New range of FOMA 900i 3G handsets embarrass the West with advanced functions in a small package.
Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo today unveiled the FOMAź 900i series, a new range of 3G FOMA i-mode mobile phones, all of which feature a Macromedia Flash-equipped browser, HTML e-mail and avatar-capable videophone. Compared with the original series of FOMA phones, 900i models offer three times longer standby and weigh 20 percent less.
 | The n900 is one of five new phones
|
The 900i series will boast the first 3G phones equipped with a Macromedia Flash browser. Flash applications of up to 100K are possible, compared with 20K in 2G mova 505i series. The new series will also handle richer, more sophisticated online games. Java-based i-appli applications offer a 400K scratch pad and have a maximum capacity of 100K for content/archiving, compared with 200K and 30K in existing models.
All 900i series handsets will be equipped with high-resolution mega-pixel cameras, ranging up to two mega-pixels and offering 20x digital zoom, and they will also have slots for memory cards, mainly in mini-SD format.
 | Each handset comes in a range of colours
|
Although the five phones which make up the series have varying specifications, they range around the 130 g mark, and all take the form of clamshell handsets with dual displays. The internal displays are 2.2-inch QVGA TFTs at an 18-bit colour depth, while the externals range from STN to OLED technologies with different sizes and resolutions.
Standby time is rated at up to 300 hours, with 140 minutes of talk time or 70-90 minutes of video calling.
Software will include document viewers for PDF and Microsoft formats, a Final Fantasy or Dragon Quest game, and so on varying across the range.
Interestingly, the F900i also contains a fingerprint sensor for access security.
Three completely new functions will be available exclusively in 900i phones. The first, dubbed 'Deco-mail', allows multimedia HTML e-mail to be created on the phone. The second, 'Chara-den', refers to the avatar-capable video phone: instead of a live video feed, callers will see a cartoon face with changeable expressions. Finally, 'Chaku-motion' enables the user to combine video and AAC audio to signal incoming calls.
DoCoMo expects the release of the all-new 900i series to further boost FOMA's steadily increasing subscriber base, which surpassed 1.7 million on December 11. At the same time, FOMA service area continues to expand, as well as offer enhanced service in existing areas thanks to the installation of additional small-size base stations in enclosed sites, such as buildings and subway stations. FOMA service will be available to 99% of the nation's population by the end of March 2004.
The five-model FOMA 900i series will be released in the first part of next year.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Archive