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Mobility

Photos: More phone fun in Japan

By Bill Detwiler October 18, 2006, 4:12 AM PDT on Twitter billdetwiler

Image
1
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Sharp LCD TV cell phone
Sharp LCD TV cell phone
Photos: More phone fun in Japan

Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

KDDI, Japan’s second-largest mobile-phone operator, has opened its Designing Studio in Tokyo’s Harajuku area. Part one of CNET News.com’s recent tour of the facility is now live.rn

rnA Sharp LCD TV cell phone is shown here. TV phones get five channels in Tokyo. The service is free, but people have to get a fancy phone (with TV tuners and a good LCD) to watch. KDDI’s rival NTT DoCoMo estimates that a million people have TV phones in Japan.

Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com
Photos: More phone fun in Japan

The Casio GZ One can sit underwater for 30 minutes and survive.

Photos: More phone fun in Japan

Several manufacturers have talked about using fuel cells to power phones, but most such devices are still in the experimental stage. Pictured are early prototypes. KDDI hopes to offer a fuel cell phone next year.

Photos: More phone fun in Japan

Fuel cells aren’t as bulky as they once were. The wedge under this phone is a direct methanol fuel cell.

Photos: More phone fun in Japan

Press the button on this GPS-enabled device and it sends a signal to a private security company that will then drive by to help if you are in trouble. The device has been on the market for a few years and service costs 2,000 yen ($18) a month. Parents buy it for their kids.

Photos: More phone fun in Japan

KDDI is out with an experimental game called “Check the Harajuku Gao!”rnConsumers walk into a booth and get their picture taken. A computer then analyzes their face and tries to determine their occupation. When CNET News.com editor at large Michael Kanellos (left) gave it a try, the game said there was a 48 percent chance of him being a Web designer, a 40 percent chance of him being a fashion designer, and a 36 percent chance of him being a bartender. So he has lots of career options.

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By Bill Detwiler
Bill Detwiler is the Editor for Technical Content and Ecosystem at Celonis. He is the former Editor in Chief of TechRepublic and previous host of TechRepublic's Dynamic Developer podcast and Cracking Open, CNET and TechRepublic's popular online show.
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