These are the latest atrocities from NTT Docomo. It’s got to be some kind of record. How can one company put out butt ugly handsets one after another for 3 straight years and still dominate the market? From what I observe/overhear at the keitai corner at Bic, most people are choosing handsets based on which is the least ugly rather than best looking. I mean that’s how I chose my N902i, it was simply the least offensive. These same manufacturers are putting out cools ones for Vodafone and AU so there’s got to be some stinkhead with the design sense of a pea making the decisions at docomo’s head office. I mean who would pick these fugly colors?
But I have GOOD NEWS!! There’s light at the end of the tunnel for us mobile gearheads who simply want a cool phone that ain’t a giant lego block. It’s called MNP (mobile number portability) and it’s coming this year! Hooray!!! MNP!! MNP!!
When MNP starts at the middle of this year you can bet that I’m going to be the first in line to dump Docomo for one of AU’s sexier keitais.
Disclaimer: Actually of the 3 carriers I believe docomo provides the best service which is why I always come back to using docomo. I just think their phones look like crud.
If it makes you feel any better, look at what us poor tourists have to use when we visit Japan:
http://roaming.nttdocomo.co.jp/service/detail.html
No i-mode, no 3G and no games… Even if it had anything usable on it that ugly brick would still have spent most of my vacation in my coat pocket… I was too embarrassed to use it in public ;-)
Actually, I think while Docomo has slightly better coverage than AU, I heard that Docomo’s network was busier. Hence e-mails actually arrive slower on Docomo than AU. Or something to the efffect where you can’t send something because the network is busy. All hearsay from a good friend who got fed up with his and recently switched to AU. Vodafone, fogedaboutit. They suck everywhere. I should know, I have one. And the bricks that Vodafone is putting out are just get bigger and bigger. You should be happy that Docomo puts out small phones like the premini line.
AC, yikes! I feel better already.
Rick, by service I was refering more to customer support and the level of professionality at the docomo shops. AU has always been pretty good too. The first time I bought a Vodafone (then J-Phone) I was soo appalled by the bitch who served me that I called and complained about her.
A friend explained to me why some mails get stuck in the system which wasn’t to do with networks being busy but I don’t remember exactly what it was. As for AU vs Docomo, the only thing really keeping me on the docomo side of the fence, besides not wanting to change my phone number, is i-mode. EZweb just doesn’t cut it.
May I humbly suggest one more point in DoCoMo’s favour (or possibly against them)… Their bizarre Docomodake mascot:
http://docomodake.net/top.html
I passed on a Docomodake keitai strap in Akihabara and now I’m regretting it :-(
Ah yes, docomodake. You are probably aware that the name means “mushroom” but is also a pun meaning “Docomo ONLY” as well.
BTW, I enjoyed reading you posts about your trip to Tokyo and ones from Toronto. My hometown which I’ve only been back to for one week in the last 15 years.
I remembered seeing only clamshell DoMoCo phones when I was in Japan. Why wasn’t anyone using Nokia or SonyEricsson etc?
I switched to a SamSung recently and missed the user-friendly interface of my old Nokia phone. Unfortunately, the recent models of Nokia phones are nothing to shout about.
Yeah, my company (Mitsubishi Electric) only makes phones for Docomo. They really suck.
I use vodafone (bought it when it was j-phone), and am seriously considering a switch to AU.
And I think it’s pretty obvious why Nokia and Sony-ericcson have almost zero market share here. Japan (and Samsung) rule electronics. They wouldn’t have a chance.
Is that the D902 ones? Denon = Mitsubishi Electric?
Sony Ericsson has a fair size chunk of the market share here. They put out more handsets for vodafone and Au.
number portability is great…we have had it in the states for a couple of years now. i think that is what you are talking about.
jonas
(re: Toronto) Hey, anytime you need of butter tarts or maple syrup you just let me know — I’ll gladly trade you a shipment of your choice for a Docomodake keitai strap ;-)
butter tarts mmmmmm….