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May 06, 2024
 

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TECH_JAPAN

Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jul 6, 2011
Video games now have the same U.S. protection as books and films
Video games feature violence. Not all of them, of course, but violence is prevalent — just as it is in movies and on television. Now, thanks to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling on June 27, violent video games are protected under the same freedom of speech that Hollywood enjoys.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 22, 2011
Sony's surprising speakers; Minebea's keyless keyboard
While all eyes have been on Sony because of the security breaches on its PlayStation Network recently, the company also quietly rolled out a device for all you audiophiles out there when it announced two new speaker-dock systems made for Apple's iPhone and iPods.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 8, 2011
Express yourself with a wiggle of Necomimi or make music with the Ningen Gakki
One of the fun things about writing about Japanese technology is that every once in a while you come across a device that elicits both genuine admiration and a jaw-dropping reaction. And I'm delighted to report on two such gadgets today, both of which have generated some pretty significant Internet buzz.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Jun 1, 2011
Sony's horrible year is not over yet
This was supposed to be Sony's year. PlayStation 3 sales were on the uptick and, back in January, the Tokyo-based electronics giant introduced its upcoming game handheld, currently codenamed Next Generation Portable or NGP. Then disaster struck, not once but several times. For Sony, 2011 is really starting to suck.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 25, 2011
Walkman's latest version and a new camera from Panasonic
It was not without a little sadness that we witnessed the end of Sony's Walkman cassette model last year. Sure it was a long time coming, but the Walkman brand is only rivaled by the iPod in the history of portable music. Thankfully, the brand still lives on in more modern Sony products. The latest of these was revealed earlier this month, as the company announced its new Walkman B Series.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 18, 2011
Japan, the Twitter nation
According to Twitter's official blog (blog.twitter.com), when the clock stuck midnight last New Year's Eve, Japanese Twitter users went crazy, recording 6,939 tweets per second—a new record at the time. In fact, globally 14 percent of all tweets are in Japanese—second only to English, with 50 percent—which explains why Japanese was the second language to be added to twitter menus. And according to Virginia-based research firm ComScore, 20 percent of all Japanese are using Twitter, while only 8 percent of people in the United States are users. Twitter has grown so much in Japan that it now has more visitors than Japan's most well-known social network service, Mixi. And last month, Twitter appointed their first international manager outside the U.S—in Japan. But why has Twitter been embraced so rapidly here?
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 11, 2011
This summer, cute animal gizmos will make 'cool biz' even cooler
Summer is just around the corner, and office workers are starting to don their lighter "cool biz" clothing in order to beat the heat. Japanese gadget-maker Cube Works (you may know them from the infamous humping dog USB stick) has rolled out a series of cute little fans to help you stay chilled.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
May 4, 2011
The quake hits Nintendo while hackers shake Sony
For much of March, regular television advertising was all but replaced by public service announcements. Understandable really: Who wants to be the official sponsor of the biggest tragedy to hit Japan since the war? But what if you had just rolled out a new product and wanted to promote it?
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 27, 2011
Acer and Toshiba serve up Windows 7 to go
The tablet market continues to be increasingly crowded as the recently launched iPad 2 fends off a veritable Android army. And Taiwanese hardware-maker Acer made the fight even more interesting when it threw its hat into the ring this month, with the announcement that is will soon launch its brand new Iconia W500 tablet in Japan.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 20, 2011
In the battle with smart phones is i-mode dead?
Ever since 1999, when the Web-service/portal known as "i-mode" first appeared on Japanese keitai (cell phones), Japan has been hailed as the world leader in mobile phone technology — until recently that is.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 13, 2011
A cat-shaped mini-camera and stick-on controller-style gaming pads for iPhone
You could be fooled into believing that necono, from superheadz, is simply a decorative cat figurine to dangle from your key chain. It is, however, a quirky digital camera. and may just be the thing to coax a few smiles out of any camera-shy people you know.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Apr 6, 2011
Postquake, Japan's game companies put titles on hold
Japan is still reeling. The devastating earthquake and tsunami of March 11 left thousands dead and many more homeless or unaccounted for. Prime Minister Naoto Kan called the quake the worst crisis Japan has faced since the end of World War II. The earthquake's very real impact has been felt everywhere in Japan — even in the virtual world of video games.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 30, 2011
New TVs get socially networked while a solar-powered lamp saves energy.
At the Consumer Electronics Show 2011 in Las Vegas earlier this year, Sony previewed its new line of BRAVIA LCD televisions, and the company has now announced that they will be released at the end of April.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 16, 2011
The mobile-Internet is a lifeline for people in postquake confusion
When the earthquake hit northern Japan on Friday, voice calls from mobile phones became immediately unavailable in order to leave room for emergency calls. However, in the Kanto area, mobile Internet connection was mostly kept on, and many people turned to the Web to exchange information.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 9, 2011
New toys that really put sound and vision at your fingertips
Last month we brought you a double feature from toy giant Takaratomy. This month we look at another pair of fun products, courtesy of Thanko — the most notable of all the wacky gadget-makers in Japan.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Mar 2, 2011
The Nintendo 3DS faces stiff competition, and not just from other game consoles
In 2004, Nintendo released the Nintendo DS, a dual-screen gaming handheld that was revised several times over the next few years as the DS Lite, DSi and DSi XL (LL in Japan) and went on to become one of the most popular consoles ever. The Kyoto-based gamemaker is obviously hoping to repeat that success with its new Nintendo 3DS.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 23, 2011
Asian Android tablets stand out at Mobile World Congress 2011 in Barcelona
The Mobile World Congress (MWC) was held in Barcelona last week, and besides the usual fancy phones on display, an abundance of shiny new Android tablets were unveiled at the event as well. And now that the tablet-specific Android 3.0 Honeycomb OS is in the wild, we can finally get excited about these devices.
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 16, 2011
Battle over cooking-website users is a recipe for all out war
Although things have been changing in recent years — as more Japanese women continue to work after marriage — in Japan it is still usually women who are expected to prepare meals for the family. And whether it be making bento (lunch boxes) for their husbands or children, or preparing the evening meal, Japanese homemakers are known to turn to the Internet to find new recipes.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 9, 2011
Go fishing in the digital ocean while the kids get outdoors and go for a run
As someone who grew up in a small Newfoundland fishing town, I was instantly intrigued when Japanese toy giant Takara Tomy announced one of its latest products recently. The company's Virtual Masters Real is a digital fishing-simulation device. No joke.
Japan Times
LIFE / Digital / TECH_JAPAN
Feb 2, 2011
Handheld wars redux
For more than a decade, Nintendo ruled handheld gaming. Challengers, such as the Atari Lynx and the Sega Game Gear appeared, but Nintendo batted them away one by one. Only Sony and its PlayStation Portable could withstand the Nintendo onslaught. And Sony isn't going away anytime soon — launching a new handheld to take on Nintendo's upcoming 3DS: It's 2004 all over again.
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
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