With the launch of the iPhone 4S the issue of voice search has become rather a hot topic. This survey from goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com was however conducted before the launch of the device.
Demographics
Between the 30th of September and the 4th of October 2011 1,091 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.9% of the sample were male, 16.8% in their teens, 18.2% in their twenties, 21.2% in their thirties, 16.1% in their forties, 15.6% in their fifties, and 12.1% aged sixty or older.
The introduction to this survey reports that first off the mark was Microsoft following their purchase of Tellme in March of 2007, which they then added to Windows Mobile 6.5 in 2009. Next, Google introduced voice search in 2010 for Android v2.2 (Froyo), and finally Apple introduced Siri to the recently-released iPhone4 S after buying out Siri in 2010, although Siri had initially offered their app on the iPhone 3GS at a date that I cannot determine right now. Perhaps someone can ask Siri when she was born?
Here’s docomo advertising Android starring Ken Watanabe as a tablet – the voice search appears at the very end.
This recent survey from Point On Research and reported on by japan.internet.com looked at the rather interesting issue of answering mobile phone calls.
Demographics
On the 24th of November 2009 800 mobile phone users completed a private mobile internet-based questionnaire (I think). The sample was exactly 50:50 male and female, 25.0% in their teens, 25.0% in their twenties, 25.0% in their thirties, and 25.0% in their forties.
Note that just about all mobile phones in Japan will display the calling number, and if the caller is registered in the phone book the name will also display, which I guess is a pretty standard mobile feature all over the world! Calls from public phone boxes will display as number unknown, as well as people who dial a prefix to hide their caller ID.
For unknown numbers, there are a few databases of nuisance callers for you to check. The fastest way I find is to type the number straight into Google with no spaces or hyphens, and if a match (in Japanese of course!) comes up from one of these databases you can know it’s an unsolicited call. I’d give you a URL or two, but I don’t have them bookmarked as I always use the search method! Read the rest of this entry »
With many mobile phones both here in Japan and abroad sprouting touch panels and full keyboards, this recent survey by goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com into mobile phone input facilities revealed a few interesting statistics about them.
Demographics
Between the 12th and 17th of February 2009 1,074 members of the goo Research monitor panel completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 53.2% of the sample were male, 15.5% in their teens, 17.9% in their twenties, 21.7% in their thirties, 16.6% in their forties, 15.9% in their fifties, and 12.4% in their sixties.
The survey also investigated voice input, but it is just the simple pattern matching for speed dial, I believe, a feature standard on many phones. I believe the next big feature for Japanese phones will be the dictation of email messages, but I also believe it won’t work very well and will not find any significant mainstream use.
If I had the money, I’d really love to upgrade to the Sharp S004, featuring all three of the features asked about here, a full keyboard, a touch panel, and an accelerometer. Read the rest of this entry »
I’m not really much of a fan of voice calls in any shape or form, and I do find it difficult to hear properly on a mobile phone, but it seems I am very much in the minority in Japan judging by the results of this survey by JR Tokai Express Research Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com into voice calls.
Demographics
On the 9th of July 2008 331 members of the JR Tokai Express Research monitor group employed in either the public or private sector completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 77.0% of the sample were male, 8.2% in their twenties, 34.7% in their thirties, 44.1% in their forties, 12.4% in their fifties, and 0.6% in their sixties.
My use of my home phone is limited to once every two weeks when I have a midnight teleconference, and my mobile phone to perhaps once a month when I need to contact my wife more directly than with email. Read the rest of this entry »
With many mobile phones both here in Japan and abroad sprouting touch panels and full keyboards, this recent survey by goo Research and reported on by japan.internet.com into 
I’m not really much of a fan of voice calls in any shape or form, and I do find it difficult to hear properly on a mobile phone, but it seems I am very much in the minority in Japan judging by the results of this survey by JR Tokai Express Research Inc and reported on by japan.internet.com into 
Subscribe to feed