsung and a raft of carriers has posted the first non-beta release in both source code and software development kit forms. The finished versions of either carry new features to reward developers for the wait: SDK users get a new browser-based simulator and a faster emulator, while those scouring the source code will find new point-of-interest and route searching features in location-aware apps as well as WiFi Direct and more HTML5 support. About the only wait left is for an actual Tizen phone to ship.

[Image credit: Realnorth]

Tizen 1.0 Larkspur arrives, fuels your open-source phone dreams originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 01 May 2012 20:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

New Eye-Fi Mobile X2 card does old tricks, but with less hassle for Android and iOS users originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NTT, Sharp, Gainax make a Japan-only Neon Genesis Evangelion phone, get your plane tickets now

NTT, Sharp, Gainax make a Japan-only Neon Genesis Evangelion phone, get your plane tickets now originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Samsung, NTT DoCoMo, et al. cancel plans for LTE chip joint venture

Samsung, NTT DoCoMo, et al. cancel plans for LTE chip joint venture originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Samsung ships five million Galaxy Notes in just five months originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Panasonic Eluga gets official launch date in Japan and Europe

Panasonic Eluga gets official launch date in Japan and Europe originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Mar 2012 07:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

For those confused by Sony's mixed naming conventions, this is the Japan-friendly version of AT&T's incoming Xperia Ion. There's been some additions to the US-bound device we handled back in January, including a built-in TV tuner and mobile wallet functionality. Last time we heard, the LTE-capable Ion was set for a summer world tour, but given this early spring unveiling on the other side of the world, it could pass AT&T's tests this side of 2012 -- hopefully with all four of these color options in tow. Take a tour through the aqua blue and sakura pink palette choices at the source below.

Sony Xperia Acro HD launches March 15 in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 04:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Sharp's AQUOS SH-06D will most probably never leave the Land of The Rising Sun. That doesn't stop us, however, from lusting after its 4.5-inch screen. This 720p display also manages 3D, spread across a slinky 10mm frame that houses NTT DoCoMo's recently launched NOTTV streaming broadcast system. The device arrives in pink, white and blue options -- all provided with a matching dock and built-in aerial. Like several eastern phones with the ability to tune into live TV broadcasts, the AQUOS SH-06D also totes its own extendable antenna built into the side. The device itself, despite its largely plastic build, felt solid in our hand, although the minuscule power and volume buttons proved difficult to manipulate at times. The screen technology is still a closely guarded secret, but it aims to bring both 3D functionality alongside a crisp HD display performance during two-dimensional antics. Viewing angles are great -- a welcome trend we've seen on plenty of handsets at this year's MWC -- but the heavily customized Android 2.3 skin took away some of that sheen. Applications are stowed away into several drop-down menus that took some getting used to -- regardless of any language barrier. Sharp hasn't revealed any plans to join its Japanese competitors in the frenzied global smartphone market, but some import options wouldn't go amiss. See why in our hands-on right after the break.

Sean Cooper contributed to this report

Gallery: Sharp AQUOS SH-06D hands-on

Continue reading Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video)

Sharp AQUOS SH-06D arrives from Japan, we go hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 29 Feb 2012 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Panasonic: Eluga means 'Elegant, user-orientated gateway,' not a cry of distress

Panasonic: Eluga means 'Elegant, user-orientated gateway,' not a cry of distress originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 05:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Panasonic's new Eluga smartphone: pretty phone, ugly name originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Aquos SH-06D and Medias Tab N-06D are waterproof, Nottv-ready and official in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Feb 2012 03:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

According to one of Japan's big dailies, The Nikkei, Amazon will attempt to brave the tricky e-reader waters of Japan, aiming to launch its Kindle Touch as the flagship device in April. The newspaper reports that the device will land for less than 20,000 yen ($260), teaming up with Japanese mobile carrier NTT DoCoMo for 3G access to the Kindle's online store, gratis. Amazon hopes that the device's very competitive pricing, at least in comparison to existing 3G-friendly e-readers, will make in-roads to the notoriously frosty Japanese e-reader market. It will also bring Amazon's e-readers to the home turf of one of its biggest rivals; Rakuten.

Amazon prepares Kindle Touch for April launch in Japan? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading FCC Fridays: February 10, 2012

FCC Fridays: February 10, 2012 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NEC Casio Medias LTE N-04D launches in Japan next week originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Disney Mobile on DoCoMo brand launches with two new Android phones in Japan

Disney Mobile on DoCoMo brand launches with two new Android phones in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:47:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Those NEC artisans have been at it again, shaving even more from its smartphone profiles. It's arrived at the Medias ES N-05D, which measures in at a ridiculous 6.7mm, and making the Droid Razr choke on its salad in the process. Like its predecessor, the ES N-01, the Android phone will be ready to play nice with your compatible G-Shock, alongside a waterproof shell, HD screen and eight megapixel camera. Arriving on NTT DoCoMo, you can expect those exotic 'standard' features that Japanese customers love, including a 1seg TV tuner and NFC wallet functionality. As is the tradition for new phones in the east, the phone will launch in several colors: black, white and (predictably) pink. Skinny jeans fans can hop over to the source to see exactly how Japan rocks its slim phones.

NTT DoCoMo launches NEC Medias ES N-05D: Is 6.7mm thin enough? originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nintendo, NTT DoCoMo testing DS-powered speech translator originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Gallery: Fujitsu Arrows μ F-07D hands-on

Continue reading Fujitsu Arrows μ F-07D hands-on (video)

Fujitsu Arrows μ F-07D hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 21:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NTT Docomo, Panasonic, Samsung and more team up to take on Qualcomm over cellphone chips

NTT Docomo, Panasonic, Samsung and more team up to take on Qualcomm over cellphone chips originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 27 Dec 2011 02:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank found consortium to support global NFC standards in Japan

NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and Softbank found consortium to support global NFC standards in Japan originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 22 Dec 2011 06:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading LG Optimus LTE launches in Japan, wears kimono red

LG Optimus LTE launches in Japan, wears kimono red originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NEC Medias PP N-01D knows what boys like: watch-based notifications originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Dec 2011 08:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Not content with brandishing a medley of LTE-packed smartphones this season, Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo has confirmed a December release for Sharp's AQUOS SH-01D. While it lacks any 4G chops, the Android phone is cocooned in waterproof protection and packs a 12.1 megapixel camera on the back. An OMAP 4430 1GHz dual-core processor runs Gingerbread on the 3D-capable 1280 x 720 ASV display -- all crammed inside a waifish 9.7mm frame. Despite a recent visit to the FCC, there's no word on whether the water-defiant device will brave the Pacific ocean to arrive on these shores. However, any ex-patriots gasping for the SH-10D's potent screen will be able to grab one on December 2 and can unravel more specification mysteries in the Google-translated press release below.

Continue reading Sharp AQUOS SH-01D appears on NTT DoCoMo, offers up glasses-free 3D

Sharp AQUOS SH-01D appears on NTT DoCoMo, offers up glasses-free 3D originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 12:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Japan has got its first taste of an LTE smartphone, and this one's Galaxy-flavored. Oh yes, Samsung's Galaxy S II LTE has made an appearance on NTT DoCoMo, running on the Japanese carrier's next-generation Xi network and promising top download speeds of around 37.5Mbps. The latest member to the carrier's top-drawer Next series will set you back around $260 (¥20,000) on a two-year contract. DoCoMo is aiming to reach the hands of 30 million customers by 2015, with another as-yet unnamed several more 4G devices already penned for release before the end of the year. Perhaps the pair of data-loving handsets will help to fill that iPhone-shaped hole in the carrier's phone catalog.

Update: Contrary to the Asahi Shimbun report, it looks like both the Fujitsu Arrows X LTE F-05D and the LG Optimus LTE will cosy up on the new high-speed network before the end of the year.

Samsung Galaxy S II LTE arrives in Japan, NTT DoCoMo offers up its first course of 4G phones originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 26 Nov 2011 06:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Fujitsu Arrows Kiss F-03D ladyphone tells you sit up straight, eat your greens

Filed under: Cellphones

Fujitsu Arrows Kiss F-03D ladyphone tells you sit up straight, eat your greens originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 22 Nov 2011 23:18:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Fujitsu Arrows F-07D nabs 'thinnest smartphone' title, Droid Razr retorts: 'real phones have (some) curves' originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 21 Nov 2011 20:51:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Japan has typically had exclusive access to Sharp's skinny and big-screened smartphone series, but that could soon change. Details of the Aquos SH-01D have now appeared in the FCC's bulging mail box, a phone packing a dual-core 1GHz processor and a glasses-free 3D 4.5-inch screen. Add in water resistance and a whopping 12.1 megapixel camera, and you can see why it's piqued our interest. The phone is already booked to make an appearance in Japanese NTT DoCoMo stores later this month in blue, white and black options. Of course, despite Sharp's application for an FCC nod of approval, the company may have no intentions of selling it on US soil. We'll keep our phone-hungry fingers crossed that it gets okayed for overseas travel.

Sharp's splashproof Aquos SH-01D arrives at the FCC's door, won't shut up about its 12.1 MP camera originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

FCC Fridays: November 11, 2011 originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 11 Nov 2011 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video)

NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S II LTE makes way through FCC with swagger originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 08 Nov 2011 07:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.