I got my Japanese iPhone 3G, and am currently experiencing that state of gadget-derived bliss known as “Nerdvanna.” While I was waiting for them to process my phone, I wandered around the Softbank store to check out what other models they were selling, so I could do my semi-regular “State of the Cell Phone in Japan” post and also see what kind of competition the iPhone was up against. There was quite a lineup: a water-resistent phone that can be submerged for three minutes without damage (great for people who check their mail in the bath, I guess), a very thin cell phone with a 5.2 megapixel camera, and models made specifically for young children or the elderly. The company’s “Premium” line of phones that come with leather or wood-grain exteriors was very stylish, as was the vibrant series that offered a phone in any of the Pantone colors — wow. Japan is very big on Wanseg, a sub-set (i.e. “one segment”) of the digital TV spectrum that lets you watch fairly passable TV on your phone, and many models trumpeted this feature, even offering slidable screens so you could watch widescreen TV without turning your phone. This being Japan, there was even a phone that could transform into a robot, based on a popular drama called Keitai Investigator 7. Still, while the slender and stylish phone offerings were nice, I’ve been extremely happy with my iPhone. The ability to use the web and email almost as easily as I do at J-List, and extend the functionality of the phone with a killer new third-party app or three each week, have been a big win for me.
