iPhone 3G Not A Hit In Japan.

Archie- said:
So that would not have worked then, would it. I advised him to either find an unlocked phone, copy the SIM content into main memory, then copy it back to the O2 SIM card and from there into the memory of the iPhone, or buy the desktop sync cable for his phone and then try and get the content of the SIM into outlook - all poor solutions vs simply beaming over your contact list, like you can do with most phones with bluetooth.
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Would it not be possible to email the contacts file (vcf?) to the iphone, open it & save the contacts?
 
So, a Microsoft owned news corporation says it's not a hit in Japan, yet people who actually live in Japan say it's sold out everywhere. Who to believe... :rolleyes:
 
Tres said:
Yeah it's missing a lot of features considered crucial for the Japanese market like an integrated IC card and a strap loop.
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The strap loop issue can be addressed with a carrying case, which most folks seem to get.

As for the IC card being built in, many Japanese I know do not like that feature because it is connected to your bank account. So it would be possible for someone to use your funds until you get your phone shut off should you loose it or have it stolen.

After discussions with my Japanese friends about the above, I decided to just get a regular cash card type not connected to any personal account. As with my friends, I like the security in that. Because I can charge my card up to ni man en, I've never had an issue with funds.

slicecom said:
So, a Microsoft owned news corporation says it's not a hit in Japan, yet people who actually live in Japan say it's sold out everywhere. Who to believe... :rolleyes:
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Maybe the folks who have to wait to get an iPhone. :p

As I understand, the Softbank store in Omotesando has pre-orders up through mid September. My local store has no clue when they will be getting them in. At least mid August was their best guess as of a couple of days ago.

What do I know? I only live here. :)
 
the whole point of Apple is that they have a combined OS hardware platform wrapped up in some of the best industrial design.

the Japanese hardware is very cool with much of it never coming to the US.

But in the end the Apple stuff is better than anything.

And that's why I bought a Macbook Air instead of getting one of about two dozen similar ultralights that has been Japan making for years
 
Interesting article. I didn't know the cellphone culture in Japan was so closed. I also didn't know their phones were such an odd mix of advanced tech and old tech. And they care about cellphone charms and emoticons that much? Weird. But what do you expect from the land of Hello Kitty, I suppose? LOL.
 
Typical media ‘not in touch with reality’ article...

Not a hit in Japan?

There is a pre-order waiting list until the middle of September in one of Softbank’s main mobile shop in Tokyo (Omottesando). I only got mine yesterday and it was the very last one in my area from 6-7 shops (and even then they didn’t have my prefered colour in Black).

This quote made me laugh:
“But it's also being seen as shockingly alien to this nation's quirky and closed mobile world, somewhat like the 19th century "black ships" of U.S. Commodore Matthew Perry that forced an isolationist Japan to open to the West.”

Apple owns 60% of the mp3 market in Japan with their super-popular iPods. With the transition from iPods to the iPod Touch which is the same design as the iPhone...

‘‘seen as shockingly alien”???

If there was to be a cultural group in the world who would appreciate the simplicity, design and ease of use the most, in my opinion, it would be the Japanese.
 
you want to know why people use IR in Japan? Because unlike BT it just works and is so damn simple. Just hold two phones close and boom, you are done in a jiffy. Try and do that with BT, it is terrible.
 
kamiboy said:
you want to know why people use IR in Japan? Because unlike BT it just works and is so damn simple. Just hold two phones close and boom, you are done in a jiffy. Try and do that with BT, it is terrible.
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BT works the same way sure it takes a second longer to make it work but once connected it's a snap. I prefer it over IR.
 
Archie- said:
Some-one I know just bought an iPhone 3G and wanted to replace their Sony Ericsson, and they were trying to beam their contacts to the iPhone, and getting very frustrated because it was not working. Most people are not used to having to have to use a computer to get everything on and off their phone, and also expect standard bluetooth functionality which the iPhone omits.
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Hmmm. I had a SE phone too which I replaced with the iPhone. If the SE has bluetooth, he can very easily sync his contacts with Address Book on a Mac or some PC syncing program. Then, your Mac, via MobileMe, will automatically upload all the contacts into your new iPhone. Easy as pie.

People should be backing up their contacts to their PCs anyways. I really don't understand all these people who lose their phones and complain about having to rebuild their contacts list b/c everything was on their phone. That's just backwards and irresponsible.
 
netdog said:
Great source - MSNBC.

The fact is there are two week waits in Japan to get an iPhone so it appears that you and Microsoft are just plain wrong here.
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Urm, it's an AP story that's been widely published, including in the New York Times, which is very pro-Apple. Not saying the story is any more right because it was written by the AP, but I'd suggest that people actually look at the story before firing off the usual knee-jerk anti-MS response.
 
dongmin said:
Hmmm. I had a SE phone too which I replaced with the iPhone. If the SE has bluetooth, he can very easily sync his contacts with Address Book on a Mac or some PC syncing program. Then, your Mac, via MobileMe, will automatically upload all the contacts into your new iPhone. Easy as pie.
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That's what I was thinking.

dongmin said:
People should be backing up their contacts to their PCs anyways. I really don't understand all these people who lose their phones and complain about having to rebuild their contacts list b/c everything was on their phone. That's just backwards and irresponsible.
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Pretty much stupidity at it's best (when it happens more than once, which it will).

Also, you seriously have to be on the same network to transfer your contacts from SIM to another phone? That's ridiculous! I loved that feature when going from one phone to another. It must have saved me an hour of inputting contacts (old phone had no BT).
 
Sin said:
I must admit, the most important "missing" feature I noticed when the original phone launched (and not added in the 3G) is somewhere to hang a bunch of random charms from....
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This was my single biggest complaint about the original iPhone (not like I was expecting a charm loop anyway, but it would have been nice to have). It's sad to see that Apple hasn't rectified this problem yet. I had, like, 10 charms dangling from my SE W600. My iPhone feels so.... bare. D:
 
superstrikertwo said:
BT works the same way sure it takes a second longer to make it work but once connected it's a snap. I prefer it over IR.
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I disagree BT is much, much more full if hassle and headaches to make work so you can exchange files with a stranger quickly. IR is perfect for that.
 
I identify with some of the issues outlined in the article. If I got an iPhone (and I really wanted one), I'd still have to keep my other phone around for messaging and other basic stuff. I'm afraid I can't afford $2400 for a nice mobile web browser right now.

For the record, I have yet to see an iPhone in the wild yet. I suspect most Japanese who have one are using it as their secondary phone like the guy interviewed in the article.
 
CaptainHaddock said:
I identify with some of the issues outlined in the article. If I got an iPhone (and I really wanted one), I'd still have to keep my other phone around for messaging and other basic stuff.
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LMFAO!

Do you also keep a rotary dial phone for making calls and other basic stuff? :D

This whole thread is really amusing to me for some reason.
 
butterfly0fdoom said:
This was my single biggest complaint about the original iPhone (not like I was expecting a charm loop anyway, but it would have been nice to have). It's sad to see that Apple hasn't rectified this problem yet. I had, like, 10 charms dangling from my SE W600. My iPhone feels so.... bare. D:
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Pierce your ears. :rolleyes:
 
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