Hi Wired readers,
I'm Daiji Hirata. The guy quoted in the article like Nobi, too.
I have never said "And carrying around an iPhone in Japan could make you look pretty lame." I think most Japanese think iPhone is the coolest item. At least I have and love iPhone.
I have never met the author, Brian. How he got my comment? I think he quoted my words from Lisa's article in Wired. I've talked her not only Keitai culture but also Internet culture and history in Japan. In her article:
Neat-looking gadgets are also a core aspect of one's identity. Daiji Hirata, chief financial officer of News2u Corporation and creator of Japan's first wireless LAN, admits to changing handsets more often than is probably necessary.
"Cellphones are always part of any conversation," he says. "People are always using them and holding them, even in the middle of a meal, so they might not think you're hip if you're carrying an old one."
http://www.wired.com/gadgets/wireless/news/2008/06/japan_phones
But In Brian X's article:
Cellphones are also more of a fashion accessory in Japan than in the United States, according to Daiji Hirata, chief financial officer of News2u Corporation and creator of Japan's first wireless LAN. And carrying around an iPhone in Japan could make you look pretty lame.
http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/02/why-the-iphone.html
I had never mention about iPhone as a fashion view in the original article and interview. In the interview of Lisa, I have said her I think it is difficult to enter main stream market for iPhone in short term because iPhone is a smart phone, not a Japanese keitai but an internet appliance. If I am asked about iPhone as fashion view, I will answer I feel iPhone is very fashionable and many Japanese too. And I love the internet so I love iPhone.
In addition, I don't think I am the creator of Wireless LAN. That is overstated. I've worked at NTT Corporation in 1996-1999, and developed around Wireless LAN system including to support the first standardization of 802.11and others in 1996-1997. Then I've joined to Neoteny, Joi Ito's company in 1999, and joined to Six Apart as VP of Technology in 2003. You can see my resume if you have interest more.
Thank you for reading my article.
2009.2.28
Daiji Hirata
blog: dh memoranda (only in Japanese. Sorry for English readers)