Sure, Udhay.. Check the following document. My colleage found this out. It is the best English-version document I found so far. There are many other excellent iMode technical books/resources; however, they are all in Japanese. Sorry!!! :(

http://www.w3.org/TR/1998/NOTE-compactHTML-19980209/

Hope it helps.

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan K.K.
Anzai Bldg 4F, 1-1-12 Hatagaya
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 151-0072
T +81 3 5354-3521
F +81 3 5354-3522

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Udhay Shankar N [mailto:udhay@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 17, 2000 12:25 AM
> To: iMode_group@egroups.com
> Subject: [iMode_group] I-mode web resources ?
>
>
> Could some kind soul (Punnamas ?) post some URLs for some
> tech stuff about
> i-mode ? Thanks.
>
> Udhay
> --
>  
> _____________________________________________________________________
>   http://www.unimobile.com/                    
> http://pobox.com/~udhay
>              Unimobile -  the world's first internet mobile
>
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> iMode_group-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>

Could some kind soul (Punnamas ?) post some URLs for some tech stuff about
i-mode ? Thanks.

Udhay
--
   _____________________________________________________________________
   http://www.unimobile.com/                     http://pobox.com/~udhay
              Unimobile -  the world's first internet mobile

Cool!

> I would love to know what other cellphone are availble
> in Japan but no where else. Are Nokia and Ericsson
> phone in Japan i-mode-able?

Yes.. they are iMode capable.
See the following URL
http://k-tai.impress.co.jp/column/catchup/2000/05/16/

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan K.K.
Anzai Bldg 4F, 1-1-12 Hatagaya
Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan 151-0072
T +81 3 5354-3521
F +81 3 5354-3522

Yes, imode is more about the format an wand presentation.

And indeed , a company could adopt the
format and make it available to the public by
adding a compiler ( chip or software) for interpreting it.

So you are right, it has nothing to do (not much) with the
protocol they are using. (But i-mode is using two
differnet tranmission protocol, one for voice and
one for data.)

I would love to know what other cellphone are availble
in Japan but no where else. Are Nokia and Ericsson
phone in Japan i-mode-able?

talk IP?
>
> I have a couple more questions regarding i-mode:
>
> 1) I understand that Web pages for i-mode access are authored using
> Compact-HTML. Is there any client-side scripting support for the same?

No.. not at this point. JVM will be the first client-side scripting support on iMode phones. It will be available in about 6 months.

 
> 2) Can third-party developers write applications that run on i-mode
> phones? Are there any developer toolkits or SDKs available for this
> purpose?
>

iMode is based on HTML. So any HTML (or text) editors can be used to create iMode pages. You just need to know what HTML tags can be used for iMode. For that, go to the following URL.

http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/i/tag/index.html

Good luck,

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan.com

> Well. at leat that is more likely to be availalbe in
> Europe than in US. The GSM is prevailing in Europe and Japan
> but not in US which are based in CDMA and TDMA.
>
> Unless, of course, Japan decide that making these two
> types of phone are a good idea and investment
>

Keep in mind that iMode (just like WAP) is independent of the underlying technology. iMode can be made to run on CDMA and TDMA as well as GSM.

On the handset issue, let me clarify myself. In my earlier email, I meant new Ericsson and Nokia phones in Japan are as almost as attractive as Japanese phones. I don't think Ericsson and Nokia make those phones available anywhere except Japan.

> What will happen when GPRS is ready for launch, and more
> importantly how
> will it effect the Japanese market? As we obviously Know how
> the outcome
> will be in Europe.

When GPRS is launched, user experience on WAP over GPRS will be similar to that of current iMode on PDC-P except that GPRS will be much faster than PDC-P. Japanese operators will not roll out GPRS. As many of you know, they will go directly to 3G. NTT DoCoMo will roll out W-CDMA in 2001 while other operators will follow in 2002. In my opinion, GPRS will not effect Japan market much (if at all), rather Japanese's development of 3G will have tremendous effect on the rest of the World.

> Apart from articles (redHerring, businesweek,...) is there
> any web site out
> there where we can witness what a IMODE user experience can be ?
> As of today, being based in Europe, What are my best options
> to do so ?

There are some iMode simulators out there. However, I has not been able to find one that is in English. Once I do, I will post it here.

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan.com

RE: [iMode_group] Re: PHS siteThanks for the answers, Punnamas!

> iMode is packet-based data technolgy. I'm sure 100% sure
> if it understands IP. For sure, iMode's gateway understands
> IP. I don't know if iMode phones themselves understand IP.
> iMode phones have special iMode browser.

One of the major drawbacks of WAP is that the network technologies and
the markup language (WML) have been specifically designed to accomodate
slow wireless networks and phones with limited screen space and
computing power. While this is true today, it is very likely that the
rapid pace of technological advancement will soon bring about phones and
devices with fast processors and rich multimedia capabilities. WAP does
not account for this -- mobile applications of the future will continue
to be constrained by the straightjacket imposed by WAP.

Moreover the WAP forum has chosen to reinvent the entire protocol stack
down to the network layer, similar to TCP/IP but incompatible. This will
just make the migration to the One True Net a whole lot harder. I really
hope the i-mode folks have made the right choice and have based it on
IP. Does anybody have more info on whether i-mode phones talk IP?

I have a couple more questions regarding i-mode:

1) I understand that Web pages for i-mode access are authored using
Compact-HTML. Is there any client-side scripting support for the same?

2) Can third-party developers write applications that run on i-mode
phones? Are there any developer toolkits or SDKs available for this
purpose?

Thanks again,

Kaushik

Hello,

Apart from articles (redHerring, businesweek,...) is there any web site out
there where we can witness what a IMODE user experience can be ?
I mean, apart from seeing pictures with cute Hellokitty dolls appearing on a
16 colors screenphone in the hand of a smiling tradeshow hostess, I'd like
to see something as close as possible to the real thing, without having to
fly out there.
As of today, being based in Europe, What are my best options to do so ?


Francis Cohen.

Being relatively new to the concept of i-Mode, I must admit that I am under
the impression that i-Mode is not much more sophisticated that WAP, but just
looks better.

What will happen when GPRS is ready for launch, and more importantly how
will it effect the Japanese market? As we obviously Know how the outcome
will be in Europe.

Matt Kelly


----- Original Message -----
From: Hung-Hsien Chang <hubert@...>
To: <iMode_group@egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 12:34 PM
Subject: Re: [iMode_group] Clever market move?


> Well. at leat that is more likely to be availalbe in
> Europe than in US. The GSM is prevailing in Europe and Japan
> but not in US which are based in CDMA and TDMA.
>
> Unless, of course, Japan decide that making these two
> types of phone are a good idea and investment
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Make new friends, find the old at Classmates.com:
> http://click.egroups.com/1/4052/4/_/_/_/958476860/
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> iMode_group-unsubscribe@egroups.com
>
>
>
>

Now if the WAP telcos would just adopt DoCoMo's
business model we might have lift-off.

Cheers, Scott

----- Original Message -----
From: lemms lemms <lemms@...>
To: <iMode_group@egroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2000 1:07 PM
Subject: Re: [iMode_group] PHS


Interesting news...
WAP Standards to Support NTT DoCoMo's iMode Service.

Louis Chua
Satama UK

WAP Standards to Support NTT DoCoMo's iMode Service
March 13, 2000 (TOKYO) -- Mobile phones with Internet access, which show
content from the Web, are increasingly coming in handy for a wide variety of
users.

The iMode service provided by NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT
DoCoMo) has attracted more than 3.7 million users in less than a year since
the inception of the service.

On the other hand, services that use the Wireless Application Protocol
(WAP), or a different specification than that of iMode, are also taking on
the iMode service.

In Japan, IDO Corp. provides the EZaccess service, and eight companies in
the Cellular Phone Group and TU-KA Group (both affiliated with DDI Corp.)
provide the EZweb service. The three groups -- IDO, Cellular and Tu-Ka --
had about 700,000 to 800,000 users at the end of January, DDI said.

There is no compatibility between the two formats. In catching up with the
iMode, the WAP camp intends to expand functions that are not available with
iMode, and to propose them to relevant organizations for standardizing. It
is likely that WAP will support the iMode specifications.

WAP "De-Facto Standard" Specifications for Mobile Phones

The iMode service was developed by NTT DoCoMo based on content description
language and protocol for the Internet, such as the hypertext markup
language (HTML) and hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). Nevertheless, the
company emphasizes compatibility with the Internet standards, which means
they are not entirely NTT DoCoMo's own specifications.

WAP is an international de-facto standard protocol defined by the WAP Forum,
which is an industry organization with many members, including mobile
telecom companies, device vendors, software companies and others. WAP was
developed in an effort to build efficient access to the Internet from mobile
phones. The wireless markup language (WML), a content description language,
conforms to XML, a content description language recommended by the WWW
Consortium (W3C) in February 1998. XML is an expanded version of the HTML
functions.

Today, more than 20 companies provide WAP and WAP-based services across the
world. To be more accurate, most of them provide, rather than WAP, services
based on the UP specifications, or the source of WAP.

Currently, the domestic WAP camp is also providing services based on the UP
specifications, which were developed by Phone.com Inc. (formerly Unwired
Planet Inc.: UP) for mobile phones.

The specifications include the handheld device markup language (HDML) and
handheld device transport protocol (HDTP).

WAP Camp Likely to Adopt IMode Specifications

IMode content can be created only by partially modifying the existing
content written in HTML format, which is an advantage. On the other hand,
HDML used for the EZaccess/EZweb is not compatible with HTML. This requires
creating contents from scratch using a new description language. As a
result, WAP offers less content than iMode.

Are iMode and WAP in direct competition -- trying to eat up each other's
slice of the pie? The answer is "no." The WAP specifications are being
created so as to take in the iMode specifications.

IDO and DDI plan to expand the service functions of EZaccess/EZweb
independently, without waiting for the finalization of the WAP
standardization.

"For the time being, because we compete with iMode, we will add functions by
ourselves. For example, we are examining within DDI a sought-after function
that allows users to view e-mails off-line, and will be offered sooner or
later," a DDI official said.

IDO and DDI intend to propose their own expansion plans of this kind to the
WAP Forum.

NTT DoCoMo Ships WAP Terminals

Also, NTT DoCoMo is making a positive proposal of the iMode specifications
to WAP Forum. As a consequence, the iMode specifications are likely to be
introduced into the WAP specifications. NTT DoCoMo is a member of WAP Forum.

When iMode developments were underway, NTT DoCoMo studied WAP too, but it
shelved the adoption. However, this has not detached NTT DoCoMo from WAP.

The company began to sell a WAP-based PHS/cellular phone called Mobile Get
in late February, although not for retail (its sale is limited to members of
"PAT," an online ticketing system for horse-racing of the Japan Racing
Association.)

Content Description Language Will Be XHTML

Different content description languages will turn out to be a problem to
content providers. This might already be solved as WAP is believed to
encompass Internet standard specifications.

On Jan. 26, the W3C recommended the extensible hypertext markup language
(XHTML), which will supersede HTML4.0.

XHTML is an XML-based content description language and is compatible with
HTML. The WAP Forum plans to introduce WML into XHTML in cooperation with
W3C. The next-phase WAP is expected to be able to support both the XHTML and
WML contents.

In the future, users will be able to access content regardless of terminals
-- such as PCs and mobile phones.

Although still under development, XHTML will incorporate a function called
the composite capability/preference profiles (CC/PP) to recognize
characteristics differing from device to device. This function enables
downloading of content to be done in an optimal way depending on capacity of
a terminal used for access. For example, when access is made from a mobile
phone, content sufficient for display on the terminal is downloaded.



>From: "Graham Brown" <firsttuesday@...>
>Reply-To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>Subject: [iMode_group] PHS
>Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 20:33:26 -0000
>
>PHS is not an implementation of I-mode but actually a network in
>itself. It was much cheaper than ordinary cell phones and was based
>on a local network in Tokyo rather than national coverage.
>
>Graham
>

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Best friends, most artistic, class clown Find 'em here:
http://click.egroups.com/1/4054/4/_/_/_/958468052/
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To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
iMode_group-unsubscribe@egroups.com

Well. at leat that is more likely to be availalbe in
Europe than in US. The GSM is prevailing in Europe and Japan
but not in US which are based in CDMA and TDMA.

Unless, of course, Japan decide that making these two
types of phone are a good idea and investment

Yes. Download the character is a 'fashion' thing in Japan
but that won't work with the European and US phone.

They suck.
All of them.

Interesting news...
WAP Standards to Support NTT DoCoMo's iMode Service.

Louis Chua
Satama UK

WAP Standards to Support NTT DoCoMo's iMode Service
March 13, 2000 (TOKYO) -- Mobile phones with Internet access, which show
content from the Web, are increasingly coming in handy for a wide variety of
users.

The iMode service provided by NTT Mobile Communications Network Inc. (NTT
DoCoMo) has attracted more than 3.7 million users in less than a year since
the inception of the service.

On the other hand, services that use the Wireless Application Protocol
(WAP), or a different specification than that of iMode, are also taking on
the iMode service.

In Japan, IDO Corp. provides the EZaccess service, and eight companies in
the Cellular Phone Group and TU-KA Group (both affiliated with DDI Corp.)
provide the EZweb service. The three groups -- IDO, Cellular and Tu-Ka --
had about 700,000 to 800,000 users at the end of January, DDI said.

There is no compatibility between the two formats. In catching up with the
iMode, the WAP camp intends to expand functions that are not available with
iMode, and to propose them to relevant organizations for standardizing. It
is likely that WAP will support the iMode specifications.

WAP "De-Facto Standard" Specifications for Mobile Phones

The iMode service was developed by NTT DoCoMo based on content description
language and protocol for the Internet, such as the hypertext markup
language (HTML) and hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP). Nevertheless, the
company emphasizes compatibility with the Internet standards, which means
they are not entirely NTT DoCoMo's own specifications.

WAP is an international de-facto standard protocol defined by the WAP Forum,
which is an industry organization with many members, including mobile
telecom companies, device vendors, software companies and others. WAP was
developed in an effort to build efficient access to the Internet from mobile
phones. The wireless markup language (WML), a content description language,
conforms to XML, a content description language recommended by the WWW
Consortium (W3C) in February 1998. XML is an expanded version of the HTML
functions.

Today, more than 20 companies provide WAP and WAP-based services across the
world. To be more accurate, most of them provide, rather than WAP, services
based on the UP specifications, or the source of WAP.

Currently, the domestic WAP camp is also providing services based on the UP
specifications, which were developed by Phone.com Inc. (formerly Unwired
Planet Inc.: UP) for mobile phones.

The specifications include the handheld device markup language (HDML) and
handheld device transport protocol (HDTP).

WAP Camp Likely to Adopt IMode Specifications

IMode content can be created only by partially modifying the existing
content written in HTML format, which is an advantage. On the other hand,
HDML used for the EZaccess/EZweb is not compatible with HTML. This requires
creating contents from scratch using a new description language. As a
result, WAP offers less content than iMode.

Are iMode and WAP in direct competition -- trying to eat up each other's
slice of the pie? The answer is "no." The WAP specifications are being
created so as to take in the iMode specifications.

IDO and DDI plan to expand the service functions of EZaccess/EZweb
independently, without waiting for the finalization of the WAP
standardization.

"For the time being, because we compete with iMode, we will add functions by
ourselves. For example, we are examining within DDI a sought-after function
that allows users to view e-mails off-line, and will be offered sooner or
later," a DDI official said.

IDO and DDI intend to propose their own expansion plans of this kind to the
WAP Forum.

NTT DoCoMo Ships WAP Terminals

Also, NTT DoCoMo is making a positive proposal of the iMode specifications
to WAP Forum. As a consequence, the iMode specifications are likely to be
introduced into the WAP specifications. NTT DoCoMo is a member of WAP Forum.

When iMode developments were underway, NTT DoCoMo studied WAP too, but it
shelved the adoption. However, this has not detached NTT DoCoMo from WAP.

The company began to sell a WAP-based PHS/cellular phone called Mobile Get
in late February, although not for retail (its sale is limited to members of
"PAT," an online ticketing system for horse-racing of the Japan Racing
Association.)

Content Description Language Will Be XHTML

Different content description languages will turn out to be a problem to
content providers. This might already be solved as WAP is believed to
encompass Internet standard specifications.

On Jan. 26, the W3C recommended the extensible hypertext markup language
(XHTML), which will supersede HTML4.0.

XHTML is an XML-based content description language and is compatible with
HTML. The WAP Forum plans to introduce WML into XHTML in cooperation with
W3C. The next-phase WAP is expected to be able to support both the XHTML and
WML contents.

In the future, users will be able to access content regardless of terminals
-- such as PCs and mobile phones.

Although still under development, XHTML will incorporate a function called
the composite capability/preference profiles (CC/PP) to recognize
characteristics differing from device to device. This function enables
downloading of content to be done in an optimal way depending on capacity of
a terminal used for access. For example, when access is made from a mobile
phone, content sufficient for display on the terminal is downloaded.



>From: "Graham Brown" <firsttuesday@...>
>Reply-To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>Subject: [iMode_group] PHS
>Date: Mon, 15 May 2000 20:33:26 -0000
>
>PHS is not an implementation of I-mode but actually a network in
>itself. It was much cheaper than ordinary cell phones and was based
>on a local network in Tokyo rather than national coverage.
>
>Graham
>

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com

At 08:15 16/05/00 +0000, you wrote:
> > I think i-mode has graphical advantage given the superior
> > LCD on the NTT DoCoMo cell phone. European and US cell
> > phone suck. They really do. I don't get it why they
> > can't be more consumer oriented. We want nice
> > clean refined screen. Also, the cellphone in Japan
> > doesn't cost that much so I doubt if it is a prices issue.
> >
>
>You are right that Japanese phones are more attractive than those in US or
>Europe (though, the newer Nokia and Ericsson phones are almost as
>attractive.) Japanese consumers are very demanding in term of
>user-friendliness (ex. weight, graphic, battery life, size), much more
>demanding than Americans or Europeans --much of it is because of Japanese
>mobile lifestyles.

I don't think there is much in it now between i-Mode handsets and the
latest European ones in terms of physical characteristics. The big win
iMode has is its technical advantage ie always on packet based interface.
However that will change by late summer here in the UK and in a number of
other parts of Europe as network operators turn on their GPRS packet based
capability (128Kb always on). Many GPRS handsets were shown last week in
the UK.

> > On top of that, Java will be in the next cell phone
> > but for Europe and US, they are just slow at it.
> >
>
>That's right.. In about 6 months, iMode phones will support JVM. That will
>open soooo many possibilities for mobile applications and services. The fact
>that NTT DoCoMo decides to develop iMode on their own based on a
>well-defined standard HTML, rather than waiting for WAP forum to agree on
>something, makes iMode technology develop much faster. The current issue of
>Redherring has excellent article on iMode. It's not available on Web yet.
>I'll try to get someone to scan it in for me and I'll post it to the group.


One of the new handsets shown last week was the GPRS version of the
Motorola P1088 which has Java built in and has both WAP & HTML browsers and
an email client. It will also allow for the over the air delivery of Java
applications to extend the capability of the phone. This handset is
available now in its non GPRS version with the GPRS version to follow late
in the summer.

Hi all,

With the procurement of 15% of KPN (the Dutch telco), by Japans NTT
DoCoMo, and the rumored purchase of the UK telco Orange by KPN, does
anyone think that there is a possibility of i-mode technology being
made available in the UK through the Orange Network?

Matt Kelly
Technical Director

www.netucate-online.co.uk

matt@...

http://www.businessweek.com/2000/00_21/b3682028.htm

Here's a brand-new article that covers a lot of territory...



Stephen Knight
General Manager, Japan
iJapan.com

>
> Well. if redherring has an article on iMode then
> it is proably online. might as well just give the URL.
>
RedHerring makes their contents available on the web, one month after the magazine is published.

>
> Nokia and Ericsson's phone while is improved in the future
> version it is NOT anywhere close to the CURRENT NTT DoCoMo
> phone in terms of resolution. Is it a cost driven decision?
> I don't know.

One extremely smart (and turned out to be critical) strategy that NTT DoCoMo did was that DoCoMo realized that the "real" value in mobile Internet is in contents and services, not so much on the underlying technology. Therefore, from the begining DoCoMo worked with content/service providers to get their buy-in and encourage them to create contents/services for iMode. This strategy allowed them to stimulate high level of consumer interest from the beginning. As it turns out, one of the most popular fee-based services is downloading of pictures and cartoons. So DoCoMo was forced to offer high resolution mobile phones. The service is attracting over 1 million subscribers; each paying 100Yen or about 1 USD per month, yielding over 1 mil USD in revenue every month for the service provider. The for-fee micropayment charge service is extremely powerful business model for mobile Internet in Japan.

Well. if redherring has an article on iMode then
it is proably online. might as well just give the URL.

I think high resolution screen is very important.
The Japan's phone is ligh weight while the US and European's
cellphone is not. You think Star Teck is light,well, that
is becuase you have not hold one cellphone from NTT DoCoMo.

It is like a toy. My Goodeness, IT IS A TOY!
I just wish the other continent wakes up. Otherwise,
NTT DoCoMo will be the Honda of the Wireless world.
(and Lexus, infinity....etc) :-)

Nokia and Ericsson's phone while is improved in the future
version it is NOT anywhere close to the CURRENT NTT DoCoMo
phone in terms of resolution. Is it a cost driven decision?
I don't know.

I was told there are SO many fun thing you can do
with i-mode. While can't go and live in Japan I would
love to see some information sharing here.

Anyone from Japan would like to tell the stories?

Hubert

>
> I am just curious that how the i-mode and WAP will be
> merged.
>

I have no detail on this yet. It is an announcement made by NTT DoCoMo. Check the following link for the announcement.

TITLE : WAP Standards to Support NTT DoCoMo's iMode Service
URL : http://www.nikkeibp.asiabiztech.com/wcs/frm/leaf?CID=onair/asabt/fw/96753

If anyone has more detail, please share it with the rest of the group.

 
> I think i-mode has graphical advantage given the superior
> LCD on the NTT DoCoMo cell phone. European and US cell
> phone suck. They really do. I don't get it why they
> can't be more consumer oriented. We want nice
> clean refined screen. Also, the cellphone in Japan
> doesn't cost that much so I doubt if it is a prices issue.
>

You are right that Japanese phones are more attractive than those in US or Europe (though, the newer Nokia and Ericsson phones are almost as attractive.) Japanese consumers are very demanding in term of user-friendliness (ex. weight, graphic, battery life, size), much more demanding than Americans or Europeans --much of it is because of Japanese mobile lifestyles.

> On top of that, Java will be in the next cell phone
> but for Europe and US, they are just slow at it.
>

That's right.. In about 6 months, iMode phones will support JVM. That will open soooo many possibilities for mobile applications and services. The fact that NTT DoCoMo decides to develop iMode on their own based on a well-defined standard HTML, rather than waiting for WAP forum to agree on something, makes iMode technology develop much faster. The current issue of Redherring has excellent article on iMode. It's not available on Web yet. I'll try to get someone to scan it in for me and I'll post it to the group.

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan.com

I am just curious that how the i-mode and WAP will be
merged.

I think i-mode has graphical advantage given the superior
LCD on the NTT DoCoMo cell phone. European and US cell
phone suck. They really do. I don't get it why they
can't be more consumer oriented. We want nice
clean refined screen. Also, the cellphone in Japan
doesn't cost that much so I doubt if it is a prices issue.

On top of that, Java will be in the next cell phone
but for Europe and US, they are just slow at it.

Hubert

PHS is not an implementation of I-mode but actually a network in
itself. It was much cheaper than ordinary cell phones and was based
on a local network in Tokyo rather than national coverage.

Graham

1) The article above says that PHS uses ISDN. Since Udhay mentions that
i-mode is an implemention of PHS, does it follow that i-mode requires
ISDN too?

iMode is not quite an implementation of PHS. Like WAP, iMode is independent of underlying transport technologies. Currently, there is only a bearer service for PDC (Japanese version of TDMA). I'm sure that NTT DoCoMo is working on other bearer services. The recent acquisition of KPN in Switzerland and Hutshison Whompoa in Hong Kong signal DoCoMo intention to expand globally. Getting back to the point, no.. iMode does not requires IDSN.

2) Is the i-mode service based on IP?  Do i-mode phones require a
special protocol stack a la WAP?

iMode is packet-based data technolgy. I'm sure 100% sure if it understands IP. For sure, iMode's gateway understands IP. I don't know if iMode phones themselves understand IP. iMode phones have special iMode browser.

3) When accessing Web content via i-mode, do you have to go through a
gateway? A WAP gateway serves as the intermediary between WAP protocols
and HTTP. Is there an equivalent for i-mode?

Yes.. as mentioned above.. web contents must go thru iMode gateways. The iMode network architecture is very much similar to that of WAP. There is a gateway between the NTT DoCoMo network and the Internet.

4) Is i-mode compatible with other always-connected wireless
technologies like CDPD?

No.. iMode is not currently compatible with any other technologies. However, DoCoMo has a plan to make iMode phones understand WAP later. Personally, I think iMode technology and WAP will merge with the outcome looks more like iMode than WAP.

Incidentally, the link to the BusinessWeek article posted earlier on
this list is available only to subscribers. I found this other article
on DoCoMo also on BusinessWeek that's accessible freely (I'm not sure if
it's the same article):

    http://www.businessweek.com/reprints/00-03/b3664010.htm

yes.. it is the same article. Thanks, :))

Punnamas Vichitkulwongsa
VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan.com
Tokyo Office
T +81 3 5354-4521
F +81 3 5354-3522

USA office
T +1 (425) 709-2900 x25
F +1 (425) 709-2909

>1- I wonder if anyone can provide some approximate
statistics/estimates
>about the 9,000+ iMode enabled sites?
>- How many sites are owned by large businesses, small and medium
>businesses,
>and individuals?

From my research, about 3,000 - 4,000 sites are owned by businesses.
The
rest are personal pages.

>- How many of these have billing relationships with DoCoMo (i.e.
DoCoMo
>acts
>as the billing and collection agent on behalf of site owners)?

NTT DoCoMo has what's called "NTT official sites." These are sites
that you
can find from the default directory listing without having to know
and type
in site URLs. Most people are finding iMode sites thru NTT's listing.
There
are currently about 600+ official sites. Of those, about 300-400 have
billing relationships.

Otherwise,
>how do site owners collect fees from users if they collect fees at
all?

Unless the site becomes a NTT official site, the site owner must find
some
other means such as credit card to collect fees. Due to the low usage
of
credit card in Japan, this option alone is not viable. Other payment
options

are available, however, mobile users do not want to set up a payment
account

with each individual site owner seperately. Therefore, site owners
who want
to collect fees are currently at the mercy of NTT to admit them into
their
"official" web site list.

>
>2- What are the business models typically available to applications
>developers when they join DoCoMo's iMode program?

Hmm..I'm not sure I understand this question. Please clarify.

Are there cases where the
>iMode site owner versions it for WAP to reach the customers of the
mobile
>operators (other than DoCoMo) who have elected to use WAP?
>

I think there are some sites that have automatic iMode to WAP
conversion.
However, I haven't tried them out myself.

Hope that helps.

Punnamas

VP, Wireless Contents and Services
iJapan.com
punnamas@...

>Sorry for the multiple questions. Hope someone can provide info.
Thanks.
>
>Ramon

> Here's a reasonably good site on PHS, of which i-mode is
> an implementation.
>
> http://www.ddi.co.jp/oper/phs/index.html
>
> Udhay

Thanks for the link! I have some further questions regarding iMode which
perhaps somebody on this list can answer:

1) The article above says that PHS uses ISDN. Since Udhay mentions that
i-mode is an implemention of PHS, does it follow that i-mode requires
ISDN too?

2) Is the i-mode service based on IP?  Do i-mode phones require a
special protocol stack a la WAP?

3) When accessing Web content via i-mode, do you have to go through a
gateway? A WAP gateway serves as the intermediary between WAP protocols
and HTTP. Is there an equivalent for i-mode?

4) Is i-mode compatible with other always-connected wireless
technologies like CDPD?

Incidentally, the link to the BusinessWeek article posted earlier on
this list is available only to subscribers. I found this other article
on DoCoMo also on BusinessWeek that's accessible freely (I'm not sure if
it's the same article):

     http://www.businessweek.com/reprints/00-03/b3664010.htm

Cheers!

Kaushik

Hi,

Here's a reasonably good site on PHS, of which i-mode is an implementation.

http://www.ddi.co.jp/oper/phs/index.html

Udhay
--
   _____________________________________________________________________
   http://www.unimobile.com/                     http://pobox.com/~udhay
              Unimobile -  the world's first internet mobile

Hi all,

Though this article is not most up-to-date (in Feb edition of
Business Week), it provides very good introduction to NTT's iMode
technology, services, market potentials.  I think that you might be
interested.

http://www.businessweek.com/premium/00_19/b3680086.htm

Thanks,
Punnamas

See attachment for the emulator. It runs on Windows platform. However, you
need Japanese OS to see everything.

There is no specifications on iMode which is using c-HTML. You can find HTML
tags available for c-HTML at www.nttdocomo.co.jp/i/tag/index.html.

Hope that helps.

Punnamas


>From: marsaro@...
>Reply-To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>To: iMode_group@egroups.com
>Subject: [iMode_group] Emulation
>Date: Tue, 02 May 2000 04:21:17 -0000
>
>I am looking for an Emulator that will run on Linux or Win32
>
>Any ideas?
>
>What about spcifications for the standard????
>
>
>Regards,
>
>Jon
>
>
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I am looking for an Emulator that will run on Linux or Win32

Any ideas?

What about spcifications for the standard????


Regards,

Jon

Hi..

My name is Punnamas. I just formed this group on 04/21. Please feel
free to share your knowledge, thoughts, or post questions here in
this group. I'm looking forward to hearing from you all.

I will try my best to share my knowledge and experiences I have gain
developing a wireless portal for Japan market. In this discussion
group, I will also try to post intersting and useful articles about
iMode technology.

Hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,

Punnamas
Wireless Architect
iJapan.com
www.gabugabu.com/i