KDDI announces Fall/Winter 2006 au handsets Mobile Phones / AU Posted by zmcnulty on Aug 29, 2006 - 09:57 AM |
KDDI made an enormous announcement for au on Monday: 12 new handsets are to be released from as early as September. In the lineup we have the:
The W47T and DRAPE both support the upcoming EV-DO Rev.A, which we reported on last week in this article [1]. The W43H, W43CA, DRAPE, and W47T also support BCMCS, also described in the above-mentioned article. More details on each handset inside. Rather than making a different article for each handset, we'll instead puch each handset on a different page of a single article. W43H from Hitachi Hitachi's W43H allows for up to 4 hours and 15 minutes of One-Seg viewing. It is equipped with a microSD card slot, and One-Seg programs can be recorded to microSD cards as large as 512MB (working out to roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes of recording time when combined with the handset's internal 50MB of storage). It supports new au services such as EZ Channel Plus, EZ News Flash, au My Page, Decoration Mail, Address Book Entrust Safety Service, and so on. It also supports existing services such as LISMO, EZ Navi Walker, and Osaifu Keitai. TV Phone is not supported. The widescreen 2.6" QVGA (240 x 400) screen has a dual-axis hinge, and the included charger allows the phone to be recharged whether it is oriented vertically or horizontally. There's also a 2MP camera with autofocus and stabilization technology. Other functions include Hello Messenger, Safety Navi, PC Site Viewer, infrared communications, remote locking, ATOK for au + APOT, and SD-Audio playback.  [2]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30736.html [3] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [4] Please use the page navigation buttons below to navigate through this article. W47T from Toshiba Toshiba's W47T is amongst the first handsets to support EV-DO Rev.A, and thus au's new TV Phone service. There are speakers located below the keys of the handset, making it easier to hear the voice of the other party when using TV Phone. "Group TV Phone" allows as many as 5 people to participate in a TV Phone session, and "Avatar Function" allows users to have a character replace them in a TV Phone conversation. EZ Channel Plus, EZ News Flash, and other new services such as Decoration Mail are supported. au My Page is also supported natively on the handset; while the other handsets announced today require a BREW appli to use the new service, the W47T has this functionality integrated. Flash Lite 2.0 is also supported, though Toshiba apparently has no plans for offering any content. Besides a 2.6" QVGA display, the phone has a 96 x 39 dot subdisplay, 3.24MP external camera and 0.33MP internal camera, and a microSD card slot that can handle cards as large as 1GB.  [5]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30737.html [6] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [7] DRAPE from Toshiba KDDI also announced Toshiba's "DRAPE" handset, though only mockups were available at the time of announcement. It was produced by a "concepter" by the name of Mr. Naoki Sakai, and the phone's main selling point is its art deco design. The phone supports new au services such as TV Phone, EZ Channel Plus, EZ News Flash, au My Page, Decoration Mail, LISMO, EZ Navi Walker, Safety Navi, Hello Messenger, PC Site Viewer, and remote auto-lock. It has a 3.24MP camera, 2.6" QVGA display, and microSD slot.  [8]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30738.html [9] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [10] W43CA from Casio Casio's W43CA focuses on ease of use and friendliness, with features such as a body designed so that the phone can easily be opened and easily held in the hand. The keypad offers a typing experience similar to that of a typewriter. Of course, this phone also supports all of the previously mentioned new au services besides TV Phone. Some other nice features include six "Mobile Dictionaries" and a USB recharging cradle.  [11]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30739.html [12] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [13] W43SA from Sanyo Sanyo's W43SA also supports One-Seg, for as long as 4 hours and 40 minutes of continuous viewing. It does not have a dual-axis hinge for its 2.4" 240 x 320 dot display. The W43SA's microSD slot supports cards as large as 2GB, giving users the ability to record a whopping 10 hours of One-Seg broadcasts to their mobile phones. Sanyo said that they are investigating the possibility of making it so that recorded broadcasts can be viewed on other handsets, such as Hitachi's W43H. Also inside the W43SA, to go with the LISMO and SD-Audio support, is a Yamaha-made audio chipset allowing for a continuous 27 hours of audio playback.  [14]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30729.html [15] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [16] W43S from Sony Ericsson The W43S from Sony Ericsson is a mish-mash of design and functionality. On one hand it has a rather large 2.7" screen with a resolution of 240 x 432, but on the other hand it contains technology also used in Sony's BRAVIA series of LCD TVs to enhance the screen's contrast. Indeed, Osaifu Keitai is also supported, as is "QUICPay," a new credit service created specifically more mobile phones. You won't find One-Seg support on this handset, but you will find 12 LED lamps on its body that are displayed in different patterns depending on incoming phone calls and music that the phone is currently playing. It also has an integrated light sensor so the LEDs will act as soft lighting when the phone is being recharged in a dark place. New light patterns can even be downloaded from Sony Ericsson. There's LISMO support, a Memory Stick PRO Duo slot (for cards as large as 4GB), the Yamaha sound chipset, and a "Music Controller with Mic" remote controller included in the package.  [17]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30730.html [18] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [19] W43K from Kyocera Of all the phones that provide music functionality, Kyocera's W43K seems to be the best of the best. Equipped with Yamaha's "DBEX" audio quality chipset and BBE Sound's "BBE M3" audio quality chipset, the W43K should offer all sorts of nice audio features for as long as 18 hours of solid playback. Likewise, the included tabletop holder contains a subwoofer, so when the handset is placed in this holder, the combination of the handset's stereo speakers and the stand's subwoofer should provide ample audio quality. The "Sensoring Key" that sits around the phone's subdisplay allows audio playback to be controlled even when the handset is closed. The ring can be pushed so that standard cursor functions are controlled, but since the ring is touch sensitive, you can also do stuff like adjust the volume. Some other features of the W43K include EZ FeliCa support, QUICPay support, a microSD card slot, and support for several of au's new services.  [20]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30740.html [21] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [22] W41SH from Sharp With open arms we welcome Sharp to the fun that is KDDI's au; never before has there actually been a Sharp handset for the provider. The W41SH focuses on design. The outside of the body has gone under some manufacturing process so that it actually has a kind of fabric, making your mobile phone "holding experience" completely different. "EZ Keitai Arrange" allows all elements of the phone's interface -- icons, menus, background, animations, and so on -- to be changed in one go. There's also a "Task bar" button beneath the standard numpad, allowing users to summon forth the phone's "Task bar" function at virtually any time, giving them easy access to specific functions. Push the Task bar button again, and you'll be taken right back to the previous screen. Think of it as multitasking for your mobile phone. It comes as no surprise Sharp has brought their glorious LCD technology along with them to au; the W41SH is equipped with a "Mobile ASV LCD," utilizing the same ASV technology that Sharp employs in their full-sized "AQUOS" line of LCD TVs. The main display is a 2.6" QVGA screen with a resolution of 240 x 400, and the subdisplay is 1.2" with 128 x 160 dots. Sharp is also using their "Veil View [23]" technology for the phone, so that users can switch the LCD between a wide and narrow viewing angle. The latter would be useful when you want a degree of privacy while using your phone (perhaps in a crowded train, for example), as it will simply show one of four patterns to those viewing the screen at the wider viewing angles, rather than what is being displayed to the primary user. Otherwise, you'll find the standard lineup of the fall/winter 2006 handsets: support for the new services, EZ Navi Walker, LISMO support, 2MP camera, and a miniSD (not microSD) card slot.  [24]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30731.html [25] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [26] W45T from Toshiba Toshiba's W45T is another 3.2MP shooter phone that focuses on ease of use. It has several modes that allow font sizes and such to be made larger for those whose vision might not be as great as it was back in the day. You can also drastically increase the volume of the earpiece for those hard of hearing. The W45T's predecessor, the W44T, was equipped with Bluetooth. For one reason or another, Bluetooth was dropped from the W45T. You'll find most of the features of the W45T identical to those on the W44T, such as the LISMO support, Yamaha sound chipset, 2.6" QVGA screen, T4G 3D graphics engine, and "Best Connect Function" that quickly returns users to service areas when they were previously out of them.  [27]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30732.html [28] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [29] W42SA from Sanyo Hold on to your handwritten character hats, as the W42SA from Sanyo is equipped with a touch sensitive keypad that allows users to draw their characters instead of tap them out. If you were to take a standard phone keypad and combine it with the touchpad of your laptop, the W42SA's keypad is probably close to what you'd end up with. The "Handwritten Character Input" function recognizes Hiragana, Katakana, the Alphabet, and numerical characters... but no Kanji. There are some other functions of the touchpad; you can draw a preferred shape using your finger to activate any of these three functions: removing the key lock, move/scroll when viewing EZweb or mail, a shutter button when taking a picture using autofocus. You'll find a standard slew of options for the W42SA, such as LISMO support, SD-Audio playback, Hello Messenger, Infrared, ATOK+APOT, a QVGA screen, microSD slot, etc.  [30]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30741.html [31] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [32] W44K from Kyocera Kyocera's W44K is 15mm thick and has a 2MP camera with autofocus. The external OLED display has a mirrored finish and uses durable glass so it won't break when the phone takes a tumble. The "frameless design" of the keypad makes it so that there isn't any space between the individual buttons, though I'm having a hard time imagining such a feat is possible. Either way, it's less than a standard phone. There's a 2.4" QVGA display, 0.76" subdisplay, support for all sorts of new services, and support for the USB Mass Storage class.  [33]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30733.html [34] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [35] A5522SA from Sanyo The final handset we'll be looking at is Sanyo's A5522SA, targetted at "entry users," so there isn't a whole lot to say about its functionality. There several options available to limit the menu items/capabilities that appear to users, such as "Teens Mode" or "Juniors Mode" that limit the mail/phone volumes. It also has several security features that business users may also be interested in, like "Close Lock" that automatically locks the handset if it's on the idle screen when it's closed, and "Remote Lock" that allows the handset to be locked from a remote location. It has a thickness of 16mm, QVGA screen, LISMO support, and plenty of other features for those new to au.  [36]Inspired by: http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30735.html [37] Press Release (KDDI): http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [38] EV-DO, BCMCS, One-Seg |
|
This article is from TechJapan http://www.techjapan.com/ The URL for this story is: http://www.techjapan.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=1333 Links in this article [1] http://www.techjapan.com/Article1318.html [2] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w43h.jpg [3] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30736.html [4] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [5] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w47tjpg [6] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30737.html [7] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [8] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/drape.jpg [9] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30738.html [10] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [11] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w43ca.jpg [12] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30739.html [13] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [14] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w43sa.jpg [15] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30729.html [16] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [17] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w43s.jpg [18] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30730.html [19] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [20] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w43k.jpg [21] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30740.html [22] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [23] http://www.techjapan.com/Article1070.html [24] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w41sh.jpg [25] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30731.html [26] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [27] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w45t.jpg [28] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30732.html [29] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [30] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w42sa.jpg [31] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30741.html [32] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [33] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/w44k.jpg [34] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30733.html [35] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ [36] http://www.techjapan.com/images/0806/082806/a5522sa.jpg [37] http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/cda/article/news_toppage/30735.html [38] http://www.kddi.com/corporate/news_release/2006/0828/ |
