Category: Technology

  • The Actroid

    From Japan Today: An “actroid” robot receptionist greets visitors at the Aichi Expo. Developed by Kokoro Corp and Advanced Media Inc, the actroid can give directions in Japanese, English, Chinese and Korean. “Actroid” sounds like some sort of disease.

  • Vodafone’s Japan Blunder

    I keep hearing that Vodafone is not doing well at all in Japan, and now this: I can’t see how Vodafone can get out of the hole they dug themselves into. Gerhard Fasol, president of Eurotechnology-Japan, a consulting company, speculating that Softbank Corp, a Japanese broadband Internet provider that’s trying to get a cell-phone license,…

  • Gizmodo Wins!

    Congrats to Gizmodo for winning the “Best Computers or Technology Weblog” award at this year’s Bloggie Awards. Very nice! As for those wondering about my lack of posts there recently, my recent health problems had me down for a bit, but I should be back up and running very, very soon.

  • Shibuya Apple Store

    The following Japanese site reports that this Summer will see the opening of a new Apple Store in Shibuya. I still think they should have gone for Harajuku or Aoyama though. Link via Patrick.

  • Banryu Neo Dinosaur

    Looking like something straight out of a mecha anime, it’s a robot that you can purchase in Akihabara.

  • Doraemon iPod Mini

    Only in Japan: the Doraemon iPod mini. Link via Joi Ito Web.

  • Penck

    Oh man, I’m so in love with the new Saito Makoto designed Penck mobile phone. Part of the AU Design Project, it’s actually some sort of collaboration with Parco.

  • Gizmodo

    Some of you might remember me alluding to a possible new writing opportunity a while back, and I can finally announce that I’ve become a Japanese correspondent to Gizmodo, part of the Gawker Media empire. A couple of months ago, I had the great pleasure of spending some time with the man behind Gawker Media,…

  • Where Did Cyberwear Go?

    You’d think that Tokyo would be packed with people sporting cool-looking gadgets, maybe some wearable electronics, right? I mean, Tokyo has Akihabara! The Japanese are the king of gadget making! Everyone walks around with their mobile phones, using them like no one else in the world! Maybe it’s the cold weather, forcing everyone to cover…

  • Nagoya Apple Store

    The 3rd Apple Store in Japan, this time in Nagoya, opens this Saturday. The grand opening date of the Nagoya Sakae (Japan) store–Jan. 22nd –has been posted on Apple’s Japanese language Web page, but (as of 3 a.m.) isn’t mentioned on either the English language version of the store page, or Apple’s main Retail page.…