By the way, I don't know if any of you saw this in the news or not, but the Moto GP World Champion Valentino Rossi (one of my heroes) broke his leg in an accident at the Italian GP on Saturday. He is such a huge part of the sport that they actually connected the phone in his hospital room to the loudspeakers at the circuit so that he could speak to the crowd!

It looks like he is going to be out for at least two months, and under the rules, his team have to find another rider to replace him. In case any of them are reading this blog, I just wanted to let them know that I am available :-) (Tonari san too, probably!)

•  David
• 2010年6月 7日 22:10

Hi David,

I enjoyed reading your new entry, and I can easily see that you are completely in love with your new phone. Most of all my foreign co-workers have iPhone, and they really enjoy using it, so they have kept saying to me how nice it is. I am with au at the moment and I don’t want to change to Softbank or docomo. That’s the reason I bought iPod touch with Wifi, so I can access the Internet. Of course, I can’t make a phone call or take a picture with it. But at the moment, it’s enough for me. If au sell these kinds of phones, that is the time for me to change.

take care,
amo

•  amo
• 2010年6月 7日 22:46

correction

If au sell these kinds of phones, that is the time for me to change.
→If au sell these kinds of phones, that will be the time for me to change.

•  amo
• 2010年6月 7日 23:37

Hi Amo,

AU are going to bring out one Windows smart phone and one Android smart phone - probably next week.

•  David
• 2010年6月 7日 23:42

Hi David,

You've been busy for the proofreading these days, and I wonder how many times you should do it, as you have found a few mistakes with the checklist.
Anyway, you are doing the final one. That's nice.

Thanks for sharing what you have learned about smartphones. I also enjoyed reading it, and I'm really interested in them.

Hi amo,

My phone is also au's and I saw the website yesterday. They are bring out a smartphone with Windows and one with Android soon.

I want to write more, but I'm very sleepy.

Good night.

Maki

•  Maki
• 2010年6月 7日 23:58

It's me again.

amo, David wrote about the new phones!

•  Maki
• 2010年6月 8日 00:00

I thought about getting an au smartphone, but I didn't want a Windows one, and I didn't like the design of the Android one. It has a fixed keyboard, and I wanted a touchscreen.

•  David
• 2010年6月 8日 00:13

訂正です。
David wrote about the new phones.　　　　　　→ David had written about the new phones before I posted the comment.

•  Maki
• 2010年6月 8日 00:15

Hi David,

I'm one of those who still don't know much about smartphones, so your explanation is helping me understand from the history to the system in English. I've just read another article in Japanese, and they say X-peria is much easier to write in Japanese than the others because of its unique way. Do you feel the same? What about writing in English?

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 8日 00:28

Hi David

You seem you have a hard time proofreading. I think the most important thing is the most hardest thing. I hope you will find out all of mistakes.

The more I read your comment about a smartphone, the more I want to get one! I love a rich user interface. When my phone gets old and au sells nice smartphone, it's time to change my phone.

Hi amo

I am planning to get a portable wi-fi router and use ipod touch with it. Do you have any portable wi-fi device or use an access point like in McDonald's? If you have a one, please tell me how you feel about that.

Hi everyone

How was your weekend?
I play futsal last Sunday. That was fun. But I have a heavy sore muscle. It's even hard to go to office.
I hope it will be better next morning.

trmr

•  trmr
• 2010年6月 8日 00:49

Hi Maki,

I think your original sentence is fine too, "just" might be necessary though. When David corrected and explained about the similar case of mine before the last entry as yours this time, he gave me three examples as belows.

> "Maki was just saying that you should be careful of boars," but "Maki just said" and "Maki has just said" would be fine too.

So, you can say like...

1) amo, David was just writing about the new phones.

2) amo, David just wrote about the new phones.

3) amo, David has just wrote about the new phones.

If my idea is wrong, please let me know.:)

Hi trmr, did you manage to get to your office?

Hi everyone, have a nice day!

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 8日 10:09

[correction]

> similar cases of mine as yours this time

==> similar cases ... TO yours...

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 8日 10:17

Hi Maki and Tsuneko,

Tsuneko's sentences are all correct, but number 3) should be "has just written."

•  David
• 2010年6月 8日 10:26

Hi David,
Rpoofreading must be tough for you, I guess. I used to edit in-house newsletters when I worded for a company. Of course in Japanese. (Long long time ago, before I got married.)
Smart-phone sounds nice, but I have no sence of gadgets. So I just enjoyed reading your impression of your new phone.

•  Carrie
• 2010年6月 8日 10:38

Hi David and everyone,

Today is the second day in DC; I am really enjoying staying here and absorbed in English.
I did two introduction tours in National Gallery of art and was invited to White House!(Just kidding!) I got a body check at the Capital Hill...

See you then,
(from my friend's PC)

Anne

•  Anne
• 2010年6月 8日 11:18

Hi team,
I have a normal cellphone but it does not allow me to text anything in Japanese. Even if I bought a smartphone, it would not make any difference in the US. It feels really strange to text English to Japanese friends.

Hi Anne,
What hotel in DC are you staying at ?
I'll be walking around K street for lunch tomorrow.
Please say something to me, if we meet there.

•  Appoh
• 2010年6月 8日 12:35

Hi David,

Does Valentino Rossi plan to enter F1 races even now?

Rossi reminds me of Norick Abe. His death was a shock to me at that time. It was really an unreasonable traffic accident!

Sam

•  Sam
• 2010年6月 8日 12:48

Hi David

This topic is very interestig for me because I want to buy a new phone.To tell the truth,I didn't know about smart phone well.I just knew that it's easy to use internet,so your commet is so helpful for me.Thank you.

I almost fall in love with smart phone because I read your comment.As you said,AU are going to bring out smart phone,so I'll check it out.I hope it is nice!

I hope your proofreading goes well:)

Hi Anne

You have a lovely time in DC?Sounds great!
I'm looking forward to your next comment:)

Nao

•  Ｎａｏ
• 2010年6月 8日 16:53

Hi David and everyone,

I've been using iphone since April.
It is good for me.
Especially when I write in English it is very useful.
There are a lots of function.
Once I use it I can't leave it away.

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月 8日 19:23

Hi Anne,

Wow, you've posted the comment from DC! Have you seen Vermeer's? Did you visit White House too? How are you enjoying conversation there? Anyway, enjoy the rest days as well! I didn't know what the Capitol Hillis.

Hi Kazu,

Please tell me what the difference is between the old models and iPhone when you write in English.

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 8日 20:51

Hi tsuneko,

The difference between the old one and iphone.
Well.......first of all, iphone can see web site as if it is a P.C and also iphone can add some software if you want.
I can do google earth on that.
I can listen to music as ipod.
I can use an e-mail as a P.C.
For example,

You have e-mail account as a google.
You have e-mail account as a Yahoo.
You have e-mail account as a Nifty.
These e-mails account can use it with iphone.

These example is just one of a function.
We wouldn't use all function.

Kazu

•  匿名
• 2010年6月 8日 22:21

The new iPhone has just been announced, so if you are thinking of getting one, it's probably better to wait a couple of weeks for the new one.

•  David
• 2010年6月 8日 22:33

Hi Kazu,

Thank you for prompt reply and explanation about the difference, however, actually I wanted to know the difference of how to do 英文入力, because you said as belows.

> Especially when I write in English it is very useful.

Looking forward to your next comment about it.:)

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 8日 22:35

Hi tsuneko,

O.K、I'll explain about it in English.

iphone has a keyboard of alphabet as a screen.
So you can use it directly.

If you want to write "A"
All you have to do is just push the A button on the screen.
If you want to write "C"
All you have to do is just push the C button on the screen.

Old one is different.
In case of old one,if you want to write "C"
You have to push the "2かABC" button 3 times.
It is troublesome.
Don't you think so?

The point is you can write it directly.
Did you get it?

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月 8日 23:22

Anne!!

Wow! What a nice surprise!
Did you see Vermeer's? Did you get the book you mentioned? Anyway, please enjoy the rest of your stay in NY and DC! I'm looking forward to hearing all your story.;-)

Hi tsuneko,

Thank you for your help! I also learned what David explained in the previous entry. I noticed that the sentence needed "just" after posting it, and then I changed my mind and wrote the new one; "David had written about the new phones before I posted the comment.", though I'm not sure whether it's correct or not.:-)

Hi David,

When I read about au's smartphones on the website, I couldn't understand much about them. Your explanation is very helpful for me as well. I also don't like the whole design of the Android one, apart from a fixed keyboard. However, a touchscreen one looks smart! It's much nicer than a fixed keyboard one.;-) I bought my au only 1 and a half years ago, so I should wait at least until November. Maybe they will bring out another smartphones at that time...I hope so!;-)

Hi Kazu,

Thanks for sharing how useful a iPhone is. Writing something like doing on a computer is really nice!
Hmmm, the more hearing about iPhone and smartphones, the more I'd like to get a phone like that.

Bye for now,

Maki

•  Maki
• 2010年6月 9日 00:23

Hi Maki

It's time to go shop,but if you want iphone, as David said, you'd better wait for few a weeks.

Kazu

You can check it as movie on my blog. ;-)

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月 9日 06:17

Hi Kazu,

Thank you for detailed explanation about the new typing system of iPhone. That was very easy to understand and helpful. I'm sure I got it this time.
So, it seems like both Xperia and iPhone has the same kind of keyboard on the screen. Xperia has a QWERTY keyboard, as David mentioned as belows.
Does iphone have a QWERTY keyboard, too? I didn't know what "QWERTY keyboard" is. Did you know about it? キーボードの左側、いちばん上のアルファベットが、Q、W、E、R、T、Yの順に並んでるからそう呼ぶんだって：）

>Typing is much easier than on an old mobile phone because there is a QWERTY keyboard on the screen. No more pressing a key three times to get one letter!

Xperia seems to have a unique way of typing in Japanese. 次に来る可能性のあるアルファベットが大きく見えるらしい。How about iPhone?

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 9日 10:29

Hi tsuneko,

In case of Japanese,
予測変換はありますが、英語の場合は無いようです。(^_^;)

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月 9日 10:53

Hi Tsuneko,

The Xperia has predictive text for both English and Japanese. I'm pretty sure that the iPhone does too. I would be very surprised if it didn't.

•  David
• 2010年6月 9日 11:27

Hi David and Maki,
Thank you for the informatin about au. I heard the news about it the other day, but I didn't know that they were going to bring out smartphones so soon. I thought it would take much more time to launch it. My phone is not so old and I remember that I have to use it at least two years or I should pay extra money for change to new one or something like that. Maybe I should wait another year or so :-(
Hi trmr, 
I have portable wifi, and I use it usually when I am on the train. I really enjoy using it ;-)

•  amo
• 2010年6月 9日 16:16

Hi David and everyone,
It’s been a while to write something here, I missed you all.
I surprisingly found this blog became much livelier than before!
I’m kind of technology-illiterate, it’s always difficult for me to keep up with new technologies. Thank you for the introduction about your smart phone , I’ve almost understood what’s the difference between a smartphone and a regular phone and how perfect it is. Tsuneko and Kazu, thank you for those detailed questions and explanations,those are really helpful to get more specifics about it. Every time when I have to type English on my cellphone,I feel stressful.
Maybe it isn’t possible for everyone here to get a smartphone(or iphone) soon,we are definitely enjoying the benefits of smartphone, we can read more comments from David, and of course David,thank you very much.I whish you would get an invitation from Valentino Rossi’s team, though I'm afraid you have to stay home to do the proofreading and correct our comments, it’s much safer at least^_^.
See you.

•  Ling
• 2010年6月 9日 19:03

Hi Ling,

Yeay, I'm happy to find your comment now because I've been missing yous for long. I could notice the comment was yours while reading the first part because of your writing style.:)

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月 9日 20:40

Hi Tsuneko,
Do I have my own writing style?I didn't notice it myself!
Thank you so much,I know I've been absent too long. I'm really happy to be here again♪

•  Ling
• 2010年6月 9日 22:36

Hi Anne,

Glad to hear from you! You sound like you are enjoying your trip. That’s nice ;-) Hope you have a lot of fun the rest of your stay.

Hi Appoh,

You know, my sister lives in the US, and she is an iPhone user now. She bought it several months ago, since then she calls and emails me a lot. I am not sure how she does it but she writes me in Japanese!

Hi Ling,

I was wondering what happened to you, so I am glad to find your comment too as tsuneko said.

Good night and sweet dreams,
amo

•  amo
• 2010年6月 9日 23:05

Hi Kazu,

I just had a look at the video on your blog. The keyboard is like a computer's and so it's easy to type anything both in English and in Japanese, right? It's really nice! However, when I change my phone to the new one, I will get au or docomo, because of the Softbank network, as David mentioned. Thanks!

Hi Ling,

Glad to hear from you again! I was wondering if you were all right.;-)

Good night.

Maki

•  Maki
• 2010年6月 9日 23:44

Hi Kazu and David,

I meant something called "POBox Touch". Is it the same as "予測変換" as Kazu mentioned and "predicted text" as David mentioned?

It seems to be working like... , when you type in Japanese, "q" is disappeared, because no Japanese words begin with "q". Besides, when you type "h", vowels like "a, e, i, o, u" become bigger and other alphebets become smaller.

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月10日 00:20

Sorry, me again.

===> predictive text

===> When you write in English and type "h", vowels like "a, e, i, o, u" on the screen become bigger and the others become smaller.

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月10日 00:39

Hi tsuneko,

予測変換について以前ネイティブと話したことがありますが
その時はSuggested phrases or Suggested word,とも
言っていました。ご参考まで。；－）
個人的にはpredictive textのほうが記憶に残りやすいかな？
と思っています。；－）

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月10日 05:58

Hi Maki,

Thank you for visiting my blog.；－）

ソフトバンクのエリア拡大状況も日々変化しているようですし
そういったデットポイントの状況をソフトバンクに報告するソフトさえ
あるくらいですから今後、状況は変わってくるのではないでしょうか？　もっともiPhoneに限らず今後は多機能携帯電話が増えてくるでしょうからゆっくり吟味しても良いかもしれませんね！；->

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月10日 06:11

I am not sure how she does it but she writes me in Japanese!
→ I don't know how she does it but she writes me in Japanese!

•  amo
• 2010年6月10日 08:03

Hi Kazu and David,

Kazu, thank you for your quick reply and sorry for my never-dending questions. So, 予測変換 means "predictive text" or "suggestied phrases(words)". OK, I got it, but I wanted to know about the function.

Guessing from those names, old typed cellphones already have such functions both in Japanese and English. When you start to type a word, some suggested words are appeared below. You don't have to type all, and just choose the right one from them.

"POBox Touch" seems to have some different functions. As I said yesterday, when you start to type in Japanese, "q" is automatically off from the screen, because Japanese doesn't have any word starting with "q". When you begin to write in English and for example, type "h", you'll see "a,e,i,o,u" bigger and other alphabets smaller. You sure need vowels after "h" like, "hat", "he", "his", "hot" and "husband", but there isn't any word like "hs...", "hr...", or "hx...", so unnecessary consonants are smaller.

I just want to confirm. Xperia has this function for both English and Japanese? Kazu's iPhone has it only for Japanese but not for English? David is pretty sure iPhone does too, though. 実際に使っている人に尋ねるのがいちばんだと思ってるので、よろしくお願いします：）

•  tsuneko
• 2010年6月10日 08:25

Hello team,

Last week, I went to the stadium in Kobe to see the baseball game. I enjoyed the game very much. Actually, I was so excited that I had to buy the ticket for tonight's game at the stadium after the game! I can hardly wait to go there.

Sam

•  Sam
• 2010年6月10日 12:57

Hi amo,
I didn't know about that. Maybe she installed a special application online,which allows her to send Japanese emails. Or, you might be able to find a Japanese-usable iPhone in NY.
Anyway, I don't know much about IT gadgets.

•  Appoh
• 2010年6月10日 13:41

Hi David and everyone,

Sorry, I couldn't join you for a while. There will be an event at my daughter's school tomorrow, and I'm one of the organizers, so I've been busy this week. I tried to write a comment at night, but I have to get up 5(or 5:30) every morning since my son is in high school, and because of this, I can't stay up at night.(I get sleepy around 9!) My oldest son is in the brass band club, and they are having a concert tomorrow evening, so I'm going to see it with my family though my son said to me, “Don't come to see me!”, ha ha. Anyway, I have to go to the elementary school by 8 a.m. to help the event, so it's going to be a long and busy day.

As for the topic, smartphones sound very nice! It's a phone but really like a computer. I sometimes make a comment here or text in English on my phone, but it takes me ages. A QWERTY keyboard and predictive text for English are very useful when you type on your phone, aren't they? I'm not a person who sends a lot of emails but use the Internet a lot, and I often forget to bring my digital camera when I go out, so the Xperia is really attractive. I think it could be a good birthday or Christmas present for me this year!
Anyway, thanks to David and everyone, I learned a lot about smartphones and how to explain this kind of thing in English. Thank you!

Hi Kiyoko and Anne,
It's great to hear from you two. Enjoy the rest of your stay!!

Hi Ling,
Welcome back:)

See you soon,

Tomo

•  Tomo
• 2010年6月10日 13:53

Hi tsuneko,

I might not be understanding what you said, I'm so sorry.
These kind of technical talking is difficult to me, but also it is useful to improve English skills.
Thank you for your question about iphone but unfortunately I might be not able to answer it correctly because of lack of my English skill and knowledge about it.
I hope you will get great information from people who are having a great knowledge about iPhone.
Needless to say, I want to keep up with new technologies of it as much as possible.
If you want to check about iPhone's function, I'll do as you will say.
So please ask me anything and anytime in Japanese.
This times problem is complicated for me.

Kazu

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月10日 18:54

Hi Amo and Maki,
Yeah I'm still alive,thanks for worrying about me,I was just in a lazy mood for a while,and I've finally switched myself on!

Hi Sam,
Have a lot of fun tonight!

Hi Tomo,
I can imagine how busy you are these days,Japanese mothers are really tough!Please take some time to relax when everything has done.

Bye for now.

•  Ling
• 2010年6月10日 21:37

Hi tsuneko

I'm fine now. But 2 days ago, it was hard to walk and took about 2 times usual time.

Hi amo

Thank you for your replying. Since I read your comment, I bought portable wi-fi. And I used it in a train today. It's awesome.

Hi Ling

Welcome back!
>we are definitely enjoying the benefits of smartphone, we can read more comments from David
Indeed!

Hi everyone

I remembered one important thing. The Japanese transformation system that Android OS uses is developed by my company (not me)! So, I strongly recommend you to get Xperia (笑). POBox is not my company's product, but it also uses our system.

trmr

•  trmr
• 2010年6月10日 23:56

Hi trmr,

Your company is もしや？　大きなAが最初に付いたりしますか？
(^_^;)　もしそうなら・・I'm the one who love your company for a long time. なんですけど〜(^_^;)(^_^;)

※ iretatenoocha
（入れ立てのお茶）

•  Kazu
• 2010年6月11日 00:33

Hi David and everyone,
Thank you for your kind information and explanaion about smartphone. But I agree to Tomo's opinion.
I easily use Internet, and just usual cell phone is enough.
Yesterday my husband drove around the Lake Biwa with me because he plans to buy a compact car. Now his car is so called ３　number, and rather big.
His driving skill is deteriotating, that's why he will change the cars. Yesterday's drive was the memorial one for him. I took many pictures of him with his car.

Hi Sam,
I envy you. You get the ticket for the pro-baseball? I checked the schedule of Hanshin-Tigers
at Kyosela-dome. But my husband said, "it's too busy to go." So next year, I hope. Enjoy the game!

•  Carrie
• 2010年6月11日 10:38

Hi Ling, Carrie, and everyone,

Last night, I went to SKYMARK stadium in Kobe to see the interleague baseball game. The weather was fine, it was not cold, and there was a larger crowd there tonight than last week. After five innings, four hundred fireworks were set off in the night sky. Yesterday's game was a great come-from-behind victory as well as last week's. I enjoyed the game and the fireworks.

Sam

•  Sam
• 2010年6月11日 12:58

But it isn't an iPhone. My new iphone that I will buy the end of the month also has HD video which yours doesn't. SO obviously mine is better.
Luv ya
Cheers

•  bbz
• 2010年6月11日 13:34

Hi Sam,
Thanks for the prompt report about yesterday's baseball game,you must be very very excited ! Wow,Four hundreds of fireworks,that would be really beautiful! I would enjoying being in there even though I'm not a baseball fan.

•  Ling
• 2010年6月11日 22:50