Sharp Launches Android 2.3 AQUOS Phone IS14H in Japan

Japan is getting another unique Android from Sharp, the AQUOS Phone IS14H .he phone feature a form factor one might more immediately associate with a feature phone, but aside from its slide-out numerical keypad little else is shared. The IS14H features android 2.3, a 3.7-inch qHD display, and 8MP camera capable of 720p HD recording. Other standard goodies such as WiFi, Bluetooth, and GPS are topped off with a few cherries, which include a 1seg TV tuner, NFC, and infrared blaster. In Japan the phone will be sold by KDDI au, and as with most Sharp devices we expect it to remain a regional release.
[via TechCrunch]

Read more »

Galaxy Nexus his NTT DoCoMo in Japan on December 2nd

Yes, America, everyone gets the Galaxy Nexus before you. The latest is the Japanese market, where Samsung will release the phone into the open arms of carrier NTT DoCoMo. The Galaxy Nexus lands in the land of the rising sun gets it on December 2nd, this Friday. DoCoMo gets the GSM version that’s currently on sale in Europe, but there’s no mention of a price just yet.

Those of you not-so-patiently waiting for the U.S. release will note that Verizon’s rumored pre-order has resolutely failed to appear, after reports that it would begin today supposedly came from a customer support representative. You may send your complaints to Computer World, care of Richi Jennings, who claimed a second-hand conversation with customer support as a “confirmation”. And that’s all I’ve got to say about that.
So when will the Galaxy Nexus actually release in the United States? Your guess is as good as ours at this point. The latest rumored date is December the 8th, next Thursday, but since every previous date has come and gone, I wouldn’t necessarily give that one any more credence than the others.

"What is this, Verizon? A phone for everyone but us?"

Read more »

Xperia arc, acro get PlayStation certified in Japan

Sony has been promising access to its PlayStation suite for more Android smartphones for a while now, though only the Tablet S and Tablet P have seen an actual update, in addition to the original XPERIA Play. Now one of Sony’s newest Android phones, the XPERIA arc [sic] is getting the gaming service, but only in Japan at the moment. The XPERIA acro, a Japan-only smartphone, is also getting updated.

While the XPERIA arc doesn’t appear on any carrier list in the US, Americans can get an unlocked GSM version, and the arc has been released to some fanfare in Europe. Unfortunately PlayStation certification and by extension the PlayStation store aren’t available in these markets, but hopefully it won’t be too long before westerners get some PSX goodness on the arc. Owners of the Tablet S and the still-elusive Tablet P can already take advantage of both, though obviously they’ll be doing so without the XPERIA Play’s hardware controls.
If you’re a PlayStation fan who can’t (or won’t) switch Sony Ericsson for smartphone hardware, take heart: the company may be planning to expand its certification program to non-Sony devices. Considering that Sony’s still a ways behind the big Android players, it wouldn’t be a bad idea for Sony to focus on its software and rich IP catalog. There’s only a dozen PlayStation games available for download at the moment, but if Sony can expand its library and open it up to a growing base of high-powered android phones and tablets. In the meantime, PlayStation Suite developers can get their SDK on.

Read more »

Samsung attempts to get iPhone 4S banned in Japan and Australia

We all know that Apple has been all over Samsung’s case over the past few months, requesting for preliminary injunctions to block sales of Samsung’s devices in countries all over the world. In retribution, Samsung has been doing the same thing as well, albeit with less success. The Korean electronics manufacturer has recently announced that it is attempting to get sales of the iPhone 4S banned in two more countries: Japan and Australia.

Read more »

Sony’s Tablet S and Tablet P get Japanese 3G versions on October 28th

Sony’s first entries into the Honeycomb tablet market, the creatively-named Tablet S and Tablet P, are getting mobile broadband versions in their home market. Japanese carrier NTT DoCoMo will start selling 3G versions of both devices on October 28th. On this side of the Pacific, the Tablet S is only available in a WiFi version, and the dual-screen tablet P is still a complete no-show.

The wireless release is ahead of schedule – Sony had previously planned to have 3G versions of the tablets available November. The Google translation is a little shaky, but it looks like new users will have a 1050 yen ($14) discount applied to their data plan for the first six months. That’s a good sign for Japanese tablet fans, but unfortunately, we haven’t heard anything about a North American release for the wireless broadband versions. Honestly, we’d be happy just to get our hands on the funky dual-screen Tablet P again.
Both of Sony’s tablets use Android Honeycomb 3.2, to their credit and Android fans’ delight. The S model features a 1280 x 720 screen, while the split screens on the P are each 1024 x 480. Both feature Tegra 2 processors and Playstation certification, a la the XPERIA Play, plus a rear 5 megapixel 720p camera. The Tablet S has a built-in infrared port for controlling televisions and set-top boxes, and both of them feature DLNA certification and access to Sony’s media stores for music, video and e-books. There is currently no word on when the Tablet P, or 3G versions of either tablet, will be released in the United States.
)

Read more »

Dell Takes another Stab at Android Smartphones with the Streak Pro 101DL for Japan

After early attempts to strike a name for themselves in both the Android smartphone and tablet arenas, Dell has more recently kept rather quiet on both fronts. Their 10-inch Honeycomb slate, the Streak 10 Pro, didn’t see an extremely wide release as the Dell name has slowly fallen out of most Android discussions. The company looks to make a return in a big way with the announcement of the new Dell Streak Pro 101DL the first full-fledged smartphone entry into the Streak lineup and no slacker in the specs department.
The Streak Pro 101DL is headed for Japan’s SoftBank and features a 4.3-inch Super AMOLED screen at qHD resolution, a 1.5GHz dual-core MSM8260 processor, and an 8MP camera. Other specs include Dell’s Stage 2.0 interface on top of Android 2.3, a 1.3MP front-facing camera, and support for Bluetooth 2.1 and 802.11b/g/n.
Japan is slated to get the phone first but Dell does have global sales plans for the new Steak Pro 101DL. It could give Dell just the boost they need to become a relevant Android contributor once again.
[via TechCrunch]

Read more »

Disney launches 2 new Android phones in Japan

Disney is getting ready to rock two new Android phones in Japan. The company announced that they will be launching the DM011SH and the DM010SH.
The DM010SH will be a 3D capable handset that will feature a 4-inch qHD display, 8-megapixel camera, a 1GHz processor, Android 2.3, and more.
The second phone, the DM011SH, will be a waterproof slider with a 3.4-inch screen, a 1Ghz processor, 8-megapixel camera, Android 2.3, and more.
Both phones will be available in Japan and to please all their fans, the phones will be available in a number of colors, including pink, white, and black (for the older fans).
Pricing information for the two phones have yet to be finalized. The DM010SH is scheduled to hit Japan in October. The other version is going to be available in Japan markets by December. Unfortunately, for all of you Disney fanatics outside of Japan, you’re going to have to buy unlocked because no additional plans have been announced for markets outside of Japan.

Read more »

ASUS TOUGH Android Honeycomb 7″ tab hits Japan

We’ve seen plenty of smartphones over the recent past released that are tough, water resistant, and can handle most situations but we haven’t seen many for Android Honeycomb tablets. Today ASUS has unveiled the ASUS TOUGH ETBW11AA Tablet. The ASUS TOUGH is both water, and dust resistant, and comes with 4G WiMAX as well an impressive 1280×800 resolution all on that 7″ frame.

Coming in with a pretty unique form factor it does have some usual specs. Such as the NVIDIA Tegra 2 dual-core 1 GHz processor, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. We can expect Android 3.2 Honeycomb because of the 7″ 1280 x 800 resolution display. While this isn’t the thinnest tablet around (see photo below) it does look to be able to handle just about any situation given all that added “protection” if you ask me.

Along with a huge 7,400 mAh battery it also features Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, EVDO Rev.A and GPS, along with mini-USB, micro-SD and a 5-megapixel camera. It’s said to be able to survive 76cm drops onto straight concrete and live to tell about it, as well as remain fully in-tact. Instead of calling this Iron clad we’ll just say rubber clad, coming in around 215 x 132 x 20-22.2 mm and weighing 620g on the scales. All that protection comes with a price — and that is the size.
With a battery that will last all day, and a tablet handling all conditions this should be great for those out and about, especially those on-site construction type workers. The ASUS TOUGH ETBW11AA 7″ Honeycomb tablet should be available in Japan this November but we have no details yet on pricing.
[via SlashGear]

Read more »

Apple sues Samsung in Japan

Apple’s legal department must be a darned good one – with tentacles all over the globe, especially now that we have just heard that Apples’ legal eagles have descended upon the Land of the Rising Sun, and will be suing the pants off Samsung Electronics in that corner of the world. The accusation? Patent violations concerning both the iPhone and the iPad, which is starting to prove annoying. First it was Germany, then Europe, and now the fight has come all the way to Japan. Where else next? The continent of Africa?

Apple’s suit was filed with the Tokyo District Court, where the California-based company wants to stop selling Samsung Galaxy phones in Japan, in addition to adding another $1.3 million into their coffers as compensation for damages. The first hearing was held yesterday, and it remains to be seen just how the entire event is going to pan out in the end.

What do you think of all this? Will Samsung be able to pull something out of their hat in order to fend off the seemingly relentless pursuit of Apple, chasing them all over the globe?

Read more »