15% Off Handango Software for Pocket PC Japan Readers

Readers of Pocket PC Japan can now gt 15% of software at Handango or Handango Japan. Just enter the special discount code F98ADFD6 at the checkout. (Valid until 31st Dec 2004). If you forget the code you can find it on the footer of the Pocket PC Japan Yahoo! Group mails or on the Pocket PC Japan Shopping page.

Here are some useful (affiliate) links to Handango:

• Handango Pocket PC Software - Including New, Best Selling and Specials
  
• Search Handango for 'Japanese'
  -> Sort by price, free software first
  -> Sort by rating, best first
  -> Newest software first
  -> Most downloaded software first
  -> Best selling software first
  
• Pocket PC Software at Handango Japan
  
• Search Handango Japan for 'Dictionary' in Japanese
  

Japanese Dictionary for Pocket PCs - PPDic

PPDic is a very interesting looking free dictionary reader for Pocket PCs. The instruction page is also in English. It explains that you can use it by highlighting a word in Pocket Word or Pocket IE and clicking an icon on the tool bar. The definition is displayed in a pop up balloon. The instruction page links to dictionaries in PDIC and KDIC format that can be used as well as linking to pages listing more sources (in Japanese only). It's great to see Japanese freeware developers making the effort to provide instructions in English!

Cheapest places to get iPAQs in Japan

HP iPAQ Pocket PCs are not available in the mainstream electronics stores in Japan. Other than a few small Akihabara shops which probably order from HP for each order they receive one of the only other options seems to be Amazon Japan. Although the listed prices on Amazon are roughly the same as the HP site and include free shipping, they are currently running a campain where you get up 15% of the purchase price back in gift vouchers. That's a nice bit of money back you could spend on English books or more electronics :-)

They have the following 3 models but not the h1937 (affiliate links so please use to support Pocket PC Japan):

	iPAQ Pocket PC h5550 - 39,600 yen minus 5,000 yen back in gift vouchers		iPAQ Pocket PC h4150 - 44,800 yen minus 5,000 yen back in gift vouchers
	iPAQ Pocket PC h5550 - 70,000 yen minus 7,500 yen back in gift vouchers

Note that the Amazon Japan site has a link to 'English site' which provides key parts of the site in English to help English only speakers place orders. It's great to see this type of support for the English speaking community in Japan.

All information correct at date of posting. For more information on the above hardware see the Pocket PC Japan Hardware page.

NTT DoCoMo's FOMA Blutooth Adapter

NTT DoCoMo are launching a limited trial of a of Bluetooth adapter for the 3G FOMA mobile phones. Pocket PCs or other PDAs or computers with bluetooth can connect to the internet via the bluetooth link to the phone for theoretcial speeds of up to 384 kbps. Of course the adapter looks rather large and unpractical and packet charges are still far to high for serious internet usage, but it's good to see things like this in the works.

http://www.fomasquare.com/ (Japanese only)

On a related note AU have just announced fixed rate data plan for their phones and I think this is one of the signs that there is going to be more activity and competition in the flat rate data market for the rest of the year.

HP iPAQ h4150 Released in Japan

HP have released into the Japanese market their iPAQ h4150 featuring built-in Bluetooth and WLAN in one of the smallest and lightest Pocket PCs available.

HP US
HP Japan (Japanese only)
Windows CE Fan News & Review (Japanese only)

To compare to other Pocket PC 2003 devices available in Japan see the hardware comparison table.

Geocaching in Japan

If you are looking for innovative uses for your Pocket PC and you like the outdoors, Geocaching could be for you. You can read an introduction to Geocaching at Pocket PC Thoughts and look for Geocaches in Japan at Geocaching.com.

New Pocket PC Japan Features - Forums and Collaborative FAQ

Two new great features have been added to the Pocket PC Japan web site just in time for the New Year.

Discussion forums: www.pocketpcjapan.com/forums/

Collaborative FAQ: www.pocketpcjapan.com/faq/

For any comments, suggestions or requests drop me a mail using the webmaster link from www.pocketpcjapan.com or post to the admin forum.

Wishing all readers a happy and prosperous 2004.

Andrew
Pocket PC Japan Webmaster
www.andrewshuttleworth.com

Japan Pocket PC 2003 Comparison Table Update

I have added three more models to the comparison table of Pocket PCs available in Japan. I have also streamlined the data and formatting to make it easier to read, summarized the main features and disadvantages of each unit, started translation into English and added (when available) current prices and links for each unit to the respective pages at kakaku.com, bestgate.net, BIC Camera, and Google searches as well as the manufacturer Japanese home page and international equivalent.

Where to buy the 'business only' Toshiba e750

The Toshiba e750 is officially only available to business customers in Japan, but this online shop - PDA Kobo - says that it will take orders from inidividuals too.

Microsoft Japan Mobile Site Updated & Improving

The Microsoft Japan Pocket PC site was in the past not the best of pages, but more recently under the Windows Mobile brand there have been a lot more regular updates and there is a lot of interesting information there now. Two of the highlights include:

• A new mobile Windows Media site in Japanese.
  
• A fairly comprehensive and up-to-date list of the current Pocket PCs available in Japan.
  

Japan Pocket PC 2003 Comparison Table

Something I've wanted to do for a while, but have finally started producing a comparison table of Pocket PCs available in Japan. At the moment there are just four models in there but I will be adding more as I get time. Comments and requests are welcome.

The above file is Microsoft Excel exported html. You can also download Excel and CSV versions.

Unfortunately the data is only in Japanese at the moment and I have now plans to translate it.

Fujitsu Labs Prototype PDA

Lot's of articles on a concept PDA from Fujitsu. No plans to commercialize it but an idea of the developments we may see in the future.

Toshiba Digital Doors

Toshiba have recently been repackaging their digital product range to give users one ID for registration and support and with a unified gateway web site called Toshiba Digital Doors (Japanese only). The Genio e site is still at genio-e.com but they have dropped the weekly newsletter in favor of one newsletter for the whole digital product range.

GENIO e400

Another recent addition to Toshiba's growing line up of Pocket PC 2003 devices is the e-400. Branded as a standard model there are no features to get really excited about, although the device looks good, is light and thin, features the one of the latest (if not the most powerful) processros, has a scroll button and improved screen. Perhaps the 32MB Flash ROM disk which iPAQs have had for a while is now becoming a standard feature in Toshiba Pocket PCs also. Combined with a special switch to disable all the hardware buttons - preventing the device from accidentally being turned on when in a bag - and advice to back-up in a number of their recent newsletters, it suggests Toshiba had many problems with customers innocently losing all of their data when the battery ran dry. Some will miss the CF slot and the 4" screen of the 500 series, but for a standard model the e-400 would not be a bad choice.

Mobile & Wireless World Tokyo 2003

Mobile & Wireless World Tokyo 2003 will take place from 11-13 November at the Tokyo International Forum in Yurakucho. This event is targeted at enterprise users. On 13 November from 16.30-17.20 HP will be holding a workshop demonstrating some of their Pocket PC and Tablet PC solutions. Registration is free in advance or 3,000 yen on the door. There is currently no information available on the site in English.