Japanese Mobile Phone

Hey Guys

I'm looking to upgrade my mobile phone and the number of options is a bit confusing. I've been a customer of Docomo for a long time and I'd like to stay with them since I probably have quite a few points, but I'll look elsewhere if I can get more function out of my phone.

Probably the most important things for me are internet access and access to my Outlook (Pop3) email. So far I'm looking at 2 phones from Docomo:

T-01A - Toshiba model, uses Windows 6.1 Professional (http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/product/foma/pro/t01a/index.html)

Xperia - Sony/Ericsson model, uses Android OS (http://www.sonyericsson.co.jp/product/docomo/so-01b/index.html)

Naturally the Japanese websites provide little to no information about POP3 access. I use outlook so I'm assuming that the T-01A with Windows Mobile will be able to handle it with all the usual options (delete from server, multiple accounts, sync, etc), but I'm just not sure. I can live without PC sync but I'd like to at least be able to control downloads from the server even though I'm not using Exchange, just Outlook 2007.

The Xperia with Android looks like it has some kind of application called Mixier that you have to buy and it handles syncing with Exchange Servers but there's no information beyond that. Does anyone have any experience using POP3 on an Android phone? Any ability to sync? Any ability to control things from the server such as email download and deletion?

Is anyone using either of these phones? Should I just say "fuck it" and go for the iPhone and overpay but know I can have multiple POP3 access? I have no Google accounts and don't plan on having any in the future...

Thanks!

 

Just say fuck it and get the iPhone. Japanese mobiles are shit these days. they are so far behind the west when it comes to smart phones. Who would have thought so 5 years ago when Japanese phones were the cutting edge and always had been.

Anyway, go with iPhone. You won't be disappointed. I hate apple, ok not hate but find everything they make to be over hyped "Accessories" with over the top prices but the iPhone really is a very good bit of kit.

I have no idea what Docomo are offering on their iPhone but SoftBank who I've always been with since they were J-Phone gave my a 16GB 3Gs, unlimited data transfer, white plan calling (Free to any other Softbank user) and a free WiFi router for the home. My total package is just over 5000 yen a month. That's everything excluding calls to other mobile operators phones or landlines. But even then I just use skype and the WiFi connection to call them for free.

Yakumo

 

Indeed. I'm no Apple homo, but they have at least streamlined the whole App thing WAY above and beyond the Java Appli thing which IMHO, never really took off (mainly due to differing architectures of phone each generation).

As a Japanese speaker who needs help from time to time, and getting around on foot w/ Japan's crazy ass address system, the maps and "kotoba" (free J/E E/J dictionary) are worth the price of admission. The rest is something to kill time when I'm in a public place and can't feasibly rub one out.

 

Hey Yakumo.....I'm assuming that you use Skype through the WiFi in your home? I've heard it's not available on the 3G service through Apple. A friend of mine has an iPhone and he uses one of those portable WiFi dongles when he wants to make a Skype call when he's away from home.

The Docomo phones are about half the cost. They also use SD cards so you can swap out the memory. And I'm pretty sure the Windows Mobile will be better for my Outlook email. I also might leave Japan in a year so I'm not sure I want to spend 60,000 yen on a phone that I can only use for a year.... Typical Apple....doesn't quite do what I need it to do and it's twice the price....but really an amazing piece of hardware.

 

Oh, I forgot to add the obligatory "Why the hell doesn't a country as densely populated and technologically advanced as Japan have WiFi over the entire country?" comment.

 

Be careful with the Xperia (it's an x10 model). I currently have an Xperia X2 (Winmob) and while the hw is fantastic, the drivers/support from SE has been god awful. In April sony put out a firmware update that's been just horrible for all X2 users. I really don't trust SE to provide proper fw update anymore. =/

 

Why doesn't Japan have WiFi everywhere you go? Because it's Japan. The Japanese seem to be very slow at picking up this whole WiFi deal.

About skype, yeah it has to be done over WiFi not the 3G network but that's still cool as long as there's a WiFi signal. Oh wait a minute, I forgot that this is Japan.

 

Well it looks like I might be forced into the iphone... Docomo has this COMPLETELY FUCKING ABSURD policy where their smart phones are not able to use an @docomo.ne.jp email address. This was the case about 3 years ago when I had my old Motorola smart phone from Docomo where they force you to use an @mopera.com email address for your phone. About half the emails I sent out were bounced back because other mobile phones assumed it was from a PC and not a mobile phone (spam blocking). I can't believe they're still going with this system....

Well, time to call Softbank....

 

Hope you have better luck with SB than I do.
My calls get dropped 40% of the time.

 

In Yamaguchi SoftBank has the strngest signal so it's great for me but in Kyushu where Eric lives DoCoMo have the strongest signal.

 

I have no problems w/ softbank. Apparently a jailbroken iPhone will do Skype over 3G. An unbroken one will work in the US (I'm using mine on this trip now w/ a T-Mobile sim). You will have the "use in America" problem with any Japanese phone. They are all locked to the provider, and require an external hack. The benefit of the iPhone is that it's kept up across the globe.

 

But having FTTH connection to a house in the edges of the countryside is only going to happen in Japan. I never get as high speed a connection then from what I get in my rented apartment in Japan anywhere else in the world.

Wifi connections are available in a number of places in Tokyo, I never have any trouble finding an open wifi connection near shops, it's not fast enough to use skype but fast enough for emails and the like.

Although I can send emails from my pay as you go softbank mobile phone too.

 

The thing is that in the UK and the states you can get decent WiFi in any city but in Japan it's only a dream for those who live outside Tokyo or Osaka. Even in Fukuoka city which is big has really shitty WiFi. Here in Shomonoseki there are a few spots but they're all password protected. Even the WiFi in McDonalds down here is password protected!

 

I thought that McDonalds was aligned with Softbank so their users could use Wifi. I remember seeing a map of WiFi hotspots when I researched the iPhone a while ago and they were all at McDonalds.... Also, a friend of mine just said she was using free WiFi at Tully's Coffee. Maybe there's hope?

By the way...to the Japanese iPhone users.....how do they handle text messages? I know I'll be paying for every call to a non-Softbank user, but does their White Plan cover text messages as well?

 

Japan is just late to the party (once again). But, I don't see them jumping on the Wifi bandwagon...ever. You can rent a USB stick from you mobile provider for a maximum of 5000 yen a month and get 7Mb/s internet. No need for Wifi. If you don't use it, it's only 1000 yen for the month.

Which begs the question of how necessary it is and how much money providers will piss away doing it. This is the same thing that broke JR, and I'm assuming had a serious hand in JAL's downfall. Someone should write a country song called Shinkansen to Nowhere.

 

Well, if they did they didn't make it compulsory for all Mc Donalds.

Could be true but like Mc Donalds Tully's Coffee is just a brand name that a business buys. So in Shimonoseki there are 2 main companies that run the Mc Donalds franchise. Recently they brought back the Mc Chicken for 100 yen but none of the Shimonoseki Mc's had it. The closest place was Ube in Yamaguchi. So I guess it's down to the owner of the store whether they want to bother with Wi-Fi or not.

Good question. I did hear that it's the same as using a normal phone. I got my bill last week and didn't notice any extra charges for text messages. I also used G-Mail a bit but that comes under internet data so it's free as long as you have the unlimited data package.

Yakumo

 

The dude knows his McDonalds! heh

So I'll be able to hack my iPhone and use it in the US if/when I return? I hear they're going to be opening it up to other carriers in the future, not just ATT.

 

Oh yes, I know my Mc

Yeah, you should be fine using the iPhone in the states. My SoftBank iPhone can also use the DoCoMo network if I select it from the carrier list. Problem is that I'll be charged at the highest rate because I have no DoCoMo contract. So I guess as long as you take out a contract with a US company if you go back you'll be able to use the iPhone. You many need to change the SIM card too but that's no biggie.

 

If they do they'll likely be locked to whatever carrier you get it through. Whether you can unlock (different from jailbreaking) your iPhone depends on the firmware. Basically if you buy a new one, you'll likely need to wait for the iPhone Dev team to catch up. The other option is to buy a one already unlocked off of the YJ.

Hmm.... I pegged you as someone that ate real food.