NTT DoCoMo Launches Slimmest Smartphone Android

Slim continues to be for new smartphone: the Medias NEC C N-04, launched by NTT DoCoMo in Japan on Thursday, is approximately 8 mm thick.

The launch follows the introduction of the Samsung Galaxy S II and Sony Ericsson Xperia arc, which measures approximately 9 mm at thinnest point.

Smartphone manufacturers, production of thinner devices is a way to differentiate their products from the competition, according to Geoff Blaber, analyst at CCS Insight. Apple has proved that good design is a long way, but must be combined with a good interface, applications and content, said.

The Medias C N-04 has 4-inch screen, is 127 mm in height and width 62 mm and weighs 105 grams. The smartphone is based on version 2.2 of Android and will get an upgrade to version 2.3 of this year, according to the DoCoMo.

Other features include a mobile wallet, the ability to view digital terrestrial television mobile and a quick shot photo function that enables users to take consecutive shots every 1.1 second with 5 megapixel camera.

Users can access the Internet via Wi-Fi or HSPA (high-speed Packet Access) to 7.2 m bps (bits per second) for download and upload 5.7 m bps for data.

Pricing was not announced, but shipment will begin on March 15. There were no details about whether or when NEC would start selling smartphone outside of Japan.

NTT DoCoMo also said Tablet shipment will start again LG Optimus Pad--which relies on Android 3.0, the version of Tablet PC operating system optimized for Google--at the end of March.

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