On Mon, 8 May 2006 03:32:55 +0900
"Shannon Jacobs" <shanen@gmx.co.uk> wrote:
> > Date: Sat, 06 May 2006 22:36:26 +0900
> > From: "Arnold P. Siboro" <asiboro@maltech.jp>
> > Subject: Re: Sharp Zero3 from WillCom
> >
> > If you can read Japanese, there are tons of links to zero3 related
> > information. Looking at Google search result, it is clear that zero3
> ...
> Yes, but... As already noted, I don't read it very quickly, and I think I
> could probably get more from a 20-minute discussion with you as an
> English-speaking user than from 2 hours of reading in Japanese. Perhaps we
> could meet somewhere like Mickey House?
Hmm I don't even know where you are located, Japan?? :D
Well, the fact is we may live in different Japanese cities which are very
far apart.
> > As zero3 user, I find zero3 very useful, easy to use and economical at
> > the same time. It only costs about 5,000yen for unlimited packet at
> > 64Kbps, and I can type email with both hands. The only major drawback
> > was battery life: it lasts less than a day under heavy use (and much
> > less if you use wifi).
>
> Actually, I'm interested in the 4x (128 Kbps) service. I've been told that
> there may be a way to set it up for unlimited packet use around 7,000
> yen/month by combining some of their confusing service offerings. I'm also
> unsure if that approach is compatible with my ISP, Asahi-Net. There is also
> a packet-hodai service at 4x for about 9,000 yen/month, and that might be
> suitable for my purposes.
Yes, I think it is confusing even for native Japanese. I had to read it
like I read engineering books to understand it:p
The one I mentioned was "リアルインターネットプラス" (http://www.willcom-inc.com/ja/plan/option/rip/index.html),
which is only for "ウィルコム定額プラン"
(http://www.willcom-inc.com/ja/plan/phone/fixed_rate/index.html). And "ウィルコム定額プラン"
is only for the zero3.
"ウィルコム定額プラン" gives user unlimited access to Willcom e-mail and
"lightmail" as well as unlimited voice between Willcom users for
2,900yen/month. The speed is 4x (128Kbps)
"リアルインターネットプラス" adds unlimited data for any app on the
zero3 as well as for PC using the zero3 as modem, for 2,100yen/month.
The speed is 2x (64Kbps).
These combined makes up the 5,000 unlimited packet service plan.
If you need unlimited 4x service, "データ定額", not "リアルインターネットプラス".
>
> I've heard about these battery problems, and they worry me somewhat. Do you
> carry your charger? Can it charge effectively from the USB cable?
When I am away for most hours of the day, I carry my charger. The USB
cable included won't charge zero3. You need a separate USB cable made by
3rd party. I don't have one yet, so I don't know how effective it is.
BTW, there is also a charger made by 3rd party much smaller than the one
supplied by Willcom (about as the same size as au/FOMA chargers). There
is also 2-in-1 USB cable, with which you can sync zero3 to PC while
charging it.
>
> I'm also interested in your wifi experiences. It sounds like you don't use
> the handwriting recognition for input?
I regularly use wifi on zero3 at home when I am installing program
directly from the internet, or when I am in "寝モバ" (surfing while in
futon). The speed is OK.
I am impatient, so I use the keyboard most of the time.
> > major reason it stands out. Of course it can be very inconvenient when
> > what you want to access is a keitai only sites. BTW, it seems that
> > most
> > zero3 users have keitai (au/docomo/vodafone), like I do, so when zero3
> > cannot access certain sites, we just switch to keitai.
>
> I thought it was running Opera? As implemented on my current Kyocera phone,
> Opera has a mode switch for keitai mode.
No, it's Pocket IE. Remember, this is a Windows device. BTW, I forgot to
mention that you need to expect system crashes and reboots.. this is
Windows after all.
I use Opera too, but it is not installed by default. The only browser
installed by default is PocketIE.
>
> One of my goals is to avoid having multiple devices such as a separate
> mobile phone. Actually, I'd be interested in consolidating all of my
> non-work communications and even eliminating my ADSL service.
I simply cannot toss my au for Willcom for now, au signal reception is
just too perfect. And even 4x (128Kbps) is just too slow for heavy browsing
and downloading.
Arnold P. Siboro (asiboro@maltech.jp)
"The best way to predict the future is to invent it"
--Alan C. Kay (Apple Fellow).
Received on Mon May 8 07:06:46 2006