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Skype for iPhone goes live in Japan
digg_url = 'http://digg.com/apple/Skype_For_iPhone_Is_LIVE'; When they said "Tuesday," they meant it. Not long ago, the clock struck midnight in the Land of the Rising Sun, and sure enough, the bona fide Skype application (v1.0.0.63) for Apple's iPhone has gone live. It's absolutely free to download, and early reports from Japan have been pretty stellar in regard to sound quality. We're fully expecting it to roll out elsewhere as Tuesday (March 31st) arrives in various time zones, so make sure you (and at least one Skype buddy) stay up late to try 'er out. [Warning: iTunes read link may not work for all time zones yet.][Via Engadget Japanese]
Japanese officials to allocate LTE frequencies in June
Just last month we heard that Japan's CDMA giant (that'd be KDDI) would be throwing its weight behind LTE, and now we have every idea that it'll be filling out an application to prove as much in April. According to a new report in The Mainichi Daily News, Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications has decided to begin taking applications for 4G frequency allocation beginning in around three months, while approvals are expected to start in June. NTT Docomo, KDDI, Softbank Mobile and Emobile have all been granted permission to apply, and if we had to bet, we'd say the entire foursome will do just that. Ah, 4G -- so close, yet so far away.[Thanks, Vagrant]
Softbank's iPhone 1seg tuner / battery charger gets unboxed
If you're American, don't even pretend you care about this. 'Cause you don't care about mobile TV at all, and we've got the facts to prove it. For those parked in Japan, though, you have every right to get jazzed. Softbank's 1seg TV tuner / battery charger has finally been loosed on the carrier's home turf, and the lucky cats over at DVICE were able to acquire one and give it a whirl. Setup was said to be a breeze, the 1seg pickup was crystal clear and the device itself was satisfactorily lightweight. As for downsides, the entire app is in Japanese, and even with the extra juice, watching TV on the go zapped the life out in around an hour with brightness maxed. Check the full writeup and unboxing gallery in the read link below.[Via OhGizmo]
SoftBank's 'White Office' service marries landlines with mobiles
There are a few UMA-based solutions floating around for automatically transferring PBX lines to phones when employees are in the office, but Japan's SoftBank is taking a more direct approach by cutting WiFi out of the equation with its new White Office service launching in March. All of the key functions of a PBX -- transfer, hold, and so on -- will be supported, and unlike UMA, mobiles can be used as extensions whether their users are in or out of the office. So yeah, sorry, Japanese folks -- escaping work just got that much harder. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.[Via Slashphone]
Softbank Mobile's winter 2008 collection
Though there are fully sixteen devices comprising Softbank's latest round of phones, most are sitting in the giant -- quite literally giant, in fact -- shadow of the mighty 931SH. With the exception of a USB modem and two Nokias that are looking a little irrelevant in the face of Espoo's decision to pull out of Japan, though, we're going to give everyone equal time here -- so read on for the full batch! Sharp 931SHLet's just jump right into the big guns, shall we? Closed, the 931SH from Sharp looks just a bit like an iPhone, but opening it reveals a d-pad and numeric keypad. What's more, the 931SH's ridiculous 3.8-inch 1024 x 480 touchscreen puts the iPhone's to shame, as does the color selection -- Black, Silver, Pink Gold, and Red -- and the camera, which measures 5.2-megapixels strong. Samsung 930SC OMNIAEveryone's getting in on the OMNIA action lately, so naturally, the Japanese version has to kick it up a notch or three. To do that, it swaps out the WQVGA display found on global units with a wide VGA one, but otherwise, some of the specs should sound familiar: 8GB of onboard memory and 7.2Mbps HSDPA, to be specific. The backside is available in Black, White, and Red -- all options we'd like to see in other parts of the world. HTC Touch Diamond X04HTTurns out that NTT DoCoMo isn't the only Japanese carrier that wants in on HTC's mojo. They're launching a version of the Touch Diamond as the X04HT, but unlike the once-over the OMNIA received, the X04HT is basically a dead ringer for its international cousin. VGA, 3.2-megapixel cam, Windows Mobile -- we all know the drill by now -- and it's available in any color, as long as it's black. HTC Touch Pro X05HTThere's an old saying that goes something like this: "Where there's a Touch Diamond, there's a Touch Pro." Never heard that? Well, Softbank apparently has, putting its own version of the Touch Pro -- the X05HT -- right alongside the X04HT. It offers the same VGA display, 3.2-megapixel cam, and QWERTY (albeit localized) keyboard as other Touch Pros around the globe. Samsung 930SHAt first, you might not make much of Softbank's claim that the 930SH's 15.2mm-thick shell is markedly thin -- but then you realize that it's packing an 8-megapixel camera, which elicits an "ohhhh, that explains it." Unfortunately, it looks like all the engineering went into that cam, because it's a pretty boring, unassuming flip otherwise. At least it's available in your choice of Blue Green, Black, Pink, White Silver, and Silver Violet, right? Casio 830CAWhat's this, wide QVGA? You've already lost our attention, Casio -- but let's go through the paces here: 5.2-megapixel camera, one-seg mobile TV, a trick (well, trick outside Japan, anyway) translucent dot-matrix LED display on the face, and availability in White, Gray, Black, and Orange. Toshiba fanfun.2 830TA wide QVGA display, 2-megapixel camera, and artfully-angled corners should tell you that the fanfun.2 830T from Toshiba is more about looking totally awesome with the phone plastered to the side of your face than it is about taking the perfect photo. To that end, it's available in five fun (some might say "fanfun") colors: Pink, Black, White, Vivid Pink, and Gold. Toshiba fanfun.petit 831TThe important specs of the 831T are essentially the same as the 830T, but the fanfun.petit (seriously, where do these names come from?) ups the designer ante by offering changeable faceplates. The phone itself comes in White or Pink, then you choose one of six plates (or none at all, if that's how you roll) to customize the flip and make it your own. Panasonic 830PThe 830P's being billed as a simple, super-readable handset -- and the 2-megapixel camera and WQVGA display certainly back up that billing -- but it's still reasonably attractive, we suppose. Gold, Silver, Black, and Pink are your options on this one. Sharp PANTONE 830SHThe 830SH isn't the first PANTONE-branded set to grace Softbank's airwaves -- and if we can keep getting crazy colors like this eye-searing green, we hope it's not the last. Yeah, it's only got a WQVGA display and 2-megapixel camera like several other of the lower-end devices here, but come on -- green. Bright green. Cut it some slack, alright? If the green isn't to your liking, there are fourteen other colors to choose from, so dig in. Sharp 830SH sThe 830SH s continues Softbank's GENT branding -- an indication that the phone's targeted at the mature crowd with big, easy-to-read fonts and huge buttons that are virtually impossible to mispress. It looks a whole heck of a lot like the 830SH and features the same technical specs, but the color selection isn't quite as varied or vibrant: Natural Brown, Warm Pink, Deep Green, and Mat Silver. Samsung 730SCWho goes to Japan for a phone this boring? Not us -- and we're not sure why anyone would want this up against any other phone in the lineup -- but alas, Samsung is offering the meager 730SC for folks who are looking the simplest, most basic phone imaginable (by Japanese standards, anyhow). QVGA display -- no "wide" about it -- 1.3-megapixel cam, and just black and white shells to choose from. That's all she wrote. Sharp 823SH TiffanyIf you're just now reading about this phone, you're already too late to get one -- but at over $100,000 a pop, it probably a moot point for you (and if it's not a moot point, we'd love to talk about some business opportunities with you). Just ten examples of the diamond-laden testament to conspicuous consumption were made, and Tiffany's even kind enough to provide owners with a lovely leather case that looks like it could've come out of a Crackerjack box. Beauty's in the eye of the beholder, eh?
A closer look at Japan's latest handsets
It's that time of year again -- the time when Japan's carriers announce a seemingly never-ending torrent of phone after incredible phone. We've already hinted at some of these monsters, but we wanted to take a deeper dive and really find out what's being offered this time around. Follow us right this way, won't you?NTT DoCoMo's fall / winter 2008 lineupKDDI au's fall / winter 2008 lineupSoftbank Mobile's winter 2008 collection
$131k Softbank 823SH Tiffany handset sells out in three days
Recession? What recession? While many in this world are grumbling about a so-called weakened economy, at least eight individuals aren't hurtin' at all. Or, at least they aren't acting like it. The (very) limited edition Softbank 823SH Tiffany, which was offered up for ¥13 million, has sold out in just three days, proving once again that there is simply nothing too expensive for at least some folks to buy. [Via textually]
Softbank 823SH Tiffany: 537 diamonds for $131k
Make no mistake, this whole "economic crisis" deal isn't affecting everyone, and we've all ideas the limited run of this here handset will be claimed in no time flat. Via a partnership between Japan's Softbank Mobile and New York's Tiffany & Co, just ten of the Softbank 823SH Tiffany mobiles will be made available for those with the requisite cash. Aside from making / receiving calls, this obscenely luxurious device will boast 537 diamonds representing a total weight of 18.34 carats. The pain? Just ¥13 million, or slightly north of $131,000. Say, wonder if they'll throw in a car charger if you buy two?[Thanks, Marko]
Softbank introduces Sharp Aquos Fulltouch slider with quasi-XGA resolution
Just when we thought the Touch HD really packed the pixels in, Softbank and Sharp have announced the Aquos Fulltouch 931SH slider, which sports a wild 1024 x 480 3.8-inch touchscreen. That's almost the same res as most netbooks, for comparison -- we're not sure what all that pixel density is good for at this size, but we know we want it. Apart from the screen it's also a pretty solid Softbank 3G featurephone: browser, Bluetooth with A2DP, 5.2 megapixel camera with image stabilizer, accelerometer, 1seg TV tuner, and a media player with microSD expansion. Sure, sure -- but look at that screen, people. That's the stuff dreams are made of. Anyone up for a trip to Japan?[Thanks, Paul]
Japanese iPhone gets official 1-Seg WiFi tuner and battery charger from SoftBank
Japan does love 'em some mobile TV. Now that 1-Seg digital goodness has been announced for iPhone users. The 80-gram tuner provides a TV fix over WiFi and doubles as a battery extender when plugged into the iPhone 3G's dock connector. Trendy sidewalk zombies, the streets are yours. We'll update you with prices and dates when known. One more pic for size comparison after the break.Update: Official PR with specs (no price) is now out: 3 hours continuous 1-Seg viewing, 2-/4-hours charge via AC/USB, and available mid December along side a free 1-Seg application from the AppStore. [Via Ringo-Sanco, thanks RS]
Softbank's operating profit hits record high, iPhone thanked
Nah, Softbank Mobile's launch of the iPhone isn't entirely to thank for the carrier notching record operating profits this quarter, but it certainly didn't hurt matters. Noting that Apple's darling "pulled in more mobile subscribers," the company reported an operating profit of ¥180 billion ($1.85 billion), though net profit did slide 11.5% to ¥41.1 billion ($422.2 million). In fact, Softbank president Masayoshi Son proclaimed that he used an iPhone every day, telling the press that it was "useful, and the more that [he] uses it, the better [he] understands its strong points." Of note, the operator's retention of mobile phone customers "has also improved with the iPhone," and while income from voice calls continues to drop, earnings from data services were on the up and up. Data, kids -- that's the future![Via mocoNews]
Sharp's 9225H brings the flip-open QWERTY action to Softbank
Not that we haven't seen relatively ho hum handsets get cracked open to reveal their sunny side (and full QWERTY keyboard) before, but Sharp's newly unveiled 9225H does more than just look pretty in two positions. Unwrapped at CEATEC 2008, the Softbank-destined mobile packed a 3.5-inch VGA screen internally, an inbuilt 1seg TV tuner, multimedia player, e-mail functionality, 2-megapixel camera and a microSDHC slot for loading up additional Iron & Wine tunes. There's no mention of a price, but feel free to head to the read link if you're in search of more images.[Thanks, Mark]
Vertu coming to Japan, wants all your yen
Vertu has announced that it'll be bringing its brutally excessive hardware to Japan this December, when the very first Vertu boutique in the country opens in Tokyo's Ginza district. The first phone to be offered there will presumably be the Signature S Design offered on NTT DoCoMo or Softbank, thanks to its 3G radio and an OLED display that might (emphasis on "might") stop the meagerly-spec'd handset from getting laughed out of a country where WVGA displays and one-seg tuners are the norm. Of course, Vertu has never pretended to be on top of the tech game -- with those guys, it's all about the precious metals and gems you can cram in there -- and it sounds like they'll be offering gold and platinum variants (among others) that range between ¥890,000 and ¥5,000,000 (about $8,400 to $47,400). If you're nowhere near Ginza, don't worry; other Vertu shops are expected across Japan next year.[Via Unwired View]
Softbank lowers minimum iPhone 3G plans, begins taking reservations
Softbank can safely say it has a pretty decent quarter here recently, but compared to NTT DoCoMo, it's looking weak. The exclusive iPhone 3G carrier in Japan has decided to answer outcries of "too expensive!" by lowering the minimum monthly data charge that each iPhone 3G user must pay. Previously, users were forced to hand over ¥5,985 ($55) per month for unlimited data; now, users can pay just ¥1,695 ($16) per month to cover 20,175 packets of data "after which users will pay per-packet until 71,250 packets, at which time the previous ¥5,985 charge is reached and further data use is not charged." In semi-related news, the carrier has also announced that it will begin taking reservations for the handset, so yeah, there's that.
Softbank's operating profit climbs 8.1%, isn't good enough
Seen exclusively, an 8.1% rise in operating profit is pretty remarkable. But when you consider that rival NTT DoCoMo just posted a 41% boost in profits... well, you get the point. Unsurprisingly, Softbank was able to increase its profits by reducing the amount of subsidies it applied to phones -- which obviously led to fewer new handset sales overall -- but analysts were still perturbed by the amount of discounts it did hand over. Reportedly, the street was expecting operating profits to top ¥86.1 billion ($805.7 million), but the outfit wound up missing the mark by a cool billion yen ($9.36 million). As for the iPhone 3G influence? Gotta wait 'til next quarter, bub.[Via mocoNews]
iPhone camping rule of thumb: don't wear a suit
It's T-minus iPhone 3G and counting and the international queuing has begun in earnest... and in Tokyo. This is the line outside of SoftBank's flagship store in Harajuku as captured by Akihabara News. Now, let's forget about the first guy, look at our boy number three, Mr. Anonymous Good Posture. With 2 more days 'til launch and the unboxing and reviews already done, pictures of his rapid state of dishevelment might be the most interesting thing we see come Friday. One more picture of the absurdity after the break.
SoftBank's iPhone pricing roughly in line with AT&T's
Japan's only carrier to seal the deal with Apple thus far, SoftBank Mobile, has unveiled key details about its pricing strategy when the device launches on July 11 alongside the rest of the globe. The 8GB and 16GB models will sell for ¥23,040 (about $214) and ¥34,560 (about $321) respectively, just a hair higher than the $199 and $299 being charged by AT&T in the US. As might be expected, SoftBank -- which has historically stolen customers from its competitors with extremely aggressive pricing -- is taking a more aloof approach with the iPhone, claiming that the prestige of the device will be enough to get people in the door. Along those lines, a ¥7,280 (about $68) per month plan will be required, which includes unlimited data and represents about a 70 percent premium over the average SoftBank customer's bill. Without one-seg or a wide VGA display -- two features that are virtually givens on domestic Japanese handsets these days -- it'll be interesting to see how the "yeah, but it's Apple" approach flies here.[Via mocoNews]
SoftBank announces Summer 2008 collection
If you're noticing a trend in Softbank Mobile's latest lineup, you're not alone. With the exception of a single device -- the PANTONE Slide 825SH from Sharp -- every single device here is a flip, although the Panasonic 921P rocks a dual pivot to make the one-seg viewing even more enjoyable. Here's a quick rundown of what we've got: Sharp 923SH. Huge 3.3-inch WVGA display with AQUOS branding. Early July launch. The Premium Waterproof 824SH from Sharp. Alleged to be the world's thinnest waterproof phone with a 15.3mm metal body. Early July launch. Panasonic Tropical 823P. We're not sure where the "Tropical" comes into play here, but it's waterproof. Late June launch. Sharp PANTONE Slide 825SH. Integrated motion sensors and a choice of eight colors are all well and good, but we think the 825SH's real selling point here is that it's the only slide in a sea of flips. Early July launch. NEC 821N. It's got a "cute incoming light," according to the translated press release, and that's good enough for us. Early July launch. Panasonic Mirror II 824P. It's alleged that the 824P's glossy surface changes color when you look at it from different angles, though it's the WQVGA display that we'd probably be spending most of our time ogling. Early August launch. Toshiba 824T. This one is targeted at women, according to Softbank, with a jewel-like surface and color options to match. Early September launch (so much for the "Summer" part of "Summer collection" on that one, we guess). NEC 821N GLAMOROUS. This extra-fancy version of the 821N is being launched in collaboration with GLAMOROUS Magazine, featuring custom designed shells, themes, wallpapers, and ringtones. Launches September 6. NEC 820N. A stainless steel 11.7mm body should be enough to sell this one to a few souls; one-seg and a 3-inch display aren't going to hurt, either. Early July launch. Toshiba 823T. The 2 megapixel camera isn't going to garner a lot of attention, but this might be our favorite design of the lot with some tastefully integrated carbon fiber accents. Launches early September. Panasonic 921P. Taking a cue from the 923SH, this one rolls with VIERA branding on its 3.1-inch WVGA display, which pivots in both directions for easy TV viewing. Launches early August. It's not quite the varied motherload that the carrier's Spring collection swept in, but as usual, it still leaves the typical phone from... oh, anywhere else in the dust. We bow to your technical superiority, Softbank.
Softbank to sell (UMTS 3G?) iPhone in Japan
Japan's third-largest mobile phone operator now has rights to Apple's iPhone. As has been the norm recently, the announcement is a one-liner without any details related to exclusivity (NTT DoCoMo and KDDI still can has a chanceburger) or model... though it should be noted that Softbank is a W-CDMA (UMTS 3G), not GSM/EDGE carrier. Softbank only says that they'll be selling the iPhone "later this year."
Disney Mobile intros its second phone for Japan, the DM002SH
Apparently satisfied enough with its first model to take another stab at the Japanese market, Softbank MVNO Disney Mobile is trotting out another Sharp-sourced model, the DM002SH. The Cinderella-themed flip is targeted squarely at the fairer sex, coming reasonably well-equipped with wide QVGA resolution on its 2.6-inch primary display, 2 megapixel camera, microSD slot, an OLED external display, and one-seg TV tuner. As far as we can tell, there's also precisely zero shortage of Cinderella media -- movies, ringtones, and the like -- so owners really need only to pick up the crystal slippers to complete the package. It'll be available starting June 7 in silver, pink, and gold, just like the original DM001SH.[Via Akihabara News]
