author

 
 

Meta

Rick Martin
For Rick Martin's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: TECH
May 21, 2013
Apps to stay healthy, hear the news and keep in touch
Taking time to shake a leg
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / ON: TECH
Apr 16, 2013
Can we talk?
LG's Optimus G Pro gets a Japan release
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 19, 2013
Nikon Coolpix A: Big tech in a little package
Nikon has delivered a pocket-ready point-and-shoot camera in its Coolpix A, the new flagship model in its Coolpix line up, due to be available in Japan on March 28.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 27, 2013
A new crop of smartphones for spring
As spring descends on Japan, we'll all be welcoming warmer temperatures and cherry blossoms in the coming weeks. But spring in Japan typically means new smartphone lineups from Japan's major mobile carriers, too. And while consumers' love for Apple's iPhone is still in full bloom, there are a number of Android smartphones budding for their attention.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jan 23, 2013
Point-and-shoot cameras that focus on quality
Casio's current flagship Exilim point-and-shoot camera, the EX-ZR1000, is an intriguing offering that targets users who want to be able to capture life's special moments quickly and in high quality.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jan 9, 2013
Wireless file transfer, vibrating headphones and a high-tech cure for forgetfulness
Here we are in 2013. It's an exciting time of year, a welcome opportunity to reflect and give ourselves a fresh start. I personally resolved not to make resolutions, but perhaps some of you will now be trying your best to get organized, lose some weight or save some money. These new devices may help you think about achieving your goals.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Dec 26, 2012
2012 in tech — and what it means for the year ahead
In the world of technology, the past year has seen a changing of the guard in almost every sector. Personal computers, mobile devices, gaming and Internet services have all seen incredible developments, with new challengers taking the place of old incumbents. As we move into the new year, we'll meet a vastly different tech landscape from the one we knew in years gone by.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 28, 2012
Two new viewing options for your collection
With so many different types of screens to choose from, it's a wonderful time for home entertainment these days. Whether you opt for the latest HDTV, or a shiny new tablet computer as your second screen, there's something for everybody depending on your specific needs and preferences.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 24, 2012
Fujitsu aims at women; Huawei targets Japan
Fujitsu tends to get left out of the conversation when it comes to the world's top PC-makers these days, but it's still an important player in its home market of Japan — where it holds about 15 percent of the market, placing it second behind the NEC Lenovo Group. And in an effort to maintain that position, the company has just announced a new line of its FMV laptops, which it hopes will win over female users.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 26, 2012
Get ready to broadcast video live online
Japan-based Cerevo has carved out an interesting business niche for itself as a provider of live-video-streaming hardware, most notably its Live Shell device released last year. That device enabled aspiring Internet broadcasters to stream live video directly from a camera to the Web without the need for a PC. And now this year, Live Shell is getting an HD upgrade with Cerevo's Live Shell Pro, expected to go on sale in October.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 22, 2012
Japanese companies aspire to take a bite out of the e-reader apple
With so many competitors in the tablet and e-reader market these days, it's getting harder and harder for manufacturers to differentiate themselves from similar offerings. Apple's iPad held 68 percent of the worldwide market share in the second quarter according to Massachusetts-based research firm IDC, while Samsung and Amazon claimed second and third with 10 percent and 5 percent respectively. While it can be hard for newcomers to get a foothold, there are a few new offerings from Japanese companies that aspire to take a bite out of the e-reader apple, so to speak.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 25, 2012
Making the move away from smartphone snaps
For aspiring photographers looking to step up their game from a point-and-shoot camera or smartphone, there have been a number of exciting new options released in recent weeks. Whether you want to take the leap to your first DSLR, opt for a more evolved point-and-shoot, or go with something in between — this summer delivers something for everyone.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 27, 2012
Weighing up ultra-thin new laptops from Japan
Over the past few weeks we have seen a barrage of great new laptop offerings from PC manufacturers, all hoping to deliver thin, light, and powerful mobile-computing solutions driven by Intel's new Ivy Bridge processor. Competition in this space will be fierce, perhaps even more so now that Apple's has upgraded its Macbook Air offerings. PC powerhouses such as Lenovo, Hewlett Packard and Dell offer great options for Windows users. But this week I thought we'd look at a few of the latest notebook offerings from three Japanese manufacturers to see how they stack up.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 23, 2012
DoCoMo shuns iPhone, pushes Android options
DoCoMo last week unveiled its new lineup of mobile phones at a press conference in Tokyo. The most notable was the brand-new Samsung Galaxy S III, the headliner of the DoCoMo NEXT series of high-end smartphones.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 25, 2012
Create your own home-entertainment network
Last week, Sony announced an interesting addition to its entertainment lineup with the launch of a device that doubles as network-attached storage and as a handy digital-television recorder. It's called the nasne, and it is the successor to Sony's previously released torne DVR add-on (known as Play TV in Europe) for the PlayStation 3. But while the torne was used to record and store media on the PS3, the nasne will feature its own 500-gigabyte hard-drive to which you can record your favorite television shows.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 28, 2012
Japan gets new Android gadgets
I expect you've heard about as much as you can take regarding Apple's third-generation iPad over the past few weeks. It's an undeniably improved offering over the iPad 2, which itself is now a tempting buy at its new discounted price. But while the iPad is still the clear leader in the tablet space, there are some unique alternatives out there that are worth a look, particularly here in Japan.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 14, 2012
USB beans and yet another 'toy' camera
A common problem with many new laptops is that they don't come with as many USB ports as we'd like. I have four ports on my computer and I still find myself fiddling with wires around the back, unplugging and replugging depending on what device I'm using. Of course, a USB hub is a good solution in such a situation, though most of them are pretty plain when it comes to design.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 22, 2012
Pick of the pixels from this year's CP+ show
One of the highlights of this month's CP+ Camera and Photo Imaging Show 2012 in Yokohama was Nikon's new D800 digital SLR camera, aimed at multimedia photographers and videographers. The 36-megapixel monster is once again spurring the debate over how many megapixels is too many megapixels.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 8, 2012
Watch out for latest 'nano'tech time piece
When Apple released its diminutive sixth generation iPod Nano back in September 2010, Steve Jobs quipped that one of the board members at Apple was planning to use it as a watch. And since then a number of different companies have put forth various watch strap solutions that can integrate with the iPod Nano. The latest of these is from right here in Japan, and comes courtesy of Tokyo-based entrepreneur Enrique Bonansea and his company emonster.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jan 25, 2012
Sony and Fujitsu take Japan into the battle for global smartphone dominance
Last year was the year that finally saw Android phones achieve booming growth all over the world, including here in Japan. But thus far, Japanese manufacturers have yet to crack the top tier of smartphone makers, as South Korea's Samsung and the Taiwanese HTC have led the charge thus far. But at the recent Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, both Sony and Fujitsu were trumpeting new handsets, and we're going to see new offerings from both companies for the Japanese market as well.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world