August 1, 2007 (Tokyo, Japan)—Acrodea, Inc. (CEO and President: Junya Tsutsumi), headquartered in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, announced today the installation of VIVID UI™, developed as a user interface platform for mobile terminals, and VIVID Panorama™ in certain summer 2007 model handsets released by SoftBank Mobile Co., Ltd. (CEO and President: Masayoshi Son; "SoftBank Mobile"), headquartered in Minato-ku, Tokyo.
Adopting fundamental VIVID UI technology and compatibility with Softbank Mobile’s original service "Onajimi Sosa", the models released at this time are the FULLFACE SoftBank 913SH, SoftBank 912SH, SoftBank 815SH, and SoftBank 814SH; GENT SoftBank 812SH s; and SoftBank 810P. This Onajimi Sosa is a breakthrough feature that allows subscribers to continue using familiar operating environments of previous model handsets by downloading menu screen data for previously released models. Since subscribers can continue to use the operating feel from models of other manufacturers, the perplexity of operation accompanying a change in handset model disappears, and new mobile phone features and services can immediately be put to use. In addition, the camera feature of the FULLFACE SoftBank 913SH and SoftBank 912SH incorporates VIVID Panorama and provides added enjoyment with panorama photography.
As mobile phones continue to expand their functionality and grow in complexity, VIVID UI offers a solution for user interfaces of mobile phones that can lower the cost burden for handset development, improve usability, and establish a content platform through which customization of the user interface becomes possible. In order to achieve the sophisticated range of visual expression demanded in mobile phones today, VIVID UI is compatible with various video and picture media formats. Faced with the introduction of highly diverse UI menus to meet the requirements of the Onajimi Sosa feature and with the need to complete UI development work rapidly, SoftBank Mobile architected user interfaces for its handsets based on VIVID UI. Consequently, the Onajimi Sosa feature, which was considered highly difficult to achieve under conventional UI development frameworks, became a reality. Acrodea has earned high praise for its superior UI technology from numerous circles.
Jointly developed by Acrodea and Morpho, Inc. (CEO and President: Masaki Hilaga), headquartered in Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, VIVID Panorama consists of middleware for camera functionality. VIVID Panorama permits the user to create panorama photos (images extended in one direction for a wider or taller viewing angle than ordinary photos) easily by operating the mobile handset with a built-in digital camera like a camcorder and panning the desired range. Although previous handsets have been equipped with panoramic photography functions, the "panorama-like" photo involved stitching together each, individually taken photo. The panoramic image-generating technology of VIVID Panorama is fully automated on the basis of the video data captured. The process is rapid and completed in real time. Users may immediately preview the panorama photo taken. This convenience is an additional feature of VIVID Panorama.
Acrodea, Inc., headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, is a software technology R&D firm involved in middleware technology for mobile terminals. The company is particularly focused on interface technologies connecting between the user and terminal, and currently provides UI (user interface) technologies and email enhancement technologies to the market. We are also applying R&D energy towards the enhancement of graphics performance, which is indispensable in facilitating usage of mobile platform interfaces. Our stance and efforts are a continual commitment to superior products and improving technology, for which we have received recognition worldwide. In addition to Japan and Korea, Acrodea is engaged in business on the global market, including China, Europe, and North America. The company listed publicly on Mothers Exchange of TSE on Oct. 19, 2006, just two years and three months after establishment in July 2004. Acrodea is headquartered in Tokyo, and maintains an overseas presence in Seoul, Korea; Espoo, Finland; and Newport Beach, California, U.S.A. For more information, please visit http://www.acrodea.co.jp.
Founded in 2004, Morpho, Inc., is a venture company focused on delivering industry leading computer vision, graphics and image processing solutions for mobile device and PC based applications. Established by researchers from the University of Tokyo and experts in digital media, the company continues to introduce innovations in image processing technologies. More information about Morpho Inc. is available at http://www.morphoinc.com.
Marketing Department at Acrodea, Inc.
TEL: +81 3–5798–4885
Marketing Department at Acrodea, Inc.
TEL: +81 3–5798–4885
