Ah! So that's why!
Salon.com: Will Americans go for mLife? (via BlackbeltJones)
"For many skeptics, imode-type services will never take off in the U.S, for one simple reason: the car. In Japan, the ubiquitous mass transit system is often cited as a primary reason for imode's success. The transit system creates a lifestyle full of "microniches" of time. There's a lot of hanging around nearby bus, subway and train stations, usually waiting for friends or for transport. "
I never thought about that... It nicely fits in with why schoolkids love mobiles.
# May 23, 2002