J-Com and NTT DoCoMo launched a new service that allows DoCoMo’s i-mode users to receive push emails from their Gmail accounts. Every time a new email arrives to Gmail server, J-Com’s service pushes it to recipient’s mobile phone Blackberry-style with a notification sound. Besides viewing the emails, mobile user can actually write responses as well. J-Com also will leave a copy of received and sent email on Gmail server ensuring a synchronized experience between PC and mobile phone. A similar push email service from J-Com is also available for users who have Mac email accounts. While the J-Com’s service is very useful, their billing model seems to be draconian for users. Based on an agreement between J-Com and DoCoMo, the mobile operator will collect a yearly fee of JPY4,800 ($45) and will bill for the incurred data traffic as you go, meaning users can’t apply their flat data plans to enjoy the service.
For more info look here: J-Com
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Gmail on DoCoMo’s i-mode handsets
NTT DoCoMo joined Google in Mobile Internet Services
NTT DoCoMo, the world's largest wireless internet provider, and Google formed a partenership that includes providing search services, search-related advertisement and potential applications to i-mode users.
The two companies will also collaborate to enhance the user-friendliness of i-mode services by making various Google services easier to access through i-mode mobile phones. The default pre-loading of Google Maps application into upcoming DoCoMo i-mode handsets is one of the initial initiatives being discussed.
Through the partnership with Google, i-mode users will be served Google search results for mobile and PC web sites via the i-mode portal search-box. Launch of the expanded search services is scheduled in spring 2008. The new search-box will be placed on the top-page of the i-mode portal, increasing the immediate accessibility and convenience of searches on i-mode.
Simultaneously with the launch of the new search services in spring 2008, key-word based advertisements using Google's ad platform AdWords will also be provided on the search-result pages in conjunction with the search results.
The parties intend to make it easier for i-mode users to use Google services such as Gmail, YouTube and Picasa by giving users more seamless and immediate access over the mobile phone. Furthermore, in all upcoming DoCoMo full-browser capable handsets, Google will be set to appear as the default start-page on the full-browser.
DoCoMo and Google will also continue to study the possibility of bringing Android based handsets to the Japanese market. Android, a revolutionary platform for mobile phones, was announced by the Open Handset Alliance (OHA) last fall, in which Google was the key initiator of the Android project.
