The smaller-better-cheaper wars begin as giant Sony eyes the iPod market.
[Sony is launching its] Walkman digital music player capable of storing far more songs than Apple Computer Inc.’s market-leading iPod, while also undercutting iPod’s price.
The Japanese consumer electronics maker said the 20-gigabyte device, which is its second hard-disk drive gadget aimed at unseating Apple and can store 13,000 songs, will be launched on July 10 in Japan, by mid-August in the United States and in September in Europe.
Details of how and why Sony thinks their 20-gig device (13,000 songs), priced under $500 US, beats Apple’s 40-gig device (10,000 songs) using advanced compression technology” is a little sketchy. But Sony is optimistic: massive price discounts are likely to make prices fall “as much as 50 percent in the next 12-18 months.”
Also see link at Gizmodo for more cool info.
Devices Apple, discounts, Europe, iPod, Japan, MP3, Sony, Walkman
One less set of Palm handheld devices in the market…
Sony has issued a press statement in which they announce they are going to reassess the direction of the conventional PDA market and will not introduce any new Clie handheld models in the us this fall.
Sony says they will take this time to examine the conventional PDA business and how it will transition in the future. New Clie product development and sales will continue in the Japanese market only. Sony continued to elaborate that they view wireless communications features as a key pillar to their business strategy and that they plan to continue their collaboration with Sony Ericsson.
Sony has pledged to continue the same level of service and support for Clie handheld users and will honor all existing limited warranties. The current Clie lineup will continue to be sold and supported which includes the TJ27, TJ37, UX50 and the TH55 handhelds.
Devices handheld, Japan, mobileTech, Palm, PDA, Sony
The Japanese, always vanguards in technology design and adoption, are modeling the curve on lower cost, transitional technology (for that truly mobile experience).
Japanese cell phone service provider NTT DoCoMo is urging its handset suppliers to build Linux-based cell phones, a milestone for the operating system’s acceptance by the wireless industry.
In related news, as reported by a Japanese colleague:
Yesterday’s news from Japan : DoCoMo will start dual mode services both 3G FOMA and wireless LAN VoIP mobile from spring next year. People can talk through VoIP when you are in the area of wireless LAN as an extention call. Outside of LAN, it connects to 3G FOMA network automatically. DoCoMo will try to extend the waiting mode life time as IEEE802.11b needs more battery than FOMA from here after to be applied to newer terminal line up.
Devices 3G, 802.11, cell phone, Japan, Linux, mobile, mobileTech
“Wait, let me show you…” The promise of camera phones help us expand our vision of better communications. As costs drop, cam-phones are quickly outpacing the DVD as the fastest growing consumer device.
Camera phones are especially popular in Japan. But U.S. sales are also robust, tech analysts say. About 12 million digital cameras sold in the USA last year.
While pictures taken with camera phones lack quality — and are most often used in e-mails or as PC screen savers — “the best camera is the one you always have with you,” Nowak says.
Camera-equiped cell phones also carry dangers: that the owner will expose others who may not wish to be exposed. Several places and people have banned cam-phones from their establishments. Getting touchy about infinite transparency?
Devices camera phone, cell phone, dvd, exposure, Japan, mobileTech, transparency, US