Anybody got real numbers on iPhone sales in Japan?

Uncertainty held forth even before Apple and SoftBank Mobile launched the 3G in Japan on July 11, 2008. An initial survey by iShare reported in June that only 9% of respondents wanted to buy an iPhone – though painting a 9% purchase rate for a single model of phone as disappointing is arguably odd. Yet the survey has to be discounted either way, as it targeted a small sample size and took place before Apple had even announced the 3G. 

• "Study suggests most of Japan not bonkers over iPhone"

A subsequent larger survey by popular pricing site Kakaku.com showed different results: as many as half of respondents eager to consider an iPhone, with huge numbers willing to jump ship from their current carrier to SoftBank just for some of that touch screen goodness. 

• Japanese iPhone survey indicates massive demand - Part I
• Japanese iPhone survey indicates massive demand - Part II

That survey pointed to a warm reception for Apple's new baby. Yet actual sales are all that matter. How's that going for the 3G? read more »

Those WiFi-enabled iPod touches sure are cool, what with the music and the YouTube and all that. But the 8GB model costs JPY27,800. What to do?

Osaka-based importer Hallods Corp. suggests you save a bunch of that money by getting its Italian-designed, JPY12,000 PASEN-F13 audio/video player instead. It's only got a 3-inch, 400x240 screen, compared to the touch's 3.5-inch, 480x320 display. There's none of that touch-panel stuff in the Pasen screen. The Pasen shouts about YouTube playback... though on closer inspection, there's no WiFi, just the ability to natively play back YouTube vids you've downloaded and transferred via PC. Memory is only 4GB. Audio playback time is 16 hours, compared to the touch's claimed 36. And you can expect to find many more little iPod niceties missing from the Pasen.

But on the positive side, there's a MicroSD/SDHC expansion slot to boost memory, an FM radio, a voice recorder, and a big selection of file formats covered, including FLV (YouTube native format)AVI, DIVX, RM, DAT, MP4, WMV, MPG, MP3, WMA, FLAC, AAC, JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, and TXT-format e-books. At 66 grams, it's lighter than the 115-gram touch. And it's cheap. Available in Japan from October 25.

More info (Japanese):
http://hal6334-hp.hp1.allin1.jp/1221628579795/

Name: Pomera Digital Memo DM10
Category: pocket word processor
Price: JPY27,300
Release date in Japan: November 10, 2008

Tiny netbook PCs are already getting as cheap as just a few hundred dollars. If you want to go just a little cheaper than even the netbooks can offer, a solution is here from an unexpected source, Tokyo-based stationery maker King Jim. The King's offering: the pocket-sized "digital memo" word processor, the Pomera DM10.

King Jim coined the name "Pomera" from "Pcoket Memo Writer". It all implies a good-sized pocket; the Pomera is bigger than an iPhone or BlackBerry, though much smaller than any netbook. Yet there's a full-size (25-cm wide), "real" keyboard inside the Pomera, larger than some netbooks' keyboards. Space-warping pocket dimension? No, clever folding; the keyboard unfolds in a snap, reminescent of the old Palm Top PC 110 or ThinkPad 701c, becoming twice as wide as the rest of the gadget. That "rest of gadget" includes a 4-inch 640x480 TFT LCD screen, 128MB internal memory with microSD expansion slot, USB for connection to PCs, a fantastic 20 hours of life on 2 AAA batteries, and a two-second (!) startup time. JustSystems' ATOK input method is there to handle Japanese.

A super-cheap, always-ready netbook that fits in a pocket? Not quite, as taking notes is all the Pomera does, and in a decidedly retro fashion. The internal memory has the ancient-sounding limitation of a maximum 6 .txt files, each up to 8000 characters. (It's unclear whether use of a microSD card removes the 8000-character/file limitation.) The screen is monotone. There's no Internet, WiFi, or other network connectivity; no browsers, calculators, games, or other non-writing software. You write with it, and that's all. Yet even the word-processing features are few: three character sizes, very limited formatting, and so on.

That all makes sense, says King Jim. The company positions the device as an electronic memo pad for meetings and writing on the go. The quick startup time and long battery life serve those ends better than a netbook can, and its 14.5x10x3-cm dimensions and 370-gram weight beat netbooks easily for portability. Think of the dedicated device as digital-age stationery, says King Jim, not as a pared-down netbook.

Yet for all the niche attraction of a dedicated device, it's impossible not to notice that a mere 3000 yen or so more will get you into the territory of do-it-all netbooks with Internet connectivity and color 9-inch screens. Further, it's easy to imagine memo-taking scenarios in which a full keyboard will be clumsier than a one-hand PDA, such as while hanging on to a subway strap.

It'll be interesting to see whether the note-taker market and the Pomera find each other. The Pomera's a one-trick pony; its great small size and always-ready ease carry a price that's only a tad cheaper than netbooks. But if its niche scratches your itch, get a pocketful of Pomera and unleash your inner stenographer.

More info (Japanese):
http://www.kingjim.co.jp/pomera/index.html

Compact digital cameras ("kondeji") have long graduated from a two-way choice of colors (silver or black). With a wide palette of colors available, what hues do Japanese buyers prefer?

Business Computing News ran that question through its database of retail data, looking at all available manufacturers' kondeji sales data for the year ending in September. Not surprisingly, silver and black still rule the roost, at about 41% and 19% of units, respectively. But those colors may be coasting on tradition; BCN found that pink and gold, heavily marketed toward females, rose steeply over the year to a respective 14% and 7% of unit sales.  

Models like the Panasonic DMC-FX37-P, Casio EX-Z300PK, and Olympus mu 1060(PNK) snap up big portions of the pink market, while products like the Casio EX-Z100GD, Canon IXYD920IS(GL), and Casio EX-Z200GD grab the gold. For the silver, the Olympus FE-320, Canon IXYD25IS(sL), and Olympus mu 1060(SLV) sell the most units. The Canon IXYD25IS(BK), Canon IXYD910IS, and Fujifilm FX-F100FDDB were the favorites of black-camera traditionalists.

Popular for fall 2008, though not yet making the charts, are cameras in natural tones like plum, raspberry, wine red, and brown. Ask BCN next year whether those earthy hues have taken another chunk out of black and silver.

For another look at color preferences, BCN turned its attention to the brightly-hued 4th-generation iPod nanos. From a palette of silver, black, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and pink, what's grabbing Japanese buyers' yen?

Surveying JPY17,800 8GB models and leaving out the special direct-sales "(PRODUCT) RED" model, BCN again hands the crown to black and silver, followed in order by pink, blue, purple, orange, green, and yellow. (Sorry, percentage breakdowns aren't available.) BCN expressed surprise at the win by black, given the iPod's strong association with white. But the lack of a white nano and a love of matte black by male buyers put the non-color on top, says BCN, which also surmises that silver scores high as a surrogate for white and as a match for the look of Apple's computers.

Pink was introduced in the previous generation of nanos, and, ranking high with female buyers then, has been carried over to the new line. Blue does well with color aficionados of both genders. Purple wins among the remaining new colors. Orange does very well at some retailers, not so well at others, says BCN; green shows hope with its "eco" associations; and yellow, while bringing up the rear, still ranked a very impressive #33 among 684 audio player models tracked by BCN.

Speaking of other audio players (and going off the color topic), one often hears the meme overseas that Japan's electronics market is a near-impenetrable fortress from the viewpoint of foreign manufacturers, who are lucky to sell even a few scant units in Japan. The iPod is one of many examples showing that to be untrue. In BCN's tracking of retail audio player sales during the week of October 13-19, individual iPod models (broken down by color and memory size) took the top 14 sales ranks, with the Toshiba Gigabeat T401S Black finally breaking the i-monotony at #15. Then it's mostly more iPods again for a while. The same for the month of September: iPods on top, that Toshiba at #12, and then another run of iPods.

Don't listen to the naysayers, foreign manufacturers: bring a good product, and the Japanese electronics market can be yours.

More info (Japanese):
http://bcnranking.jp/news/0810/081020_12140.html
http://bcnranking.jp/news/0810/081015_12142.html

Name: Hello Kitty Face-Shaped DVD Player
Category: DVD player
Price: JPY31,500
Release date in Japan: October 16, 2008

No gadget category stands untouched for long before Kitty muscles in on the action. This time, her famed head forms the screen of the 7-inch portable "Hello Kitty Face-Shaped DVD Player", an entry in the "Original Kaden" (orginal appliances) series from Sanrio. Switch it on, and Kitty and her twin sister Mimmy entertain you on the screen until it's time to view DVDs, at which time Kitty's good to go with most DVD media including CPRM-protected discs.

Kitty offers 2.5 hours of play after a 3.5-hour recharge, ships with a remote control, and weighs 890 grams. She'll only take Region 2 discs (drat those finicky cats!), so stock up on local DVDs when you pick up Kitty at a department store or Sanrio shop in Japan.

More info (Japanese): http://www.sanrio.co.jp/goods/200810/kt_dvdplayer/index.html
Other recent DVD players (English):
http://www.tekronomicon.com/gadget/2008/09/trio_dvd

Name: Softbank Mobile 830SH s
Category: mobile phone
Price: Open
Release date in Japan: October 25, 2008

The 3G 830SH s from Sharp and Softbank is another entry in the category of "easy to use" mobile phones aimed at "adult users" - industry terminology for seniors. The third in the GENT series, the phone has "Arc Ridge Keys" with large symbols and easy-to-push curved shape, plus a 2.4-inch, 260,000-color QVGA (240x320) LCD screen with Sharp's ASV technology. That's Advanced Super View, which Sharp says creates a wider viewing angle from all directions, as well as greater contrast and brightness. That plus anti-glare "Reflect Barrier Coating" make for easy visibility even in bright sunlight.

Included is a trial version of Professor Kawashima's "brain training" software, one of the puzzle and memory drill programs especially popular among the older set. Softbank is also playing up a dedicated button for the built-in Japanese and EJ dictionaries. Even the main font used in screens is designed for easier reading, says Softbank.

The phone has a 2-million megapixel camera and comes in Natural Brown, Warm Pink, Deep Green, and Matte Silver.

According to a government study at the end of 2007, 60% of Japanese in their late 60s use a mobile phone; over 30% of those in their 70s do so. (By comparison, in late 2003 only 22% of Docomo customers were over 50.) As the mobile-equipped senior market grows, phone manufacturers are striving to mix senior-friendly features with colorful "young" designs.

More info (Japanese): http://tinyurl.com/67zdfq

Name: Nintendo DSi
Category: portable game console
Price: JPY18,900
Release date in Japan: November 1, 2008

The Nintendo DS, the clamshell game machine with two 3-inch screens, has sold over 80 million units worldwide, making it an unqualified hit for Japan's premier game company. Following the first DS in 2004 and the redesigned DS Lite in 2006, the third generation of the gadget, dubbed the DSi, hits Japan in November. The DSi builds two cameras into the DS Lite and adds a slot for SD memory cards, while improving the speakers and growing the screens' size to 3.25 inches. Yet it manages to shave a few grams off of its body, and loses a few millimeters of bulk in one dimension (while adding a few in the other two).

The DSi places a 3-megapixel camera on the exterior, and a 0.3-megapixel one on the inside of the hinge, facing the user. As with previous models, only the bottom screen is a touch screen. Pick "DSi Camera" from the menu, and start snapping away with either cam. From there, play with software to add goofy effects, twist and combine faces, and even let the DSi assign a rating to how similar two side-by-side faces are. You can save images to an SD card or wirelessly exchange them with other DSi users.

"DSi Sound" is another menu item, letting you play music (AAC format only) from the SD card, add effects, remove vocals, sample sounds, and so on. Then there's "DSi Shop", which looks to be a take on the iPhone's App Store. Download browsers, games, and more; some are free, some will cost Nintendo Points.

The device will take older Nintendo DS software as well as DSi-only software. One feature goes missing, though: the DSi removes the slot for Game Boy Advance cartridges. And in another demerit that you won't see Nintendo playing up, battery life appears to drop significantly: up to 14 hours at lowest screen brightness and 4 hours at highest, compared with 19 hours and 8 hours for the DS Lite.  

The DSi will reach gamers in Japan on November 1, but won't cross to foreign shores until some time in 2009. (Nintendo of America reports that DS Lite sales are still strong in the US, and will remain the branch's focus for a while longer.) Body color choices are white and black.

More info (Japanese):
http://www.nintendo.co.jp/ds/