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Moving to Japan... will I be able to use email (text messages) on a Tytn?

Hi all, I'm moving to Japan in June and want to take a 3G mobile out with me such as a Tytn or G900. My question is, I know that out there they use mobile email instead of SMS messaging. Will I be able to use this with a Window Mobile device either normally or through an update of some sort? I have searched on here and read some stuff about MMS, is that the same as email?
Does it depend on provider? I don't mind which one, but Softbank seem good for gaijin.
I really want to keep using WinMo but don't really want a Japanese language model.
Many thanks in advance!
Marky

SOftbank is pretty much your only choice as there are few devices that support the other carrier's frequencies. You can send SMS for free within the Softbank network, but you won't be able to reach any of your friends on other networks with that. Also, sending SMS to foreign countries comes at a whopping 100Y per message - nothing you will want to do too often. The problem with mail and internet here is that with Softbank you basically get punished for using a WinMo device. Even with minimal usage (10-15 MB) you will max out their stupid flatrate plan and end up paying 10,000Y. This *might* be worth it for heavy users, but most people would be much better off with a decently priced 200 MB plan I guess. Oh, and don't even think about using the old open Vodafone access point - it will literally burn your money! Take a look at http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=298031 to get started with the Softbank AP. Also, with the Tytn II EMobile might be an option for you. They cater to the smartphone crowd, but you will only get a network in larger cities as their coverage is really bad at this moment.

Falk seems to understand the situation very well over here. Tytn and TytnII are both running on Softbank, and the processes to get them running here are well documented. Both of those also have the radio chips necessary to connect to Docomo - which is kind of like ATT over here: big, evil and expensive.
To answer your question, MMS is push email provided by the carrier. Since SMS doesn't work between carriers here, most Japanese just use MMS to correspond. It works with attachments and does all sorts of other cool, Japanese things.
Here's the thing with your situation though. AFAIK it is impossible to just get mobile service over here without also buying a phone. And, there are some really, really cool phones over here that you can't get anywhere else. Unlike WM, Japanese phones are 100% reliable and work very smoothly with the networks here - and almost all of them are bilingual with menus in Japanese and English. So unless you are a real WM junkie then you might think twice about shelling out the money for TYTN before coming.

I second that - if you stay for a longer time don't specifically buy a phone that will be of very limited use here in Japan. You can get SMS and voice calls to work easily, but MMS will give you a big headache and eat your data plan alive if you send a lot of picture (and other attachment) mails. There are some really nice "dumb" phones here and they have some great features for a very competitive price.
You can get a SIM card without a phone though. I just showed them my HTC Universal and they didn't discuss long. The employee just warned me right away to use internet with it. You can get your "White Plan" without a keitai and even enjoy the advantage of being able to quit their service anytime at month's end. Something that might make an expensive prepaid phone unnecessary.
The internet services you get with a Japanese cellphone are totally "walled garden" and if you're used to the freedom that a smartphone offers you will end up being disappointed. People here in Japan seem to be content to use their phones for mail, crippled Yahoo keitai web, some mixi and occasionally navigation. From the service cost perspective Japan unfortunately is a total backwater these days.
So in general, don't expect too much and you won't be too disappointed. Having free voice (from 1am until 9pm) and SMS available isn't half bad and way better than being without a cellphone. I could make that experience before I got my "foreigner card" and meeting friends always turned out to be an adventure in the more crowded places ;-)

Hi guys, thanks very much for your help. You guys really seem to know a lot about this so I hope you don't mind answering a few more questions I have:
Scenario 1: I take a UK Win Mo 3G device out to Japan with me.
- Am I correct in thinking that I can send keitai emails (mms) to my friends with this no problems? And also make phone calls.
- And that I will be able to use the Softbank white plan with it (understanding that I may need to buy a cheap phone and steal the SIM to get a contract set up)?
- I will be able to use the full internet if I want, but it will be very expensive.
Scenario 2: I buy a Win Mo device out there.
- It will have a Japanese OS. I will be able to flash it with UK langauge but I assume will invalidate the warranty.
- What kind of price will an X01HT or X01T be on the white plan (or other suitable one)?
- Any other drawbacks I should know about? Applications/features missing from UK equivalents?
Scenario 3: I buy a standard Japanese model.
- I will definitely need to be able to use bluetooth stereo (A2DP), play MP3s, videos, add at least an 8gb memory card
- Being able to check IMAP/POP email and browse the full web is important but not absolutely necessary, as is wifi.
- Decent camera would be nice, but not necessary
- Size is not really an issue, features are more important
- Are there any 1-seg channels in English? If so it may be nice.
- Suica/FeliCa is always welcome
- Can you guys recommend one? What kind of cost would I be looking at?
I absolutely love using Pocket Player and bluetooth stereo on my HTC Wizard at the moment, and would be gutted to lose them.
Again thanks a lot for your help guys, I really appreciate it. The mobile industry out there seems to be completely different to the UK!

VoIP providers?

I've seen lots of discussions about people using VoIP and VoIP settings but I'm not sure if people tend to use a paid service for VoIP or if there are free providers of VoIP services.
So question 1 for the community is do you pay for VoIP service and if so, which service provider have you found reliable (I'm based in the UK but I guess it doesn't matter to much where the provider is unless the services are suspectable to jitter and latency).
Question 2, do you use the service over WiFi or 3G/HSPDA and do you find problems with either?

I use skype with the headset over 3.5G. Keeps me in contact with friends across the globe.

Just to clarify I meant on a WM6 device.

I used Skype a little while on my Wizard. It works, but barely. I've tried Voipbuster with the build-in WM6 SIP-client. It works, but the incoming sound is pretty low in volume. (All of this over WiFi)
I stopped using VOIP on my WM device. It works much better on my laptop. Since the EC capped roaming rates here in the EU, it has become less important for me to use VOIP abroad.
Although I use VOIP from my laptop, I can still state that the quality of service is better from Voipbuster than of Skype (esp. to Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore). On top of that, it's also cheaper.

Andre Koster said:
I used Skype a little while on my Wizard. It works, but barely. I've tried Voipbuster with the build-in WM6 SIP-client. It works, but the incoming sound is pretty low in volume. (All of this over WiFi)
I stopped using VOIP on my WM device. It works much better on my laptop. Since the EC capped roaming rates here in the EU, it has become less important for me to use VOIP abroad.
Although I use VOIP from my laptop, I can still state that the quality of service is better from Voipbuster than of Skype (esp. to Asian countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore). On top of that, it's also cheaper.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I disagree. I have HSPDA here in Spain, on my HTC Touch Dual, and Skype has excellent quality. Maybe it's just in my case. but i've used it multiple times, and it's great.

My dad uses Skype on his Bluenagel over WiFi. Sounds just like the sound quality of the phone. He sometimes get's on a call and leaves the house by mistake accidentally disconnecting his WiFi connection, it is that clear.
I personally don't like skype but I'm not even sure if it works on the Excalibur.

zkyevolved said:
I disagree. I have HSPDA here in Spain, on my HTC Touch Dual, and Skype has excellent quality. Maybe it's just in my case. but i've used it multiple times, and it's great.
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Click to collapse
Of course, a Touch Dual has a bigger processing power than a Wizard. So I'm not surprized that the quality is better.

I tried skype on my Dash and it is choppy over WiFi and non operational over EDGE.

advice on O2 Germany ServicePlans, and where ha the wap-flat gone?

Does anyone one remember the 5€/WAP2.0 flat from O2-Germany like 2 years back?
I was abroad for a while and lost my orientation with all the service plans in Germany..so i wanted to ask in here for some tips.
I want to get an XDA Diamond with either Genion-M or Genion-L-Aktion..Direct-Push isn't that important for me, HomeZone is important, and I do check Wikipedia or Dictionary-Searches over the net quite frequently and write occasional emails on the go..O2 seems quite expensive in that respect.
Anyways, O2 doesn't seem to have attractive service-plans for mobile-internet anymore..from what I've found, so I've stumbled on the www.1und1.de 9.99€ Network-Service which includes a SIM and a full internet Flat for your phone which is quite excellent IMO..
Is there anyway to use the 1und1 proxy on your phone with an O2-Sim for the Network? that would be interesting ..
Or what are youre workarounds? data-plans and options?

I don't think so.
The problem is that you get charged for using the network, not for using the proxy itself.
1&1 uses the Vodafone network whereas O² uses its own (crappy!!) network.
Stefan
P.S: Why is 10€ for 300MB sooo bad??

isn't it 10€ for 200mb? its not so bad, also you get this MMS Email flat-rate..dont know how useful that is though..
I'm really considering the 10€ 1und1 SIM contract..but then the phone costs will blow up..and you dont get a homezone feature..
How far do you get with the 200mb in a month? enough for push-mail? and dictionary searches?

Please recommend a UK network to me!

Hi there
I have decided to tentatively upgrade from my Nokia E90 to a HTC Touch Pro - I'm keeping the E90 for now so I can move back if I don't like it.
I will be using the HTC Touch pro for a small amount of calls and texts, but a fair amount of data and internet, so I want that unlimited. Also, I'll be using a VoIP client (probably Skype as I have a SkypeOut subscription) and I want to make sure my network isn't blocking it.
I've searched the net and here quite extensively and there's conflicting reports on what is and what isn't allowed, hence me asking directly, so sorry if it has already been answered.
Also, I'll be buying it on contract so the best deals would appeal to me! I find buying direct from the network usually gets you the best support so what's out there for the Touch Pro right now?
And I'll also be swapping Sims from time to time so the phone has to be unblocked.
Suggestions?
Thanks in advance!
Stephen

Although I am generally happy with Vodafone as a network for call and coverage, I think their data packages arent up to much. I could be wrong but I'm sure the best they offer is the 'unlimited' data package, which in reality has a 500mb 'fair usage' limit attached. I also seem to recall that calls on VOIP arent included in this. It has been a while since I checked the tariffs, but thought I'd pass on my limited knowledge

Thanks
Anybody else running one in the UK and has an unlimited data tariff that is Skype friendly?
S

Android Phone without cell phone plan

Hi guys,
Was wandering if someone could help me out with, rather, strange question.
I want to use an Android phone to make calls, but do not want to sign up with any cell phone company. I live in New brunswick, Fredericton, we have free wireless internet.
I want to make use of it, but so far I have not found a concrete answer.
I have started a thread about this on another android forums, if you want more details, or just ask me:
http://forums.androidandme.com/topic/how-to-use-free-internet-with-android-without-cell-plan
Any help is Great appreciated!

http://www.techradar.com/news/phone...e-accused-over-android-skype-app-block-628218
maybe if they get it to work
with skype you still of cause are charged to pay when you call normal phones

Yeah, that's interesting.
I find the whole situation with cell phone companies stupid, charging outrageous rates for what should really be included in your home internet fee.
In any case, I was wandering if a solution exists for right now It doesn't have to be free, but at least cheaper than buying an unlimited plan from rogers or what-not.

Or are there other phones (except Android) that can do this instead?
Thanks

yes skype is out for
windows mobile
heck even iphone got it
but you have to remember that if you call normal phones
cell or land-line you have to pay skype as they offer the link to
gsm and land-line which have no connection to the Internet you get
when you connect to wifi
just wanted to make sure you didn't have the impression that it was 1 big network
it's not
kinda like one can't send an email to a person with not computer and expect a free service
which print the email and put it in the physically mailbox of the person

I understand that I have to pay skype or someone else for calling landlines. That is Fine with me.
However, with Skype (for example and iphone/windows mobile?), can I use the phone even if I don't have a SIM card/cell phone plan?
Rudegar said:
yes skype is out for
windows mobile
heck even iphone got it
but you have to remember that if you call normal phones
cell or land-line you have to pay skype as they offer the link to
gsm and land-line which have no connection to the Internet you get
when you connect to wifi
just wanted to make sure you didn't have the impression that it was 1 big network
it's not
kinda like one can't send an email to a person with not computer and expect a free service
which print the email and put it in the physically mailbox of the person
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

yes you can even use a non phone pda with wifi or an ipod touch
when you have wifi you have the same possibilities as with a computer

That sounds cool. Thanks,
Another question:
Is there a way I can use my phone/pda as a Gps device?
If I have no plan, I can't connect to satelite either?
Or do some phones provide some kind of tom-tom enabled capabilities?