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Fujitsu Arrows μ F-07D hands-on (video)
It was only a few short months ago that Fujitsu's F-07D cropped up at the FCC and took a swing at the "world's thinnest" smartphone title. Since that time, the handset's taken on a new name -- the Arrows μ -- and has launched on NTT DoCoMo in Japan. Today at CES Unveiled, we got a chance to get up close and personal with the device which, despite hitting a high water mark for slim profile, doesn't exactly attempt to compete with high-end specs. Instead this Android 4-incher runs Gingerbread atop a single-core Qualcomm MSM8255 processor clocked at 1.4GHz and is complemented by 1GB of RAM, 5.1MP rear camera and 1400mAh battery. So, does it hold up to its slight reputation? Join us after the break as we answer that question and delve deep into our first impressions.
NEC Medias PP N-01D knows what boys like: watch-based notifications
NTT DoCoMo's pantheon of remarkably similar smartphones is expanding again, with the release of NEC's Medias PP N-01D. The chunky 10.9mm blower packs a whopping 1,700 mAh battery that promises 630 hours of standby. Beneath the water-and-dust-proof shell is a Gingerbread phone with the usual array of features: 8.1 megapixel camera, mobile wallet, One-Seg TV reception, and cable-free sync. It's also squeezed in wireless charging and the ability to pair the phone via Bluetooth to the forthcoming Casio G-Shock GB-9600 watch, which will notify you of your incoming calls and emails. Ladyphone users who aren't interested in playing Dick Tracy can fire up the Medias Beauty App, which will offer "professional beauty advice" -- handy for those of us who can't find the time to keep our makeup all nice.
Japan chooses ISDB-Tmm over MediaFLO for new mobile TV network, KDDI pouts
Well, that wasn't much of a delay at all! Japanese regulators have apparently gone ahead and selected NTT DoCoMo's proposal for Japan's next-gen mobile TV network scheduled to go live in 2012 -- ISDB-Tmm, an evolution of the country's existing one-seg technology -- over the MediaFLO-based solution floated by competitor KDDI. Considering that KDDI is tied up in CDMA / EV-DO, it's little wonder they were pushing MediaFLO, a product of CDMA patron saint Qualcomm -- but it's a moot point now that the license is going to DoCoMo's broadcasting consortium. For what it's worth, KDDI -- understandably none too pleased by the decision -- has said that it will refuse to offer programming for the new network, which likely means that its 30 million-plus subscribers won't have access. Great to see these guys can work together so well, isn't it?
Japan holds off on choosing tech for next-gen mobile TV
We'd surmise that neither Europe nor the Americas are anywhere close to worrying about a next-generation mobile TV standard, since virtually no carrier has managed to monetize the standards they've already adopted -- but things work a little differently in Japan where one-seg tuners are offered on nearly every portable device with a screen that's sold. A refinement of the existing ISDB-T technology designed to take advantage of the analog TV shutdown, ISDB-Tmm, had been pushed by NTT DoCoMo, while competitor KDDI -- the country's main CDMA operator -- had wanted to adopt Qualcomm's MediaFLO in a regulatory decision originally scheduled to be made by the middle of this month, but the government has apparently decided to hold off in the hopes that the two sides can work together on a mutually beneficial standard. Commercial availability of the network had been expected in 2012, so it'll be interesting to see if these two giants can bury the hatchets long enough to work this out.
Qualcomm suppresses "yuck" face, drops MediaFLO and ISDB-T on same chipset
Qualcomm may be many things, but it ain't stupid. On what basis do we make that bold claim? Historically, it's been very good about supporting and profiting from standards that aren't its own with one hand, even as it's pushing alternatives with the other. They've pulled this trick recently with comprehensive LTE support with CDMA migration -- a double whammy, considering that CDMA is Qualcomm's baby and LTE goes head to head with Qualcomm's UMB. Now, the firm is pairing up its MediaFLO mobile TV tech on a single hunk of silicon with support for ISDB-T, used in Japan and Brazil; essentially, the idea is that free programing would flow over ISDB-T and pay channels would come down on the FLO signal. It's an interesting concept, we suppose, but with mobile TV yet to be a profitable venture in most parts of the globe, it might be still be an idea just a bit ahead of its time.[Via Phone Scoop]
Toshiba's 80GB Gigabeat V801: the last Portable Media Center
In what constitutes a death rattle for Portable Media Center devices, Toshiba just sputtered forth the latest in the V Series of Gigabeat players: the 40GB V401 (¥49,800 / $409) and 80GB V801 (¥59,800 / $491). Each packs a new 4-inch, 24-bit color, 480 x 272 pixel display with built-in brightness sensor for automatic adjustment to local lighting conditions. In addition to supporting WM DRM10 and WMA 9 Lossless as you'd expect in a Microsoft PMC, the device also packs an improved 1Seg tuner and EPG for plenty of digital TV viewing (and recording) while on the go. The latest Gigabeat also features improved sound quality and 24-mm thickness and a battery capable of 28/10/8 hours of playback audio/video/1Seg TV, respectively. Available June 1st in Japan.[Via Impress]
Sharp to release high contrast LCD for mobile devices
As our mobile devices skew from email, voice, and web surfin' to include more multimedia -- think live television and video on demand -- nobody (big emphasis on "nobody") is going to get into live TV on fuzzy, blurry, low res screens. To save us from future misery, Sharp has announced a QVGA 2.2 inch LCD with a 2000:1 contrast ratio, a 176 degree viewing angle, and an 8ms response time. The company expects to ship samples for One-Seg mobile phones (portable Aquos?) this fall, followed by a rollout into its other mobile handsets and cameras shortly thereafter. Japanese shipments of One-Seg compatible devices is expected to reach 10 million this year alone, so this could become a seriously hot item -- though, as usual, don't get your hopes up that this will be hittin' our shores anytime soon.[Via Mobiledia]
Sharp Papyrus PW-TC900 electronic dictionary, and mobile TV
Hey, no one can blame you for thinking that's the latest UMPC, ultra-portable XP thingamabob, or PMP. After all, Sharp's Papyrus PW-TC900 does feature a QWERTY keyboard, 20-hour battery (5-hours for TV), SD slot for expansion, and 4.3-inch, 480×272 resolution display which rotates 180-degrees for folding into a tasty, TV sandwich. Unfortunately (for us), this is Sharp's latest electronic dictionary set for release in Japan. Although its primary purpose might be for Japanese-English translation and learning, with features like an integrated Japanese OneSeg digital TV tuner and MP3 player, no parent should be too surprised when their Papyrus-equipped kids return from school with attention deficit issues. But hey, nothing a little Ritalin can't fix, eh 70s? On sale in Japan starting December 8th for ¥50,000 or about $425. A couple of those in-the-wild snaps after the break.[Via Impress]
One-Seg TV Watch
From what we can tell, you'll have to buy some Japanese beer in order to get a chance to win one of these (it seems you can also win some meat), but this One-Seg TV Watch looks to be a prize worth drinking for (but really, what isn't?). In addition to picking up One-Seg terrestrial digital broadcasts, the TV Watch (available in three stylish colors) also doubles as a completely impractical cellphone once you pop in a Willcom W-SIM card. And, yes, the watch is as big as it looks, with its 2.4-inch screen pushing the dimensions to a beefy 2.3 x 3.5 x 0.88-inches, weighing in at just over four ounces. No word if/when these'll be available simply for purchase, or how much they'll set you back -- not that it'd be of much use to anyone outside of Japan, unless you've got a thing for oversized watches (which we obviously do).[Via Engadget Japanese]
Sharp's W-ZERO3[es] / WS007SH: WinMo 5 Pocket PC hotness, redefined
While we loved the specs on Sharp's W-ZERO3 / WS003SH, let's just say that its plastic, chub of a case was seriously short on swank. Now check the W-ZERO3 [es] / WS007SH hotness which our brethren at Engadget Japan got the jump on this AM. Developed under that same partnership with Sharp, Willcom, and Microsoft, the new WS007SH variant keeps the Pocket PC flavor of Windows Mobile 5.0 and 416MHz Intel PXA 270 proc but brings a second, standard phone keypad to the mini, sliding QWERTY. They even managed to squeeze that same VGA resolution into a smaller, 2.8-inch screen while keeping the best of the rest: 128MB flash (60MB allocated to the user) and 64MB of SDRAM, miniSD expansion, USB, and 1.3 megapixel cam. All this and she still manages to slim-down from 70 x 130 x 26-millimeters and 220-grams to 56 x 135 x 21-millimeters and 175-grams. Ok, no WiFi or Bluetooth yet folks, but these, like a Japanese OneSeg expansion pack for digital TV on the go are currently under development and will certainly increase the bulk. Available only in Japan starting July 27th for ¥29,800/¥36,800 (or about $260/$321) with/without a one-year contract. Many more pics, including the OneSeg TV expansion after the break. [Via Engadget Japan]
Sony's Vaio UX90 gets 16GB flash drive and mobile TV
So you thought Sony's VAIO U with Core Solo was pretty hot, right, but that hefty chub and feedback-free keyboard were keeping you on the fence? We understand. Well, how would you feel if Sony aced the hard disk in favor of a silent running 16GB solid-state flash drive which bumps battery life by 13%, drops the weight by 29g to 492g, massively accelerates app launches, and should cut XP's resume and boot times by half? No, not doing it for ya? Then how about some hot OneSeg mobile digital television squeezed in for some on-the-go entertainment? Well Sony did just that today with the introduction of their Vaio UX90. Still, you'll have to be ready to pop for the ¥209,800 (about $1,800) when these drop July 3rd in Japan. But if you lived in Nippon, you might just bite, eh? Thought so.[Via Impress]
Toshiba Gigabeat V30T: a Portable Media Center with mobile TV
While we've been patiently waiting for the US launch of the Gigabeat S (set for release today tomorrow according to Amazon), Toshiba has been quietly prepping their new Gigabeat V series of Windows Portable Media Centers. Sure, the V30T player looks nothing like its sleeker sib, but that's due to the fact that this portable flaunts a new Wansegu (AKA, OneSeg) ISDB-T tuner for viewing the Japanese-flavor of mobile digital television launched last month -- in other words, the T-DMB / DVB-H / MediaFLO of Japan. Now on top of extracting that sweet TV from the ether, the V30T features a 3.5-inch, 320 x 240 display, support for WMV/WMA/MP3/WAV/JPEG and PlaysForSure WMA formats, and a brawny battery capable of up to 7/9/25 hours of TV/video/music playback, respectively, while keeping it all less than an inch thick. But this is all about the TeeVee Jack, so the V30T packs in a 30GB drive which, when combined with the EPG, allows you to record broadcasts up to 24 hours in advance for a maximum of about 130 hours of recorded, portable video. Expect the V30T to drop late June for about $450 in green.[Via Impress Watch]
Vodafone Japan announces summer lineup
New Softbank property Vodafone K.K. has announced four new 3G handsets -- along with the 2G Toshiba V304T "simplephone" -- that will be released this summer in Japan, including Sharp's 905SH clamshell with a 2 megapixel camera and One Seg digital TV reception. Also seen before was Voda's version of Nokia's N71, dubbed the 804NK, which sports those same multimedia and smartphone features along with obvious addition of bilingual menus. Like the three models mentioned previously, the Toshiba 705T and Sharp 705SH SLIMIA also sport clamshell designs, with the Tosh featuring external music controls and the Sharp (pictured) rocking dual cameras. Additionally, a sixth model, Sharp's 2G V403SH (also a flip phone), was announced as getting a summer makeover, and will now come in your choice of cloth beige or cloth blue.
Japan launches One Seg, latest broadcast vid standard
As if the world needed yet another broadcast digital video standard, Japan's taking their stab at it today by officially finally rolling out One Seg, which sidechannels analog terrestrial broadcasting with digital signals. Apparently it's be free to air and now live in and around Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, which is nice, but we're never too stoked for yet another radio standard the world's got to deal with supporting. Though we understand there are already a half a million One Seg mobile devices floating around Japan as we speak beginning with a December rollout of the standard, including Vodafone's new Sharp 95SH.
