Software

An Android App That Reads Your Brain

KDDI has a prototype Android app that can monitor your brainwaves. You have to wear a silly headband sensor and play an even dumber video game, but the app graphs your brain’s neural activity and concentration levels after you’re done.


May 18, 2011
Mobile

If Android Looked Like Windows Phone 7…

…Oh wait! You can totally make it look like Windows Phone 7! Japanese mobile carrier KDDI again linked up with design firm Iida to revamp their Infobar line of phones with an Android Gingerbread Smartphone.


October 21, 2010
Mobile

Flip Phones Made Cool: Japan’s Transparent X-Ray Phone

See-through things are cool. Anyone who ever pined for a transparent Game Boy (or was lucky enough to own one) knows that. Even if flippers are unfashionable, I still want to hotfoot it over to Japan to scoop this up.


October 20, 2009
Mobile

Mamorino Anti-Kidnapping Phone, You Know, For Kids

This kids-friendly KDDI’s mobile phone keeps children safe from kidnapping, with a built-in GPS, and a ring that gets laser-soldered to their noses. I mean, I guess—otherwise, how can you prevent kidnappers from tossing the mobile phone away? [Dvice]


October 8, 2009
Gadgets

Toshiba’s Latest Fuel Cell Prototype Gadgets Charge In Seconds

At Japan’s CEATEC show, Toshiba and KDDI are demonstrating a modified Toshiba T002 phone that’s powered by a direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC) and Li-Ion battery. More advanced than previous prototypes, it runs for 320 hours on a squirt of methanol.


September 10, 2009

KDDI Iida Polaris Puts Phone Inside Robot, Follows You Around

Leave it to a Japan mobile phone carrier to figure out the best way to breed robots and mobile phones. Korea’s KDDI au iida Polaris is a rolling robot that has a touchscreen candybar phone inside.


July 21, 2009
Mobile

Japan’s Unlimited 3G Data Plans Overwhelmed By Pornhounds

Apparently, Japanese carriers KDDI and DoCoMo are being totally overwhelmed by porn downloaders on their 3G networks. I don’t know what they expected to happen when porn services started offering movies for wireless download.


April 20, 2009
Mobile

KDDI (au) Targets Accident-Prone Sunbathers With Water-Resistant, Solar-Powered Handset

Manufactured for KDDI (au) by Sharp, this outdoorsy phone should show up in Japan by June. Unlike the unrealistic claims made by other solar phone dabblers like Samsung, KDDI’s ambitions here are modest, but practical.


April 14, 2009
Software

Motorola Powering Portable Set-Top Box With Android

Motorola is building a generally unremarkable “au Box” portable set-top box for Japanese electronics company KDDI. But one part of their plan stands out: It’ll run Android.


January 31, 2009
Mobile

Sony Ericsson’s Premier 3 Walkman Phone Rips Directly From CDs via 3.5mm Jack

If you can get past the hot pink, Sony Ericsson’s Premier 3 Walkman phone has a really cool look. Plus it has some interesting features—including the ability to rip music directly from a CD.