Sega exited the video game console business in 2001 after stiff competition from Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo forced the struggling company to shift gears. Now, more than 10 years later, Sega is back with new video game hardware… but it’s definitely not the kind you might expect. Unveiled late last year, Sega’s “Toylet” is now available in Japan and the surrounding region. The system connects to a urinal, allowing users to play a variety of interactive games by urinating on a sensor connected to the main device. A screen above the system then displays each game to the player, examples of which include filling virtual coffee cans and blowing wind up a cartoon news anchor’s dress. The Toylet costs roughly $1,750 and each game runs an additional $125, but it’s likely money well spent for bar owners, at least until the novelty wears off. A video demo of the Toylet (not in action, thankfully) follows below along with a pair of images that show examples of Toylet installations in Tokyo.

Global 4G LTE smartphone shipments reached 6.8 million units in the technology’s first year. According to a study from market research firm Strategy Analytics, global LTE smartphone shipments could surge tenfold to 67 million units in 2012. It is expected to be a breakout year for LTE technology, with Apple, Samsung, HTC and others planning to launch 4G LTE phones in the United States, Japan and South Korea. “The mobile industry is entering a breakout year for 4G LTE technology. Multiple operators and multiple phone vendors will be launching dozens of LTE models across numerous countries worldwide,” said Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics. “LTE has quickly become a high-growth, high-value market that no operator, service developer, device vendor or component maker can afford to ignore.” Read on for Strategy Analytics’s press release.

STRATEGY ANALYTICS: Global LTE Phone Shipments Will Surge Tenfold to 67 Million Units in 2012

Boston, MA – March 23rd, 2012 –- According to the latest research from Strategy Analytics, global LTE phone shipments will grow tenfold to reach 67 million units in 2012. It is a breakout year for 4G technology. Companies leading the growth spurt will include Apple, Samsung, HTC and others.

Neil Shah, Analyst at Strategy Analytics, said, “We forecast global LTE phone shipments to grow tenfold from 6.8 million units in 2011 to 67.0 million in 2012. Major countries driving LTE growth this year will include the United States, Japan and South Korea. Multiple operators, such as Verizon Wireless, NTT Docomo and SK Telecom, are aggressively expanding their LTE networks. Key vendors leading the push into LTE phones will include Apple, Samsung, HTC, LG, Nokia, Motorola, Pantech and Fujitsu.”

Neil Mawston, Executive Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The mobile industry is entering a breakout year for 4G LTE technology. Multiple operators and multiple phone vendors will be launching dozens of LTE models across numerous countries worldwide. LTE has quickly become a high-growth, high-value market that no operator, service developer, device vendor or component maker can afford to ignore.”

Tom Kang, Director at Strategy Analytics, added, “The LTE phone segment is expanding at a rapid rate this year, but there will undoubtedly be growing pains in this early phase. Many LTE phones and data plans will be relatively expensive, which means operators will need to invest generous subsidies to make 4G more affordable for subscribers. Meanwhile, consumers will be concerned about LTE usability issues, such as shortened battery life, excessive device weight or sudden bill shock caused by high data consumption.”

LG announced on Wednesday that it has sold more than 1 million Optimus LTE handsets. A version of the device landed in the United States as the Nitro HD on AT&T, although it’s unclear if that phone is figured into the count. “The combination of LTE connectivity with LG’s True HD IPS display has resonated with the public regarding the potential of LTE technology,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. LG said it sold 600,000 Optimus LTE units during the first three months the phone was available. The company also sold 8,500 units in Japan on the phone’s launch day. The Optimus LTE features a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720-pixel True HD IPS display, a 1.5GHz dual-core processor and an 8-megapixel camera. LG’s full press release follows after the break.

LG OPTIMUS LTE RECORDS ONE MILLION IN SALES
Innovative Smartphone Demonstrates LG’s Leadership in Nascent LTE Market

SEOUL, Jan. 25, 2011 – LG Electronics (LG) announced today that sales of its Optimus LTE smartphone have exceeded over one million units, putting it at the forefront of the emerging LTE era. The world’s first HD LTE smartphone, the Optimus LTE is currently available in the US, Canada, Japan and South Korea.
First launched in Korea in October 2011, the Optimus LTE hit sales of 600,000 units there in the first three months, making it the most popular LTE-capable phone in a highly competitive market. On the first day of its launch in Japan, the Optimus LTE also recorded sales of 8,500 units. The phone is now available as a premium smartphone through three major mobile carriers in North America, the most advanced market in terms of LTE coverage.

“With brisk sales for a high-end smartphone, the Optimus LTE reaffirms LG’s leadership in mobile LTE technology,” said Dr. Jong-seok Park, President and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company. “The combination of LTE connectivity with LG’s True HD IPS display has resonated with the public regarding the potential of LTE technology.”

The Optimus LTE delivers the ultimate HD multimedia environment with a 4.5-inch 1280 x 720 (16:9 ratio) True HD IPS display and fast LTE connectivity. The True HD IPS display features an incredible 2.76 million sub-pixels as well as superior color accuracy, clarity, natural color and battery efficiency.

Ensuring peak performance, the Optimus LTE runs on a 1.5GHZ dual-core processor and includes a 1,830 mAh battery, 8MP camera, and multiple connectivity options including DLNA(Digital Living Network Alliance), to provide users a truly best-in-class smartphone experience.

According to a report by Jefferies & Company, LG is the global leader in LTE patents with ownership of 23 percent of approximately 1,400 LTE patents filed worldwide, with a financial value of almost USD 8 billion. LG demonstrated the world’s first LTE technology in 2007 and developed the world’s first LTE modem chipset in 2008. LG introduced the world’s fastest LTE technology in 2010 and conducted the world’s first video phone call on a LTE network in 2011.

Texas Instruments announced recently that, even though it reported better than expected chip sales during the fourth quarter of 2011, the company will shut down its plants in Texas and in Japan. Texas Instruments has seen an increased demand for its mobile chips but will close the two factories during the next 18 months while increasing its employee numbers at different plants. The move is an effort to cut costs, Reuters said. The company reported a fourth-quarter profit of $298 million, down from $942 million during the same quarter last year. Revenue also fell from $3.53 billion last year to $3.42 billion during the fourth quarter. “Everybody feared we’d end the holiday season with abysmal sales,” Cody Acree, an analyst with Williams Financial, told Reuters. “The reality is that end-demand is better than TI customers had originally feared. We’re not calling for great growth but we’re not heading into the abyss.”

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Samsung may soon begin selling its televisions in Japan after taking a several year hiatus. Samsung is reportedly talking to Yamada Denki Co and Yodobashi Camera Co., two retailers in the country, Reuters said Monday. Samsung originally left the market citing an increase in competition from other television makers and a drop in profits. The South Korean firm is expected to unveil several new models during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. LG, one of the Samsung’s largest competitors, took the wraps off of a gorgeous nearly borderless 55-inch OLED television on Monday.

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NTT DoCoMo, KDDI and SoftBank have created the “Japan Mobile NFC Consortium,” which will help the three carriers coordinate and adopt an international NFC standard. Currently, all three operators offer an NFC service dubbed Osaifu-Keitai (wallet phone) which uses a contactless-IC smartcard that’s called FeliCa. Unfortunately, the technology doesn’t work overseas where other carriers use Type A or Type B NFC standards, which means Osaifu-Ketai won’t function properly for NTT DoCoMo, KDDI or SoftBank customers hoping to use their phones for mobile payments overseas. The three carriers hope they can work with handset makers and vendors to encourage the adoption of Type A and Type B NFC standards. The consortium also aims to “create an environment in Japan where service providers can offer efficient, low-cost NFC services based on common standards and rules adopted by the three mobile operators.” The full press release follows after the break.

DOCOMO, KDDI and SOFTBANK Establish Consortium to Promote NFC Services Compatible with Multiple International Standards Partnerships

TOKYO, JAPAN, December 21, 2011 — NTT DOCOMO, INC., KDDI CORPORATION and SOFTBANK MOBILE Corp. announced today their establishment of Japan Mobile NFC Consortium to coordinate the adoption of multiple international standards for near field communication (NFC) technologies incorporated in their mobile devices and services.

Japan’s three mobile operators already offer Osaifu- Keitai™ (wallet phone) mobile services based on the contactless-IC smartcard called FeliCa®. Overseas, however, mobile operators and service providers are increasingly adopting Type A and Type B standards to develop growing markets for NFC services. In view of this worldwide trend, the consortium intends to work with mobile industry groups in Japan, including service suppliers and handset manufacturers, to incorporate compatibility with the Type A and B standards in the Japanese mobile ecosystem.

By ensuring compatibility with multiple NFC standards, the consortium aims to:

- Free mobile users in Japan, both residents and international travelers, from having to concern themselves about different NFC service standards.

- Create an environment in Japan where service providers can offer efficient, low-cost NFC services based on common standards and rules adopted by the three mobile operators.

Sony’s PlayStation Vita portable gaming system made its debut in Japan on Saturday and early sales estimates are beginning to trickle out. According to research firm Enterbrain, Sony sold 321,400 Vita units during the first 48 hours of the device’s availability. That’s 50,000 fewer units than Nintendo sold after the 3DS made its debut in the country. Nintendo ran into trouble shortly after launch as consumer interest in the 3DS faded due to a lack of compelling games, and the company eventually had to drop the price of its system to regain momentum. We first went hands-on with the PlayStation Vita during E3 2011 and, while it was still an early build of the device, we really liked the form factor and impressive graphics. Sony is expected to launch the Vita in North America and Europe in February for $250, and a 3G-enabled version should launch in the United States in partnership with AT&T around the same time. 

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Sony Computer Entertainment president Andrew House recently said that pre-orders for the company’s brand new portable gaming console, the PlayStation Vita, have sold out in Japan ahead of its December 17th launch. “I’m pretty confident… that there will not be major challenges in meeting demand, even though there may be short-term,” House explained to reporters recently. As the Associated Press points out, a successful launch in Japan could help soften the blow of Sony’s predicted fourth consecutive annual loss. The PlayStation Vita was originally announced during E3 2011 and we were impressed with the gaming performance during our early look at the device. The Vita will launch in the United States on February 22nd for $249.99, and a second version compatible with AT&T 3G will be released at a later date for an additional $50.

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Samsung recently filed lawsuits in Japan and Australia in an attempt to prevent Apple from selling the iPhone 4S. In addition, Samsung is seeking to block the sale of the iPad 2 and the original iPhone 4 in Japan, Bloomberg said Monday. In September, the South Korea-based phone maker also filed motions to ban the iPhone 4S in France and Italy. “Apple has continued to violate our patent rights and free ride on our technology,” Samsung said. “We will no longer stand idly by and will steadfastly protect our intellectual property.” Apple filed similar lawsuits against Samsung in the United States, Australia, Japan, France and the Netherlands. The iPhone maker successfully prevented Samsung’s local subsidiaries from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 in Australia and the Galaxy S, Galaxy Ace and Galaxy S II in the Netherlands. Samsung recently announced that it will tweak its the aforementioned smartphones in an effort to dodge the European sales ban.

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Apple will unveil its latest iPhone offerings beginning at 1:00 p.m. Eastern today, but that has not stopped a few leaks of the iPhone 4S from popping up on its website. Apple’s Japanese website already lists a new “iPhone 4S” and says that the phone will be available starting at 8:00 a.m. on October 14th. The device will look nearly identical to the iPhone 4 — as can be seen in the image above, also from Apple’s Japanese site — and it will be available in both white and black. We are sure to hear more information in just under an hour now, so keep your browsers pointed to BGR for more details.

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Steve Jobs made contact with Samsung in an effort to resolve a patent argument last year, Bloomberg reported on Thursday. However, Jobs did not participate in the discussions that eventually took place and deteriorated, Apple’s patent attorney Richard Lutton explained during a hearing in an Australian court. “Samsung is an important supplier with whom we have a deep relationship” Lutton said while being questioned by a Samsung lawyer. “We wanted to give them a chance to do the right thing.” Samsung and Apple are locked up in multiple patent battles around the globe. Samsung’s German arm has been banned from selling the Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet, its Australian branch cannot sell the device until a judge rules whether or not it is infringing on Apple’s patents, and lawsuits are ongoing in the United States and Japan. Apple has accused Samsung of creating “copycat devices,” and has targeted Samsung’s Galaxy S family of smartphones, the Galaxy Tab, the Galaxy Tab 10.1 and various other products in the United States.

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In a move that will undoubtedly shock no one, Apple has filed a new complaint against Samsung in Japan alleging that multiple Samsung devices infringe on its patents. The Cupertino-based patent crusader is seeking to ban sales of Samsung’s GALAXY S and GALAXY S II lines of smartphones, as well as its original GALAXY Tab Android tablet, Reuters reports. The report does not mention the GALAXY Tab 10.1, which is often the target of Apple’s patent complaints in other regions. The first hearing in the case took place on Wednesday, and a spokesman for the Tokyo District Court where the complaint was filed declined to comment.

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Sony announced on Tuesday that it is lowering the price of its 160GB PlayStation 3 console to $249, down from the console’s original $299 price tag. In addition, Sony will now sell the 320GB version of the PlayStation 3 for $299 instead of $349. The Japanese consumer electronics firm also dropped the price of the system in Japan and in Europe. The move is likely an effort to tackle Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console, which has been the best-selling console in the United States for past seven months according to the latest data from The NPD Group. Recent rumors have suggested Sony is already working on the PlayStation 4, which could launch as soon as next year to compete with Nintendo’s Wii U and Microsoft’s next-generation Xbox.

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Nintendo’s recent decision to drop the price of its Nintendo 3DS handheld gaming device looks to have paid off. In the device’s first full week of sales following Nintendo’s price drop, the company sold 215,000 units in Japan alone, where the 3DS now retails for 15,000 yen following its launch at 25,000 yen. Weekly sales of the portable 3D console dipped from 31,826 units to 16,415 in the week following Nintendo’s announcement that the price would soon drop, for obvious reasons. With sales in Japan having exploded by more than 13 times in the week following the 3DS price drop, it looks like the initial high price point may have been a big factor in the 3DS’ slow adoption up to this point. Nintendo lowered the price of its 3DS from $249.99 to $169.99 on August 11th in the U.S., so this week will mark the first full week of sales at the new lower price point here in America.

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Sony’ next-generation portable video game console will not launch in the U.S. until early 2012, Sony Executive Vice President Kazuo Hirai told The Associated Press on Thursday. Sony’s PlayStation Vita will become available later this year in Japan, but it will miss the all-important holiday shopping season here in the U.S. and in Europe as well. Some, such as Daiwa Securities Capital Markets analyst Koki Shiraishi, believe Sony’s sales will take a huge hit as a result. “That’s when you do half your year’s sales,” Shiraishi told the AP. “This is going to prove painful for Sony.” When it finally does launch next year, the PlayStation Vita will start at $249 for a Wi-Fi-only model and a 3G-equipped version will be available for $299.

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