Bad start: Toshiba fails to properly launch the TG01 in Japan

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I haven’t had the chance yet to try it out but those who did say the Toshiba TG01 seems to be a pretty good cell phone. Needless to say, the TG01 (1 Ghz CPU, 9.9mm body and a 4.1-inch touchscreen) was due out in Japan first. But most customers over here are still waiting for the “iPhone killer”.

After releasing the phone on June 20, NTT Docomo (the exclusive carrier) withdrew the device on June 22 [JP]. The problem was that buyers who tried to reach numbers starting with “011” could’t make calls, for example to areas like Sapporo in Northern Japan.

Another bug: Docomo customers can normally dial 184 or 186 before entering a phone number in order to display caller ID or not – but the TG01 was released without this feature.

The 2,600 people who already got the TG01 will be able to remove the bugs through a PC software update. Docomo says stores will start offering the phone again on Thursday.

Let’s hope Toshiba will do everything right when it launches the TG01 in the US and Europe (where the company already set up a dedicated website for the phone under the name Toshiba Mobile Revolution).