I-O Data's SEG Clip brings 1seg mobile TV to iPhone and PC
by Darren Murph 
posted Aug 10th 2009 @ 4:18AM
[Via Akihabara News]
Read - I-O Data press release
Read - Hands-on
japanese posts
[Via Akihabara News]
Read - I-O Data press release
Read - Hands-on
Former professor creates vibrating Braille handset
by Darren Murph posted Apr 8th 2008 @ 10:24AM
Braille phones in and of themselves aren't all that unique, but a former professor (who just so happens to be completely blind) from Tsukuba University of Technology has crafted a variant that jumps and jives. Dubbed the world's first vibrating Braille cellphone, the device is programmed to emit pulses depending on which key is pressed; more specifically, a pair of terminals attached to the handset "vibrate at a specific rate to create a message." Those currently involved with the project are now toiling to make the keypad-to-vibration converters smaller, but there's no word just yet on whether the technology will be picked up commercially.[Via FarEastGizmos]
NEC develops real-time Japanese-to-English mobile translation software
by Darren Murph posted Nov 30th 2007 @ 11:32AM
We've already seen the idea of data-to-voice translation passed around, but NEC's latest software is far beyond the drawing board. Reportedly, the firm has developed a system that can understand around 50,000 Japanese words and translate them to English text on the mobile's display in just a second or two. The software was made compact enough to "operate on a small microchip mounted in a cellphone," and was designed especially to help users convert common travel phrases. Notably, it would be technically possible to make the English translation vocal, but according to NEC spokesman Mitsumasa Fukumoto, the firm isn't looking into that possibility at the moment. No word on when we'd see this technology hit the masses, nor if any other language combinations were in the works, but this would certainly make touring English-speaking locales a lot less strenuous for Japanese speakers.[Via Physorg]
Japan to use picture messaging for calorie counting
by Michael Caputo posted Jun 3rd 2007 @ 3:37PM
Leave it to the Japanese to be at the forefront of having the latest bleeding edge service for their customers. In the United States, we're lucky to get a calorie count of our meal when we go to our favorite restaurants. In Japan, though, all they'll need to do is snap a picture message of their meal and send it the Public Health Offices in Osaka, and ta-da -- the calorie count is give to you. Albeit, it's three days after you ate. Not exactly real-time, but at least you'll how bad you were to your body a few days back.. [Via Slashphone]
RIM following up Japanese BlackBerry with Japanese support
by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 25th 2006 @ 11:39PM
Call it a case of putting the proverbial cart before the proverbial horse. After releasing the 8707h, a 3G-enabled cut of RIM's venerable 8700 series for NTT DoCoMo, it seems the company had a moment of clarity and realized that folks occasionally like typing in their native language. We haven't figured out whether RIM has actually committed to producing a BlackBerry specific to the Japanese market -- our gut says no -- but we do know they'll be releasing some manner of "solution for entering Japanese fonts" in the first half of 2007. The best part? Existing BlackBerrys will be upgradeable, which bodes well for the 1,400-odd orders RIM's received for their little bundles of email goodness since crossing the Pacific; not surprisingly, most of those orders so far have come from foreign companies with operations in Japan, but hopefully a little native Japanese input will warm up the icy reception.Translation the visual way: MEDIASEEK's Camera Dictionary
by Chris Ziegler posted Sep 5th 2006 @ 10:46AM
DoCoMo bringing BlackBerry to Japan
by Evan Blass posted Jun 8th 2006 @ 12:14PM
Having already conquered the US and much of Europe, Canada's most famous contribution to consumer electronics is poised to take over yet another Asian market, when the ubiquitous BlackBerry hits phone-mad Japan this fall. Coming hot on the heels of KT Powertel's introduction of the 7100i in South Korea, wireless giant NTT DoCoMo has announced that it is partnering with BlackBerry-maker RIM to offer customers GSM / WCMDA "worldphone" versions of the addictive handhelds -- which is yet another step towards the carrier's commitment of having an all-GSM-enabled lineup within the next two years. Besides the traditional push email functionality that we've come to know and love, nothing much is known about the specifics of these upcoming foreign models, like how the pocket-sized BlackBerries will manage to pack in the thousands of keys necessary to represent all those Japanese glyphs.[Thanks, Gina]
