Posting this from the Apple store in Ginza on my ipod touch using their wifi… Will post more later with pictures.

I wandered around Akihabara today which is basically the Mecca for Electronics and Manga in Tokyo and probably the world. Endless shops selling electronics, comics, games etc… It is the only place in Japan I see any concentration of overweight Japanese people. Here are a few pics, unfortunately it was a Friday afternoon so there were no Cosplay kids, Ill be sure to go back another time when they are out in force.

I got my mobile phone yesterday, and it is the one I blogged about back in July. Its pretty cool, 5 megapixel camera with a flash, video calling, Suica etc… Also the phone was free with our service contract. I look forward to posting some pics taken with my new phone soon.

I have been doing a bit of research on mobile phones in Japan. I have two pieces of criteria that needs to be met. First the phone needs to support English menus because well if not I can’t use it. And second it needs to be frickin cool (shouldn’ t be hard, it’s Japan right?).

After looking at a plethora of phones online I believe I have found the one I want. Though the final decision will come in Japan when I witness them in person, for now the SoftBank 910SH is top on my list. It isn’t an iPhone but it is swanky. Not only a phone… this thing is packed with a 5.1 megapixel camera with a 3x zoom, not too shabby. I’ve been looking for a new compact camera to document my time in Japan and I think one integrated with my phone is ideal for ultimate portability.

But that isn’t all. It also has a web browser, games, mp3 player, and most of the other bells and whistles you’ve come expect on a phone these days. As well as a few you don’t expect like video chat.

But wait there’s more!

My favorite feature next to the bad ass camera is Suica!
What is Suica you ask?
No silly it isn’t a watermelon.
It’s a transit pass built right into the phone. NO FREAKIN WAY!… Yup just add your subway money to your phone, tap the phone at the train turnstile and Wa-Lah!! the gate opens. And now just when you thought I was done, you can use Suica for more than just the subway. Suica can also be used at convenience stores, grocery stores, vending machines and more!

Clearly I am excited about the phones in Japan even though they aren’t iPhones. I look forward to reporting back to you all after I get my hands on one of these.

It is still at least 2 month until I leave for Japan and I already miss something I can’t have there. It isn’t a slice of NY pizza or an all American baseball game… It’s the iPhone! All day yesterday I followed the insanity of the iPhone launch on TV and online. Forced to watch in envy from the sidelines as all the excited mac geeks like myself bring home their shiny new toys. I unfortunately can’t get one since I will be leaving shortly and will be unable to use it in Tokyo. Many people will say who cares, Japan has way cooler gadgets, but anybody who knows me knows that I am in agony being left out of the excitement of this new toy. Lets just keep our fingers crossed that it doesn’t take too long for the iPhone to come to Japan.

My wife is 6,762 miles (10,882 kilometers) away but I get to see her every day. Before Natsuko left we got her a brand new white macbook and shortly after that I got myself a black one. The macbooks are so nice and the built in webcam is fantastic. Every morning and every evening we log on to Skype to see and talk to each other. I know webcam chat is nothing new and can never replace being together, but it really helps ease the difficulty of us being apart for 3 months.

I also must admit that deep down inside there is a part of me that gets excited that this is really like the Jetsons!