'Ekimae-Tanken club' internet information service featuring word-of-mouth communications

摘要

We inaugurated a new Internet-based information service called "Ekimae-Tanken Club" for mobile computing in May 1997 Targeted at businesspeople in the Tokyo area, our service has two main themes: spot information in the vicinity of railwaystations (140 stations, mostly within the JR Yamanote Line area), and information on train connections in the Kanto region.Word-of-mouth information input by our users is of particular importance in our service. Such information may be input by two different means: personal computer or personal digital assistant (PDA). Moreover, a trial service using PHS positioninginformation has been in operation since October 1997.