On a trip to Seoul, you may want to order at a restaurant but don't know any Hangul. But don't worry — just hold your smartphone over the menu and the phone will automatically translate it into Japanese in a split second.
Or, if you need a taxi in Tokyo, don't bother to run out to a major street to find one or call an operator. There is an application that can bring you a taxi instantly without you needing to tell anyone where you are.
These are only a few of a string of new applications currently available in Japan, where the smartphone market is booming mainly on the back of the strong popularity of Apple Inc.'s iPhone.