ASIA
: NTT DoCoMo announced the development of the new 902i series of 3G
FOMA® handsets.
The 902i series
is equipped for several new DoCoMo services, including the PushTalk™
walkie-talkie-style communication service (a DoCoMo first), the ToruCa™
information capture service, and the i-channel™ information
update service.
The series is
also compatible with several newly enhanced DoCoMo services/functions,
including Deco-mail® e-mail decoration, videophone with default
speakerphone setting from the time the user places or answers a call,
G-Guide® for TV programs including terrestrial digital broadcasts,
and security scan automatic updates of phone software.
The series will be compatible
with DoCoMo's new Multi number™ service, which will enable up
to three phone numbers to be assigned to the same handset (starts
in mid-November).
PushTalk
The new PushTalk service on the FOMA packet-communications network
will allow phones to be used like walkie-talkies for simultaneous,
one-way communication from one 902i user to as many as four other
902i users. The service will be launched concurrently with the 902i
series. As a marketing campaign, DoCoMo is planning to waive communications
charges (5.25 yen for each one-way communication) until the end of
December 2005.
The caller pushes the Talk button to display a directory of other
users. After selecting one or more people, the caller presses the
Talk button again for immediate, simultaneous connection to the other
users. The caller holds down the Talk button while speaking, then
releases it to let someone else speak (while the Talk button is pressed,
the speaker cannot hear others talk). One person can talk up to 30
seconds at a time. If nobody speaks for 30 seconds, the connection
is automatically cut.
PushTalk plus™, tentatively
scheduled for January 2006, allows the speaker to speak simultaneously
to as many as 19 other users. A specific group of people (such as
a project team, work crew, etc.) can be registered in the user directory
under a single group entry. While connected, each user's screen lists
all participating members of the group and the current speaker. The
directory holds up to 200 groups and 1,000 people. For each entry,
an icon indicates their current status ("standing by," "in
meeting," etc.).
ToruCa
The new ToruCa service will enable users to obtain information by
simply waving their phones in front of dedicated reader/writers installed
at restaurants, theaters, music stores, arcades and other establishments.
For example, when a user buys a CD at a store using DoCoMo's "Osaifu-Keitai"
mobile phone with wallet functions, they can wave their DoCoMo phone
in front of a reader/writer to receive information about the CD, the
artist, any promotional coupons offered by the artist's recording
label, and more.
i-channel
Subscribers to DoCoMo's i-channel information update service can request
to automatically receive updates covering news, weather, entertainment,
sports, horoscopes and more. The information is delivered automatically
to the phone's standby screen as telop text.
Enhanced Deco-mail
902i handsets can use Deco-mail pictures as emoticons, etc. by inserting
them on the same line as text (between words, etc.) with DoCoMo's
Deco-mail feature, enabling them to enhance the appearance and impact
of their e-mails.
Enhanced Videophone
902i handsets offer a default speakerphone setting for videophone
calls from the time the user places or answers a call.
G-Guide TV Program Information
902i handsets use DoCoMo's G-Guide service to retrieve information
about not only analog TV programs, but also new terrestrial digital
TV programs.
Multi number
Users will be able to assign up to two additional phone numbers to
one 902i handset and use these numbers to make and receive calls.
Each additional number will cost 525 yen per month (incl. tax). The
bills for the additional numbers can be sent to a separate location
for an additional 157 yen per month (incl. tax). The different numbers
could be used for private, business and family communication, for
example, and their bills could be managed separately. The service,
which will start when the 902i series is released on the market, will
also be available for existing 901i handsets and all other FOMA handsets
released since the 901i series launch.
Enhanced Security Scan
Until now, occasional updates of DoCoMo phone software have been performed
manually by users, but with the 902i series, the FOMA server will
perform automatic, background updates of phone software as required.
