http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/ All the Good Stuff... en jml@digitalworldtokyo.com Copyright 2009 2009-06-09T06:18:32+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/clasic_ds_title_dr_kawashima_brain_training_hits_the_iphone/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/clasic_ds_title_dr_kawashima_brain_training_hits_the_iphone/#When:06:18:32Z If we ever needed proof that the iPhone is becoming a serious gaming platform, then look no further than Namco Bandai and its introduction of the classic Dr Kawashima mental-agility games for the Apple hardware. An iPhone/iPod touch port of the original Nintendo DS Japanese version of Dr K’s Brain Exercise/Training is now available for $6 on the App Store. Apparently, the range of mini games on offer is “scientifically proven to test and enhance the performance of different areas of the brain.” A bit like studying, in other words. (Via Press release) Gaming, Wireless 2009-06-09T06:18:32+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/gadgets_of_the_month_six_of_the_best_in_japan_tech3/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/gadgets_of_the_month_six_of_the_best_in_japan_tech3/#When:06:03:29Z Everything from flexible robot skin to exploding laptop hard drives – that’s what you’ll find in this month’s selection from Metropolis magazine. Issue 794 of Tokyo’s English-language free paper is out next Friday, but you lucky readers can click the image below for a PDF of my latest Tech Know gadget (vaguely sometimes, I know) column and here to check out the rest of their fine site. (Thanks Steve) Announcements, Japan 2009-06-09T06:03:29+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/tokyo_zakka_gadget_store_summer_sale/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/tokyo_zakka_gadget_store_summer_sale/#When:04:06:52Z After a massive Twitter-only sale last week, the doors are open to everyone and prices have been slashed, so get moving! We’re clearing out all the old stock to make room for plenty of cool, new gadgets from some exciting new suppliers. Here’s a taster of the bargains: 2GB Firefly Squid USB Drive just $38! Gold Ingot USB Hub for $55! Full kennel of Three USB Humping Dogs $25 and lots more at Tokyo Zakka! Get clicky and snap up a bargain ASAP Announcements, Internet, Storage, Toys, WTF? 2009-06-03T04:06:52+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/sony_adds_cellphone_postcard_service_to_bravia_tvs/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/sony_adds_cellphone_postcard_service_to_bravia_tvs/#When:02:12:35Z Sony‘s new Bravia Postcard service for cellphones pretty much does what it says on the pack - sends virtual message cards from compatible phones to net-connected Bravia TV sets. Clearly an effort to encourage non-emailing elderly folk to get more out of their expensive hardware, the Postcard service is free and allows recipients at home to reply to friends or family mailing in snaps and text using the Bravia remote handset. So far, only four Sony Ericsson Cyber-shot and Walkman phones are compatible with the Japan-only service, with all Bravia TVs from March 2008 on working on the other side of the equation. In operation, things seem pretty simple - the TV needs to be connected to a LAN, then set up to get a service-specific @tv.life-x.jp email address to which phone users send their snaps. After that, the oldsters back home just sit back and wait for a popup notification indicating the arrival of the latest postcard showing where they might have gone had the family seen fit to invite them along too. (Via Sony Japan) Digital cameras & camcorders, Displays, Household, Wireless 2009-05-25T02:12:35+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/can_gadgets_and_gene_engineering_kill_swine_flu/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/can_gadgets_and_gene_engineering_kill_swine_flu/#When:04:21:03Z It’s official - Japan is in the grip of the swine flu pandemic. Or at least its media is. The fact that my own trip to Kansai with Panasonic for what would have been a very cool story on LCD TV recycling was canceled yesterday because of H1N1 made me wonder what happened a while back when bird flu was all the rage. Looking through the archives, I see we have a home air-con unit from the self-same Panasonic that claims to kill 99.999% of flu viruses, which is all right. However, there’s an even better option. Tokyo University’s genetically modified rice can cause mice to develop antibodies in the same way a vaccine might. Flu, cholera and cancer are all in the sights of the new rice strain. If eating yourself healthy isn’t preferable to expensive gadgets, masks and paranoia, then I don’t know what is. Household, Japan 2009-05-20T04:21:03+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/shiny_shiny_-_dwt_logo_all_dressed_up/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/shiny_shiny_-_dwt_logo_all_dressed_up/#When:03:40:59Z Wow - we’re really getting into the hard tech news now, eh? Completely ignoring the 18 insanely dull new phones DoCoMo just announced, I bring you our famous Pikarin-kun logo done up in finest colored glass beads instead. Inspired by the surprisingly shiny lid on my new Eee 1000HE, my wife insisted on knocking together this tribute to the little orange guy up there at the top of the page. As the owner of a beauty salon, it seems she has plenty of shiny baubles to hand, so who am I to say no? At least, that’s my excuse More pics here on Flickr and feel free to get in touch if you want some sparkly rhinestone action for your own logo or, indeed, if you need a haircut! Announcements, Off Topic, WTF? 2009-05-19T03:40:59+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/gadgets_of_the_month_six_of_the_best_in_japan_tech2/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/gadgets_of_the_month_six_of_the_best_in_japan_tech2/#When:04:25:49Z Everything from 3D cameras to hardworking dung beetles – that’s what you’ll find in this month’s selection from Metropolis magazine. Issue 790 of Tokyo’s English-language free paper is out next Friday, but you lucky (err…) readers can click the image below for a PDF of my latest Tech Know gadget (vaguely sometimes, I know) column and here to check out the rest of their fine site. (Thanks Steve) Announcements, Japan 2009-05-08T04:25:49+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/shuffling_wannabe_terminator_robot_learns_the_two-step/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/shuffling_wannabe_terminator_robot_learns_the_two-step/#When:07:32:00Z Remember the delightful bipedal ‘bot from Masanao Koeda that we saw 18 months ago? The research platform was all about teaching robots to move more like humans and turn around on the spot easily. Well, Koeda - an Associate Professor at Osaka Electro-Communication University - has improved his previous model and given it the ability to shuffle not just one peg, but both feet simultaneously. The result is a far smoother locomotion that brings realistic bipedal robotic walking closer than ever before. You can see the results for yourself in the short videos on Prof. Koeda’s research page right here. Chief among the improvements are the ability to account for friction between the feet and rough floors and still turn smoothly, as well as better load distribution. Expect lasers and accompanying ‘pew-pew’ noises to reach the Koeda labs sometime next year, then. (Thanks Masanao-san!) R&D, Robots 2009-05-07T07:32:00+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/flu_fighting_face_masks_from_master_makers/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/flu_fighting_face_masks_from_master_makers/#When:11:37:20Z You’ve seen the pictures of people wearing face masks to prevent catching the H1N1 swine flu. If you’re going to wear a mask, why choose plain blue? People in Japan wear masks out in public all the time, for colds, the flu, and hay fever. Japanese mask-wearing citizens demand the finest quality, menthol cool wet-filtered, nonstick lipstick-ok face masks. From single-use to 7-day to designer fabric wash-and-wear masks, the most fashionable, technologically advanced flu face masks are in Japan. Click here to see all the photos,including the green tea mask and the nose-wire mask. (via Lets Japan) Household, Japan, Off Topic 2009-05-03T11:37:20+00:00 http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/articles/golden_week_in_japan_showers_predicted/ http://www.digitalworldtokyo.com/index.php/digital_tokyo/golden_week_in_japan_showers_predicted/#When:04:59:40Z Today sees the sticky old Golden Week public holiday period begin in Japan, with a mad rush to do exactly the same thing as everyone else and sit in traffic jams or visit incredibly crowded ‘attractions.’ Naturally, we can’t help ourselves and will be doing the same, as will most of this fair land. We can’t make up the news (can we?), so hang on in there and normal service will be resumed sometime next week. Weather permitting, of course. Thanks for being there… (^_^)/ Announcements, Japan 2009-04-29T04:59:40+00:00