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Sanyo Diply Talk PCM
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Portable Audio / Video,
Sanyo is introducing its new ICR-PS1000M Diply Talk in Japan. The PCM voice recorder has a stereo mic and recording system. The device will hold up to 50 hours of music and/or voice. Using a 4GB miniSDHC will give you 5h40/min. if recorded in PCM and 279h30/min. if you use Mp3 (32kb/s.) By the way, it seems that there was a certain amount of discussion about its English name and the fact that it might get “picked on.” If they decide it needs rebranding, Sanyo’s price will undoubtedly go up. We shall see when/if it hits the States in time for this holiday season.
Read More 
| Sanyo Diply Talk
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Tokyoflash Carries Designer Watches
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Design, Misc. Tech,
Tokyoflash, home of the incomprehensible line of wristwatches, will also be including those from Japanese designers for a limited time. We especially like Naoto Fukasawa’s minimalist watch that is more than just your basic timepiece. The site says it is supposed to “resemble the various moods of a human, using the position of the dials and hands.” Available in white or blue, the water-resistant Issey Miyake watch comes with free shipping and carries a price of ¥38,900 ($401.03.)
Read More | Tokyoflash
Phone Braver Monitors Your Calls
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Smartphones, Misc. Tech, Science,
With an idea that originated from the Japanese TV show “Cellphone Investigator 7,” Softbank has created a mobile phone that can also be a robotic friend. Attach PhoneBraver’s arms and legs and it will begin to respond with differing faces. It also pays attention to your phone habits. If you call someone frequently it will say, “You’re calling her often these days, aren’t you?”
Apparently, you will be able to carry on a conversation by responding to PhoneBraver’s questions. We are not sure that we want our handset monitoring our phone calls. Look for it to come out this April.
Read More | Weird Asia News
Sony to Release Bravia F Series
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, HDTV, Home Entertainment,
Sony has added the Bravia F series to its line. It includes a 32-inch WXGA and 40 and 46-inch HD LCDS. They have 3000:1 contrast ratios, 178º viewing angles, and can be mounted on the wall or on an optional metallic stand. With a sapphire black and aluminum design, all they need is a remote that works on a 2.4GHz band so you can sit far back and enjoy the display. How fortunate that they just happen to have one. The F series will be available in Japan on March 25 with prices of 200,000 Yen (~$ 1850.00) for the 32-inch, 290,000 Yen (~$ 2680.00) for the 40-inch model, and the 46-inch for 460,000 Yen (~$4257.00.)
Read More | Newlaunches
RoboPorter Assists Travelers
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Misc. Tech, Science,
RoboPorter has taken up residence in Japan’s Kita Kyushu Airport. Standing 4 feet tall, travelers walk over to him and tell him where they want to go. They can also use a touchscreen with a map for identification. RP can handle luggage up to 110 lbs. and can inform patrons with airport information without asking for a tip. We are thinking that this would be a terrific application for grocery stores. Not only could they carry our groceries, perhaps they can be programmed to shop as well.
Read More | Digital World
Sony Gets Back to Musical Basics
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Music, Portable Audio / Video,
While we know that most people are into the MP3 experience, many of the older
“earlier” generation still use cassettes for recording and duplication. Besides, if you head into any bargain aisle, you can get some decent prices on tapes. Sony has issued the CDF-W77, a dual dubbing tape recorder with AM/FM tuner. In case you have some of both or want to take the plunge in digital music, there is a CD player included. The CDF is available for €100 (~$146.00,) at this point only in Japan.
Read More | Akihabara News
The Amazing Race 12: “Sorry, Guys, I’m Not Happy to See You”
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Prime Time, Reality, CBS, Amazing Race, The,
Since the racers had traveled a whopping 4,000 miles to get their last pit stop, the producers of The Amazing Race decided to stick with Osaka, Japan for just a little while longer. To start the 10th leg of the competition, the teams had to first travel by taxi to the the building ‘with the hole in it’ (the Umeda Sky building). Once there, they had to locate the ‘Floating Garden’.
The first three groups (Christina/Ronald, Nate/Jen, Nicolas/Donald) kicked off the race within minutes of each other. Standing by were TK and Rachel. The losers in last week’s non-elimination round had to wait a whole three hours before they could proceed. Luckily for them, access to the garden wasn’t available until 10am —approximately three hours after this leg started. In other words, a huge chunk of time had already been erased for the hippies before the day had even begun.
Click to continue reading The Amazing Race 12: “Sorry, Guys, I’m Not Happy to See You”
Gakken Recalls Smart Globes
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Corporate News, Misc. Tech, Toys,
Tokyo’s Gakken has recalled 10,000 of their Smart Globes after customers complained about a mislabeling. Taiwan split from communist China in the late 40’s and is still being identified as part of the People’s Republic on the device. It seems that Gakken agreed to the factory based in Shenzhen, China to label the country “Taiwan Island” for its audio pen reader in order to get them manufactured. There have been so many complaints that the globes were recalled with full refund. A similar fate befell Takara Tomy’s Talking Globe, which was also made in China and similarly labeled.
Read More | Pink Tentacle
Matsushita Undergoes Name Change
Posted by Sheila Franklin Categories: Cameras, Corporate News, GPS, HDTV, Smart Home,
Matsushita has finally decided to become known by what it mostly was all along, Panasonic. The name change will become final this October 1 if the shareholders agree in June. The Osaka company was founded 90 years ago by Konosuke Matsushita, and even current President Fumio Ohtsubo feels a bit sad but commented, “We must create more than what we are giving up.”
Matsushita/Panasonic will also be dropping its local brand name National for large and small appliances by March 2010 to avoid confusion. Our only comment: It’s about time.
Read More | Post-Bulletin
The Amazing Race: Season 12: “I Just Hope He Doesn’t Croak on Us”
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Prime Time, Reality, CBS, Amazing Race, The,
After their rest period in Mumbai, India, the four remaining teams began on one of their longest journeys yet. For the 9th leg of The Amazing Race, the competitors were flying approximately 4,000 miles away to Osaka, Japan.
TK and Rachel – the first to reach the last pit stop – decided to get help at a nearby hotel before heading to the airport. Through a travel desk, they got what they believed to be the earliest flight out. The hippies were scheduled to leave at 6:55 PM flight out of India. Christina and Ronald also made reservations beforehand, but did their work through a different agency. The route they secured had them taking off at 8:30 PM. Although Nicolas/Donald and Nate/Jennifer both chose to get tickets at the airport, they wound up on the same flight as the father/daughter duo.
Click to continue reading The Amazing Race: Season 12: “I Just Hope He Doesn’t Croak on Us”
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