After the mobile novel, now the mobile manga...


Image: Oishinbo, from The Japan Times

One of the latest sectors experiencing the dizziness of the TIMBER! effect seems to be Manga comics in Japan, according to Japan Times. Putting Manga on mobiles only started in 2003, spurred by 3G availability, and already is showing signs of killing its paper based parent.

Paper-based publishing is actually experiencing a double whammy onslaught from mobiles. Even before Manga was available on phones, sales had started to decline in line with the growth of mobiles. This is attributed to young people spending their disposable income on their phones, communication and content. But now the phone itself has become a publishing channel, this effect is accelerating.

See also:
The Japan Times: 'Manga' publishers see cell phones as the future

PS: Here you can test if mobile manga works for you too.

Image: The Register

Sony Upgrades PSP Firmware

In addition to launching a new service called "Portable TV" which will provide Japanese consumers with downloadable video content for the PlayStation Portable, Sony has also added the ATRAC3plus music format to the PSP in today's 2.00 firmware upgrade - which will enable users to purchase music from Sony's Connect Music Store for playback on the PSP.

[...] However, users can't browse the music store on their consoles yet, but that functionality could be added in the near future. The convergence of gaming and free/paid multimedia content on the same portable device is here folks...Depending on consumer uptake, Sony could be positioning itself to hit big initially in the Far East.

Music in the air...;)
Another Cell Phone Audio Deal, from CNET

For $6.95 a month, people nationwide with a Sprint phone (specifically, with Sprint PCS Vision Multimedia Service) can sign up and listen to several different radio stations or Internet podcasts, as well as gain access to videos, music news or freestyle rap service “Beats N Breaks

iTuneMyWalkman

iTuneMyWalkman is an iTunes script that will help you synchronize the contents of iTunes playlists with you Sony Ericsson Walkman phone. The playlists can be either regular or smart ones. The script can also automatically detect when you connect your phone, and will ask you if you want to synchronize. When the files have been copied, you can Eject the phone.

See also:
Push Pause On The Mobile Music Revolution