Mobiles

Taking into account that they do like their gadgets in Japan, I still think the big mobile phone companies are really holding out on the good stuff in Europe. Here's a side-by-side photos of one of the current 0yen (ie. free) handests you get when you sign up for a subscription to a mobile network in Japan and some of the free handsets you can choose from when you sign up with Vodafone or O2 in Ireland. Guess which one is Japanese (Hint: it's the one with the rotating screen and built-in tv) Why the disparity? Even my phone from 3 years ago is better than most of the brand new ones on sale in Dublin. It kind of mirrors the situation with in car sat-nav units. These are advertised all over the place here now but most if not all of them have tiny screens that you stick on to the dashboard with a suction grip. Here's another side-by-side only this time is a current unit on sale here versue a 3 year old one from Osaka: Grr.. As it's January I have nothing actually interesting to say except that its less than a month til i finish work! However, if it happens to coincide with a worldwide recession I will be very upset.