3G iPhone in Japan?

[clammy77]

Haha, I guess there's finally a pirate more worth of a pirate than AT&T. I thought AT&T was bad. Now having met Docomo and Softbank, I guess AT&T is just really a child compared to the tyranny of Japanese Telecom. I guess AU is the answer then :-/

And yeah...if we start a telecom that doesn't tie service like that, could be quite a pretty promising venture.

But I thought there are already companies, like AU? haha. Willcom?

 

[alphonseclark]

3g is superb

3g is just superb but it has some threats also

 

[koobcamuk]

Yeah...so damn. so...you're saying, what could happen is...I could be happily consuming **** load of data, and they wouldn't detect it, and maybe after a few months, i'll be hit by a huge bill?

I guess he's saying that, like anything, if you don't play by the rules you might get stung.

 

[ron619]

Samsung Mobile Phones

I5 Mobiles Prince is the latest mobile phone from the company that comes along with decent list of features. This phone physically measures 100 X 56 X 12.5mm in size and weighs around 95 grams. The TFT display of the phone is capable of supporting decent resolution count and its full QWERTY keypad enables easy and fats typing of messages.

Samsung Mobile Phones

 

[askywalker]

Japanese <--> English Dictionary app

I have been looking for a good Japanese/English dictionary app ... Either that, or I am going to end up getting a standalone electric dictionary - but that seems so silly since the iPhone is always with me...

Anyway - been trying to navigate the app store and google, but haven't seen anything that seems decent. The price doesn't concern me too much (standalone dictionaries are expensive), but...

If there isn't one, can anyone recommend a good website for quick word translations? My iPad doesn't have an Internet plan, so was hoping for a downloadable app, but the iPhone has data so that would still be helpful.

Thanks!

 

[PracticalMac]

I have been looking for a good Japanese/English dictionary app ... Either that, or I am going to end up getting a standalone electric dictionary - but that seems so silly since the iPhone is always with me...

Anyway - been trying to navigate the app store and google, but haven't seen anything that seems decent. The price doesn't concern me too much (standalone dictionaries are expensive), but...

If there isn't one, can anyone recommend a good website for quick word translations? My iPad doesn't have an Internet plan, so was hoping for a downloadable app, but the iPhone has data so that would still be helpful.

Thanks!

"Japanese" It's $17, but simply fantastic
otherwise
"Kotoba!"

 

[askywalker]

"Japanese" It's $17, but simply fantastic
otherwise
"Kotoba!"

Awesome - thanks. Grabbed them both. Japanese is on sale this week for $9.99 - so perfect timing

Cheers and Happy Festivus!

 

[SaSaSushi]

I'm not familiar with "Japanese" but I rely on iEijiro daily. I also use Kotoba on occasion.

Eijiro was ¥1000 well spent for me.

 

[ajmiyazaki]

My vote is for 'Japanese' also. I've used it daily for the past 2+ years! $10 is a steal!!!

 

[SaSaSushi]

So I grabbed Japanese while it is on sale (you can never have enough dictionaries) and I must say, it IS impressive! I especially love the ability to search for conjugated forms of verbs! I've never seen this before in a J/E dictionary.

Regarding my recommendation of Eijiro above, I am now rescinding my recommendation for iEijiro. Unbeknownst to me, the developer of the app releases a new version of the app every time there is an update to the Eijiro dictionary itself and charges the full price to get the new version. Forget that!

The amazing thing about the Eijiro dictionary is its massive size (1,900,000 plus entries) so I am now recommending the free Eijiro on the Web app. Yes, it only works online, but hey it's free and we all have Japanese for offline usage.

Eijiro is good for the impossible to find anywhere else, obscure definitions.

 

[alexhchu]

Hope it will

 

[Gokunama]

Once you know your kanas, nothing beats the Wisdom English-Japanese Dictionary.

 

[sushi]

My usuages usually are about 40万円 (400000 yen), before my unlimited plan discount kicks in! So be careful!!

Same here.

Agree, definitely need to be careful.

Same here, which is why I would be VERY wary of swapping sim cards.[/COLOR][/I]

One mistake and it would be very painful indeed.

 

[nikole95.7]

My vote would go for DoCoMo.

They definitely have the best coverage in Japan.

Next choice would be AU.

As I said above the network is not EDGE (nor GSM 2G), it is W-CDMA which is GSM 3G. The only difference between the W-CDMA used in Japan on DoCoMo and the W-CDMA used on at&t, T-Mobile, Vodaphone, or Rogers is the way the data is encoded. The antennas would work and as long as the firmware on the phone talked FOMA it would work in Japan, and if it spoke UTMS(HSDPA/HSUPA) it would work everywhere else.

 

[forexrobot]

With the release of Apple's revolutionary iPhone in Japan still a way off, it is useful to look at the latest developments that may influence how the iPhone will fare in Japan.

 

[BiginJapan]

My vote is for 'Japanese' also. I've used it daily for the past 2+ years! $10 is a steal!!!

I looked at "Japanese", but I can't see anything that it does that "Kotoba!" doesn't do for free. Am I missing something?

I also think the Wisdom dictionary is a good investment.

 

[SaSaSushi]

I looked at "Japanese", but I can't see anything that it does that "Kotoba!" doesn't do for free. Am I missing something?

Being a skeptic, I initially thought the same thing. But just the verb conjugation support alone [for example, searching for nekonde (寝込んで) as opposed to nekomu (寝込む)] is amazing.

I also find it to be generally faster overall. It's a great dictionary and well worth the $9.99. By the way, the App Store said $9.99 through 12/29 but it still appears to be at that price.

 

[YukkuriKame]

Need help with iphone 3G on docomo

Newb here, please help me through this awkward stage.

I have my old iphone 3G running 4.2.1, up til now on AT&T in the US, no outstanding contract. My wife just received a hand-me-down iphone 3G from my family. We want to bring these two phones to Japan and get on docomo's network, if possible. Our phones are not unlocked or jailbroken, so I guess that's the first step? Again, total newb here. Where to begin?

As for dictionaries, I have been using Kotoba! for a few years now, and basically happy with it. Though I'm going to try Japanese, seeing as $9.99 offer is still on. Thanks for the heads up. As for the chinese traditional IME, why bother. I use it so rarely, but it adds another touch when flipping from english to japanese and back. Annoying. Plus the recognition isn't particularly effective, at least for my badly fingerpainted kanji. Radical search is sufficient for looking up unfamiliar kanji, skip the IME IMHO.

 

[yoyo5280]

Newb here, please help me through this awkward stage.

I have my old iphone 3G running 4.2.1, up til now on AT&T in the US, no outstanding contract. My wife just received a hand-me-down iphone 3G from my family. We want to bring these two phones to Japan and get on docomo's network, if possible. Our phones are not unlocked or jailbroken, so I guess that's the first step? Again, total newb here. Where to begin?

Will you be living in Japan? Otherwise you can't get a cellular plan. As far as I know you can not purchase SIM only contracts, and frankly it would be much easier to use Softbank.

If you already have docomo...erm... Not sure what you can do. Try starting a new thread.

 

[YukkuriKame]

Will you be living in Japan? Otherwise you can't get a cellular plan. As far as I know you can not purchase SIM only contracts, and frankly it would be much easier to use Softbank.

If you already have docomo...erm... Not sure what you can do. Try starting a new thread.

Yes, we will be living in Japan semi-permanently, wife is Japanese citizen. I just got my alien resident card.

Wife has a docomo phone that she borrows from her mother when we are over there. We want to do some sort of family plan thing, that and the supposedly better coverage is the reason to try docomo.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Yes, we will be living in Japan semi-permanently, wife is Japanese citizen. I just got my alien resident card.

Wife has a docomo phone that she borrows from her mother when we are over there. We want to do some sort of family plan thing, that and the supposedly better coverage is the reason to try docomo.

I don't know if the better coverage thing really applies anymore. I live in a comparatively rural place and rarely if ever lose signal.

I've been with Softbank since they were J-Phone (then Vodafone) 15 years ago so I know the annual discounts and family plans are great, but if you're planning on using your iPhones, Softbank is going to be the only real option for you.

If you can somehow talk the in-laws into switching over to Softbank too they'll give you some signup (norikae) discounts.

 

[yoyo5280]

I don't know if the better coverage thing really applies anymore. I live in a comparatively rural place and rarely if ever lose signal.

I've been with Softbank since they were J-Phone (then Vodafone) 15 years ago so I know the annual discounts and family plans are great, but if you're planning on using your iPhones, Softbank is going to be the only real option for you.

If you can somehow talk the in-laws into switching over to Softbank too they'll give you some signup (norikae) discounts.

+1.
I never had any problems with Softbank coverage, and it really is the simplest way to use an iPhone.

Family plans are also decent.

 

[YukkuriKame]

I don't know if the better coverage thing really applies anymore. I live in a comparatively rural place and rarely if ever lose signal.

Hard to shake a bad reputation, especially in Japan. I have been skeptical of those saying that, so thanks for confirming.

Anyone ever heard of bmobile and their talking SIM? Sounds like voice & data for less than 4,000 JPY/month:

http://softbanksucks.blogspot.com/2010/07/b-mobile-talkingsim-both-voice-and-data.html

 

[askywalker]

Hotspot tethering in Japan

Has anyone installed the beta iOS on a Softbank iPhone? If so, does the hotspot option work on the unlimited data plan? Crossing my fingers that it does.

I lived in japan for several years back when Japan was a mobile leader. It is amazing how quickly they have fallen. I have a Docomo Android and a Softbank iPhone 4, and both have incredibly slow and mind numbingly expensive (and VERY restricted) data plans.

 

[SaSaSushi]

Has anyone installed the beta iOS on a Softbank iPhone? If so, does the hotspot option work on the unlimited data plan? Crossing my fingers that it does.

I lived in japan for several years back when Japan was a mobile leader. It is amazing how quickly they have fallen. I have a Docomo Android and a Softbank iPhone 4, and both have incredibly slow and mind numbingly expensive (and VERY restricted) data plans.

I've had the iPhone 4 since last June and just got a 64GB iPad on Softbank's "iPad for Everybody" subsidizing campaign and I've really not had too many complaints with the 3G speed. I use a LOT of data. I'm glad to see Verizon is getting the iPhone because AT&T back in the states is what I would call "restricted" with their discontinued unlimited plans and (comparatively to Softbank) expensive capped ones.

As for the tethering, it will definitely come down to carrier approval so who knows if Softbank will allow it. You can always get mifi ability by jailbreaking if you really need it. I decided against doing that and going with a wifi iPad because of the battery drain issue.