Fujitsu Introduces "Raku-Raku Smartphone"

Tokyo, July 26, 2012

Fujitsu today announced that its new "Raku-Raku Smartphone" will be available in Japan from NTT DOCOMO, Inc., beginning August 1, 2012.

Raku-Raku ("easy-to-use") Smartphone is designed to be easily operated by first-time smartphone users, and is equipped with the latest hardware and software while leveraging the voice and universal design technologies cultivated in previous models of the Raku-Raku Phone series.

To enable users not acquainted with a touchscreen to operate the phone with the same ease-of-use as a conventional mobile phone, Fujitsu has developed a new Raku-Raku Touchscreen⁽¹⁾ configured to detect differences between a finger stroke and a tap. When the user touches an icon, the color of the icon will change to let the user know that it has been selected, and if they continue to press the icon, the phone will vibrate to confirm the selection. This, in turn, makes it clearer for users to understand that they have operated the phone without making a mistake for stress-free operations.

The phone also includes a new unique interface that users can intuitively navigate to quickly access desired features, in addition to a simple menu that will be familiar to Raku-Raku Phone users.

Fujitsu also offers access to a new Raku-Raku Community, through which users can connect with other users by posting comments and photos, making for an even more enjoyable smartphone experience.

Since its debut in September 2001, the Raku-Raku Phone series has been a huge hit, particularly among its target audience of senior citizen users. In September 2011, the series recorded a milestone of 20 million units sold.

Amid a rapidly growing smartphone market, there is increasing interest among Raku-Raku Phone users, particularly senior citizens, in using smartphones. In leveraging the technologies long-cultivated by Fujitsu and NTT DOCOMO through the Raku-Raku Phone series, the companies conducted a long-term market research survey of elderly users and incorporated this research into the development of this easy-to-use smartphone that alleviates the concerns of first-time users.

The new smartphone has been designed with a primary focus on the essential features that enable easy-to-use, easy-to-hear, and easy-to-read functionality, including an error-resistant touchscreen, easy-to-follow menus, a special telephone receiver that can amplify sound to an audible volume and minimize distortion in phone calls, and technology that ensures the LCD display is always at its optimal viewing setting by adjusting its color and brightness.

Raku-Raku Smartphone is available in three popular color variations: Gold, Navy, and Pink.

Product Features

1. An intuitive touchscreen for first-time users

• Features a newly developed Raku-Raku Touchscreen
  Fujitsu has developed a new kind of touchscreen that can accurately differentiate between a finger stroke and a tap. This makes it easy for even first-time users to properly operate the phone. The color of an icon will change when the user is touching it to indicate that it has been selected, and if the user continues to press the icon, the phone will vibrate to confirm the selection. The handset is able to discern when a user is scrolling or when they are performing a touch operation, thereby helping to reduce mistakes and improve the accuracy of input for stress-free operations.
• Prevents mistakes from inadvertent touches
  Even if the user's fingers accidentally touch the edge of the screen, it will not result in mistaken input and interfere with operations. This enables users to firmly grasp the unit during operation.
• Omakase Touch
  When users are using the phone with a single hand, it is often the case that they accidentally press the area below the button that they want to push because they are looking at the button, not their hand. Omakase Touch automatically corrects the user's input to ensure that the correct button is pressed, helping to reduce input mistakes.

2. Two kinds of easy-to-follow menus

• Unique new menu designed for convenience
  The phone's menu interface has been redeveloped to take into consideration a variety of factors, including the size of the buttons, the readability of the screen, and the window layout. Common features such as the phone, e-mail and address book applications are prominently displayed with large buttons and icon illustrations, and, as a result, the menu can be intuitively navigated even by first-time smartphone users.
• Same familiar Raku-Raku Phone menu
  The Raku-Raku Smartphone also includes the same menu screen as other Raku-Raku Phone series models⁽²⁾, with its easy-to-understand style and large, easy-to-read font. The phone also continues to feature one-touch dialing, a popular feature of the series.

3. The Raku-Raku Community to enjoy connecting with other users

Raku-Raku Community is an Internet community that aids in creating connections between people by allowing users to post comments, share pictures, and exchange messages. Raku-Raku Community is monitored 24 hours a day by dedicated Fujitsu staff members to prevent unintended posts, sales pitches, and solicitation posts, resulting in a service that users can enjoy with peace of mind. On top of user-friendly registration and set-up, the service is free to use, so new users can easily get started.

4. Assuring clarity in hearing

The phone is equipped with a special loud-volume telephone receiver speaker that provides clear sound and adjusts to eight settings for clear voice reception with minimal distortion. It also offers a built-in "Echo Cut" feature, even when using the phone in a place where sound echoes, the handset cancels out reverberation from the voice transmission. Another feature is the AWASERU VOICE 2 which corrects the audio based on hearing relating to age, SUPER HAKKIRI VOICE3 which enhances clarity, YUKKURI VOICE which slows down the speed of a user's voice, and other basic Raku-Raku Phone functions.

5. Preinstalled with a host of applications

Fujitsu has assembled a range of easy-to-use, convenient, and enjoyable applications⁽³⁾.

• Raku-Raku Photo Home Delivery Service
• Radio: NHK Net Radio / radiko.jp
• Haiku / Photo Club
• "Karada Life" Pedometer: Includes a sleep log, recommended walking excursion courses, and an e-mail feature that will inform family members how many steps the user takes per day.
• Games: Sudoku, solitaire, mahjong, shogi

Compatibility with Key Services

i-Channel, Shabette Concier, Area Mail

Product Specifications

Size: 130 × 64 × 10.9 mm
Weight: Approximately 138 g
Continuous Standby Time: Approximately 460 hours in 3G mode, 320 hours in GSM mode
Continuous Talk Time: Approximately 350 minutes in 3G mode, 380 minutes in GSM mode
Main Display: 4.0-inch wide VGA (480 × 800)
Camera:
  Exterior: 8.1 megapixel effective resolution, CMOS sensor
  Interior: 3.2 megapixel effective resolution, CMOS sensor
Color: Gold, Navy, Pink