NTT DoCoMo
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NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video)
We went hands-on with NTT DoCoMo's menu translator last month at CEATEC, but now Japan's leading carrier has a new translation tool to show off -- and it's quite impressive. The smartphone-based service analyzes your spoken word in Japanese or English, letting you converse with your phone in either language and presenting an on-screen and audible translation. Even more notable, however, is the near-real-time call analysis, in which the device translates your call immediately after you finish speaking each line. We defer our interlingual calls to our Japanese staffers, but an app like this would make it possible to converse directly with folks in other countries without the need for a human translator. NTT is claiming a success rate of between 80 and 90 percent, which is a significant improvement over the version we saw demoed earlier this year. The carrier started testing the service with 400 users today, and hopes to make it available to all subscribers in the second half of 2012. Jump past the break to see it in action in a pair of Japanese-language demos.
NTT DoCoMo's Galaxy S II LTE makes way through FCC with swagger
Among the litany of smartphones that NTT DoCoMo announced last month, the SC-03D -- otherwise known as the Galaxy S II LTE -- was undeniably among the forefront of the bunch. The handset will begin shipping in the Land of the Rising Sun before year's end, but it seems that a lucky punk at the FCC got to review its dirty bits ahead of the glorious release. Like its Korea-bound siblings, the phone sports a Snapdragon S3 SoC with a dual-core 1.5GHz CPU and an Adreno 220 GPU, but unlike the over-achieving HD variant, the SC-03D's 4.5-inch display is limited to WVGA resolution. Jet-lagged Japanese travelers will find GPRS and EDGE love with our 1900 and 850MHz domestic networks, although HSPA is restricted to the 2100 and 900MHz bands. As for that lusty 75Mbps theoretical speed for the Xi LTE network, you'll have to excuse us while we attempt to hide our jealousy.
Samsung's Galaxy Nexus launches in November on NTT Docomo, Verizon, and more
On stage at Samsung and Google's joint event they've finally confirmed launch (November) and one carrier (NTT Docomo) for the Galaxy Nexus superphone with Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. The leaks let us know it's coming to Verizon too, and its pentaband with AWS and HSPA+ means it will play nicely with AT&T and T-Mobile once it's released as well. It's over and we're still without any additional carrier announcements, exact release dates or pricing, but you can relive all the glory in our liveblog here.Update: You can add Three UK to the official list, we'll keep an eye out if any others pop up. [via Android Central]Update 2: Throw one more European carrier in the mix, as Vodafone has informed us they'll also offer Samsung and Google's finest next month.Update 3: You can add O2 to that list of European carriers, too.
Japan's NTT DoCoMo announces Samsung Nexus Prime ahead of Ice Cream Sandwich event
We're still a few hours away from Samsung and Google's Ice Cream Sandwich event, but Japan's NTT DoCoMo has already jumped the gun on one of Sammy's most anticipated announcements -- the Nexus Prime. Today, the provider confirmed that it'll be "among the fastest" to bring the new handset to market, adding that the Nexus Prime will be on sale in November. Unfortunately, the company didn't get any more specific with regard to release dates, price or specs, but we'll be sure to bring you the latest as soon as we get it. And, as always, you can follow the event in real-time, on our liveblog.
Sony's Tablet S and P get 3G in Japan, NTT DoCoMo preps for October 28th release
It's hard being the Jan to Japan's Marsha, always sitting quietly on the sidelines and watching as the "prettier" sister gets lavished with the latest goods. Well, envy doth strike again as Sony's partnered with NTT DoCoMo to add a dash of cellular connectivity to its line of slates. While the country's already seen the launch of the Tablet S earlier this September, that particular model was WiFi-only. Now, the privileged, electronic-consuming hordes over to our East can make the most of their Honeycomb 3.2, PlayStation Certified tabs at speeds of up to 14Mbps down / 5.7Mbps up. There'll be two flat-rate data plans on offer when the devices go on sale this October 28th, with the promo "FOMA Tablet Start Campaign" running until the end of next April. Feel like turning Japanese or at least moving overseas? In this case, we really think so.
It's not TV: it's Nottv, Japan's new Smartphone-only TV station
Japanese mobile users hankering after short bursts of original video will soon gain access to Nottv, a platform designed to capitalize on the nation's love of smartphones as well as its now empty analog TV frequencies. The service is different to Japan's other smartphone-TV network, One-Seg, which just relays terrestrial broadcasts to your mobile device -- not least because it lets you share snarky ripostes after watching a clip. It's backed by the country's major channels as well as NTT DoCoMo and it just needs the heavy rubber stamp of governmental approval before you can start hunting down condensed editions of Takeshi's Castle from April 2012.
Fujitsu Arrows Tab LTE F-01D with gesture control hands-on (video)
NEC's waterproof MEDIAS N-06C to get a sprinkle of Gingerbread and 1GHz power Wireless, Tablet PCs Sony's Tablet S and P get 3G in Japan NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video) We'll probably never match Japan's obsession with waterproof gadgets, but anyone would appreciate how the local manufacturers also manage to keep them thin and light at the same time. The Fujitsu Arrows Tab LTE F-01D we fiddled with here at CEATEC is one such example: while it's thicker than Samsung's 10.1-inch counterpart by almost 3mm, we were surprised that Fujitsu's latest Android tablet also weighs just under 600g -- not bad considering it's suitable for use in the shower. What's more, the F-01D comes with a rather unique feature that's great for use in the bathroom or the kitchen: camera-based gesture control, which works in the browser (to scroll pages or go back and forth) as well as the 1seg or DLNA TV viewer (to change the channel and volume). You'll see in our video after the break that the gestures worked liked a charm for us, though initially we had to make sure that the tablet wasn't facing any strong light behind us (a typical problem in large conventions). Anyhow, if you're up for grabbing an F-01D, it'll be available on NTT DoCoMo in Japan next week. %Gallery-135783%
NTT DoCoMo menu translator app hands-on (video)
NTT DoCoMo menu translator app hands-on (video) NTT DoCoMo begins testing automated Japanese / English translation app that actually works (video) NTT DoCoMo exhibits on-the-fly speech translation, lets both parties just talk (video) Have you ever tried to read a Japanese menu? If there aren't pictures to reference, you'll likely have a difficult time figuring out what to order -- unless you can read Japanese, of course. NTT DoCoMo hopes to improve the dining experience for those of us that can't tell our ウニ (sea urchin) from our カニ (crab), building an app that can translate any of 9,000 possible menu entries from Japanese into English. It also supports English to Japanese translation, along with Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese) and Korean translations as well. The app worked fairly well, occasionally mistaking things like salmon caviar for "a rare part of the pork." OK, so perhaps there's a bit more work to be done. Either way, real-time visual language translation is definitely tricky stuff, and could be enormously helpful to travelers once devs figure out how to make it work -- and work well. Jump past the break to see the app do its thing at CEATEC.%Gallery-135633%
NTT DoCoMo bad breath, body fat and food analyzers hands-on (video)
It's been a busy year for NTT DoCoMo's research and development division, with the company presenting a goldmine of future accessories at its CEATEC booth. We're not seeing anything terribly exciting in the smartphone department, beyond a wider adoption of Android, but from the battery with a 10-minute charge time that we saw yesterday to the bad breath, hunger, body fat and food analyzers that you'll find below, there are certainly quite a few gadgets worth checking out. We're bundling a few of them here, so jump past the break for our hands-ons with three different health accessories (including a bad breath analyzer!) and a clever food analyzing app.%Gallery-135632%
NTT DoCoMo battery claims 10-minute charge time, we go hands-on (video)
It's not uncommon for our batteries to need the occasional boost while we're running around a trade show, but spending more than a couple minutes tethered to a power outlet can be seriously detrimental to our productivity. And we're definitely not alone. NTT DoCoMo, one of Japan's largest carriers, has developed a prototype battery that's capable of achieving a complete charge in just ten minutes. NTT reps weren't willing to get into much detail about the new technology, which currently employs an external lithium-ion battery sleeve and is only designed to support NEC's super-slim Medias Android (Japan only) smartphone. They did let us take a look at the battery sleeve's AC adapter, which supports output of up to 6.0 amps, but otherwise appeared to be fairly generic. A pair of amp meters compared the power draw of a standard battery with that of the ultra high speed charger, which pulled 0.55 amps and 5.86 amps, respectively -- at least according to the demo equipment on hand at NTT's CEATEC booth. The model we saw definitely looked very much like an early prototype at this point, and the carrier didn't seem to have any idea of when it may begin to be implemented in handsets and other devices, only committing to a release "as soon as possible." Still, we're pretty excited about the potential here (imagine being able to charge your phone completely with only a quick stop at an airport kiosk), and wouldn't hesitate to pick a battery up -- assuming of course that the final version is a bit more refined. Click on through the gallery shots below, or jump past the break for our hands-on video to get a closer look.%Gallery-135558%
Mobile Miscellany: week of September 26, 2011
This week was packed with news on the mobile front, so it was easy to miss a few stories here and there. Here's some of the other stuff that happened in the wide world of wireless for the week of September 26, 2011: Last week we heard the rumor that Sprint would be launching the BlackBerry Curve 9350 on October 2nd, and we've finally received the official confirmation. The device will be hitting stores tomorrow for $80 with a two-year contract. [PhoneArena] The Motorola Photon WiMAX, referred to as the Photon 4G in the US, is now making its way to Japan as KDDI announced the launch of the device this past Monday. [Motorola] Verizon Wireless launched the Pantech Jest 2 this week, which is a feature phone with a full slide-out QWERTY keyboard. [Verizon Wireless] The Samsung Galaxy Y is now listed as "coming soon" on O2's website, which makes it the second carrier to announce upcoming availability in the UK. The actual date of release, however, is still unofficial. [O2] Softbank (Japan) looks ready to land the ZTE Lord V882, which appears to be an Android device running on Gingerbread, and comes packed with a 1GHz CPU, 512MB of RAM, 3.8-inch LCD at WVGA resolution and a 5MP camera. [LandofDroid] NTT DoCoMo and Orange have teamed up to offer the Sharp AQUOS SH80F, which features dual 8MP stereoscopic cameras and claims to be the world's first Android device capable of converting 2D content into 3D in real time. It'll first be launched in France on October 6th and will follow to other European and Asian countries shortly after. [Softpedia] Maybe Microsoft Canada just assumed nobody actually reads terms and conditions, because the company outed the names of a few upcoming Windows Phones in the T&C for a developer contest: the Nokia Sabre and a duo of Samsungs named the Yukon and Wembley. The Nokia Searay was also named in the list, indicating the Sabre is a second device running on Mango. [Nokia HDBlog (translated)] In preparation for its Windows Phone debut, Nokia is also rumored to be featuring a new voice navigation system with 3D maps, according to some leaked marketing materials. [WinRumors] Here's a rendering of the HTC EVO Design 4G, also known as the Kingdom or Hero S. [Pocketnow] Samsung may have a midrange device coming soon to AT&T's lineup as a complement to the Galaxy S II. We've already seen the I857 pass through the FCC and show up in a leaked roadmap, and now it appears to have been dubbed the Doubletime, according to uncovered Cellebrite records. [Pocketnow] Also appearing in Cellebrite records are the HTC Vigor (PH98100), Motorola Droid HD (XT912), and the Samsung Nexus Prime (SCH-i515). [Droid-Life]
MeeGo to be folded into Linux-based Tizen OS, slated to arrive in 2012
The future of Meego has become a little clearer this morning, now that the Linux Foundation has announced that it'll be replaced with Tizen -- a new Linux-based, open-source OS. Samsung and Intel have been tapped to lead the development of the platform, in collaboration with the LiMo Foundation -- a consortium of companies including Panasonic Mobile Communications, NTT DoCoMo and SK Telecom, among others. According to its stewards, Tizen will support HTML5- and WAC-based apps and will be designed to run across a wide spectrum of devices, including smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, netbooks and in-car infotainment systems. The MeeGo project, for its part, already seems to be on board with the initiative, promising to "make sure that users of MeeGo can easily transition to Tizen," while assisting MeeGo developers, as well. The new OS is slated for release during the first quarter of 2012, with the first Tizen-laced devices scheduled to hit the market around the middle of next year. For more details, hit up the source link below, or trek past the break for the full PR.
NTT DoCoMo's mobile accessories smell your breath, tell you to put the burger down (video)
Sick of your friends saying you look fat in those jeans? Apparently, NTT DoCoMo feels your pain and aims to swap out the peer criticism with smartphone objectivity. Shown off in advance of CEATEC Japan 2011 (an annual electronics trade show), the operator took the wraps off several mobile-based accessories, ranging from gamma ray and UV light monitoring phone cases to a breathalyzer-like add-on for measuring body fat (you paying attention, HTC Rhyme?). There were also a couple of applications on hand for checking photos of food against a calorie database à la Google Goggles, and an AR implementation for weather services on tablets. It's not clear whether the Japanese carrier actually intends to release these innovations to the mass-consuming public, but as with all things tech in that corner of the world, they're sure to get it before we ever do. Jump past the break for a video peek at Nippon's creep towards a Hitchhiker Guide-style wireless world.
Sony PlayStation Vita debuts in Japan on December 17th, partnering with NTT DoCoMo for 3G (updated)
Sony's just announced in Tokyo that the PlayStation Vita will debut in Japan on December 17th, and it'll partner with NTT DoCoMo for the console's prepaid 3G service. Customers will have two choices of connection here: 980 yen ($13) for 20 hours, and 4,980 yen ($65) for 100 hours -- see press release after the break. Alas, the rest of the world will still have to wait until 2012, but you'll know more concrete dates as soon as we do. For now, head over to our sister site Joystiq for the SCEJ press conference liveblog.Update: Capcom's Yoshinori Ono came on stage to mention that Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 would launch simultaneously with the console. Square Enix also announced that the PS2's Final Fantasy X will be remastered for the PS Vita, and it'll be in PS3-like quality; sadly, there was no date nor demonstration.Update 2: The first 500 units sold will come with 100 hours of prepaid 3G connectivity. Want in? Pre-orders open on October 15th.Update 3: We now have a video demonstration of the Vita's interface. Enjoy!%Gallery-133612%
Samsung, NTT DoCoMo to develop smartphone chips in proposed joint venture
Qualcomm may be facing some new competition in the mobile chip space, now that NTT DoCoMo and three other Japanese firms are looking to join forces with Samsung. According to Japan's Nikkei business daily, the quartet of firms (which includes Fujitsu, NEC and Panasonic's mobile unit) is currently finalizing negotiations with Samsung over a proposed joint venture that would design, develop and market smartphone chips. The partners are reportedly planning to incorporate the new chips into their own devices, while selling them to other handset manufacturers, as well. DoCoMo would hold a majority stake in the ¥30 billion (about $390 million) partnership, which could help lower procurement costs, while reducing the partners' dependency upon industry-leading Qualcomm. A DoCoMo spokesman acknowledged that the provider is exploring a variety of collaborations, but was quick to point out that nothing's been finalized. Samsung and Fujitsu, meanwhile, have yet to comment.
Fujitsu's waterproof Arrows Tab LTE F-01D to launch on DoCoMo next month
First rule of expensive electronics 101 is don't get'em wet. For the Japanese, however, a waterproof gadget option's a welcome value-add to time spent soaking in that ofuro. We first got a sneak peek at DoCoMo's H2O-resistant LTE Fujitsu tablet just last week, and now the company's making the announcement official. Joining the Arrows Tab LTE F-01D on the carrier's new 4G Xi (read: Crossy) network is our good Samsung friend, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 LTE SC-01D. Both slates are set to hit the operator's Japanese airwaves next month, with Sammy's bowing in early October and Fujitsu's model landing a few weeks later. While we're already privy to all the internal guts and glory of the former tab, we finally have some spec confirmation on the Arrows. The 10.1-incher boasts a WXGA display, dual-core processor running Android 3.2, 1.3 megapixel front-facing / 5 megapixel rear camera setup, up to 32GB of storage and that ever useful waterproofing. Try not to be too jealous, statesiders -- there's always that glimmer of FCC filing hope.
Fujitsu's waterproof Arrows Tab F-01D sails through FCC, frolicking beach advertisement films itself
Oh, sure -- Fujitsu's highly intriguing waterproof Arrows Tab may have an LTE future on Japanese airwaves, but what about the Yanks? Based on an FCC filing that just went public today, it looks as if they may be getting an F-01D to call their own, too. We're surmising that the initial shipment will contain WiFi-only models, as a GSM notice tucked within makes quite clear that "user access to all functions related to GSM900, DCS1800, W-CDMA Band I, VI and IX will be disabled." 'Course, this could be Fujitsu applying for FCC approval without intending to hawk it on these shores -- it's not uncommon for overseas gadgets to boast FCC labels to suit jetsetting owners -- but we'll be keeping our fingers crossed for more global aspirations. A waterproof tablet to use on your next beach excursion? Sign us up... so long as there's a daylight-viewable LCD in there.
Fujitsu to release waterproof Arrows Tab F-01D LTE tablet on NTT DoCoMo (update: confirmed)
If you've spent time in the rain recently like many of us, you recognize the value of waterproof gear. And Fujitsu's leaked Arrows Tab F-01D tablet gets it too, packing a 10.1-inch WXGA display, TI IMAP4430 1GHz dual-core processor, and Android 3.2 Honeycomb -- all in a unique waterproof housing. The yet-to-be-announced device is rumored to be launching on Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo in September, and may include UMTS, HSPA, and LTE connectivity, along with GSM and GPRS compatibility for roaming abroad. There's also a pair of CMOS cameras, 16GB of on-board storage, micro-USB and standard headphone connectors (with waterproof covers, we assume), and a microSD card slot. We haven't received word on pricing just yet, or whether or not the device can survive scuba depths or just the occasional splash, but if the bizarrely named Arrows Tab is indeed slated to launch in Japan next month, we imagine those details will be bubbling to the surface any day now. Update: Netbooknews has a wider view of the ad above confirming the F-01D.
Fujitsu LOOX F-07C review
For those who've been dwelling on this planet long enough, you might just remember a category of mobile computers by the name of UMPCs. In particular, think Sony's VAIO UX, the OQO devices and the elusive xpPhone. Alas, those Windows devices were -- and probably still are -- well ahead of their time no thanks to their battery life, bulkiness and sometimes cost; though for some bizarre reason, Fujitsu begs to differ. In fact, said company took one step further and released a hybrid device in Japan: the LOOX F-07C, a QWERTY slider phone that can switch between Symbian and Windows 7 at a click of a button. Interesting combination, right? Read on to find out how this weird device fares in real life. %Gallery-131163% %Gallery-131207%
NTT DoCoMo's Fujitsu F-07C now available, marries Windows 7 and Symbian at last
Calling the Fujitsu LOOX F-07C an eccentric device is not a stretch -- in fact, it's one of the more unique smartphones we've seen in a fair length of time. Now available on NTT DoCoMo, the dual-booting hybrid is touted as "the world's smallest PC," since it can switch between Windows 7 and Symbian and offers a few netbook-worthy specs. It runs off a 1.2GHz Intel Atom Z600 CPU (downclocked by 50 percent, unfortunately), a 32GB eMMC SSD, and 1GB LPDDR400 RAM, packed underneath a 4-inch SVGA (1024 x 600) LCD display. You can also take advantage of the 5-megapixel camera on the back, paired up with a VGA front-facing shooter. Things get a little strange when it comes to battery life, however; while you get up to 600 hours of standby time and 370 minutes of talk time in mobile phone mode, it gets sucked dry after just two hours when using Windows 7. If your smartphone just doesn't have enough brainpower to handle your daily grind, here's an alternative. Full press release with specs are after the break.
