GW-274-- The hottest gizmos and gadgets from Japan

Thu Sep 20 10:00:04 JST 2007

Japan Inc Magazine Presents:
G A D G E T W A T C H

READ GADGETWATCH ONLINE AT:
www.japaninc.com

The Hottest Gadgets and Gizmos from Japan
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Issue No. 274
Thursday September 20, 2007
Subscribers: 9467
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****OUT THIS WEEK: J at PAN INC MAGAZINE'S****
           LEGAL SPECIAL (SEPT/OCT 2007)
Intellectual Property-Jury System-Arbitration-ALB Awards
PLUS Failed Businesses in Japan & Women in the Workplace

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Name: Fujitsu Palm Vein Recognition PC Login Kit
    Category: PC security
    Price: Open Price
Release date in Japan: Already available

The Gist: Vein Pattern Recognition, also known as 'Vascular
Pattern Recognition', is a comparatively new form of biometrics
that has gained a lot of momentum in recent years. We introduced
the concept back in Gadget Watch #218, but here's a brief
refresher: vein pattern recognition involves using light to
penetrate a person's skin and detect the unique pattern of
veins. While fingerprint recognition will probably always have
its place in crime labs and government databases across the
world, vein pattern recognition has demonstrated itself to be
secure and reliable for a number of applications. It has
certainly proven itself secure enough for banking, as a number
of Japanese banks are already in the process of deploying such
technology in their ATM machines throughout the country.

While we've seen plenty of fingerprint recognition devices and
even a few vein recognition devices, the 'Palm Vein Recognition
PC Login Kit' from Fujitsu is allegedly the world's first mouse
to contain palm vein recognition. The mouse itself will read a
user's vein pattern when they place their hand on the mouse,
and in tandem with software installed on the PC, either allow
or deny their usage of the system. It's a nice approach; it
eliminates the need to remember/input passwords, fiddle with
fingerprint scanners, or perhaps even the need to issue IC
cards to employees (who sometimes lose them anyway).

The software included with the mouse is designed to be
standalone, so it need not be connected to any kind of server.
It allows Windows login, file encryption/sharing, and
ID/password input to be controlled via vein recognition. The
mouse itself features a scroll wheel and three buttons. It
connects via USB and will be available in white, black, and
grey varieties.

Unfortunately, Fujitsu currently only makes the mouse available
to its corporate customers, but perhaps they'll come around.

More info: http://pr.fujitsu.com/jp/news/2007/09/11.html
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Name: Sony Rolly
    Category: Audio Robot
    Price: Open Price; estimated around 39,800 yen
Release date in Japan: September 29, 2007

The Gist: Sony has announced a new device called the 'Rolly',
which sits somewhere between the genres of portable audio
player, portable speaker, and robot. If you're looking for a
specific device to draw a parallel, SegaToys' iDog (Gadget
Watch #177) is probably the closest you'll find.

Slated for release later this month in Japan, the Rolly
resembles an egg. In terms of size, it's 104mm long and has a
diameter of 65mm, making it slightly larger than the egg of a
flamingo.

As you've probably gathered from the name, the 'Rolly' is
capable of rolling around on its own. On its own, it can also
deploy two arms -- the 'end caps' of the egg -- and use these
arms to sort of dance in response to the music. That music can
come from either inside the Rolly itself, as it has 1GB of
internal memory and can handle ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus, MP3, and
AAC files, or from another source, as it also features Bluetooth
2.0 with A2DP/AVRCP profiles.

While you use USB to transfer songs to the Rolly, you also use
USB to transfer dances to the Rolly. Included is 'Motion Editor
Ver.1.0', software specifically created to allow users to
manually edit every movement performed by the Rolly in response
to music. Sony is also preparing a new service called 'Rolly
Motion Park' to allow users to share their customized dances.

For better or worse, things go off the deep end when you realize
that the Rolly really only has a single button: play. To perform
other operations like increasing/decreasing the volume, you'll
need to grab it. The wheels are designed detect movement, so to
turn the volume down for example, you grip it and turn it
counter-clockwise. To put the unit in shuffle mode, you pick it
up and shake it. To fast-forward or rewind through songs or
groups of songs, you hold the unit vertically and turn the top
wheel a certain amount. Sony has certainly come up with a
creative playback control scheme for the Rolly, but it's up to
the users to decide if this is better than simply pushing
buttons to accomplish those actions.

The Rolly has two speakers that face away from one another, and
actually point towards the surface on which the Rolly is placed.
The idea is that because the Rolly only lightly contacts that
surface at two points -- both of the wheels -- the surface can
be used as a reverberation panel. This essentially means the
surface surrounding the Rolly becomes a speaker, rather than
the Rolly trying to be a speaker on its own.

Sony is planning a few accessories to go with the release of the
Rolly, such as additional batteries, a recharging cradle, and a
carrying case.

More info: http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/rolly/
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Name: Yamaha NX-B02
    Category: Home Audio/Video
    Price: Open Price; estimated around 24,800 yen
Release date in Japan: Late October 2007

The Gist: Yamaha has introduced a new model of their Bluetooth-
compatible speaker, the NX-B02. It features Bluetooth 2.0+EDR,
and supports the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for
connection to devices such as music players, PCs, and mobile
phones.

The speaker has an output of 6W x 2ch, including a frequency
response from 90Hz to 20kHz. The 'Twin SR-Bass' feature also
allows both left and right channels to make the best of use
of 'internal cabinet energy', converting it into low frequency
sounds. The speaker contains two 4.5cm full-range drivers and
measures 84 x 84 x 170mm (W x D x H). It can be powered via an
AC adapter or four AA batteries, which will last for 4 hours
of playback time. If you don't own a Bluetooth audio device,
no worries because the unit also features a standard 3.5mm
audio jack.

More info: http://www.yamaha.co.jp/news/2007/07091301.html
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Start a Company in Japan

Entrepreneur's Handbook Seminar 6th of October, 2007

If you have been considering setting up your own company,
find out what it takes to make it successful.
Terrie Lloyd, founder of over 13 start-up companies in Japan,
will be giving an English-language seminar and Q and A on
starting up a company in Japan.
This is an ideal opportunity to find out what is involved,
and to ask specific questions that are not normally answered
in business books.
All materials are in English and are Japan-focused.

For more details: http://japaninc.com/terrie_lloyd/
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Japan's First Family Social Network is here! www.piqniq.jp

Are you raising a family in Japan? Do you speak English?
Would you like to meet other English speaking families in
your area? Piqniq is a Social Network Service tailored
specifically for you!
Our concept is "Families helping Families" and we invite
anyone that wants to meet other families, help other families,
or discuss family-related issues pertinent to life in Japan
to come and join the Piqniq today!

For more information: www.piqniq.jp

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STAFF
Written by: Liam McNulty
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