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kurogane wrote:Don't smartphones come with Wi-Fi??????
By which I mean, who buys a smartphone without a proprietary Wi-Fi service contract????
Isn't that like buying a car with no tires and showing it off to your friends?
kurogane wrote:Don't smartphones come with Wi-Fi??????
By which I mean, who buys a smartphone without a proprietary Wi-Fi service contract????
Isn't that like buying a car with no tires and showing it off to your friends?
GomiGirl wrote:This is great news. About time though.
What do they all do with the email addresses they collect when you register?
omae mona wrote: I haven't done too many new phone contracts myself in recent years, but from my experience: yes, usually DoCoMo and Softbank seem to have endless "temporary" promotions to get access to their wifi network (normally an extra fee) for free.
However: 1) most people I know aren't aware of the service (even though it's in the fine print). 2) it's so damn complicated to set up that nobody bothers, as far as I can tell. 3) Increase #2 by a factor of 10 if you don't read Japanese. 4) The speed is typically way worse than LTE and sometimes worse than 3G, when it works at all. Often I find my phone switching over to Wifi automatically because I'm in range of a signal, and instantly I lose access to whatever I was doing on my phone because the connectivity is so lousy. I have to turn off wi-fi to resume what I was doing.
kurogane wrote:To my ears (well, eyes.) That was delectably well written Martian.
GomiGirl wrote:I was mainly thinking this is good for tourists.
omae mona wrote:GomiGirl wrote:I was mainly thinking this is good for tourists.
Tourists take buses in Tokyo??
(even if not, at the pace most of those buses run, I guess tourists could get a few minutes of free access from the sidewalk as they drive by)
omae mona wrote:kurogane wrote:To my ears (well, eyes.) That was delectably well written Martian.
Sorry, the English version is "don't bother with wifi from your mobile phone provider. Just use the regular mobile data."
kurogane wrote:Narooheso!!!! Thanks for that. I still don't get it, but that's my fault for trying to fight howitzers with a rusty trebuchet. What I get from that is that people are buying phones that offer no network, but I do get that 'other networks' exist to achieve the desired result.
Kurogane wrote:I am actually not kidding here, but is using a smartphone for Wi-Fi effectively like walking around town with a Wi-Fi ready laptop that just happens to be pocket sized?
omae mona wrote:
- You're travelling internationally, and the roaming charges could bankrupt you within about 5 minutes if you're not careful.
jingai wrote:omae mona wrote:
- You're travelling internationally, and the roaming charges could bankrupt you within about 5 minutes if you're not careful.
Omae, is this possible? I have a high quality US smartphone (Galaxy S4) and would like to use it in Japan as wi-fi only, but was worried that taking it out of airplane mode would subject me to roaming charges. Is it possible to disable cell service and leave wi-fi intact?
All those nasty apps sucking down data quietly in the background will wait until you're on a wifi network.
omae mona wrote:Tourists take buses in Tokyo??
Samurai_Jerk wrote:omae mona wrote:Tourists take buses in Tokyo??
I don't think many FG in Tokyo even bother to deal with the bus system. Depending in where you live though it's definitely worth learning.
GomiGirl wrote:Samurai_Jerk wrote:omae mona wrote:Tourists take buses in Tokyo??
I don't think many FG in Tokyo even bother to deal with the bus system. Depending in where you live though it's definitely worth learning.
I love love love the bus. I use it all the time. I have like 5 bus stops within 3 minutes walk in many directions that will give me super fast access to either Shinjuku or Shibuya or Harajuku for a variety of routes for practically door to door service. No stairs, no waiting and a seat with a view.
GomiGirl wrote:Samurai_Jerk wrote:omae mona wrote:Tourists take buses in Tokyo??
I don't think many FG in Tokyo even bother to deal with the bus system. Depending in where you live though it's definitely worth learning.
I love love love the bus. I use it all the time. I have like 5 bus stops within 3 minutes walk in many directions that will give me super fast access to either Shinjuku or Shibuya or Harajuku for a variety of routes for practically door to door service. No stairs, no waiting and a seat with a view.
kurogane wrote:All those nasty apps sucking down data quietly in the background will wait until you're on a wifi network.
And now I finally understand what they mean by Data (as opposed to non-voice communications, a la texting, etc.). That sounds like a Borg sleeper cell, man. Scary.
Jingai,
These guys rent cell phones in Japan at reasonable rates. http://www.rentafonejapan.com/index.html
I used them last year, and it worked well. I don't have a smartphone at all, though, so perhaps the other option you mentioned is easier. BTW, if one uses said data disabled smartphone to make calls while in Japan, are you not still paying to phone via the home country? That sounds like it could get pricey fast.
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