Sunday, October 25, 2009

Mobile Felica

I just would like to provide a comment as a Mobile Felica user.
I have used a Softbank mobile phone which is made by Sharp for two years. This mobile phone has included IC chip, Felica chip, into which I have installed some applications, such as Mobile Suica, Nanaco(Seven Eleven), Edy, QUICPay and MacDonald(Discount coupon) Especially, Mobile Suica is very useful for business person like me because there are many good
fanctions. For example;
- Electronic money: can use it at Kiosk, vending machines, and other store at JR-East and Tokyo Metro.
- Commuter pass: can use it at automatic ticket checkers JR-East and Tokyo Metoro.
- Limited express ticket: can get express e-ticket via mobile internet without going to ticket counters.
- Express resrvation: can get Tokaido-shinkansen e-ticket quickly via mobile internet by discount
- Record system: can see track records, which help to make bill to my companey

That is to say, my mobile phone is more important for me than my wallet. In addition, when I lost my mobile phone last year, my data, electronic money, commuter pass..., was protected by Felica security system.
On the other hand, there are some bad points. First, the boot time of applications is very slow. Second, the cost of access internet site is high. Finally, the service area is narrow now; significantly useful in Tokyo, but extremely not useful in Urasa.

I hope the expanding service area and the emerging new mobile phone in near future.

1 comment:

Seiya said...

I agree mobile felica is very usefull tool in our life, and a lot of people become to use it recently. Some specialists commented this function may prevent the rapid growth of iPhone in Japan from now on. (actually, iPhone was already sold about 2 million in Japan) You know well, iPhone was developed as a worldwide model, so they do not have some common functions which Japanese galapagos mobile has as usual, such as 1seg TV and mobile felica. So I also feel little bit unconvinience, but now I enjoy iPhone life it can allow me to use facebook, skype, and youtube etc. but sometimes I want to see Japanese TV through mobile phone...