Casio Archive

  • Confirmed: Fujitsu and Toshiba to merge cell phone units, go international

    Confirmed: Fujitsu and Toshiba to merge cell phone units, go international

    We reported last week that two of Japan's top cell phone makers, Fujitsu and Toshiba, were in talks to merge their cell phone businesses. And today, we have the rumor confirmed. Under the agreement, Toshiba will spin off its handset unit and Fujitsu is expected to take the majority stake in the joint venture (between a whopping 70 and 80%, according to reports in Japanese media).

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  • Report: Fujitsu and Toshiba to merge cell phone operations

    Report: Fujitsu and Toshiba to merge cell phone operations

    Big news from the Japanese cell phone industry today: Two of Japan's top handset makers, namely Fujitsu and Toshiba, are in talks to merge their cell phone operations within this year. According to the Nikkei ("Japan's Wall Street Journal" and usually a reliable source), negotiations already reached the "final stage". The joint venture, if it happens, will create Japan's second largest cell phone maker (with a combined 18.7% domestic market share), following Sharp (26.1%). Fujitsu (the current No. 3 among Japan's handset makers with over 5 million handsets shipped in 2009) is expected to become the main stakeholder in the joint venture. Toshiba is the eighth biggest (1.28 million units).

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  • New Japanese cell phone behemoth NEC Casio Mobile to go America soon

    New Japanese cell phone behemoth NEC Casio Mobile to go America soon

    We reported last year that NEC, Hitachi and Casio were in negotiations to merge their cell phone operations to become Japan’s second biggest manufacturer, following Sharp. And the new company, which is called NEC Casio Mobile Communications and was established on May 1, just yesterday announced ambitious expansion plans.

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  • Casio VL-10 synth is miniscule

    Casio VL-10 synth is miniscule

    Synthesizers? Calculators? In the same device?! If your first thought was, “I want one”, then today is your lucky day. The little brother of Casio’s VL-Tone synth, the VL-10, was spotted on eBay with 7 hours left to go. 29 buttons, 5 different sounds, and 10 drum rhythms can all be yours if you hurry. Video [...]

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  • Verizon officially launches the rugged, text-friendly Casio G’zOne Brigade

    Verizon officially launches the rugged, text-friendly Casio G’zOne Brigade

    Just yesterday we were saying that Casio’s built-to-be-beaten G’zOne Brigade would be launching today — and sure enough, it just went live on Verizon’s web site. As a rugged phone, it’s flagship feature is that it’s.. well, a rugged phone. These things usually don’t pack much functionality beyond that. This one, however, sneaks a full QWERTY [...]

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  • Casio’s ultra-tough G’zOne Brigade going on sale tomorrow?

    Casio’s ultra-tough G’zOne Brigade going on sale tomorrow?

    WAAAAY back in November, Casio and Verizon showed off the G’zOne Brigade, an ultra-durable clamshell phone with a surprise QWERTY keyboard packed inside. “Push to talk!” they said. “It’s weatherproof!” they said. And then the radio went silent; nearly four months later, not so much as a release date had been mentioned. Well, it looks like [...]

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  • Japan gets a cool pilot’s G-Shock watch while we get a green one

    Japan gets a cool pilot’s G-Shock watch while we get a green one

    We never get the good stuff! Casio in Japan just released this beautiful GW-3000 pilot in orange, blue, and white (I totally love that blue. It's my favorite lume/color combo). It is waterproof and runs sets itself via radio. It is also a Tough Solar model and can survive masssive impacts. It can display 29 world time cities and you can swap the home city with an away city. It also has a stopwatch and a calendar as well as a "Furuotokarenda" which is something Google seems to have translated wrong.

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  • GREEN SLIM: Casio announces pretty, eco-friendly friendly projectors

    GREEN SLIM: Casio announces pretty, eco-friendly friendly projectors

    One of the few product announcements by a major electronics maker that's not been made at the CES: Casio has unveiled the XJ-A series, which consists of nine projectors that are not only pretty cool-looking but also eco-friendly. The company says the devices are the first to be completely mercury-free. Casio also claims their so-called GREEN SLIM projectors are the world’s first devices of their kind that are bright enough to be used in a well lit room - without using a mercury lamp.

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  • New Japanese cell phone maker NEC-Casio to go America in 2010

    New Japanese cell phone maker NEC-Casio to go America in 2010

    As MobileCrunch reported back in August, three of Japan's eight top cell phone makers, namely NEC, Casio and Hitachi are going to merge their cell phone businesses next year. Under the agreement, NEC plans to integrate its handset division into a tie-up that already existed between Hitachi and Casio starting April 2010 (the begin of the new fiscal year under the Japanese business calendar). In the meantime, the companies involved decided on a name for the new venture: NEC Casio Mobile. The company's capitalization stands at a relatively modest $55 million, with NEC holding a 71% stake, Casio 20% and Hitachi 9%. And as I speculated in my previous article, that new company plans to enter the global market in a (relatively) aggressive way.

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  • New cell phone maker NEC-Casio goes America, targets 200% international sales boost

    New cell phone maker NEC-Casio goes America, targets 200% international sales boost

    As MobileCrunch reported back in August, three of Japan's eight top cell phone makers, namely NEC, Casio and Hitachi are going to merge their cell phone businesses next year. Under the agreement, NEC plans to integrate its handset division into a tie-up that already existed between Hitachi and Casio starting April 2010 (the begin of the new fiscal year under the Japanese business calendar). In the meantime, the companies involved decided on a name for the new venture: NEC Casio Mobile. The company's capitalization stands at a relatively modest $55 million, with NEC holding a 71% stake, Casio 20% and Hitachi 9%. And as I speculated in my previous article, that new company plans to enter the global market in a (relatively) aggressive way.

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  • Verizon launches hardcore Casio G’zOne Rock

    Verizon launches hardcore Casio G’zOne Rock

    It doesn't sound as hardcore as its predecessor, the Boulder -- but Verizon's just-introduced Rock is actually the company's most functional Casio G'zOne model to date. Though it looks quite similar to the outgoing model, the Rock's headlining addition is the so-called Triple Sensor -- something certain G-Shock owners might already be familiar with -- which allows the phone to offer an integrated thermometer, compass, and pedometer. It also features touch-sensitive music controls, a 2 megapixel cam, and -- you guessed it -- mil-spec 810F compliance for resistance to the everyday ails of the world like water, dust, and sun exposure. It'll be available online starting tomorrow for $199.99 on contract after rebate, while stores pick it up a few days later on the 30th.

    Verizon launches hardcore Casio G'zOne Rock originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • The Casio EX-G1 is for the fashion-conscious outdoorsy types

    The Casio EX-G1 is for the fashion-conscious outdoorsy types

    A quick glance at the Casio EX-G1 doesn't revel that the camera is a rugged-type model. It's just too good looking. But then you might start to notice that the dials are recessed and reinforced and the case seems like it could work underwater. (it can) It's just that Casio managed to out a 12.1 MP ruggedized camera that's actually a looker.

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  • Casio G’zOne Brigade brings whole new level of rugged insanity to the QWERTY clamshell

    Casio G’zOne Brigade brings whole new level of rugged insanity to the QWERTY clamshell

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    We've seen some crazy phones in our day, many of them from Casio, as it turns out, but the G'zOne Brigade really pushes the envelope. It's a ruggedized, weatherproof, Push to Talk QWERTY clamshell, with some of the odder physical protrusions we've seen on a handset this decade. Unfortunately, the QWERTY keyboard, which is populated with large and very clickable keys, is arranged in possibly one of the least sensible layouts conceivable. Software-wise the handset runs the full gamut of V CAST apps and also includes a document viewer for opening Microsoft Office files and PDFs. Price and availability info will be revealed "closer to launch."

    Casio G'zOne Brigade brings whole new level of rugged insanity to the QWERTY clamshell originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Casio’s G’zOne Rock C731 for Verizon oozes tough

    Casio’s G’zOne Rock C731 for Verizon oozes tough

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    We've been hearing about Casio's next US-bound G'zOne for a while now, but the Rock's been taking its sweet time getting to market -- not unlike the EXILIM before it, we suppose. We still don't have a release here, but PhoneArena appears to have nabbed solid shots of the C731 in the wild, showing totally typical G'zOne styling cues with the pointy tips, textured components, and a total disregard for beauty (at least in the traditional sense of the word). They still haven't managed to scrounge up a possible release date -- but really, you could argue that the Boulder still has some life in it, so we wouldn't be surprised if this didn't hit until closer to the holidays at the earliest.

    Casio's G'zOne Rock C731 for Verizon oozes tough originally appeared on Engadget Mobile on Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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  • Verizon’s phone release list leaked. Maybe

    Verizon’s phone release list leaked. Maybe

    Looks like those guys over at Gizmodo managed to snag a list of some upcoming possible Verizon handset releases from a "reliable source".

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