While American consumers have their soon-to-launch iPhones, Japanese cell phone users have their own innovative handsets in the near future, courtesy of Japan's NTT. Is the difference in features cultural? You tell us:

1. NTT subsidiary Neomeit will release in September a technology you've doubtless heard about (but not yet actually used) before: using your cell phone as a remote control. For about four bucks a month, users can rent the "U-Consento" infrared transmitter to control their stereos, TVs and HVACs via cell phone.

2. DoCoMo will also release (date TBD) a line of phones targeted at the elderly. The phones will provide health-monitoring hardware like thermometers and blood pressure meters.

3. NTT DoCoMo's 904i series of phones due for May release feature accelerometers that enable Wii-like gaming, and/or functionality (i.e. shake your phone like an etch-a-sketch to retrieve your messages).

[Via Digital World Tokyo and Pink Tentacle]