If you live in Japan and you’re looking for a phone for your kid, or a nifty tablet or maybe a hardcore smartphone, local carrier NTT DoCoMo has a device for you. They’ve just unveiled no less than 19 new devices, that constitute their summer lineup for 2012, launching in June or after that month. The lineup includes 16 smartphones, a tablet and a phone for children, plus a mobile WiFi router. They cover a wide range of specifications as shown below.
This is of great interest to us, since the devices shown here may end up on European or US shelves in the future, in one form or the other. One of the handsets that stands out is the Raku Raku Phone, that offers a touchscreen experience similar to the sensation of pressing real keys. You may be wondering what these models have in common… Well, they all run Android 4.0 and they’re divided into the following series: the With Series, Next Series, DoCoMo tablet, Raku Raku and others.
The Next series includes 8 models, while the With has 3 models and all of them are compatible with DoCoMo’s Xi LTE service for fast web access. There’s also a new service compatible with most of these phones: Anshin Scan, that features an alarm system warning users about fraudulent websites for extra safe browsing and also gives them virus scans. In the With series we have the following models: F-09D Anteprima, Aquos Phone st SH-07D, Optimus it L-05D and Medias X N-07D. All of them are waterproof and some of them are dustproof.
Aside from these 3 units, also in the With series are the following units: Eluga V P-06D, Arrows Me F-11D and Xperia SX SO-05D. The latter two are coming in August apparently and are not dustproof. For those of you wondering where you’ve heard these names before, know that Eluga models are made by Panasonic, Arrows are made by Fujitsu and Xperia by Sony, while Sharp makes Aquos phones and LG makes the Optimus. NEC creates the Medias phones, famed for being so slim. Optimus it L-05D and Medias X N-07D share a dual core 1.5 GHz processor, while the F-09D Anteprima and Aquos phone SH-07D have a 1.4 GHz CPU and 1GHz processor respectively. All these models have 8 megapixel cameras (ranging a bit between 8MP, 8.1MP and 8.2MP) and all aside the Aquos have front cameras.
Meanwhile the Eluga V P-06D has a 1.5 GHz dual core processor of the OMAP kind, while the Xperia SK gets a similar CPU, but a Qualcomm one and Arrows Me F-11D is happy with a 1 GHz ticker. Both the last models share a 3.7 inch screen, but with a higher resolution on the Xperia unit. F-09D Anteprima is a 3.7 inch phone with a 480 x 800 pixel resolution, while the Aquos phone st SH-07D has a 3.4 inch screen with a 480 x 854 pixel resolution and the Optimus it L-05D supports a 480 x 800 pixel resolution on a 4 inch display. Medias X N-07D has a 4.3 inch 720p screen (TFT LCD), while the Eluga V relies on a 4.6 inch screen with the same resolution.
The Next series includes some models that you’ve heard of, such as the Samsung Galaxy S III, Xperia GX, Optimus Vu and Eluga Power. Other devices included here are the Aquos Phone Zeta, Arrows X, Regza phone T-02D and Aquos Phone SH-10D. In case you’re wondering the Regza unit is made by Toshiba and will be available in July or August with a 1.5 GHz dual core CPU and 4.3 inch display, plus 13.1 megapixel camera. Aquos Phone Zeta has a 1.5 GHz dual core CPU, just like the Xperia GX and they also share a 720p resolution on a 4.7 and 4.6 inch screen respectively. The first one has a 12MP camera, while the second adopts a 13MP one.
The Arrows X unit adopts a 13MP shooter, 4.6 inch display and Tegra 3 quad core CPU. Eluga Power is a dual core 1.5 GHz affair with 5 inch 720p screen and 8MP camera, while the Aquos Phone SH-10D uses a similar CPU, has the same resolution, but on a 4.5 inch display and a 12 megapixel camera. The DocoMo Eluga tablet launches in August and will come with waterproof and dustproof certification, Android 4.0, an OMAP 1.2 GHz dual core CPU and 10.1 inch 1280 x 800 pixel display. It has no main camera, instead having a front 1.3MP shooter and WiFi as last feature to mention.
The Raku Raku phone has NFC, a MSM8255 1.4GHz processor, a 4 inch 480 x 800 pixel WVGA TFT LCD screen and an 8 megapixel camera. Finally, the Kids Phone will come in July or August with a 2 inch 240 x 320 pixel display, based on TFT LCD technology. It’s also resilient against dust and water. Know that the Raku Raku unit is targeted at seniors and that the Galaxy S III is also ready to come to the market, with FeliCa NFC chip on board. If the name Anteprima is unknown to you, know that it’s a fashion brand famous in Japan, so that’s why there’s a phone with that branding.
Is there any particular model you’d like to see in the Western countries some day?
