(keitai-l) US developers for i-mode?

Hello, all.

First, this is indeed one of the more pleasant and informative lists I've
encountered in some time.

I'm a senior developer at a US online game company and we're diligently
expanding our focus and systems into all things wireless.  We've developed
and ported some of our games for J2ME and we're very intrigued by what we've
seen in the Japanese i-mode space.  Specifically, the 503i series seems
ideally suited for a project we're currently undertaking, even given its
iAppli size restrictions.  

So, a some questions:

1.  Is it at all possible, short of hitching a plane to Japan, of picking up
one of these phones for development and demo purposes?  

2.  Obviously, there's a lot to be envied regarding developing and
delivering content via i-mode in Japan, given NTT DoCoMo's model (ie.
apparently, developers can get *PAID*??)  Are there means whereby US
developers and content providers could provide their own services and
content with DoCoMo? 

3.  Is there *any* movement underway to translate the Japanese iAppli docs
(API and specs) into English?  Them there sites that automatically translate
from Japanese make my shrinking brain hurt...

Thanks!

Andrew Langton
Senior Game Developer
Playlink, Inc.
www.playlink.com
andrewl@playlink.com


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