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May 06, 2024
 

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TECH_JAPAN

Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Dec 7, 2011
Nintendo makes it through rough seas with flagship titles
For decades, Nintendo was known for its Mario games and Zelda games. Then something happened: Nintendo, which had long catered to traditional gamers, found a new audience that was not interested in Mario and didn't care much for Link. Nintendo began making games for old people and non-gamers. Its longtime fans felt shunned.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 23, 2011
Ultrabook goes Zen; camera sees double
It will be interesting to see how far the 3-D bandwagon can chug along before it runs out of gas. Consumers don't seem too excited about 3-D TVs or 3-D personal computers anymore, but nevertheless, Panasonic hopes that its new Lumix DMC-3D1 camera will inject some enthusiasm back into the market.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 16, 2011
Social-gaming and traditional media no longer deadly foes
Japan's two social-game-networking giants, Gree and Mobage, have been spending enormous amounts on producing TV advertising recently, and as a result they have each attracted approximately 20 percent of the population to their services, selling vast number of virtual items. In the West it is unusual to promote Web services on traditional media such as TV, as good Web services are thought to be self-promotional and gain publicity virally, so the move by Gree and Mobage is an interesting business tactic.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 9, 2011
Project from an iPhone and tell the time at the speed of light
Japanese company Thanko, the creator of an assortment of crazy — if not always practical — gadgets, has recently released an intriguing device targeting iPhone users. The iPhone Mini Projector is tiny, at 48 × 58 × 16 mm, and weighs only 32 grams. But once connected to an iPhone it projects the display onto nearby surfaces.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Nov 2, 2011
Preorders keep that 'I-can't-wait-to-play' energy alive
Nov. 11, 2006, was one of the most stressful nights of my gaming life. That was the date the PlayStation 3 launched in Japan — and it was hell.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 26, 2011
A camera worth saving for, and the first Android 4.0 smartphone
Last week, Canon announced its new EOS-1D X DSLR camera, the latest addition to its 1D series, replacing both the EOS-1Ds Mark III and Mark IV models. The 1D X is Canon's top-of-the-line offering, targeting professionals and high-end photographers. With a hefty price tag of ¥650,000 (for the body only), it doesn't come cheap, but for pros out there who haven't updated in a while, this will certainly be one to consider when it goes on sale in Japan in March.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 19, 2011
Android privacy concerns rise over apps crossing the line
Tokyo-based IT company Milog is known for providing Android-based smartphone apps that let users share information about the apps installed on their phones and rank them by popularity. This small startup, established in 2009, has been supported by notable companies, including receiving a ¥310 million joint-investment from information and job-placement agency Recruit and Japan's second largest Internet advertising agency Opt.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 12, 2011
New toys for retro gamers and wannabe rockers
Nostalgic gaming fans old enough to remember "Space Invaders" no doubt look back on it as one of the most memorable video games of years gone by. Japan's Taito Corporation created the arcade game back in 1978, and it has been a classic ever since.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Oct 5, 2011
Why do Japanese developers keep us waiting?
The problem with Japanese video games is that they take too damn long to make.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 28, 2011
A brand new touchscreen device for every pocket
It has been a rough year for Sony after its PlayStation Network security breach this past spring. But it has enjoyed a bit of a respite after rolling out its new pair of tablets this past month, as well as showing off its forthcoming handheld game device, Vita, at Tokyo Game Show.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 21, 2011
Interviewed like a star: Anonymous question and answer site is proving popular in Japan
Over the last month or so, a new social service has risen out of the blue in the Japanese Web.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 14, 2011
Smartphones replacing cameras? Not so fast!
For many consumers, compact cameras have gone the way of the dinosaur thanks to the growing popularity of smartphones. Why take a camera around in your right pocket, when you already have a camera phone in your left? Indeed, the term "camera phone" is itself somewhat outdated since nearly every mobile phone these days comes with a camera built-in. Nevertheless, there are some specific cases where a smartphone just won't do the job. And we're going to look at two of those today.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Sep 7, 2011
With the rise of smartphones, Nintendo faces a grim future
There was a time when Nintendo could do no wrong, when everything the Kyoto-based game maker touched turned to gold. That time is over — and has been for some time. However, that doesn't mean you should count them out.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 24, 2011
Panasonic and Sharp betting that, in Japan, 7 inches is enough
It's obvious that tablet computers are making their mark on the electronics world, with Hewlett Packard this past week citing "the tablet effect" as a reason to consider a spinoff of its PC business. That's big. Especially as the company also said that it will cease production of its own tablet, the TouchPad, less than two months after it hit the shelves — effectively throwing in the towel in the battle with the iPad.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 17, 2011
Why do Japanese advertisers suggest Internet-search keywords?
It seems that everywhere you look in Japan these days, printed advertising has Internet-style "search buttons" somewhere in the design, with Japanese text inside a box indicating the term to be searched. And many TV commercials end with a short phrase "such and such de kensaku" ("search on the Internet for such and such").
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 10, 2011
Keep cool with a cold beverage and a strategically placed fan
Now that we're into August, many of us here in Japan are looking for new ways to beat the summer heat. Some people have purchased "green curtain" kits, growing walls of goya vines to cool their homes or offices. Others are opting for "Super Cool Biz" attire in an effort to stay comfortable in the office.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Aug 3, 2011
Top game designers going social
They're some of the biggest names in Japanese gaming. And they've developed some of the country's biggest games. Guys like Keiji Inafune of "Mega Man" fame, Yuji Naka ("Sonic the Hedgehog") and Goichi Suda ("No More Heroes"). But last week in Shibuya, Tokyo, they talked about how they're planning to work on smaller social games — games they hope will go big.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 27, 2011
Compact new interchangable-lens camera plus a solar-powered lamp/charger
Japanese camera maker Pentax made the news earlier this month, having been acquired by Ricoh for ¥10 billion. But just prior to that, Pentax rolled out what it hailed as the world's smallest and lightest interchangeable-lens digital camera: the Pentax Q.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 20, 2011
Will Japan invite Google+ into its growing circle of social networks?
Despite only being in closed beta testing at the moment, Google's new social-network service, Google+, is rapidly proving to be huge, with more than 10 million users joining since it was announced on June 28. And thanks to their international connections, Net-savvy Japanese too were soon getting invitations to join "circles," which is how the service organizes members.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 13, 2011
Toys for all ages at Tokyo show
The 2011 International Tokyo Toy Show was held last month at Tokyo Big Sight, and Japanese toy-makers were in attendance to show their wondrous wares to potential buyers, not to mention a veritable army of kids. This year saw everything from figures to remote-control vehicles, robots to iPhone games. Here are a few of the more notable products at this year's exhibition.
Japan says Biden's description of nation as xenophobic is 'unfortunate'
The National Diet building in Tokyo
As visitors surge, Japan seeks ways to make tourism eco-friendly
Much like other hot spots across Okinawa, Onna has diligently strived to captivate both domestic and international tourists, while at the same time grappling with the environmental strain induced by the influx of visitors.
G7 eyes plan on U.S.-led $50 billion aid package for Ukraine
A local resident visits the Lychakiv cemetery in Lviv, Ukraine, on Thursday. The U.S. is in talks with close partners to lead a group of allies that would give as much as $50 billion in aid to Ukraine.
Japan drops to 70th in press freedom rankings
A businessman reads a newspaper outside a train station in Tokyo.
Kishida talks up bolstered Latin American ties as China cements position
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a news conference in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
Japan’s tween skateboarders get head start on preparations for 2028 Olympics
Ibuki Matsumoto competes at an event in Osaka on April 21.
As visitors surge, Japan seeks ways to make tourism eco-friendly
Much like other hot spots across Okinawa, Onna has diligently strived to captivate both domestic and international tourists, while at the same time grappling with the environmental strain induced by the influx of visitors.
Kishida talks up bolstered Latin American ties as China cements position
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida holds a news conference in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
Debate on constitutional revision at a standstill despite Kishida's pledges
With less than two months left before the conclusion of the current session of parliament, any possibility that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida can deliver constitutional reform before the end of his term as Liberal Democratic Party president in late September, as he has promised, appears remote.
Sapporo court ruling on Ainu fishing rights presents tough questions
A traditional Ainu preserved food called <i>satchep</i> (dried fish) being made at the government-run National Ainu Museum and Park, nicknamed Upopoy, in the town of Shiraoi, Hokkaido, on Dec. 25. The Sapporo District Court ruled last month that the Raporo Ainu Nation's rights as an Indigenous people did not extend to having an inherent right to fish for commercial reasons.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
By Stephen Mansfield

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