On Wed, 9 Jul 2008, David G. Imber posted:
> On Wed, 9 Jul 2008 11:26:44 -0700, Mark Crispin <mrc@Panda.COM> wrote:
>> Golly gee, my Japanese 3G phone doesn't drain "much more quickly" using
>> 3G. 3G is only about a 25% hit over GSM for talk time. In standby, it
>> lasts longer in 3G.
> I realize that you've got other stuff going on in your post,
> but I'd like to ask about your phone.
Check out the Japanese Phone section of howardforums and you'll find lots
of people talking about keitais (phones from Japan). Probably lots more
than you ever wanted to know.
You can certainly get access and input data in Japanese on a Windows
Mobile phone; it's just a matter of software.
One of my keitais is a SoftBank X01HT (basically, an HTC Hermes branded
for SoftBank). After unlocking it, I used it with my Verizon SIM (yes,
there is such a thing!) to roam in Japan as a Verizon user. [Of course, I
also used domestic service in Japan -- nobody in their right mind pays
$2.50/minute roaming charges for routine calls!]
Later on, I got tired of the Japanese-only OS. The only thing worse that
Microsoft's perversion of English is their perversion of Japanese; I can
read it and in fact still have the Japanese OS on my laptop, but I don't
want to deal with Microsoft-perverted Japanese on a phone!
To fix that, I found xda-developers.com to be an invaluable resource
http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index...ame=HTC_Hermes
and especially
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=298919
which not only details how to change a Japanese OS WM device into English
OS (and WM6), it also discusses how to add Japanese support to the English
OS (which is what you want).
Following those instructions, I ended up with a Japanese WM device that
talks to me in English, but is still quite capable of handling Japanese
text.
Many of SoftBank's and NTT DoCoMo's models are bilingual Japanese/English,
and there's quite a grey market of them selling on eBay. If you don't
need anything fancy and just want Japanese support, I suggest getting one
of the basic models such as an 812SH.
However, if you need 3G in the USA, you probably will have to get a
Windows Mobile device since most of the non-WM keitais are 3G in the 2100
band and GSM-only in the US bands.
Be sure that it is unlockable in software. This is the case on the
Windows Mobile devices, but many other keitais require you to use a
HyperSIM which is at best a half-solution. Read the threads on
howardforums to learn all about HyperSIM & such.
The iPhone will give you Japanese language capability out of the box
without playing games, so it may be a good choice for you if you don't
feel like hacking.
I can't give you much advice about using Japanese with Blackberry, at
least not yet.
You have to ask yourself -- what is it that you want besides Japanese
capability? If you want a media player, go with iPhone. If you want a
full-featured smartphone, go with WM. If you want a basic phone, consider
one of the keitais.
I would wait awhile before trying to use an iPhone in heavy-duty
enterprise type applications. They did add Exchange support in 2.0, but
the Mail client is still not quite up to speed. Maybe 3.0 or 4.0 will be
better. RIM is, and will remain for some time, the 500 pound gorilla in
this sector. Note that RIM has a Blackberry application for Windows
Mobile, so if you are in an office that standardized on Blackberry, you
can get a WM keitai and install the Blackberry service on it and be good
to go.
> May I ask both where you're posting from and what
> instrument/network you're using?
Right now, I'm in the Seattle area. I am also to be found at times in
rural Alaska or Japan.
I use Verizon in Seattle (with a Motorola Z6C dual CDMA/GSM world phone),
and AT&T in Alaska (with the X01HT). When I'm in Japan, I use the X01HT
with my Verizon SIM to roam with my US service, and a regular keitai with
domestic service.
-- Mark --
http://panda.com/mrc
Democracy is two wolves and a sheep deciding what to eat for lunch.
Liberty is a well-armed sheep contesting the vote.
First Reviews of the 3G iPhone!!
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