Japan's KDDI unveils phones with digital TV, chat

KDDI Corp., Japan's second-largest mobile operator, unveiled a lineup of new phones with the ability to watch short segments of digital television programs and communicate with a group via text or voice.

"The lineup will include three new models with a service that would let users send text messages interlaced with photos to up to four others in a feature that would resemble instant messaging chats on personal computers.

The service, called "Hello Messenger," also allows users to communicate with a group via voice, walkie-talkie-style, using the technology known as push-to-talk made popular by U.S. operator Nextel Communications Inc.

KDDI emphasized the new service's chat-like elements, saying it was not the same as push-to-talk even though it uses the technology."

emily | 4:54 PM | New Camera Phones of Note |
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