I actually, really, honestly do live in Japan, though at times it feels that the city I live in is on another planet, completely separated from everything.
Met two people yesterday. One had bought an iPhone the day before. The other is buying one today after looking at mine for half an hour. She mentioned the lack of QR code reading, no TV, and several of the other minuses that many here have addressed and said she didn't care. Her current phone has all those functions and she hasn't used them. What she wants is an internet device that is also great with music. She fell in love with the large screen on the iPhone. Her friend, who just recently updated her phone, loved the ease of use of the iPhone and said that she wished her phone were easier to use. It's a Nokia.
They are selling here and they are also having an impact on people's perceptions of what a portable device is.
Just as a totally unsupported anthropological theory:
While everywhere in the world the loudest voices we hear drowning out everyone else when it comes to any computer-related product (now including smartphones) belong to the über-techno-geeks (for whom nothing is ever good enough) perhaps in Japan people who don't know much about a subject tend systematically to keep their mouths shut about it it. Of course, lack of knowledge doesn't stop--well, Americans, to name one: as witnessed by the present post!
I actually, really, honestly do live in Japan, though at times it feels that the city I live in is on another planet, completely separated from everything.
Met two people yesterday. One had bought an iPhone the day before. The other is buying one today after looking at mine for half an hour. She mentioned the lack of QR code reading, no TV, and several of the other minuses that many here have addressed and said she didn't care. Her current phone has all those functions and she hasn't used them. What she wants is an internet device that is also great with music. She fell in love with the large screen on the iPhone. Her friend, who just recently updated her phone, loved the ease of use of the iPhone and said that she wished her phone were easier to use. It's a Nokia.
They are selling here and they are also having an impact on people's perceptions of what a portable device is.
This is what I've been trying to say, from what I've been reading.
Just as the iPhone and app store is changing the way people look at smartphones, and perhaps, phones in general, it will lead to some change in perception over there as well, if not for everyone, which I don't expect, then at least for a sizeable number.
We may even see Japanese phone makers offering phones like them.
You're saying the iPhone is to SoftBank what the Instinct is to Sprint?
While the Instinct is doing well over here, the answer would have to be no.
While Sprint is the third largest cell provider, Softbank, I believe is more like T-Mobile in size when compared to the other two larger companies there. In fact, at first I even typed T-Mobile instead of Sprint because of that size comparison.
But, the Instinct is a reaction to the iPhone, and is nowhere as versatile. There is also no way that it will sell in comparable numbers as it's only for sale in Sprint, though that may change. Even if it does, they'd need a GSM version, and I haven't heard of one being developed.
The iPhone is also more important to SoftBank than the Instinct is to Sprint, even though they are losing customers. That's where we came from.
Care to be specific about which post, and theory, you're bemoaning?
That was my theory, which I went on to state. Several people were wondering whether the iPhone was doing better in Japan than published reports would lead one to believe. I was suggesting a possible reason why what we hear about its reception in Japan might not be representative of reality.
That was my theory, which I went on to state. Several people were wondering whether the iPhone was doing better in Japan than published reports would lead one to believe. I was suggesting a possible reason why what we hear about its reception in Japan might not be representative of reality.
It was a bit confusing.
What I've seen here during the past several weeks, is that there are three people that I remember, who are saying that the iPhone is doing much more poorly in Japan than the reports that have been coming out.
So, what does multiple Japanese magazines dedicated to the iPhone mean for its popularity? I suppose the basic argument would be that the creation of such magazines defines a potential or perceived interest, but does not validate an actual interest.
Japan has a huge print magazine and book culture that compliments its on-the-move society. Magazines exist for tons of different interests in multiple forms. There were even magazines that examined the original iPhone even though it was never possible for a Japanese release. Just about every Apple product released gets some kind of dedicated print magazine to it. This is par for the course as far as consumer products in Japan goes. I remember seeing magazines for the iPod touch last year, and even the MacBook Air.
Undeniably, these magazines will help Japanese people get to know the iPhone better and double as advertising. Due to the different nature of the iPhone, a lot of explaining is needed to bring the Japanese up to speed with the nature of the phone. Few other phones in Japan need that kind of exposure or explaining, because they conform to standards. Moreover, due to tons of cellphones available, it takes exceptional and different phones to warrant magazine coverage. The iPhone has a well known Apple and iPod pedigree and is a different phone, therefore deserving magazine coverage.
Japan's telecommunications industry stifles the kind of creativity that is so apparent in Apple's Web-surfing phone, says Takeshi Natsuno, who developed Japan's first Internet-linking cell phone service "i-mode" in 1999, when such systems were still groundbreaking. "This is a great device," he said, affectionately touching a black iPhone 3G during an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "This kind of device cannot be produced by Japanese manufacturers. Never."
Japan's telecommunications industry stifles the kind of creativity that is so apparent in Apple's Web-surfing phone, says Takeshi Natsuno, who developed Japan's first Internet-linking cell phone service "i-mode" in 1999, when such systems were still groundbreaking. "This is a great device," he said, affectionately touching a black iPhone 3G during an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "This kind of device cannot be produced by Japanese manufacturers. Never."
Produced for sure. Maybe not envisioned.
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
It wouldn't be produced because it wouldn't be envisioned.
Jobs said pretty much the same thing several years ago when he was asked why Japanese manufacturers couldn't come up with a product to rival the iPod.
His response was that while they were very good at producing hardware, they were bad at producing software.
That's very true, and he isn't the only prominent person to notice that.
That doesn't mean that they don't have excellent programmers, that would be doubtful.
The problem is that the Japanese are taught that "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." This, what I call the "crisis of consensus", causes the Japanese problems with original ideas. They all have to agree on something before it can get approved. This even extends to universities. In the journal "Science", there have been several editorials over the years by Japanese scientists bemoaning this problem.
That's why it's so difficult to do what Natsuno says is necessary. The manufacturers look at each others products and copy them, making minor changes along the way.
This is not just a Japanese problem of course, but it is much more of a problem there.
It wouldn't be produced because it wouldn't be envisioned.
Jobs said pretty much the same thing several years ago when he was asked why Japanese manufacturers couldn't come up with a product to rival the iPod.
His response was that while they were very good at producing hardware, they were bad at producing software.
That's very true, and he isn't the only prominent person to notice that.
That doesn't mean that they don't have excellent programmers, that would be doubtful.
The problem is that the Japanese are taught that "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." This, what I call the "crisis of consensus", causes the Japanese problems with original ideas. They all have to agree on something before it can get approved. This even extends to universities. In the journal "Science", there have been several editorials over the years by Japanese scientists bemoaning this problem.
That's why it's so difficult to do what Natsuno says is necessary. The manufacturers look at each others products and copy them, making minor changes along the way.
This is not just a Japanese problem of course, but it is much more of a problem there.
My comment was more in the literal sense that the Japanese can produce the hardware. I was not talking about the entire food chain but you are correct in that they are quite stagnant. Look at their MiniDisk. it was a pretty cool device that was crippled by terrible software and the fact that they could not think out of the box. Same with the PSP. Still no ability to make your own disks. What were they thinking?
My comment was more in the literal sense that the Japanese can produce the hardware. I was not talking about the entire food chain but you are correct in that they are quite stagnant. Look at their MiniDisk. it was a pretty cool device that was crippled by terrible software and the fact that they could not think out of the box. Same with the PSP. Still no ability to make your own disks. What were they thinking?
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
I'm surprised even you are quick to dismiss someone who is an innovator in Japanese wireless technology. As though he is giving the iPhone undeserved praise.
I'm surprised even you are quick to dismiss someone who is an innovator in Japanese wireless technology. As though he is giving the iPhone undeserved praise.
Read post #114 then get back to me. Your post is senseless. It's as though the moment you see the word Apple or iPhone, you just have to get all excited about it.
Read post #114 then get back to me. Your post is senseless. It's as though the moment you see the word Apple or iPhone, you just have to get all excited about it.
All I did was post what the guy said. I didn't make any side commentary.
All I did was post what the guy said. I didn't make any side commentary.
You completely misrepresented what I posted. I made it very clear what I was talking about. You painted my reply with a broad stroke and that is disingenuous. Anyway, never mind. I know what I meant, and melgross seemed to understand it and we both agreed. You seemed to key in on only one point. Like I said. Never mind.
Comments
Met two people yesterday. One had bought an iPhone the day before. The other is buying one today after looking at mine for half an hour. She mentioned the lack of QR code reading, no TV, and several of the other minuses that many here have addressed and said she didn't care. Her current phone has all those functions and she hasn't used them. What she wants is an internet device that is also great with music. She fell in love with the large screen on the iPhone. Her friend, who just recently updated her phone, loved the ease of use of the iPhone and said that she wished her phone were easier to use. It's a Nokia.
They are selling here and they are also having an impact on people's perceptions of what a portable device is.
Of course, SoftBank is the third in size there, much as Sprint is here, and that will limit its spread. That must be understood as well.
You're saying the iPhone is to SoftBank what the Instinct is to Sprint?
While everywhere in the world the loudest voices we hear drowning out everyone else when it comes to any computer-related product (now including smartphones) belong to the über-techno-geeks (for whom nothing is ever good enough) perhaps in Japan people who don't know much about a subject tend systematically to keep their mouths shut about it it. Of course, lack of knowledge doesn't stop--well, Americans, to name one: as witnessed by the present post!
I actually, really, honestly do live in Japan, though at times it feels that the city I live in is on another planet, completely separated from everything.
Met two people yesterday. One had bought an iPhone the day before. The other is buying one today after looking at mine for half an hour. She mentioned the lack of QR code reading, no TV, and several of the other minuses that many here have addressed and said she didn't care. Her current phone has all those functions and she hasn't used them. What she wants is an internet device that is also great with music. She fell in love with the large screen on the iPhone. Her friend, who just recently updated her phone, loved the ease of use of the iPhone and said that she wished her phone were easier to use. It's a Nokia.
They are selling here and they are also having an impact on people's perceptions of what a portable device is.
This is what I've been trying to say, from what I've been reading.
Just as the iPhone and app store is changing the way people look at smartphones, and perhaps, phones in general, it will lead to some change in perception over there as well, if not for everyone, which I don't expect, then at least for a sizeable number.
We may even see Japanese phone makers offering phones like them.
You're saying the iPhone is to SoftBank what the Instinct is to Sprint?
While the Instinct is doing well over here, the answer would have to be no.
While Sprint is the third largest cell provider, Softbank, I believe is more like T-Mobile in size when compared to the other two larger companies there. In fact, at first I even typed T-Mobile instead of Sprint because of that size comparison.
But, the Instinct is a reaction to the iPhone, and is nowhere as versatile. There is also no way that it will sell in comparable numbers as it's only for sale in Sprint, though that may change. Even if it does, they'd need a GSM version, and I haven't heard of one being developed.
The iPhone is also more important to SoftBank than the Instinct is to Sprint, even though they are losing customers. That's where we came from.
Just as a totally unsupported anthropological theory:
Care to be specific about which post, and theory, you're bemoaning?
Care to be specific about which post, and theory, you're bemoaning?
That was my theory, which I went on to state. Several people were wondering whether the iPhone was doing better in Japan than published reports would lead one to believe. I was suggesting a possible reason why what we hear about its reception in Japan might not be representative of reality.
That was my theory, which I went on to state. Several people were wondering whether the iPhone was doing better in Japan than published reports would lead one to believe. I was suggesting a possible reason why what we hear about its reception in Japan might not be representative of reality.
It was a bit confusing.
What I've seen here during the past several weeks, is that there are three people that I remember, who are saying that the iPhone is doing much more poorly in Japan than the reports that have been coming out.
So, what does multiple Japanese magazines dedicated to the iPhone mean for its popularity? I suppose the basic argument would be that the creation of such magazines defines a potential or perceived interest, but does not validate an actual interest.
Japan has a huge print magazine and book culture that compliments its on-the-move society. Magazines exist for tons of different interests in multiple forms. There were even magazines that examined the original iPhone even though it was never possible for a Japanese release. Just about every Apple product released gets some kind of dedicated print magazine to it. This is par for the course as far as consumer products in Japan goes. I remember seeing magazines for the iPod touch last year, and even the MacBook Air.
Undeniably, these magazines will help Japanese people get to know the iPhone better and double as advertising. Due to the different nature of the iPhone, a lot of explaining is needed to bring the Japanese up to speed with the nature of the phone. Few other phones in Japan need that kind of exposure or explaining, because they conform to standards. Moreover, due to tons of cellphones available, it takes exceptional and different phones to warrant magazine coverage. The iPhone has a well known Apple and iPod pedigree and is a different phone, therefore deserving magazine coverage.
Japan's telecommunications industry stifles the kind of creativity that is so apparent in Apple's Web-surfing phone, says Takeshi Natsuno, who developed Japan's first Internet-linking cell phone service "i-mode" in 1999, when such systems were still groundbreaking. "This is a great device," he said, affectionately touching a black iPhone 3G during an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "This kind of device cannot be produced by Japanese manufacturers. Never."
Top Japanese phone innovator praises iPhone
Japan's telecommunications industry stifles the kind of creativity that is so apparent in Apple's Web-surfing phone, says Takeshi Natsuno, who developed Japan's first Internet-linking cell phone service "i-mode" in 1999, when such systems were still groundbreaking. "This is a great device," he said, affectionately touching a black iPhone 3G during an interview Thursday with The Associated Press. "This kind of device cannot be produced by Japanese manufacturers. Never."
Produced for sure. Maybe not envisioned.
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
Produced for sure. Maybe not envisioned.
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
It wouldn't be produced because it wouldn't be envisioned.
Jobs said pretty much the same thing several years ago when he was asked why Japanese manufacturers couldn't come up with a product to rival the iPod.
His response was that while they were very good at producing hardware, they were bad at producing software.
That's very true, and he isn't the only prominent person to notice that.
That doesn't mean that they don't have excellent programmers, that would be doubtful.
The problem is that the Japanese are taught that "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." This, what I call the "crisis of consensus", causes the Japanese problems with original ideas. They all have to agree on something before it can get approved. This even extends to universities. In the journal "Science", there have been several editorials over the years by Japanese scientists bemoaning this problem.
That's why it's so difficult to do what Natsuno says is necessary. The manufacturers look at each others products and copy them, making minor changes along the way.
This is not just a Japanese problem of course, but it is much more of a problem there.
It wouldn't be produced because it wouldn't be envisioned.
Jobs said pretty much the same thing several years ago when he was asked why Japanese manufacturers couldn't come up with a product to rival the iPod.
His response was that while they were very good at producing hardware, they were bad at producing software.
That's very true, and he isn't the only prominent person to notice that.
That doesn't mean that they don't have excellent programmers, that would be doubtful.
The problem is that the Japanese are taught that "The nail that sticks up gets hammered down." This, what I call the "crisis of consensus", causes the Japanese problems with original ideas. They all have to agree on something before it can get approved. This even extends to universities. In the journal "Science", there have been several editorials over the years by Japanese scientists bemoaning this problem.
That's why it's so difficult to do what Natsuno says is necessary. The manufacturers look at each others products and copy them, making minor changes along the way.
This is not just a Japanese problem of course, but it is much more of a problem there.
My comment was more in the literal sense that the Japanese can produce the hardware. I was not talking about the entire food chain but you are correct in that they are quite stagnant. Look at their MiniDisk. it was a pretty cool device that was crippled by terrible software and the fact that they could not think out of the box. Same with the PSP. Still no ability to make your own disks. What were they thinking?
My comment was more in the literal sense that the Japanese can produce the hardware. I was not talking about the entire food chain but you are correct in that they are quite stagnant. Look at their MiniDisk. it was a pretty cool device that was crippled by terrible software and the fact that they could not think out of the box. Same with the PSP. Still no ability to make your own disks. What were they thinking?
Probably what everyone else there was thinking.
Probably what everyone else there was thinking.
Nice.
How's the weather in the Big Apple (no pun) intended?
Produced for sure. Maybe not envisioned.
He is being melodramatic and providing cheerleading propaganda for those that need their daily fix.
I'm surprised even you are quick to dismiss someone who is an innovator in Japanese wireless technology. As though he is giving the iPhone undeserved praise.
I'm surprised even you are quick to dismiss someone who is an innovator in Japanese wireless technology. As though he is giving the iPhone undeserved praise.
Read post #114 then get back to me. Your post is senseless. It's as though the moment you see the word Apple or iPhone, you just have to get all excited about it.
Read post #114 then get back to me. Your post is senseless. It's as though the moment you see the word Apple or iPhone, you just have to get all excited about it.
All I did was post what the guy said. I didn't make any side commentary.
All I did was post what the guy said. I didn't make any side commentary.
You completely misrepresented what I posted. I made it very clear what I was talking about. You painted my reply with a broad stroke and that is disingenuous. Anyway, never mind. I know what I meant, and melgross seemed to understand it and we both agreed. You seemed to key in on only one point. Like I said. Never mind.
Nice.
How's the weather in the Big Apple (no pun) intended?
Nice now. Pretty much in the low to mid 80's this week.
Thinking of visiting?