Sharp W-Zero3, soon to be mine.

[isamu]

Hello all,
I just wanted to ask anyone if they have any other information on this Pocket PC phone. I've been in Japan for a few months now and don't speak a lick of Japanese.
I seem to know more than what's out there on the net. You can officially "reserve" your phone as of Dec 9th, for sale and delivery on the 14th of Dec. There's only going to be 80 units available for the first shipment.
Now, Maybe it's just me, and being in the land of the rising sun, only I would be interested in using this phone as it may or may not be able to work outside of the country (I still don't know if it's a GSM phone or CDMA, most likely some other propietary system...) But I do know it's running Windows Mobile 5.0 and has some decent specs for a phone/pocket pc. It's running only Japanese 5.0.
So, what I would like to know (in English ) is if this phone can be used in English, some language setting or maybe file swap and if I can use English software?
Anyone with any info or advice using Pocket PCs in a different language... I'm really anxious to get a hold of this phone so I'm trying to get all my software ready to go and tweaks and everything that an excited new father... ahem owner to be of a Pocket PC.
Oh and one more, what sort of things should I do first to get it all set up and ready to rock??
Thanks for your time and sorry for the long winded post (can you tell I'm excited??? )
~Isamu

[kamikun]

Well, 最初に日本にようこそ！
If it makes you feel any better I've been here for 10 years and still can only speak enough Japanese to get my face slapped... usually by my wife.
My first PPC was a Casio E-2000, the Japanese version of the E-200. I used early versions of Pocket Informant, Journal Bar, Pocket Stars, Resco Explorer and a host of other programs without a glitch on that machine.
So the first answer is, "Yes." You can run English language programs on Japanese systems. Usually the only real problem you have is trying to get Japanese language programs to run on English OSs and that's only happened to me a couple of times. 99% of all software will operate independent of the language (if it's Japanese software it may display properly without some simple hacking on an English system - but you're not worried about that.)
Secondly, did you actually reserve your W-Zero?? The Willcom site has been jammed since Friday. (Here's a story about the inability of people to get through to the site.) The server crashed after they opened the reservation page. I've tried logging in several times this weekend with no success. If you did get through and log your reservation I'd suggest you keep it quiet or a host of otaku from Akihabara will hunt you down.
I'm not sure about the phone system either (I think it's usable only in Japan) but I'll ask some friends and get back to you on that. (It's referred to as PHS here but I don't know what that is in real tech terms. OK, some quick googling says that it's a proprietary system.)
The beauty of it is is that the device is being sold at or below cost because you have to get the cell plan with it. As I have no friends that wouldn't hurt me at all but if you're planning to use the device a lot as a phone you want to read the pricing plan very carefully.
Hope some of this helps.

[isamu]

Konnichiwa!
Thanks for welcoming to Japan! (google translation service... isn't it great)
Thanks for the reply, at least I can have a little bit of releif that English software works on it. I also reserved it at two different stores, they just took my name and number down. It won't be used too much as a phone, I just think that's a benefit, like you, I probably have fewer friends. I think it would be used more for internet surfing on the train/stations and entertainment machine (mp3/games/movies/books...) Funny though with their site, I had no problems getting through at all, at work I can't because of it being a secured site https:// but at home I had no troubles each and everyday (I thought to check it out each day, if there was some new info or what not) But I got all the way through to the page where they want my info (the 3rd step on their chart)
I'm probably not going to use the two reservtions but just head down to Yodabashi Camera and pick it up (and get points too) I sorta have a 3rd reservation there... sorta. So if you're in the Tokyo area and can't get one, then we could meet up and use the reservatoins. (I lice in Chiba, but work in Shinjuku by the way)
Thanks for your info!
Which Pocket PC do you have? any tips or advice with Windows Mobile 5.0? (or better any experience with it?)
Thanks again!
Domo Arigato Gozimus!