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World's first waterproof solar cellphone from Sharp makes Somalian pirates say arggg!
In continuation of a recent trend of major manufacturers announcing a new-found interest in making a buck off developing nations solar-powered cellphones, AU (KDDI) and Sharp have announced the June launch of this unnamed solar handset. Besides being the world's first waterproof solar handset, it charges to a minute of talk or 2-hours of standby after just 10 minutes in the sun. No other specs were announced though we seriously doubt it'll be a power-sucking feature- or smart-phone. Naturally, it'll still be a boon to people where electricity is scarce but what about the industrious guy who owns the village car battery?[Via Akihabara News]
Motorola building Android-based cable boxes for Japan's KDDI?
Don't know why the Motorola rumors are flying hot and heavy today, but right on top of that connected GPS whisper comes word that the struggling device manufacturer is being tapped to build a new version of KDDI's multifaceted Au Box set-top unit that runs Android instead of the previous custom Linux build. The Au Box, if you'll recall, is a trick little IPTV box with a DVD drive that can rip audio and video and transcode it for transfer or streaming to your cellphone -- kind of like a more flexible Slingbox that costs $3/month for KDDI subscribers. Definitely interesting, especially since Android could make browsing and email extremely easy to implement as well -- hey Moto, maybe you want to ditch your current garbage Stateside cable box lineup and start shipping these things at home?Update: Turns out there's no Android here at all, according to Moto. Instead it's running on KreaTV platform. Is it just us or did this thing just lose about 50 megafonzies on the cool-o-meter?[Via CNET]
AU Mobile's iida pico projector for G9 handsets unveiled to a chorus of cheers
Unless you're in the thick of it here in the Engadget organization, you can't possibly realize how many desperate (and sometimes, just plain odd) emails we get in the average day. The high weirdness can, at times, become staggering -- dire warnings of robot apocalypse come to mind -- but we do take our responsibility as media darlings and role models very seriously. Case in point: many of you have been asking, "what's up with that iida pico projector for the G9 phone?" Well, we dug up some more details for you, and if you're anywhere near Japan (or Okinawa) you just might want to check this bad boy out. The device boasts approximately 2 hours and 10 minutes of charge time, projects and image anywhere from six to sixty-three inches, and features a 0.5W (mono) speaker. In case this particular handset isn't on your short list, the proj is also compatible with AU S001, VA001, H001, W63CA, W63H, W62CA and W62H series phones. You're welcome.[Via Pico Projector Info]
KDDI au unveils iida sub-brand for high design
Japan's KDDI au has long been famous for its Design Project handsets -- some of which have made the leap from concept to production -- and the CDMA carrier is looking to ramp up its fashion street cred with the creation of an entire brand dedicated to those oh-so-special models. iida is launching with five models out of the gate: the G9 from Sony Ericsson and misora (neither of which are particularly Earth-shattering in their design) along with three stunners from celebrated Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama. These are pretty... shall we say, "interesting" handsets, owing in no small part to their in-your-face polka dot design (Kusama's trademark, it seems) -- but what's more, one of the three docks to a sculpture of a dog and another is the shape of a miniature handbag for the ladies. Continuing with the bizarre theme, iida is selling a unique charger whose cord looks like an ivy vine -- must be an eco-friendly unit, otherwise the irony is overwhelming -- and a pico projector using TI's DLP tech that'll connect to your handset for that impromptu presentation on the go. Check out a gallery of some of iida's wares below. [Via Engadget Japanese]
Kyocera's NS01 wants to reside on your belt
You know -- after gawking at smartphones all day, Kyocera's latest flip phone just looks stunning in its own simplistic way. Sure, there's nothing at all fancy about the NS01 that we mentioned in our KDDI blowout. It just makes / receives calls, sends the occasional text message and displays information on a 2.8-inch QVGA display; heck, even the two megapixel camera doesn't make it extraordinary. Still, the all white design just does it for us, and the included belt strap is simply too cute to ignore. 'Tis a shame we aren't privy to pricing details, but folks over in Japan should be able to snag one soon on KDDI.
KDDI au announces Spring 2009 collection
Japan's KDDI au wows with the timely delivery of one of its signature seasonal line changes. Spring 2009 looks to be off to a stunning start with OLED displays, 8-plus megapixel cameras, one-seg TV, 3D display, and just about every wireless connectivity option we can dream up. As per, these are all candybar-style sets with the notable exception of the sliding Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot S001 (black phone above) and the two-way Hitachi H001 (purple phone) above. We've created a gallery for each so hit the read link for the complete rundown.
A frighteningly close look at KDDI au's Spring 2009 phone lineup
If you live anywhere but Japan and you're looking to put yourself through that seasonal ritual of torture by getting a good, hard look at everything Japanese carriers have that you can't, look no further. Engadget Mobile has assembled complete galleries and details on every one of KDDI au's new models presented as part of its Spring 2009 collection -- and yeah, needless to say, there are some whoppers in here. So have a look, read through, and cry softly to yourself for a while; don't worry, you're not the only one.
Hitachi H001 with 3D display leads up KDDI au's Spring 2009 lineup
So KDDI's latest lineup of new phones features the usual array of 8.1 megapixel cameras, wide VGA displays, one-seg TV tuners, and teleporters, but one particular handset stood out: Hitachi's Wooo H001. The dual-hinge flip's claim to fame -- well, besides the bizarre color scheme -- has to be the stereoscopic IPS display that presumably uses the same parallax barrier method shown off by the carrier late last year. The phone will happily serve up 3D-ified versions of various UI elements and mobile TV content, and when you start to get woozy (or Wooozy, as it were), just flip a switch and you're back to the reassuring flatness you're used to. It'll launch in three colors in April, and naturally, you'll have to be in Japan to get it.[Via Akihabara News]
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]
Sony Ericsson's Walkman Xmini for Japan is awesome, but not for the usual reasons
In most parts of the world, the cute little device you're looking at here would pass as a perfectly acceptable Walkman. In Japan, though, it's more than just a Walkman -- it's a Walkman phone, people. The Sony Ericsson Xmini has been added to KDDI au's CDMA-based lineup, measuring just 75 x 44 x 18mm and tossing aside the usual barrage of 8-megapixel cameras and wide VGA displays for a mere 320 x 240 screen and 4GB of on-board memory. When closed, its colorful chin reveals music controls; opened, the whole thing morphs into a tiny handset -- and a refreshing change of pace from the giant clamshells those poor souls on KDDI are usually subject to, may we add.[Thanks, Desaine]
KDDI, Japan's CDMA giant, goes LTE
With UMB officially out of the picture, carriers effectively now have only two options when choosing the faithful path to the fourth generation: LTE and WiMAX. There's no question that WiMAX is quietly gaining traction in pockets around the world, but LTE still commands the lion's share of attention -- and it's especially interesting every time a current CDMA network chooses the GSMA-backed tech. Confirming earlier rumors, Japan's KDDI is the latest to swing that way, hooking up with Hitachi and Nortel to deliver an LTE overlay that's interoperable with its current EV-DO infrastructure. Odds are they'll be offering 20-megapixel cameraphones with 1080p displays by then, too.[Via Phone Scoop]
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
KDDI au's fall / winter 2008 lineup
As Japan's CDMA big dog, KDDI au holds a unique spot in the market -- but if you think that means they're light on offerings against the more popular HSPA models supported by NTT DoCoMo and Softbank, you'd be dead wrong. The carrier's latest lineup includes a monster camera-cum-phone-cum-camera from Casio, an AQUOS-branded Sharp that's just about big enough to replace your television (not really though), and updates of older models that are still high-tech enough to make most of us look like neanderthals. Hitachi Wooo W63HIt looks like pretty much any other Japanese flip, but the W63H probably has just about the most gorgeous screen we'll never see. Why? Turns out this sucker packs 3.1 inches of wide VGA OLED bliss, which explains why it's using the same Wooo branding as Hitachi's line of HDTVs. The phone is also capable of smoothing out one-seg's standard 15fps frame rate to 30fps, features a 5-megapixel camera, and has 600MB of storage space on board. It's available in Garnet Orange (pictured), Sapphire Black, and Opal White. Casio EXILIM W63CALet's jump right into the big guns, shall we? The W63CA matches the W63H's 3.1-inch WVGA OLED display, but ups the imaging ante with a massive 8.1-megapixel (well, 8.09-megapixel, technically) camera that features face-detecting autofocus -- and it's still 1.5mm thinner than the W53CA it replaces. At 17.4mm, it's not setting any records, granted -- but every little bit helps. This one can be had in Shine Pink, Ice White, Titanium Gold, and Metal Green. Sharp AQUOS W64SHIf 3.1 inches isn't quite enough screen for you, step right on up to the AQUOS-branded W64SH from Sharp, offering a full 3.5-inches of wide VGA action with a high-contrast LED backlight -- all told, the largest display ever offered on a KDDI phone. You still make off with a 5.2-megapixel camera, 740MB of onboard memory, and global roaming capability, too. Earth Green, Mars Red, and Galaxy Black (get the theme?) are your color options here. Toshiba W65TIf you tend to roll with the slider crowd and the mighty W64SH is just a little more phone than you need, we might recommend the W65T, Toshiba's entry with a 3.2-megapixel cam, 2.8-inch OLED display (REGZA branded, natch), and a motion sensor that doubles as a pedometer / calorie counter. It can be had in Live Pink, Fresh White, Splash Blue, or Jet Black. Kyocera W65KEven the especially uninteresting phones in the lineup manage to stay interesting by doing things like, say, varying the style of the keypad between colors. Depending on whether you choose the W65K in Clair White, Fleur Pink, or Luxe Silver, you'll get a different texture of shell and a totally different look to the keypad -- techy for white, stylish for pink, and sans for silver. Oh, and the whole package is waterproof, which seems to be a popular differentiator on a few models in Japan. Otherwise, though, you're getting stuck with a 2-megapixel camera and a mere 100MB of memory, so you'd better seriously take advantage of that waterproofness with an occasional toilet or bathtub accident. And if you're curious just how waterproof it is, well, "the unit will retain its functionality as a phone even if blasted with water projected at all angles through 6.3mm nozzles at a flow rate of approximately 12.5 liters/minute for more than 3 minutes from a distance of approximately 3 meters." So there you have it. Sony Ericsson W64SIt kinda irks us that Sony Ericsson can make beautiful CDMA devices for Japan but won't bother to ship a few to the US, where CDMA carriers have been Sony Ericsson-less for years -- but that's just the way the cookie crumbles, we suppose. The W64S offers a 3.2-megapixel camera, 2.7-inch display, GSM global roaming, and "30 different patterns of illumination" on the stylized face. Grab it in Diamond Pink, Snow White, Lattice Black, or Mist Blue. Panasonic W62PKDDI pulls no punches with the W62P -- it's a "fashion accessory" more than it is a monster of Japanese technology, but for some buyers, we're sure that's quite alright. Panasonic's latest flip clocks in at just 12.9mm and offers a 2-megapixel cam, 2.9-inch primary display, and automatic opening with the push of a button (a feature we'd like to see on more flips around the world, actually). It comes in your choice of Candide Pink, Charmant Gold, and Intelligent Purple. Toshiba W64TBorrowing cues from the W62P, the W64T is billed as a "cosmetic phone that sparkles with elegance." Translation: "more show than go." The funky face is accompanied by a 3.2-megapixel cam, 2.8-inch WQVGA display, and the usual array of features like one-seg tuning, navigation, Osaifu-Keitai for NFC payments, and downloadable fonts. Scoop this one up in Shining Pink, Shining Turquoise, or -- you guessed it -- Shining White. Sony Ericsson Full Change reThis is the same re that we saw from the summer collection, they've just added more colors to the palette. Sony Ericsson's fashion-friendly flip is now available in Glossy White, Clean Green, Blooming Pink, Active Orange, Sleek Silver, Deep Red, Lustrous Blue, Silky Lavender (pictured), Mat Black, and Luminous Gold, plus a special James Bond Quantum of Solace edition to tie into the movie's release, which Sony sponsors.
KDDI au, Louis Vuitton team up for designer standby screens
What says "happy holidays" better than a media pack for your loved one's phone? Japan's KDDI au has hooked up with Louis Vuitton to offer a handful of custom home screens that show off the design house's all-too-familiar trademark, which is a great way to make sure your eyes are never too far from the famous "LV" should they stray from your bag, your shoes, your coat, or your car's custom upholstery. Even better, you can get in on the action just by snapping a QR code -- if you're on KDDI, that is. If you're not, scanning that code is going to lead you straight into the depths of designer withdrawal.[Via kanYe West]
Casio's 8.1 megapixel W63CA with 480 x 800 pixel OLED flips out in Japan
We had a chance to gaze through the wireframe of this 8.1 megapixel Casio W63CA Exilim cellphone back in August courtesy of the FCC's finest. Now check it in high-gloss, plastic flesh. The latest Japanese super-phone squeezes 480 x 800 pixel into a 3.1-inch OLED display. Let that sink in for a second... the very same 384,000 pixels on a display smaller than the 3.8-inch LCD heralded by the Touch HD. The camera features a wide-angle lens, 9-point auto focus, face detection, anti-shake, and a YouTube video mode that records VGA video at 30fps to microSD. All this in a Japanese-only flip measuring 110 x 50 x 17.4 ~ 22-mm when it launches in early November. [Via Impress]
KDDI shows off cellphone-linked e-paper display
KDDI (smartly) doesn't seem to be ready to go all Foleo / Redfly-like, but it apparently does see some benefit in a cellphone companion of sorts, and it's now showing off a considerably different spin on the idea that relies simply on a stripped-down e-paper display. Even more unconventionally, the setup makes use of good old IrDA to transfer images from the phone to the display (a 13.1-incher built by Bridgestone) which, when combined with the inherent slowness of the display itself, adds up to a page refresh time of 12 seconds. It is still in prototype form though, so there's at least a chance that a few of those seconds will get shaved off by the time it's released, and an equally decent chance that it never actually sees the light of day.
KDDI shows off Samsung-made 3.1-inch WVGA OLED display, 3D LCD panel
It's been almost a full year since Samsung first announced its plans for a 3-inch WVGA OLED panel, but it's now finally delivered, and found a partner in the form of KDDI, which was showing off the panel at CEATEC. As Tech-On notes, the panel is quite the upgrade over Samsung's current top-end 3-inch QVGA panel and, best of all, KDDI says that it'll be showing up in actual products "shortly," though it's not about to get any more specific than that. As if that wasn't enough, KDDI also had a new "3D LCD" panel built by an unnamed "Japanese panel manufacturer" on hand at the show. It boasts the same WVGA resolution as the OLED and employs a "parallax barrier method" to magically "convert 2D images into 3D in real time -- check that out after the break, and look for the panels to be productized by the end of 2009.[Via OLED-DISPLAY.net]
Concept phone can see through walls -- in theory
Remember that scene in 'The Dark Knight' where (spoiler alert!) Batman uses the city's cell-phones to look through walls and find the bad guys? Totally awesome, right!? A group of scientists at KDDI apparently thought so too, creating a prototype they say could do something similar. Using geomagnetic sensors, accelerometers, and GPS, the device is able to determine its position and render its surroundings on the screen in OpenGL, including areas that are currently out of sight. We're guessing you must have already scanned those areas with the phone and that it can't actually see through walls, but we'd be happy to be proven wrong -- whenever they actually have something to show us. Like the group's funky concept phones we brought to you earlier, this one doesn't actually work. Yet.
Another look at KDDI's CEATEC concepts
When the coup de grace of your CEATEC showing is a concept phone designed to look like a frickin' satellite, you know you've got some winners on your hands. KDDI's known for trotting out some really cool concepts in the past, and its latest batch is no exception -- check 'em out over on Engadget.
KDDI au concept phones explained and pictured
We got the low-down (well, at much of a low-down as one can get from thematic designers) on KDDI's latest au concept phones here at CEATEC, and the themes are -- are you sitting down? -- space and soup atomic elements. No, we didn't make that up. If you're still with us, hit the break for some pictures and explanations.
