I upgraded my keitai! Now before someone gets on my case about spending money on yet another device, let me just defend myself by pointing out that it’s been over 10 months since I got my last cell phone and as everyone in Japan knows 10 months is considered the right length of time for a kishuhen 機種変. If you try to upgrade your phone under 10 months you have to pay a ridiculous amount of money for a handset.
Before going to HK, I sent my SO902i (it’s the one on the left in the second photo above) to get refurbished. It was trashed on the first day I got it when Brad kicked it down the street. Since then it just got worse. It only costs ¥3,000 and they replace the entire casing. On sunday, I went to pick up my SO902i and ended up getting the SO903i at the same time. The SO903i is very nice. It has the larger FeliCa chip so I can store more e-wallet apps, a huge 3″ screen, 3 Megapixel camera, international 3G roaming, music player and GPS. After playing with this keitai for a while I must say that I’m quite impressed. It’s very easy to use and the OS response is much faster than the 902i. I still think that AU has some better looking phones for a cheaper base price but Docomo has more well-established features that I can part with.
I also love the GPS. The application NAVITIME has been in AU phones for more than a year now and Docomo is just introducing them with the 903i. I had thought it was just some fake GPS using triangulation but it’s a REAL GPS Navigation system just like in a car. It connects to the same satellites and has just as many features although the response is not as fast as a HD Navi. I’m not sure about the AU GPS but I think Docomo did a good job of integrating the GPS into the phone and with iMode content. You can also set you phone to be detected so your friend can find you and set a route to where you are. This is useful if you get kidnapped and the FBI are trying to locate you but make sure to turn it off when you’re cheating on your girlfriend. The navigation system has pinpoint accuracy.
There are 2 things I dislike about this phone. The first is this same black plastic that SONY uses everywhere. PSP, PS3 and here. It’s a magnet for scratches and fingerprints. The second is the shutter sound on the camera. This phone has got to have the loudest shutter sound of any phone I’ve ever seen. If someone knows a hack to turn it off or at least lower please tell me!
I wanted to take nice professional photos and do a proper post like this one. But I haven’t eaten dinner yet so you’ll have to settle for these. If you want to see more of the SO903i, check here.
You are never going to let me forget that are you?
We should hurry up and have lunch so we can trash each other’s new phones.
Surprised to hear that you already got one. BTW some guys point out that Sonicstage doesn’t work well with SO903i. It does not transfer the jacket info properly. The following is the way to solve this issue (sorry guys, the instruction is in Japanese. Ask Roy if you encounter the same issue for translation)
Ｑ．Sonicstageで転送したのに、ジャケット画像が曲に反映されない
→以下の方法でできます
①ジャケット画像を用意する
②SSCPの「音楽を取り込む」という表示の下くらいの、アルバムタイトル部分か、
左側の表示モード→「アルバム／プレイリスト」にして、 並んでいるアルバムの上に貼り付けたい画像をドラック＆ドロップ
※プロパティから設定した場合はメッセージが出ません
③「アルバムにジャケット写真を登録しました
同じ写真をアルバム内の曲にも登録しますか？」→「はい」
④埋め込まれる。 (゜д゜)ウマー
なお、マイライブラリのアルバム表示モードをアイコンにするとやりやすいです。
やり方：メニュー:表示(V)→アルバム表示(A)→アイコン表示(全項目表示)(I)
enjoy.
sounds like some bad apples ruined the bunch…now all new phones have a permanent shutter sound to discourage taking inappropriate photos…?
Brad, cool can I kick your phone first?
Nao, very cool info thanks. Although I don’t think I’ll be using the music player much since I have a bunch of ipods already. I did install Sonic stage and imported some music files. The titles became mojibake…
jonas, all cellphone cameras have a shutter sound you cannot turn off. It’s been like that since the first one. Only with this phone it’s particularly loud.
I’ve got a ketai without shutter sound. The Motorola SLVR. At least it doesn’t have a shutter sound when you set it to vibracall (all sound off). The camera has a crappy resolution tough…
But most phones do have some nasty shutter sound, unfortunately…
Christ, i cant believe how advanced the camera is! Look at all those settings! Massive screen too.
I assume the shutter noise is to stop you from taking sneaky shots of girls panties. I heard that they were going to implement that on all new phones in japan.
roy,
thanks…
btw, how is that kick-ass bike working out for you?
Hello, does this phone use a sim card so i could use it in the U.S.? or is there no way for that to happen? thanx
adam
so903i CM(森野 和馬編)
CMはこちらでご覧いただけます。
モデルさんは、ジュリアナさん。元めざましテレビの早耳ムスメ。
エリート所属のモデルさんです。
ブログ書かれています。JULIANA deep blue
クリエーターはＣＧアーティストの森野和馬さん
ＫＥＮ ＩＳＨＩＩのプロモーションビデオなども作っています。
does any one know how to use sonic stage in english OS and xfer music to SO903i. the disc supplied works only in Japanese. thanks
Hey, I live in two locations… USA and sometimes japan during the summer, I read that the 902i does have a FOMA card but can’t be used in other countries (on your other article), do you know if this model can be used in international countries? I’m really interested in the phone and you’re the only person in the world that has one and can answer my question, I’ll check back here in a while, or you can email me your answer… Thanks.
This phone can be used as is in other countries that use the WCMDA 3G network only not GSM. Meaning most parts of Asia and Europe but not North America. However, you can stick the FOMA card into a GSM handset and it will work in US but why would you want to do that? Roaming fees are really expensive. See here:
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/service/world/roaming/index.html
And here for overseas compatible models:
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/product/roaming/index.html