mobile technology and culture in Tokyo?

April 15, 2008 4:41 PM

Does DoCoMo still have a showroom in Tokyo? I've found many web references to this fabled window into the future but I can't find the address anywhere. Are there any other places/shops in Tokyo that would be of interest to somebody who wants to learn about the latest mobile developments in Japan and about their mobile culture?
posted by blogenstock to Technology (4 answers total)

Best answer: DoCoMo has a technical lab in Akihabara where you can try out the latest phones and features.

There's also au's Design Studio in Harajuku. If you want to read about the latest happenings in the industry, I recommend ケータイ Watch or Nikkei's 携帯＆モバイル ITpro site.
posted by armage at 5:47 PM on April 15, 2008

Darn, came in here to suggest the exact same thing as armage... I'm an au user myself, and that place in Harajuku is pretty fun. It's also close to the big Softbank store on Omotesando, so that's a bonus.
posted by misozaki at 5:57 PM on April 15, 2008

Incidentally, if you want to see what manufacturers and carriers are planning to release in coming years, you should attend expos like Expo Comm Wireless Japan in July or CEATEC in October. The carrier showrooms focus on current models and don't tend to show a lot of next-generation things that the manufacturers are working on.
posted by armage at 6:23 PM on April 15, 2008

Plus the expos have booth girls ;)
posted by ejoey at 7:02 PM on April 15, 2008 [1 favorite]