Japan Is So Obsessed With Hello Kitty, It Has An Entire Theme Park Devoted To Her

Image: Dansnosekai via Flickr

WOW: Tuna Fetches A Whopping $736K In Tokyo Auction

Image: via luxedb.com

Our Note: Cost per bite about $70!

Random Thoughts: The Gold Scold!

" I shared a 25-year weekly bubble comparison chart that plotted "bubble benchmarks" Japan (80's), NASDAQ (Y2K), China ('07), and crude ('08) against the current state of gold. I did it for one reason: to offer the "other side" of the parabolic frolic. Scroll to see below.

Over the years in the 'Ville, we've gotten a fair amount of flack at various junctures. We shared "the other side" of housing in 2006 (while preparing for "a prolonged period of socioeconomic malaise entirely more depressing than a recession"), offered that financial institutions were "technically insolvent" in 2007, and braved the short side in crude in 2008 (while transitioning my long-term bucket to 100% cash).

While some of you may not remember those stances, lemme assure you they were wildly unpopular at the time. "

Continues
Random Thoughts: The Gold Scold!

A Moving Story from Apple in Japan

Kevin Rose posted two emailed letters on his blog from a friend who works for Apple Computer in one of their stores in Tokyo. If you have a moment its worth your time to read about how Apple is showing real corporate responsibility in a time of crises.

"Wow, this email is from a friend of mine that works for Apple in Japan... makes me happy Apple went the extra mile here, check out his story"

iPad lands big in Japan, other foreign markets

The appeal of the Apple iPad is being tested overseas as it launches in nine countries Friday. Japan is one market where it is expected to have a special allure.

Two months after the start of U.S sales, Apple kicked off iPad sales in Japan, Australia, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and Canada early Friday morning.

And in Japan, the world's second largest economy, it was launched with the kind of fanfare typically reserved for a new game machine from Nintendo.

Read the full story at Cnet News by Brooke Crothers



In Tokyo thousands of excited and sleep deprived gadget fans mobbed shops in Japan as Apple's iPad launches. Video courtesy of AFP.


Once again Apple fans lined up from the early hours, this time in Sydney to get their hands on the first iPads to be released Down Under. Video courtesy of The Daily Telegraph.


Early adopters like to show off and share their glossy new iPads, but one thing is rubbing people the wrong way: The 9.7" touchscreen is smudge-prone -- and no one likes a greasy gadget. WSJ's Nick Burns reports.

The World's First Solar-Powered Waterproof Cell Phone

"Ever find yourself with a water-soaked low-battery phone? Sharp and Japanese network KDDI have a solution: the world's first solar-powered waterproof cell phone. The phone, scheduled for a June release in Japan, can nab one minute of talk time or two hours of standby power from ten minutes of sun. The phone can derive 80% of its charge in total from solar power. It's not a fast enough charging time to change anyone's life, but it's ideal for afternoons in the park or on the beach."

read more | digg story

Geisha: The Life, the Voices

“Geisha: The Life, the Voices” "is an icon of Japanese culture and custom- the geisha in her role as human work of art and perfect woman.

A hundred years ago geisha numbered eighty thousand; today there is a thousand at most. Luckily, Jodi Cobb can show us- before they disappear- both the ceremonial world of the geisha in Tokyo and Kyoto and their private world as few outsiders have ever seen it.

Many of the older women we meet here were forced into this world by difficulty; the young women were drawn to it by their dream of a romantic life or their love of traditional arts. We see geisha in their daytime routines: fine-tuning their breathtakingly lavish wardrobes; perfecting the art of makeup; training maikos (apprentices); and preparing for annual dance performances."

Read the full book review here

Get an iPhone 3G for free — in Japan

Get an iPhone 3G for free- But there's a major catch you must be in Japan! So is Japanese wireless carrier SoftBank making way for a new version of the iPhone, or are sales just sluggish? Who can say, but from Friday through the end of May, you can sign up for an 8GB iPhone 3G in Japan for a grand total of zero.

read more | digg story

Japan Launches First Solar cargo ship

TOKYO (AFP) – The world's first cargo ship partly propelled by solar power took to the seas on Friday in Japan, aiming to cut fuel costs and carbon emissions when automakers export their products.Auriga Leader, a freighter developed by shipping line Nippon Yusen K.K. and oil distributor Nippon Oil Corp., took off from a shipyard in the western city of Kobe, officials of the two firms said.The huge freighter capable of carrying 6,400 automobiles is equipped with 328 solar panels at a cost of 150 million yen (1.68 million dollars), the officials said.The ship will initially transport vehicles being sent for sale overseas by Japan's top automaker Toyota Motor Corp. The project was conceived before the global economic crisis, which has forced automakers to drastically cut production as sales dwindle.Company officials said the 60,213-tonne, 200-metre (660-foot) long ship is the first large vessel in the world with a solar-based propulsion system. So far solar energy has been limited to supporting lighting and crew's living quarters.The solar power system can generate 40 kilowatts, which would initially cover only 0.2 percent of the ship's energy consumption for propulsion, but company officials said they hoped to raise the ratio.

read more | digg story

Augmented Reality Girlfriend

This just in via Next Nature, if you speak and read Japanese and lack the will to find a real live woman who will give you the time of day. Then this new virtual Augmented Reality toy from Japan may make your Windows XP do something semi useful. 

Using the special cube, stick, and web camera, ARis will appear and move around in the monitor of your PC. When you touch her by the AR Stick, she shows various reactions. You can also change her clothes and give her some presents such as a teddy bear.

iPhone is big in Japan, reflects local failure to innovate

The iPhone has proven quite popular in Japan, despite the fact that many phones in the Japanese market have most of the common features that the iPhone lacks. Because of this, a former NTT DoCoMo executive blames the industry for being too insular, designing phones only to carrier specifications. Japan, which has long had 3G networks (still in relative infancy here in the US), has been in many ways years ahead in innovations compared to other markets.

read more | digg story

Suzuki to Begin Selling Cars Fueled by 100% Ethanol by 2010

Japan’s Suzuki Motor Company will begin selling cars that run completely on 100% ethanol in the US and Brazil by 2010. The company will begin the transition by first offering an E25 sedan for sale in Brazil this coming March.Currently the most ethanol that a flex-fuel car can run on in the US is E85 — which is an 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend. Suzuki’s move would mark a huge development in ethanol-powered vehicles, and a huge shift for Suzuki, which hasn’t had any alternative fuel-specific offerings in its lineup to this point. Ethanol use in the US has risen sharply recently, however, it still accounts for a small amount of the fuel sold. On the other hand, in Brazil ethanol is just as prevalent as gasoline and is available at nearly all fuel stations.el car can run on in the US and Brazil is E85 — which is an 85% ethanol/15% gasoline blend.

read more | digg story

Apple's new 3G iPhone is selling like hot cakes!

The process all started July 10 when you could obtain iPhone Software v2.0 early. I did and I must admit I spent a fair amount of time trying out some of the new features like the Apple iPhone Application Store. However it appears that when everyone started to update their phones firmware from 1.x to 2.x Apples servers were overloaded (iPocalypse) because unlike updates in the past this update requires you to reactivate your iPhone. Even InformationWeek called the new software upgrade really sweet!

I have to say one of my favorite new Applications in the America online instant messenger (a.k.a AIM chat). Because I must admit I am not a fan of SMS texting at all.

Apple fans have been flocking to Apple stores all over the world snapping up the new 3G iPhones. The New York Apple store had over 150 people lined up this morning as early as 5:00 AM.  Buyers have been storming stores in Asia and queues forming in European cities. In New Zealand people queued in freezing temperatures for around 60 hours to be the world's first to buy the iPhone at a minute past midnight on Friday. "Guards in kevlar vests and helmets brandished shotguns and stood guard over 500 devices on sale in Hong Kong, a city that has seen its share of unruly crowds at major product launches." "Softbank Corp, which sells the iPhone in Japan, said over 1,500 people lined up outside its flagship Tokyo store. " 

There is good news from the business front as well because O2 said there's been a lot of interest in the iPhone now that it supports Microsoft Exchange. Yet there are always the iPhone haters and Windows fan boys with us who would complain about any success that Apple might have. The hackers have been rather busy so there are already reports that the iPhone OS 2.0 has been unlocked!

.Mac has also transitioned to MobileMe but not without serious downtime and many users were fuming mad at having the service unusable for over 12 hours.

Updated: Apple Sells One Million iPhone 3Gs in First Weekend" ["'iPhone 3G had a stunning opening weekend,' said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO. 'It took 74 days to sell the first one million original iPhones, so the new iPhone 3G is clearly off to a great start around the world.'"

Japan's Prototype and Might As Well Be be a Coffin?

Recently there have been a number of mini cars announced.  While I am sure they offer excellent gas milage how well do they do in the safety area? If someone hits you with their bicycle will both you and your car be totaled?

[DMS] Topia Prototypes 150kg One-seater Electric Vehicle
Jun 27, 2008 18:42
Chikara Nakayama, Nikkei Monozukuri

"Topia Corp, a company engaged in designing and prototyping automobiles, prototyped a single-seater electric vehicle "HUVO," which weighs only about 150kg (330 lb). The HUVO was developed by using Topia's proprietary design and production technologies, the company said. The body frame is made of high-tensile steel plate, the doors on both sides and the back panel are made of aluminum alloy, the roof is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP), the windshield is made of polycarbonate, and the interior parts and the wheel covers are made of ABS resin."

New Fuel Cell System 'Generates Electricity with Only Water, Air'
Jun 13, 2008 19:30
Kouji Kariatsumari, Nikkei Electronics

Genepax Co Ltd explained the technologies used in its new fuel cell system "Water Energy System (WES)," which uses water as a fuel and does not emit CO2.

The system can generate power just by supplying water and air to the fuel and air electrodes, respectively, the company said at the press conference, which took place June 12, 2008, at the Osaka Assembly Hall.

The basic power generation mechanism of the new system is similar to that of a normal fuel cell, which uses hydrogen as a fuel. According to Genepax, the main feature of the new system is that it uses the company's membrane electrode assembly (MEA), which contains a material capable of breaking down water into hydrogen and oxygen through a chemical reaction.

Though the company did not reveal the details, it "succeeded in adopting a well-known process to produce hydrogen from water to the MEA," said Hirasawa Kiyoshi, the company's president.

Fuji Heavy Develops Electric Car Based on K-car 'Stella'
Jun 30, 2008 19:23
Saeko Kushitani, Nikkei Automotive Technology

Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd announced that it had developed "Plug-in Stella Concept," an electric vehicle (EV) based on its "Stella" K-car.

The Plug-in Stella Concept employs the EV system used in the "R1e," which is under feasibility test as an industrial electric vehicle. The company is considering commercializing an electric vehicle based on the Plug-in Stella Concept.