My AU phone died on me - by my mistake. Couple days ago, stepping out of my apartment's front gate on my way to work, I realized I didn't bring my phone, so I asked my wife to drop it from the window of our third-floor apartmment. As she threw the phone she got a bit scared and threw it rather awkwardly.
I'll leave what happened next to your imagination. Lesson: Even if you are in a hurry, don't have someone drop something valuable from a third floor apartment.
So I brought the phone to AU shop, and they told me fixing the phone could cost me up to 10,000 yen (approx $100). Instead of fixing the phone, I paid that money for lease-breaking penalty and switched to Softbank. (Had to pay another 5,000 yen for MNP handling fees.)
When I got a shiny new Softbank Samsung phone, I didn't only notice the phone's service features, but also the lack thereof. I don't know why, but I kinda expected the phone would have an integrated shortcut to Myspace Japan.
But apparently Softbank phones don't feature hot keys for Myspace Japan yet - and this led me to wonder how the service is doing.
But at least for the time being, Myspace Japan isn't that impressive. I checked out Myspace Japan and I could strongly sense that the site is quickly turning into the turf for those who have ties with/aspirations towards the US culture. Some Japanese youths are following what's often called "LA style" i.e. the culture of rap-listening, beard-growing, Hummer-driving Asian American hunkies. Myspace Japan reminded me of that - maybe it's just me but anyway that's how I felt.
I've Googled Myspace Japan and the only fresh news I could find was their . It will be interesting to see how Softbank will tie up Myspace Japan with the company's existing service assets, thereby winning the mainstream Japanese users back from Mixi and Mobage.
