Recently in NTT DoCoMo Category

NTT DoCoMo unveiled the successor of "Raku-Raku Phone IV" and "Raku-Raku Phone Basic," the Raku-Raku Phone Premium model F884i by Fujitsu. DoCoMo's Raku-Raku Phone Premium, which looks like 99% of all Japanese keitai, is equipped with 1seg capability and "Osaifu-Keitai" which us used for e-wallet, e-ticketing (for trains), e-money, and more.

DoCoMo's Raku-Raku Phone Premium has a bigger screen than its predecessors, as well as a thinner frame. Most importantly, you can input emails on this keitai using the sound of your voice. When the voice input button is pressed, the software automatically converts your voice into text in the cell phone. The phone is also equipped with the "Yoko-Motion" which launches applications based on the movement of the phone. DoCoMo's Raku Raku Phone Premium which comes in three color will be available in Japan starting today, April 14, 2008.

Over the years, I've proven that fragrances help to make us remember instances in the past. The sense of smell is very powerful and could incite one's moods. NTT DoCoMo decides to capitalize on this and is currently looking to expand their novel fragrance delivery service to support the delivery of smells via cell phones. Since 2005, NTT DoCoMo has offered a device which releases aromas based on the input of the cell phone network. This time, they want to commercialize their new invention of controlling these devices through one's mobile phone. The technology entails controlling the fragrance device through signals sent passing through infrared signals. A "Fragrance Playlist" would be downloaded on the phone and then users could choose what aroma they'd like to smell. Upon selection of an aroma, an accompanying MIDI sound or GIF animation would play on the cell phone. As of now, the availability of DoCoMo's "Fragrance Playlist" is still far off into the future, but when the public could get a hold of it already, I reckon it would be a hit with the Japanese consumers.

Remember the Fujitsu FOMA F1100 presented last year at CEATEC 2007? Seems Fujitsu took its sweet time before finally releasing it for Japan's NTT DoCoMo. The FOMA F1100 has a 16.9mm depth and has a dark wine color scheme. The Fujitsu FOMA F1100 comes equipped with Windows Mobile 6 Standard, has wireless LAN connectivity and 3.6Mbps HSDPA capability. It also features a fingerprint reader, security scanner, digital camera, and Bluetooth connection.

More pics after the jump.

Still another in the line of NEC's new and first ever LiMo-compliant mobile phones along with NEC N905i and NEC N705iµ is NEC N095iµ, for the DoCoMo network. It boasts a super-thing (12.9 mm depth and 106 grams in weight) sophisticated design. The NEC N095iµ keitai has a flat-sheet keypad, 2-megapixel camera, HSDPA support, WORLD WING global roaming capability, and an illuminated lights play when shut on its clamshell form, whenever there are incoming calls and messages. The model will be available in four colors: opal white, graphite black, venus gold, and bourgogne red.

Check out NEC N095iµ keitai's product page. (Japanese)

Along with the NEC N705iµ, another of the first in the line of LiMo compliant mobile phones is NEC N905i for the Japanese market under the network, NTT DoCoMo. The NEC N905i high-end keitai (Japanese cell phone) boasts 5.2 megapixel camera with face-detection auto-focus function. High-speed mobile web browsing is also made available with its HSDPA support and watching TV is possible with the 1-Seg TV tuner. It displays a simple menu which could be expanded for further usage. A circular control button is featured and for optimal 1-Seg TV viewing, the screen could be folded horizontally. The NEC N905i will be available in red, white, pink, and black.

Read more about the NEC N905i features (Japanese)

A Panasonic Viera phone was presented during the Mobile World Congress. It was, however, released last November, 2007, in Japan for NTT DoCoMo. The Panasonic VIERA P905i is known as the "VIERA keitai." Of course, at the mere mention of the word VIERA, it's easy to forecast that the handset would have 1-Seg capability, allowing users to watch TV on it. And since Panasonic wants users to enjoy their watching experience thoroughly, the VIERA P905i's screen could be folded horizontally for a wider screen. The "Mobile PEAKS PROCESSOR" technology has also been employed, so resolution would be a high 2000:1. The Panasonic VIERA P905i features a 3-inch display with 480 x 854 pixel resolution, 5.1 megapixel camera with six-axis image stabilizer, GPS, 3G capability with HSDPA support, and microSD card slot. The model is available in red, white, black, and pink gold.

Another picture after the jump.

The Fujitsu F705i tries to proves beyond a doubt that "waterproof" and "slim" is a good combination. It is the latest in its "FOMA i series" of waterproof phones headed to NTT DoCoMo conforming to IPX5 and IPX7 waterproof standards and measures a scrawny 13.7 mm. Waterproof up to 30 minutes at 1 meter depth, this phone features a 1.3-megapixel camera, Super Clear Voice and Super Clear Mic for in-call adjustment of volume to surrounding sounds, a 2.7-inch QVGA LCD screen, and Quick Zoom for increased visual accessibility. This cell phone also has another notable feature, which is a buzzer that can be set off in case of an emergency alerting people in the proximity.

The Fujitsu F705i will be available in three colors of snow white, dark blue, and light pink, although my Japanese doesn't permit me enough to say when.

December of 2007, we have reported on the DoCoMo and Google partnership in the works. More details on the partnership have emerged. According to reports, DoCoMo will be using Google maps for mobiles and will design a new user-interface more user-friendly for exploring Gmail, YouTube, and other Google services. The default search engine will also be Google with keyword-based advertisements present in the search results. DoCoMo has also announced their intention to launch a Google Android phone. Now that's something to look forward to.

NEC has launched the new FOMA N705i, a mobile phone included in DoCoMo's list of new handsets. The FOMA N705i will be commercially available starting February 1, 2008. The phone's design is called the "amadana." It features a 3-inch QVGA LCD, a 1.6-inch sub-LCD for the time and various animations, geo-tagged photos, a standby time of 580 hours, and 3G connection. The phone measures 104x49x14.5 mm and weighs 105 grams.

NTT DoCoMo, which already procured the waterproof phone and the double-screened D800iDS, is expanding its arsenal with a new line of phones for this year. Among these, one that caught our eye is the Sharp AQUOS SH905iTV, a clamshell supporting Japan's 1seg digital broadcasting service.

At just 18.9 mm thick, the AQUOS SH905iTV boasts of a high-definition mobile TV experience with a high-quality Wide VGA picture contrasted at a ratio of 2000:1 using the SV engine and a high-performance 3.2-inch ASV-LCD display with a wide viewing angle. On the audio side, the SH905iTV is one of the first few cell phones in the world to make use of the new Dolby Mobile technology from Dolby Laboratories to deliver realistic sound quality. The phone supports NTT DoCoMo's Music, SD Audio, Music Channel, i-Motion, and Internet Movie Player services along with 1seg TV with also FM radio thrown in. There is also Sharp's unique Touch Cruiser, an interface not unlike touchpads found on notebooks.

The AQUOS SH905iTV will be available on Japan's NTT DoCoMo starting on January 24, 2008.

Softbank Mobile has released the PHOTOS 920SC slider phone that features two cameras - a 5-megapixel camera for picture taking and a 3-megapixel one for video conference. It further takes a stamp on the camera-phone market by including a xenon flash, 3X optical zoom, Bluetooth, IrDA, GPS, face recognition and auto focus capabilities. This will give its contemporaries, a run for their money.

The camera is intuitive towards hand-shake and can prevent red eye pictures by correcting them. The 2.4 inches 240×320 display features 26 million colors. It takes in a microSD (maximum 2GB) card, and supports W-CDMA and GSM (900/1800/1900). It also has 3G high speed connectivity at 3.6Mbps make which loads 500 ten thousand pixel cameras on January 12th.

The phone measures at 52×101.5×18.9mm and weighs 129g, has a 340-hour battery and gives about approximately 200 minutes of talktime. The device will be out on the 12th of this month however, it will only be available in Japan.

Japanese mobile phone giant, NTT DoCoMo, forms alliance with search engine giant, Google, to bring the Japanese mobile internet service to new heights. According to reports, DoCoMo will be integrating some of Google's capabilities to their i-mode mobile internet service. These features would include Google email, search, photo and schedule functionalities. The partnership is touted to be a beneficial affiliation since DoCoMo has lost subscribers over the recent years and Google's been trailing behind Yahoo! Japan in the country's search engine market.

NTT Docomo plans to integrate Epson’s Assisted Global Positioning System (A-GPS) reception technology in its 8 handset models under the 905i series.

What makes A-GPS technology powerful? Epson boasts this original technology provides a rather extraordinary broad detection range and high level of sensitivity whether it’s from weak indoor signals or strong outdoor signals. The company even claims this is several dozen times greater than any standard GPS technology available in the market today.

Additionally, it supports three 3GPP-compliant positioning modes (MS-Based, MS-Assisted, and Autonomous) enabling it to function in any application and network environment.

From the perspective of mobile consumers, these advancements mean power to get accurate positional information regardless if you’re indoors, outdoors, or within moving vehicles. Moreover, it offers access to location-based services and emergency support services to ensure our safety anytime, anywhere.

During Wireless Japan 2007, the Panasonic display showed the evolution in mobile phones leading right up to their their latest models, the P904i and W52P mobile phones. The boast of really good specifications plus, both phones can be customised with loads of colorful panels.

The P904i is available with the NTT Docomo network in Japan. It has a 3.2 megapixel camera and measures at 102 x 49 x 17.9 mm. It has microSD support, bluetooth and a TV out.

The W52P on the other hand, has a 2 megapixel AF camera. It has 2.7 inch high contrast WQVGA screen and also has microSD support.

There are number of Japanese using their mobile phones that are equipped with an electronic chip that lets them swipe their handset over special readers to pay for various things such as train tickets to snacks at retailers. Japan's top mobile phone operator NTT DoCoMo Inc plans to offer electronic payment services at McDonald's Holdings Co. with special promotions for some users. Both companies are set for a 2.48 million dollar joint venture sometime in July of this year. McDonald’s Japan will invest 70% while DoCoMo owns the rest.

The Sony SO903iTV mobile phone is available exclusively through NTT DoCoMo in Japan, and will be available for purchase in June 2007.
This state-of-the art mobile phone features Sony's new high resolution mobile Bravia engine, which delivers excellent color contrast and reproduction with clear, sharp pictures.

The So903iTV phnoe also features a large three-inch main display, with a 16:9 full width screen. It has a slide function which enables the screen to be angled at approximately 15 degreees, and for the handset to be placed sideways for easy television viewing. It also has bass enhancement which delivers rich, dynamic sound with amplified bass.

The television features of the SO903iTV include timed program recording, which allows you to record up to 30 minutes of TV utilizing the phone's internal memory. If an optional SD card is used, recording time can be greatly expanded. The television function features video playback at normal and 1.3x speeds. Life programs are buffered in memory so that viewing can be paused and them resumes from the point of pause. As well, after starting a recording, playback is possible while recording continues.

At this time, the phone is scheduled for a June 2007 Japan release. If we're lucky we'll see this kind of phone in the US in a couple years.

Another new mobile in NTT DoCoMo's Spring 2007 line-up is the ultra-stylish F703i. This model features a waterproof design, capable of being submerged up to 1 meter for 30 minutes. It also is able to withstand exposure to water sprayed from any direction and is safely useable in the shower. The F703i also features a stylish time display and illumination on the outer shell.

If you're looking for an opportunity to chill-out and relax, NTT DoCoMo's F703i also features a handy relax mode which offers 15 choices of relaxing patters of gentle music and fluctuating illumination. This function kicks into effect when the handset is not in use. The phone also has an enhanced music player that allows you to enjoy Napster and Chaku-Uta Full.

This phone will be available in Japan next month in three colors: Snow White, Blossom Pink, and Lamp Black.

NTT DoCoMo recently unveiled their spring 2007 line-up of new mobile phones, which included the N703iｵ (iｵ is pronounced i-mew).
At just 11.4mm thick, the N703iｵ is now considered to be the world's thinnest clamshell mobile phone.

The N703iｵ is available in three colors (red, green & brown), and includes a camoflaged 7x7-dot LED on the back panel of the handset that features a variety of information. The N703iｵ also includes a unqiue feature called "Privacy Angle" which is activated by holding down the "8" key. Once activated, Privacy Angle prevents others nearby from reading the screen. Also included in the phone is an enhanced music player that supports SD audio.

One of the coolest new phones in NTT DoDoMo's Spring line-up is the D800iDS, which will be available in Japan in February. The D800iDS is the world's first handset with screens on both the upper and lower half.

The screen on the lower half is a special touchscreen that replaces a traditional keyboard. The D800iDS touchscreen offers three ways to input text:

• Handwritten input: text written on touch panel with finger or stylus
• 2-touch input: Japanese syllabary linked to submenus.
• 5-tough input: standard input

Text and drawings written by the user on the lower touchscreen can also be sent to friends as an email attachment. The downside of this phone, is that it does not have any external memory, so downloading videos and music isn't really an option.

The phone is available in three colors: white, black, and silver. It features a 1.3 megapixel camera, two 2.2-inch QVGA TFT LCD displays, and 9 x 16 rear orange LED.