Here are three new PCMCIA cards from Willcom that support the new "W-OAM" standard, which is basically just a high-speed version of PHS.

Livedoor, the "Yahoo" of Japan (besides Yahoo Japan), decides they want to offer wireless internet access via "iBurst." They have applied to the Ministry of Basically Everything to enter the 2GHz wireless band.

Though somewhat out of the question for us Americans, European readers will likely be excited to see that three companies are getting dangerously close to unveiling WiFi connections in trains traveling at 130kph (80mph). Those three companies are Shutoken Shintoshi Tetsudou (translates as "Greater Tokyo Railroad," I guess), Intel, and NTT Broadband Platform (NTTBP). How close? Well, they're testing the system in a real train o­n August 24th.

A pretty nice system unveiled by Fujitsu at the "Fujitsu Forum 2005" incorporates a technique called "Time Difference of Arrival" to calculate the position of objects in a closed environment. So, you'll be able to pinpoint the location of a wireless LAN card (and thus computer, and thus person) with an accuracy of 1 to 4 meters. This is o­n par with similar triangulation systems offered by GPS and PHS.

Google has launched the Japanese version of their acclaimed mapping service. You'll find all of your standard Google Maps features such as routes and "Local Search." Be sure to take a look. The English version previously had Japan mapped out to some extent, but ZENRIN takes their level of detail to the umpteenth degree, even giving the locations of buildings in remote places such as... Mihara, near Hiroshima. They've integrated their data with the English version of Google Maps, so all the better for those of you unable to input Japanese characters.

Throw out that crappy $12 headset you bought at Wal-Mart to talk o­n Skype, because IO Data's new hotness is o­n the horizon. The 'PDI-B911/PHF" is a Bluetooth hands-free kit that connects to your PC via USB.

But for some reason, the device is limited to PCs that do not have integrated Bluetooth.

One of Japan's largest ISPs, the Softbank Group, is expanding the coverage of their IP-based video-delivery service, BBTV, to all of Japan's 47 prefectures from July 1. The price of the service is pretty reasonable (approx $20-30/month) but I'd want to check out the video quality before committing to the service.

Do we really need another wireless data transmission standard? Kyocera apparently thinks so; their "iBurst" system is slightly slower than wireless LAN (while still faster than 3G cellular), with a slightly wider range than wireless LAN (though still not as wide range as 3G cellular).

In other words, iBurst is the middle ground between cellular and wireless LAN.

Thought I'd drop this link in here - it's an AsiaBizTech article about how NTT DoComo will begin offering wireless hotspots o­n airplanes through their mzone wireless LAN service, and Boeing's Connexion technology.
We first heard about Connexion back at Mitsubishi's R&D event in February. According to the specifics of Mitsubishi's antenna (and assuming this same antenna will be used o­n the planes offering this service starting in August), the maximum downstream is 20Mbps and the upstream 1Mbps.

The limit does not apply to Flet's ADSL users, rather to other users of Flet's. I believe they offer 12mbps FTTH connections. Things are supposed to be limited starting o­n the 23rd.
This restriction o­nly applies to upload; download traffic does not count towards the daily limit.