Docomo answers iPhone challenge in Japan

Although Japanese Mac fans have been patiently biding their time until the iPhone comes to Asia in 2008, one of the country's top cell-phone makers isn't waiting to get it's head taken off by Steve Jobs. Docomo has unveiled what looks to be the Japanese answer to the iPhone with its new FOMA HT1100 cell phone. As you can see in the video after the jump (click "Continue Reading" below), the phone uses the now familiar touchscreen interface, and even resembles the iPhone, sporting a minimalist one-button interface.

Where Docomo possibly outshines Apple is in its decision to include a pull-out keyboard, allowing users accustomed to years of dialing via tactile memory to avoid having to make a quantum leap just because some designer decided touchscreen tapping looks cool. In terms of software, the phone uses Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.0 and offers Internet Explorer for Web browsing and Outlook Mobile for e-mail. Docomo also claims that YouTube videos can be viewed on the device. The final Docomo masterstroke is that the device offers fingerprint authentication, an obvious feature for a touch-phone that Apple apparently overlooked.

The only thing missing from this iPhone killer, set to hit stores in the beginning of 2008, is a promise from Docomo that we'll be able to sync the phone with a Mac and a catchy geek-lust nickname