NTT DoCoMo announced today the development of the new 902i series of 3G FOMA handsets.

The 902i series is equipped for several new DoCoMo services, including the PushTalk walkie-talkie-style communication service, the ToruCa information capture service, and the i-channel information update service. The series will be compatible with DoCoMo's new Multi number service, which will enable up to three phone numbers to be assigned to the same handset (starts in mid-November).

About the new services (You might wonder that why we introduce things that only works in Japan, but we think it is good to know how you can make use of mobile technology)

PushTalk

The new PushTalk service on the FOMA packet-communications network will allow phones to be used like walkie-talkies for simultaneous, one-way communication from one 902i user to as many as four other 902i users.

PushTalk plus, tentatively scheduled for January 2006, allows the speaker to speak simultaneously to as many as 19 other users. A specific group of people (such as a project team, work crew, etc.) can be registered in the user directory under a single group entry. 

ToruCa

The new ToruCa service will enable users to obtain information by simply waving their phones in front of dedicated reader/writers installed at restaurants, theaters, music stores, arcades and other establishments. For example, when a user buys a CD at a store using DoCoMo's "Osaifu-Keitai" mobile phone with wallet functions, they can wave their DoCoMo phone in front of a reader/writer to receive information about the CD, the artist, any promotional coupons offered by the artist's recording label, and more.

i-channel

Subscribers to DoCoMo's i-channel information update service can request to automatically receive updates covering news, weather, entertainment, sports, horoscopes and more. The information is delivered automatically to the phone's standby screen as telop text.

Enhanced Security Scan

Until now, occasional updates of DoCoMo phone software have been performed manually by users, but with the 902i series, the FOMA server will perform automatic, background updates of phone software as required.

More info of each individual phone at next page if you interested