Japan’s e-commerce giant Rakuten announced today that it would acquire U.S.-based e-commerce portal Buy.com for USD250M. Buy.com will be a subsidiary wholly owned by Rakuten next month. Buy.com has 14 million consumers and more than 1,000 stores in North America. Rakuten is running e-commerce business in Taiwan[C] and Thailand[TH], and also preparing for launching… Continue reading Rakuten To Go Global By Acquiring Buy.com for USD250M
Category: Company
Softbank Mobile Ties Up With 60 Restaurant & Coffee Shop Chains For More Public WiFi Spots
On Monday, Softbank Mobile announced it had agreed to partner with some 60 companies to provide their restaurant and coffee shop storefronts with the telco’s public WiFi service called Softbank WiFi spot[J]. The service’s subscribers are also allowed to use BB Mobile Point as well, which is a public WiFi service operated by the telco’s… Continue reading Softbank Mobile Ties Up With 60 Restaurant & Coffee Shop Chains For More Public WiFi Spots
Softbank Starts iPad Pre-sales; DoCoMo Gives Up To Provide SIM For iPad Users
Finally, Softbank Mobile got the iPad Pre-sales started. We could find no queue at their storefronts last Sunday’s night, but the scenes have been changed in yesterday’s morning. (In front of Softbank Mobile Omotesando. Picture courtesy: Japan’s A-list brogger Ichiroo a.k.a. Kotori Piyopiyo[J]) The Nikkei reports more than 100 people have been queuing at Bic… Continue reading Softbank Starts iPad Pre-sales; DoCoMo Gives Up To Provide SIM For iPad Users
Softbank Mobile To Begin iPad Pre-orders Tomorrow
Softbank Mobile announced it would begin the iPad pre-orders tomorrow (Monday, May 10) at 10am, Japan Time. You’ll be able to make it at iPad authorized dealers such as selected Softbank Mobile shops and consumer electronics retailers. Apple Japan’s online store deals with the iPad Wi-Fi model only, and Apple Stores will deal with all… Continue reading Softbank Mobile To Begin iPad Pre-orders Tomorrow
DeNA Reports USD100M On Quarterly Profit; They To Focus On Social App Business
Last Friday, Tokyo-based mobile game platform developer and game publisher DeNA announced the company’s quarterly consolidated financial result ended March 2010, which shows us good figures like USD200M in the net sales (81% increase compared to that of last year) and almost USD100M in the operating profit (240% increase compared to that of last year).… Continue reading DeNA Reports USD100M On Quarterly Profit; They To Focus On Social App Business
Tokyo Giants & Hanshin Tigers, Both To Introduce Specially Designed Handsets For Better Fan Engagement
The Yomiuri Giants[J], a professional baseball team based in Tokyo, announced it would introduce a new cellphone handset especially designed for their fans in late June in association with Japan’s second largest mobile operator KDDI and MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) Inphonix[J]. The team’s logo is printed on the handset, and player’s portraits and the… Continue reading Tokyo Giants & Hanshin Tigers, Both To Introduce Specially Designed Handsets For Better Fan Engagement
Cartoon Illustration Sharing Site Tinami Introduces Streaming Integration And API
Tinami[J], a fourteen-year-old illustration sharing site for cartoonists and animators, completed the integrations with Ustream and Stickam last week, and it now allows users of the service to broadcast live videos of their drawing processes via the two streaming services and to communicate with their fans. Furthermore, the site introduced an API[J] for developers who… Continue reading Cartoon Illustration Sharing Site Tinami Introduces Streaming Integration And API
Softbank To Stop Further Development Of Japan-Made Mobile Technology And To Take Chinese 4G Standard?
Softbank, a Japanese telecom and media company who will take over the next-generation PHS service called XGP[J] from the service’s predecessor Willcom in corporate reorganization proceedings, is reportedly considering to adopt China Mobile‘s TD-LTE standard instead for the service in Japan, several Japanese news sources reported. If Softbank adopts TD-LTE, Softbank’s subscribers in Japan and… Continue reading Softbank To Stop Further Development Of Japan-Made Mobile Technology And To Take Chinese 4G Standard?
Uniqlo Runs Powerful Web Promos In Prior To Shanghai Real Store Launch
Tokyo-based global fast-fashion retailer Uniqlo started the Internet promotion campaign using China’s Facebook-like social network Kaixin and YouTube-like video sharing platform Youku, in prior to the May 15th opening of the company’s first flagship store in Shanghai. On Kaixin, the company set up an exclusive account[C] for the promotion, and is announcing news updates and… Continue reading Uniqlo Runs Powerful Web Promos In Prior To Shanghai Real Store Launch
GMO-AP To Acquire Sanoh From Unoh To Obtain Mobile Ad Network
GMO Ad Partners(GMO-AP)[J], a web ad agency of Shibuya-based web juggernaut GMO Internet Group, announced it would acquire Sanow Inc.[J] who has been developing a behavioral targeting and content-match ad network for mobile. Sanow has been a subsidiary of Unoh Inc.[J] who has developed several web application services including Machi-Tsuku (described in this story). GMO-AP… Continue reading GMO-AP To Acquire Sanoh From Unoh To Obtain Mobile Ad Network