Kobo Touch coming to Japan

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

It was like this for phones ever since I've been here... almost 25 years now. The difference is that there are several different carriers. In the past it was only DoCoMo that handled mobile phones. Today there is SoftBank, Au, KDD, and Willcom. On the other hand, it seems that you can do more with Japanese mobile phones than can be done with western carriers. Even iPhone has different app for Japanese phones that aren't available in other languages.

Easiest must be Thailand. Walk into any convenience store, mom-and-pop shop or any place that sells phones and buy a sim card (choice of numbers and carriers) stick it in your phone and walk out. You then have the option of refilling that number later or buying a new card with a new number. NO contracts, no registrations. If one DOES want month-to-month billing instead, that's available too.



Stitchawl

You can only choose the phones or tablets that a partcular operator carries. If you want an iPad you're forced into a Softbank contract etc. You couldn't buy an iPhone (unlocked) and then install a DoCoMo SIM. It just baffled me. In Sweden consumers would never accept a setup like that, but the Japanese are kind of docile when it comes to things like this.

When I go over to Japan I always want to buy a SIM card, stick it into my own phone and load it up with a few thousand yen, but it just can't be done. Very frustrating.

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Kumabjorn

You can only choose the phones or tablets that a partcular operator carries.

SoftBank, Au, KDD, and Willcom all carry iPhones plus Android, Blackberry, etc., and many others.

When I go over to Japan I always want to buy a SIM card, stick it into my own phone and load it up with a few thousand yen, but it just can't be done. Very frustrating.

This is so. Sim cards are only sold with phones and under long term contracts. It really is a bother unless you live here. And when I travel, although I can still use my Japanese iPhone for everything OTHER than phone calls (which route back to Japan and are charged as long distance even though I may be calling across the street) I pick up a $25 phone at Walmart or a local discount shop, put a $10 sim card into it, and I'm good for the next few days. It's easy enough to transfer contacts from one phone to another. I keep these cheap phones and just bring them back to the countries when I visit again. I can use the Japanese iPhone for e-mail, GPS, Maps, Internet, etc., all at regular costs.


Stitchawl

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

SoftBank, Au, KDD, and Willcom all carry iPhones plus Android, Blackberry, etc., and many others.



Stitchawl

Which kind of proves that you can't have an iPhone on DoCoMo, right?
I don't remember the details but there are similar deals with some Android phones as well. Only one operator offers Galaxy Note, I think.

[odiakkoh]

Docomo is getting the iPhone within the next year Docomo and Apple weren't budging on what was allowed to be preinstalled on the devices and that's what took them so long.

[plib]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Easiest must be Thailand. Walk into any convenience store, mom-and-pop shop or any place that sells phones and buy a sim card (choice of numbers and carriers) stick it in your phone and walk out. You then have the option of refilling that number later or buying a new card with a new number. NO contracts, no registrations. If one DOES want month-to-month billing instead, that's available too.

It's like this in much of Europe too. I had an unlocked UK phone with a UK sim, walked into a corner store in a small Irish country town, bought a sim card for 10 Euros. 60 seconds later = unlocked Irish phone with Irish sim card and local phone/text rates. (and that 10Euros was phone credit - no b**s**t charge for the sim card!).

For all its "free market" hype North America is in the stone age for telecoms - and internet.

[Kumabjorn]

Exactly, after a little while you have a collection of SIM cards for different countries, just switch when you cross the border.

[Suzanna]

http://blog.kobobooks.com/kobo-kicks...ding-in-japan/

We knew it was coming and Kobo has just announced that their Touch eReader will be launching in Japan on July 19. Apparently you can preorder it now for ¥7,980 including tax, which is $100 USD.

More details can be found on Kobo's Japanese site here. I wonder if the fact that it's being launched by a Japanese company will give Kobo an edge in that market.

[Kumabjorn]

You also get a 3 000 point Rakuten bonus, in essence a 3 000 yen discount, Rakuten is in Japan what Amazon is in the US or UK.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Wow pardon my language but Rakuten has got its shit together. That is one professional looking site. I think they may have what it takes to outmuscle Amazon in Japan. They're a Japanese company and a very important one at that, I assume that they have their ducks in a row when it comes to Japanese publishers. I notice that they made a note of showing in their video that it will be able to display manga and the touch already comes in some different pretty colours which will definitely appeal to the Japanese ladies. Throw in an extremely reasonable price with a 3000 yen credit on top of that and I think you've got a winner.
I am thinking of picking up one of these Rakuten Kobo's but I'm a little worried about how compatible the firmware is with the English versions.

[Canuck_in_Japan]

Oops just noticed that the 3000 yen discount is only available to Platinum members (people who spend a lot of money at Rakuten). The lowest rank will only get you a 500 yen discount. Still, better than a kick in the teeth.

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

Oops just noticed that the 3000 yen discount is only available to Platinum members (people who spend a lot of money at Rakuten). The lowest rank will only get you a 500 yen discount. Still, better than a kick in the teeth.

I thought we were all Platinum members
Rakuten, as opposed to Amazon JP, does ship worldwide.