PiPit Phone

Juniper Foo | Aug 05, 2004

From computerized bidets to Hello Kitty robots, Japan has trumped up yet another cool tech--a phone with a one-button emergency call feature for the elderly, women and the young. Given its consumer base, don't expect bells and whistles. The handset accepts just three phone numbers and has a grand total of five buttons--three for assigned phone numbers and two for Send and End. The mobile also has email functions and can automatically make calls to the three pre-registered numbers if a security buzzer at the back is activated. Not surprisingly, the fonts are large and easy to read, while phonetic symbols allow the younger set to understand onscreen text. Responsible for the PiPit's genesis are Toyota Motors (yup, the car maker), PHS carrier DDI Pocket and Kyocera. And yes, they're also responsible for the rather Mickey Mouse outlook of the phone considering the other half of its target audience.

Price: Monthly basic rate of about US$7.50 plus call charges.
Availability: Toyota chain stores and mobile shops in Japan from September 4
Device: PHS handset
Basic specs: Claimed talktime of 8 hours, standby of 800 hours, 6 hours charging time, 69g, 120 x 32-dot LCD screen, choice of Fresh-Blue, Noble-Silver and Sweet-Pink

Filed under: Mobile Phones
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